the feast of souls(karkitaka vaavu)

[padmanabha]

In Kerala the feast of souls falls on the new moon day in the month of Karkitakam (July-August/Aadi Ammavasai). The feast of the souls falls on 12th August this year. The day is considered sacred to the spirits of the dead.
On this day people visit river banks /or seashores. Oblations of rice and libations of water are offered to the manes of ancestors. It is held to be most meritorious if one can go to Rameswaram bathe in the Rama Sethu, and perform sradha there. The sradha is not to propitiate the spirit of any particular diseased but is designed to propitiate the manes of all ancestors.
After the sradha the offerings are placed in the yard for the crows to feed on. THE BELIEF IS THAT the diseased come in the form of crows to partake of them.
The popular spots were sradha is offered are
Sanghumugham beach, Varkala beach, Aluva, Papanasam Thirunelli in waynad, Parasurama temple.
The sea is rough these days especially so after this year’s monsoon. The government has promised to take necessary steps-that is alternative arrangements -for offering sradha. People visit Parasurama temple in Thiruvallam. It is located on the banks of Tiruvallam theertham. It is believed that PARASURAMA offered sradha to his mother at this spot. It is the only place in India (I believe) where you find temple for Parasurama.