By offering 50,000 bananas to Solaimalai Alagar Perumal here, devotees, who came to Sevugampatti village, near Batlagundu prayed for a good harvest in the ensuing season. The village, which has about 500 families, had been offering bananas to the presiding deity on the third day of the Tamil month - Thai. From time immemorial, the practice had been in vogue.
According to the villagers, though their children were away at Tirupur, Chennai and some even had gone abroad, they made it a point to be present here for Pongal celebrations. “Apart from our village people, devotees from neighbouring villages too participate in the celebrations,” they said.
As per the ritual, the men in the families would store the bananas in baskets and after offering prayers at their dwellings, would carry them on their heads towards the Solaimalai Alagar Perumal Temple on foot. Amidst beating drums and playing devotional music, the offering would be made.
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The 200-year-old temple gets a big chunk of devotees from far away places from the beginning of Thai month, and on their return, they would take the bananas as God’s offering.
Selvarajan, who works in Chennai, said that he has been coming here for the last seven years. “When I return to work after participating in the festivities, I feel a sense of happiness. Not only it does it give me an opportunity to see my relatives and friends, but a pride that the Solaimalai Sami would take care of all...” he noted.