Hundreds of devotees gathered on the banks of the Vaigai at Puttuthoppu here on Tuesday to witness the ‘pittukku mann sumantha leelai’, an important event of the Avani Moola festival at Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple.
The grand episode enacted is the story of how King Arimarthana Pandian called for one person from each family to contribute in building a dam across Vaigai that is flooding.
“Vandhi, an elderly woman who sells ‘puttu,’ a delicacy – mix of rice flour and grated coconut– to earn her livelihood, was upset as she had no one to send on her account. Answering her prayers, Lord Shiva, who appeared in the form of a layman named Chokkan, with a basket and hoe, offered to help,” narrated a priest at Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple.
The Lord was promised that he would be given ‘puttu’ in return as salary. “Chokkan, after carrying mud from the banks to do his part, dozes off. When the King is on his rounds to inspect the progress, spots him sleeping and slaps Chokkan on his back with a ‘navaratna’ cane. It is believed that the pain was felt in every living being on earth,” he added. Chokkan, who swiftly completed his work, appeared in his true form and gave moksha to Vandhi, with which the floods in Vaigai receded.
Elaborate arrangements were made on a stage where priests Raja Bhattar acted as Lord Sundareswarar and Halash Bhattar acted as the Pandya King.
Special pujas were performed as part of the event.
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