TIRUCHI: Devotees treat it as a `divine coincidence'. `Cauvery Pushkaram' - a once-in-12 -year festival - will be held at Srirangam from September 28 when the river is in full flow.

The 13-day festival is a thanks-giving ceremony to the river in recognition of water as elixir of life. The event coincides with the transition of `Brihaspati' (Jupiter) into the `Tula' (Libra) zodiac, which happens only once in 12 years.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the festival, which the organisers consider as `Cauvery Kumbh Mela', akin to the festivals held for perennial rivers in other parts of the country.

Though the festival is popular in north India and Andhra Pradesh, special arrangements for the Cauvery Pushkaram were made only in 1981, when Parasara Sudarasana Bhattar Swamy, Sthalathar of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, initiated the measures for popularising the significance of the `Pushkaram'.

A special committee, `Cauvery Pushkar Bhrama Yagna Committee', led by V. Venkataraman, has been formed for the current festival, says Parasara Lakshmi Narasimha Bhattar, Sthalathar of the temple, who is the secretary of the committee.

Volunteers from several organisations will guide the devotees, according to Sadagopachariar, convener, and K. Subba Rao, joint secretary of the committee.

Apart from special `yagams', discourses and cultural programmes, free food will be served to devotees at different centres in Srirangam.

Special homams, including Sri Hayagriva homam and Sri Vaibhava homam, will be performed for five days till October 2. Owing to solar eclipse, no ritual will be performed on October 3. The brahma yagnam will be performed from October 4 to 10. The Mahapurnahuti and Avaprutasnanam will be performed, marking the conclusion of the `Pushkaram'.

"The fire for the `yaga salai' will be got from the friction effect of the `arani kattai', a traditional method", says Vadhula Ramakanth Acharya, who leads the batch of Vedic pundits.

A procession, led by Sri Ranganarayana Jeer, will be inaugurated by Sri Ashtashara Jeer of Vijayawada Mutt at 6 a.m. on Wednesday at the Sri Rangavilas Mandapam, Srirangam, marking the inaugural of the Pushkaram.

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