A large number of devotees thronged Subramania Swamy Temple, the second abode of Lord Murugan, at Tiruchendur and offered prayers on Saturday on the occasion of the seven-day Kanda Sashti festival.
Yagasala puja was performed in the early morning to mark the beginning of the festival. The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the benefit of the devotees. Soorasamharam is slated for November 11 and a local holiday will be declared on that day.
Palani
The festival started at the Dhandayuthapaniswamy Hill Temple, the third abode among ‘Arubadai Veedu' on Palani hill here with ‘Kaapu Kattu' ceremony and ‘Kalpa puja.'
The holy thread was tied to Lord Vinayagar and later to Moolavar Dhandayuthapaniswamy and Utsavamurthy, peacock, the mount of Lord Murugan, and nava veerargal. Later, priests tied the ‘kaappu' to Veerabahu, war general of Lord Murugan, ‘dwara palakas' and ‘parivara murthies.'
Later, devotees who had congregated at the hill temple since morning, also tied the ‘kaapu' to observe fast.
During ‘Surasamharam,' the main event of the festival on November 11, Lord Chinnakumaraswamy would ascend on the peacock mount and annihilate four ‘Asuras' on the four ‘giri veedhis' using the holy lance offered by his mother Goddess Malaikozhundhu Amman. After preliminary pujas on the hill temple and receipt of holy lance, destruction of the ‘Asuras' will start by 5.30 p.m. near Padha Vinayagar Temple on ‘giri veedhi.'
Destruction of ‘Tharaka Asura' would take place on North Giri Street, annihilation of Banugopan on East Giri Street, taking out of Singamuka Asura on South Giri Street and wiping off Sura Padman on West Giri Street in a three-hour-long fiery battle. After the war, Lord Chinnakumaraswamy will meet Lord Muthukumaraswamy who would be mounted on ‘Indira vimana' on the battle field.
Ceremony to mark the victory in the battle will be celebrated at Ariyar mandapam around 9 p.m. on that day. Celestial wedding between goddess Deivanai and the Lord will take place between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., on November 12. Later, the deities will be taken in procession on a golden horse. Cultural programmes have been arranged at Karthigai mandapam in the evening during all festival days.
