The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Thousands of pilgrims witness car festival

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Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Thousands of pilgrims witness car festival

Staff Reporter

— PHOTO : G. KARTHIKEYAN

Panguni Uthiram: Car procession in progress at Palani on Friday.

PALANI: Thousands of devotees from various places in the district witnessed the holy car procession celebrated as part of Panguni Uthiram festival here on Friday.

The procession started from Sri Padha Vinayagar Temple and returned to the temple after passing through the four giri veedhis around the hill temple. The utsavamurthy reached Theerthavari for holy bathing in the early morning. Special pujas were performed to Lord Muthukumaraswamy. Later, the lord was decorated and taken around Thiru Avinankudi Temple on an ivory palanquin.

The temple car was decorated with flowers and multicoloured clothes. Lord Muthukumaraswamy along with Sri Valli and Sri Deivanai ascended the holy car before 10.30 a.m. Special pujas were performed to the temple car and the deities.

Amid chanting of holy hymns and Thevaram songs, devotees pulled the car from its base around 4.40 p.m. Temple elephant pushed the car from behind for smooth passage on the concrete road.

Devotees carrying different kinds of kaavadis have been thronging the hill temple in the past three days. Pilgrims, particularly from southern districts and Kerala, banging percussion instruments danced on the giri veedhis. Braving mild showers, devotees waited on both sides of giri veedhis to witness the car procession.

The cracker festival would be held on the banks of Vaiyapuri tank on Saturday and the 10-day Panguni uthiram festival concludes on March 24.

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