The Mahamagham festival is underway on the banks of the Bharathapuzha river at Tirunavaya but the large crowds expected have not arrived yet. The event started on Monday and will continue until February 3. Traders in Tirunavaya say business is normal so far but they hope for more visitors soon. Devotees have been chanting Vedic hymns near the Navamukunda Temple and many took holy dips at the temple's bathing ghat. Safety restrictions and barricades are in place because the Bharathapuzha river is considered unsafe, even in summer. More special rituals and aratis will begin from January 22. A temporary bamboo bridge, built to connect the river sandbank where swamis perform rituals, was still closed on Tuesday but will open to the public from Thursday. Priests reached the sandbank by boat to check preparations. Organisers are installing 50 bio-toilets at the festival site. One organiser said, "We will ensure that the faecal waste is removed using a tanker and that it never reaches the river." Sreelakshmi K., secretary of Tirunavaya panchayat, said strict instructions have been given to follow green protocols. The panchayat’s Harithakarma Sena will handle all solid waste collection. In the first days, most visitors came from Malappuram and nearby districts. Many are regular pilgrims who also visit popular shrines like Guruvayur and Kadampuzha. An elderly pilgrim from Kozhikode, Sukumaran P., said he visited other temples too. Regular tourists visiting Mamangam monuments and nearby sites, like Changampalli Kalari and Manikkinar, experienced a normal day despite the festival. The Pazhukkamandapam near the temple saw only a few visitors.