Social media platforms, entrepreneurs and priests helped devout Hindus perform Karkkidaka vavubali from the comfort of their apartment complexes and houses on Monday.
Vavubali, observed in reverence for one’s ancestors, is normally performed at bali ghats at Thiruvallom here, Ivarmadom, near Thiruvilwamala in Thrissur, Thirunavaya in Malappuram, Thirunelly in Wayanad, on the banks of the Periyar at Aluva, on beaches such as Shanghumugham and Varkala Papanasham in the capital and Thirumullavaram in Kollam and waterbodies across the State under the guidance of priests on the new moon day in the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam. But, the guidelines issued by the government due to COVID-19 forced people to carry out the rituals in the precincts of their residences.
As public places were out of bounds, the ‘Illam’ (home) from among the places most preferred by the ancestors — ‘Illam’, ‘Vallam’ (Thiruvallam), ‘Nelli’ ‘Thirunelli’— emerged the preferred choice. In the capital, those staying in apartment complexes such as Nandini Gardens at Fort hired priests to guide them in the rituals.
Step-by-step videos
Social media also came in handy for many. Step-by-step videos on the performance of the rites were available on YouTube, other social media platforms and WhatsApp.
Collecting essentials needed for Balitharpanam that involves making offerings in memory of one’s dead ancestors was another challenge. While some shops selling Ayurvedic herbs came up with Balitharpanam kits, entrepreneurs delivered the ingredients at the doorstep of people for ₹75 a kit. “The kit had raw rice, ghee, sesame, cherula flowers (mountain knot grass), sandal, darbha grass, two plantain leaves, pavithrakettu (a ring made of darbha grass), banana and three types of flowers. It came in handy and we offered the bali on our house premises with the help of the online tutorial,” says C. Lakshmi Bai of Pappanamcode.
500 kits
“We expected 100 orders, but were able to provide 500 kits. We stopped taking orders after 7 p.m. on Sunday due to dearth of ingredients like sesame and flowers,” says an entrepreneur who runs a shop selling puja materials at Karikkakom here.
Temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board made arrangements to offer Tilahomam and Pithrupuja, rituals conducted as an alternative to offering bali in person. Bookings were made online and there was a a good response for these from devotees.
