Lakhs of devotees from Madurai and surrounding regions, occupying every available inch of space in the vicinity of Vaigai river near Albert Victor bridge, witnessed the entry of Lord Kallazhagar into the river on Friday.
The spectacular event, which is the highpoint of the centuries-old annual Chithirai Thiruvizha , happened sharply at 6.05 a.m. amid chanting of ‘Govinda, Govinda!’ by the sea of devotees and the song ‘Vaararu Vaararu Azhagar Vaararu,’ which has come to be identified with the event, blaring from speakers.
Lord Kallazhagar, who began the journey from his abode in Alagarkoil hills on Wednesday, reached Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple in Tallakulam on Thursday night.
The entire Madurai wore a festive look as devotees, many of whom dressed like deities Kallazhagar and Pathinettampadi Karuppu as part of fulfilling their vow, started congregating since Thursday night at Tallakulam and all the roads leading from the temple towards Vaigai River.
Electrifying ‘ parai ’ music by folk artistes engaged by almost every group of devotees could be heard everywhere.
On Friday morning, Lord Kallazhagar, dressed in green silk and mounted on his magnificent golden stallion, began the journey towards the Vaigai followed by thousands of devotees. At the riverbed, where a mandapam had been erected, he was received as per tradition by Lord Veeraraghava Perumal from the temple on South Masi Street, mounted in his silver stallion.
Both the southern and northern banks of the Vaigai near Albert Victor bridge were filled with people for about a kilometre. Thousands of devotees also entered the river, which had knee-deep water, to witness Lord Kallazhagar’s entry.
While entry to Albert Victor bridge was restricted to those who had VIP passes, devotees had gathered in large numbers at New Kalpalam bridge and the Obula Padithurai causeway to get a glimpse of the event.
Police personnel and the district administration had erected huge LED screens at key locations for the devotees to see the event up close.
After the rituals in the mandapam in Vaigai riverbed, Lord Kallazhagar proceeded towards Ramarayar Mandapam where devotees sprayed water on the Lord as part of the tradition.
Devotees endured scorching heat, which touched 41 degree Celsius on Friday, to follow Lord Kallazhagar to Ramarayar Mandapam and later to Veeraraghava Perumal Temple in the night. The enactment of Lord Kallazhagar providing redemption to sage Manduga Maharishi will happen at Thenur Mandapam on Saturday.
