PALAKKAD: With barely weeks left for the famed chariot festival "Kalpathy Ratholsavam", the state of two crucial roads along the chariot procession route has emerged as a major concern with residents and representatives of the four temple committees. They warned that the incomplete and uneven road work could disrupt the movement of the massive temple chariots and cause inconvenience to thousands of devotees.
"The Old Kalpathy Gramam and Chathapuram Agraharam roads, which form part of the rathams' route, have been subjected to recent road (repair)work," said KS Krishna, president of the Mandakkarai Sree Mahaganapathy Temple New Kalpathy committee.
The annual Ratholsavam is one of Kerala's most celebrated temple festivals and will be held from November 7 to November 17. The festival draws large crowds to the historic Kalpathy agraharams, with elaborately decorated rathams being pulled through the narrow village streets amid religious rituals and festivities.
Krishna said, "While the bituminous macadam (BM) layer has been laid, the crucial bituminous concrete (BC) work is still pending. We fear that leaving the roads in their present condition could create serious difficulties when the heavy wooden chariots negotiate the streets and while the devotees participate in pulling of the Rathas barefoot."
The concern is not merely about an unfinished surface. Residents have pointed out that portions of the newly laid road are now higher than the adjoining sections, creating a gap that could impede the movement of the massive chariot wheels. With the Ratholsavam involving the movement of several large rathams through the village roads, even a seemingly minor difference in road levels could turn into a significant obstruction.
The organisers have sought BM and BC surfacing along the full ratham route, including the connecting approach roads from the outskirts. At present, New Kalpathy, Thyagaraja Swamy Road and Kalchetty Theruvu have received BM-BC surfacing, while the roads in Old Kalpathy and Chathapuram Agraharam have only received the BM layer.
The condition of the drainage infrastructure has added to the concerns. Broken drainage slabs beneath the roads along the procession route are yet to be fully repaired, while slabs at Therumutty Junction have been partially removed, leaving another potential hazard on a route that will soon be packed with devotees.
The organisers have also sought the improvement of the pathway along Kalpathy River towards Meetu Kadavu, behind the Sree Lakshminarayana Perumal Temple in Old Kalpathy. "The existing riverside pathway leading towards the Siva temple is in poor condition. Upgrading it could provide an important alternative route for people and vehicles during the festival, besides helping elderly devotees reach Kundambalam without having to negotiate the steps," C S Mahesh Krishnan, managing trustee of the temple, said.
The joint committee has submitted a detailed memorandum to the district collector, and the authorities have promised to address the concerns at the earliest.