KANNIYAKUMARI: With the participation of thousands of devotees from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Thookkam was performed on a grand scale at the Sree Bhadrakali Temple in Kollemcode, located near the Kerala-TN border, on Tuesday.
The festival is dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali and the central ritual, Thookkam, involves devotees (Thookakarar) holding kids in their hands, suspended from a wooden beam with hooks pierced into their backs.
Four adult devotees hold a kid each in the air, suspended on the Thookkam, which is then pulled around the temple. The ritual was performed from morning till mid-night.
A Mohamed Nazer from Pozhiyoor in Kerala, a hotel supervisor in the Gulf, offered annadhanam to thousands of devotees during the festival.
Speaking on the phone to TNIE, Nazer described his act as a mark of religious harmony, adding that all Indians must be united without any differences.
Sree Bhadrakali Dewaswom's secretary V Mohan Kumar said 1,175 children aged three months to one year were registered for the ritual, which saw the participation of people from different caste and religious backgrounds. The Devasom’s president, advocate V Ramachandran Nair said the Thookakarars, who lift the children, had stayed at the temple for seven days and are aged between 21 and 60 years.
T Ramesh Kumar, a daily wage worker from Marthandam, said he has been serving as a Thookakarar for nine years.
The festival also includes vibrant processions, cultural performances, and traditional music, blending Tamil and Malayalam traditions to reflect the region's unique heritage.
In addition to Thookkam, the festival is marked by a variety of offerings and prayers, such as pongala and kuthiyottam, performed with deep devotion.