The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Thousands witness Thai Poosam car procession

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Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Thousands witness Thai Poosam car procession

Staff Reporter

Heavy police deployed near the temple in Palani

The temple town wore a festive look as several devotees took out ‘kavadis’

PALANI: Thousands of devotees witnessed the Thai Poosam car procession held at Sri Periyanayaki Amman Temple here on Tuesday.

At the outset, ‘mandagapadi’ and the holy dip ceremony were performed at the Shanmuga in the early hours. Amid chanting of hymns, Lord Muthukumaraswamy and goddesses Sri Valli and Sri Deivanai were given a ritualistic bath in the river and taken back to the temple to inspect the holy car.

Temple workers decorated the car with multi-coloured clothes, flowers and festoons. The aesthetically decorated god and goddesses were mounted on the car at an auspicious time. Special pujas and aradhanas were performed to the deities on the rath.

With ‘Arohara’ slogan renting the air, devotees pulled the holy car on the four rath streets. The temple elephant too pushed the car. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister K.R. Peria Karuppan, temple board members and officials took part.

Heavy police were deployed near the temple. Superintendent of Police A. Pari camped in Palani and monitored the security arrangements.

Traffic closed

Traffic was closed, power supply snapped and electric cables crisscrossing the rath streets removed by Tamil Nadu Electricity Board staff before the procession started.

The celestial wedding took place in the temple around 8 p.m. on Monday. After varna pooja and Subramanya homam, vaadhya pooja was performed. Odhuvars chanted Thevaram hymns. Shodasobachara abishekam (sixteen kinds of abishekam) was performed to the deities. Lord Muruga wore a white silk dhoti and the goddesses were clad in red silk saris. The wedding took place after Mangalya puja. Later, the deities were taken in procession on the rath streets.

The 10-day festival would conclude with ‘Theppa Ther’ (float festival) on Friday.

Pilgrims swarmed Sannadhi Street, the giri veedhis and the winch station. The temple town wore a festive look as several devotees danced with ‘kavadis’ and others played percussion instruments. A special ‘kaavadi’ team from Karikudi reached the town.

Thousands of devotees arrived in the town on Monday evening. Pilgrims had to wait for more than eight hours to have darshan. However, the number of people walking on the highways had reduced drastically.

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