Consecration of peripheral shrines (shrines of accompanying deities) in Sri Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai was held on Thursday amid tight police security.
As the consecration of main shrine of presiding deity Sri Arunachaleswarar is slated for February 6, related rituals began on the last week of January. On January 31, the 12 kala homam began in the 108 Yaga Kundams set up in a yagasalai complex set up under decorated shed inside the temple.
The pots containing holy water placed by the homa kundams, the holy fire to make offerings, were taken in procession by priests to the shrines such as Kambathilayanar Sannidi, a shrine of Lord Muruga, Pathala Lingam where Sri Ramanamaharishi worshipped, Gopurathilaiyanar Sannidi and Sambandha Vinayagar Sannidi. The priests then poured the holy water from the Vimanams of the shrines to perform consecration. District Collector Prashant M.Wadnere has declared that February 6 will be a local holiday for Tiruvannamalai district in view of the Kumbhabishekam of Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple here.
Holiday
Mr. Wadnere said that all the offices and educational institutions in the district that come under the purview of State government would not function on February 6. However, offices and institutions would work to make up for this loss of working day.
The treasuries in Tiruvannamalai district are not covered by the declaration of holiday and they will function with minimum staff on February 6, he said. The weekly grievance redress programme scheduled to take place in collectorate on February 6 stands cancelled.
