The annual Chithirai festival of the Kallazhagar Temple at Alagarkoil is all set to begin on May 10 and will go on till May 19.
On May 16, when the counting of votes is to take place, Lord Kallazhagar will be in the city.
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Executive Officer of the temple T. Varadarajan said that arrangements were being made near the temple to manage the crowds when the temple’s presiding deity, Lord Kallazhagar, would be taken out in a procession to Madurai. “The procession will start from the temple at 5.30 p.m. on May 12. The ‘edhirsevai’ of the deity will take place on May 13 and the procession will end on that evening at Sri Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple in Tallakulam,” he said.
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Lakhs of devotees were expected to witness the entry of the deity into the Vaigai on May 14. “Police personnel as well as temple staff will be deployed along the way to manage the crowds during the culmination of the procession on the Vaigai riverbed,” Mr. Varadarajan said. On the same day, Lord Kallazhagar would reach Vandiyur. After an overnight stay, the Lord would proceed towards R.R. Mandapam where the “Dasavatharam” would be on throughout night.
In the early morning of May 16, Lord Kallazhagar would leave R.R. Mandapam and proceed to Ramanathapuram Mannar Sethupathi Mandapam. After a day-long event, He would leave in “poo pallakku” from the Ambalakarar Mandapam, Mariamman Temple, at outpost. On the following day, (May 17) the deity would halt at Maravar Mandapam and reach the abode by crossing Appan Thirupathi and Kallanthiri, the official added.