Lord Kallalagar, the presiding deity of Sundararaja Perumal Temple in Alagarkoil, began the journey to Madurai as part of Chithirai festival on Wednesday evening.
Thousands of devotees, some dressed in colourful costumes, thronged the hill to witness the Lord’s departure from the temple as he left his abode in the attire of a common man.
The deity was brought out on a palanquin at 4.30 p.m. amid chanting of hymns. The crowd followed the deity as he exited the temple’s first boundary wall at 5.30 p.m. and rested in the first mandapam during his journey. The deity was carried on a golden palanquin by 50 volunteers, who began the journey to 442 mandagapadis till Vaigai river. Women had drawn elaborate kolams on the pathway inside the temple. Men who dressed as Lord Karuppusamy blessed people and danced to tunes played at each mandagapadi. Hundreds of police personnel were deployed to manage the crowd and two temporary watchtowers erected on the temple premises for surveillance. The procession will make stops at mandagapadis in Poigaikaraipatti, Kallandiri, Appan Tirupati and Sundararajanpatti through the night.
On Thursday morning, the palanquin of Lord Kallalagar is expected to reach Moondrumavadi for ‘Ethir Sevai’ at 5.30 a.m., following which the procession will make a stopover at various mandagapadis. The deity is to reach the Outpost around 6.30 p.m. on Thursday.
Lord Kallalagar will enter the Vaigai early on Friday morning. Thousands of devotees are expected to throng Vaigai river and its vicinity to witness the event.
People can track the journey of Lord Kallalagar on Madurai Kavalan app developed by Madurai district police.
