Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday sustained a head injury while participating in thulabharam, a traditional practice in Kerala where a person is weighed on scales against an offering to a temple deity. The Thiruvananthapuram MP was taking part in the event at the Gandariyamman Kovil temple on the occasion of Vishu, the Malayalam New Year.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday sustained a head injury while participating in thulabharam, a traditional practice in Kerala where a person is weighed on scales against an offering to a temple deity. The Thiruvananthapuram MP was taking part in the event at the Gandariyamman Kovil temple on the occasion of Vishu, the Malayalam New Year.
According to party sources, Tharoor who is aiming for a hat-trick from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, sustained injuries on his head, which required six stitches. He also suffered a minor leg injury after the hook of the weighing scale came off and hit his head, they added.
The Congress MP was accompanied by family members, party leaders and workers including MLA, V S Sivakumar. While he was sitting on one of the pans of the weighing scale, the hook came off and fell on his head, party sources told PTI.
‘Thulabharam’ is a Hindu ritual in which a person is weighed against a commodity such as flowers, grains, fruits and similar articles in temples and the equal value or quantity is offered as donation.
Visuals from local media channels showed a heavily bandaged Tharoor being wheeled into a hospital. His shirt was stained with blood.
Tharoor was initially admitted to Thiruvananthapuram general hospital before being shifted to the city medical college, Mathrubumi reported. According to the report, hospital authorities said that his condition is stable and he underwent scans to rule out any internal injuries.
Earlier today, Tharoor tweeted Vishu greetings to his 6.85 million followers. “For the first time in decades my sisters and I were blessed to have our eyes opened for Vishu Kani by our Mother. Such a joy to re-live our childhoods this Vishu! Vishu blessings to all and a wonderful year ahead!” he said in the tweet.