MADURAI
The north and south banks of Vaigai river saw lakhs of devotees crouching, leaning and standing on their tiptoes to watch Lord Kallazhagar enter the river here on Monday. The high point of the festival cut across caste and gender lines as unprecedented crowds danced to enthusiastic beats and chanting the name of the deity.
Dressed in resplendent green silk (a symbol of prosperity and booming agriculture), the presiding deity of the Kallazhagar temple from Alagarkoil, galloped on His majestic golden horse from Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple in Tallakulam in the early hours of Monday morning.
He arrived in Madurai on Sunday morning and visited several ‘mandagapadis’ along Alagarkoil road and New Natham Road, enroute Tallakulam.
About 50 volunteers carried the deity to Alwarpuram, the entry point, at around 5.50 a.m. and patient crowds who waited along the banks from 2 a.m. cheered on His arrival.
Keeping with tradition, the deity was received on the riverbed by Lord Veeraraghava Perumal (from the temple on South Masi Street), who was mounted on his silver stallion. The Public Works Department (PWD) had released 216 mcft of water from the Vaigai dam specifically for Lord Kallazhagar’s entry, on Friday, adding to the dazzle.
Madurai sported a festive look as there was celebration in the air and a skip in everyone’s step. Thousands slept on Panagal road, Tallukulam and Goripalayam the previous night so that they would not miss out on the festivities in the early hours of Monday. Thousands were dressed as Lord Kallazhagar and took to performing stunts for the people.
Some others danced the traditional ‘Mayil Aatam’, played the ‘parai’ and chanted ‘Govinda Govinda’ as the deity completed His three rounds around a makeshift mandapam with two pandals erected by the Temple’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and the Corporation.
Heavy police protection was deployed and only VIP guests were allowed at the mandapam for the special pooja that was held. After the rituals at the mandapam , the procession left to Ramarayar Mandapam for a special ‘theerthavari’ ceremony.
Here, the devotees dressed as Lord Kallazhagar and ‘Pathinetampadi’ Karuppu sprayed water on the Lord as per tradition to cool him down. Bags of water made of goatskin were used to spray the God.
A total of 16 light-emitting diode (LED) screens were placed on Albert Victor bridge displaying bright colours and many others near Goripalayam so that devotees would not miss the action.
