Thousands of devotees gathered at the banks of the Periyar river in Aluva on Monday morning, February 16, 2026, to perform ‘bali tharpanam’ as part of Sivaratri celebrations. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had arranged around 116 altars for this ritual. The Aluva Manappuram area was crowded from Sunday evening as the faithful arrived from across the district and beyond. The Ernakulam Rural police made tight security arrangements. Hundreds of police officers and Fire and Rescue personnel patrolled the venue, river ghat, parking areas, and nearby places. A special squad monitored repeat offenders, while a dedicated team managed the rush at Aluva railway station. The Manappuram region and surrounding areas were under drone surveillance, with CCTVs installed at key junctions. Police were also stationed in watch towers. Ambulance services stood ready to handle any medical emergencies. To manage traffic, regulations were imposed in Aluva town and nearby areas until 2 p.m. on Monday. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation ran additional bus services to the venue. District administration and Aluva municipal officials coordinated all efforts. Authorities ensured the celebrations followed green protocols as prescribed by enforcement agencies.