Thousands of oracles who will reach the Kodungalloor Bhagavathy Temple for the annual Bharani festival this month will adopt health precautions in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
They may not be wearing any protective masks during the mass procession and temple rituals. Instead, would cover their nose and mouth with shawl and stay at safe distance from each other. The traditional practice of oracles, who would all be dressed up in red and singing devotional songs, spilling blood by hurting themselves on the forehead using long sickle-shaped swords would continue.
Oracles and devotees
Oracles and devotees, mostly from the northern districts of Kerala, especially Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad, would travel to Thrissur district on March 26 and 27 to attend the festival. A large number of them would spend a couple of days in the town before going back.
The Cochin Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, has called for scaling down the crowd and confining the festivities to rituals in the wake of the outbreak of the disease.
Usually, thousands of devotees and oracles reach the temple during the festival days.
A large number of oracles participate in the annual ritual of Kavutheendal which takes place on March 27. The board has decided to approach the District Collectors concerned to appeal to the masses to bring down the number of devotees, said A.B. Mohanan, board president.
A meeting of the authorities concerned would be held on Thursday to discuss the issue, he said.
T. S. Gireeshkumar Menon, State vice president of the Kodungalloor Bhagavathy Velichappad Sangham, the organisation of oracles, said they have appealed to its various units to cut down on the number of persons who would be travelling to the temple.
“We have requested the devotees and oracles to comply with the safety and health guidelines issued by the authorities and to remain at safe distance from each other during the festival. Moreover, we have requested them to go back to their homes on the same day of arrival after completing their prayers,” he said.
The practice of spilling blood in memory of the mythical war waged by Goddess Kali with Darukan, the demon, cannot be done away with, as the oracles would calm down only when the blood is spilt. Most of the oracles would not even apply medicine on the wound or even take tetanus vaccine as Goddess Kali would heal them, he said.
The sangham would discuss the preparations at a meeting to be held on Thursday, he said.
