Streets submerging under an unceasing tide of people…
children nagging their parents to buy sweets, corns, pineapples or other edible items…
fancy toys put up for sale by hawkers...
several groups of boisterous youth roaming…
a laser show that had the crowd mesmerised…
With all of this action happening around a lake under a cool winter night, new comers and foreigners visiting the float festival at Mariamman Teppakulam here on Tuesday night could be forgiven for thinking that it was an Indian version of Brazilian carnival rather than a solemn temple festival.
Devotees gathered in the tens of thousands to witness the attractively decorated Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple's float.
The ‘Teppam' festival marks the conclusion of the annual 12-day ‘Thai Poosam' festival. The tank was filled with water drawn from the Vaigai for the occasion, according to officials.
The idols of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar, attired in silk robes, were drawn twice in the morning and once in the evening. Wave after wave of devotees filled the roads surrounding the tank to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Gods.
At around 10.30 a.m., more than 100 young men from nearby Anuppanadi pulled the float, as they used to do for the past several decades.
Dividing themselves into groups, one made for the ‘Maiya Mandapam' at the centre of the tank, while the other waited on the parapet. Devotees gave the men a helping hand in pulling the ropes.
In the evening, the event started at around 8 p.m. and culminated after an hour.
A posse of police personnel was deployed in and around the tank to regulate the crowd.
A stretch of the Kamarajar Salai was blocked and traffic diverted for the event.
For the first time, a multi-colour laser and beam show was organised as part of the float festival.
The show was organised by Laser Tech Entertainment, based in Bangalore.
They had given performances at national youth festival in January at Mangalore and Gujarat besides during the Mysore Dushera festival.
Karumuttu T. Kannan, Thakkar of Meenakshi Temple, P. Jayaraman, Joint Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department and the Executive Officer of Meenakshi Temple took part in the event along with other officials.
