The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Several devotees witness car festival

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Sunday, Jun 28, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Several devotees witness car festival

Staff Reporter

On the occasion of ‘Aani Tirumanjanam’ at Avudaiyarkovil

— Photo: R. Ashok.

AUSPICIOUS: Devotees drawing the temple car at Avudaiyarkovil in Pudukottai district on Saturday.

PUDUKOTTAI: A large number of devotees pulled the temple-car of Sri Athmanathaswamy temple at Avudaiyarkovil on the occasion of ‘Aani Tirumanjanam’ festival on Saturday.

The processional idol of Sri Manickavasagar, one of the four Saivite stalwarts, with whose life the temple is associated, was taken around the four car-streets.

This is one of the two 10-day annual car-festivals being celebrated at the temple, the other one being ‘Arudhara’ festival. Both festivals are celebrated have striking similarities on the lines of the ones at the temple of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram. While the presiding-cum-processional idol of Lord Nataraja is taken out during the car-festivals, the rituals are associated with the processional idol of Sri Manickavasagar at Avudaiyarkovil.

Amidst religious fervour and to the accompaniment of ‘nagaswaram vidwans’ seated behind the idol of Sri Manickavasagar, the devotees pulled the temple-car at about 10.35 a.m., raising holy slogans in glory of Sri Athmanathaswamy and Sri Manickavasagar.

The temple authorities took all precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the festival. Using a public address system, they guided the devotees when and how to pull the ‘vadam’. Waving a green or red flag from the top of the temple-car, they guided the devotees when to pull or stop the car. At the base of the temple-car, volunteers were seen keeping a vigil on the movement of the wheels, promptly placing the wooden logs to bring the temple-car to rest or change its direction.

This apart, a team of police personnel ensured that none of the devotees came near the wheels of the temple-car.

Early in the morning, special ‘abhishekam’ was performed to the idol of Sri Manickavasagar, also known as ‘Tirukkovai Vendhar,’ at the Sathsabai of the temple in front of the sanctum sanctorum, according to the temple-priest, Balasubramanian Nambiar. The idol was later taken to the temple-car at about 5 a.m. where devotees offered worship by offering flowers and breaking coconuts. Several voluntary organisations made arrangements for the distribution of free meals to the devotees.

Plan for guest-house:

The Tiruperundurai Manickavasagar Tiruppani Mandram, a voluntary organisation, has planned to donate a guest-house to facilitate the devotees and pilgrims at this temple. Its Treasurer, C. A. Kathirvel, said that the guest house, to be constructed on an extent of 3,000 square feet, would be on the lines of the conventional ‘mutt.’ The bills towards accommodation would be very minimal to be utilised for its upkeep and maintenance.

The state government has notified Avudaiyarkovil as a heritage town in the wake the temple being a marvel in architectural engineering architecture. Its mural paintings, dating back to the hoary past, draw a large number of foreign tourists too.

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