Vaikasi Visakam festival commences

Hundreds of devotees witness flag hoisting ceremony at Palani temple

Devotees witnessing the flag hoisting ceremony held at Periyanayaki Amman Temple in Palani on Thursday.

With hoisting of the holy flag at Periyanaki Amman Temple, Vaikasi Visakam festival commenced in the temple town on Thursday. Hundreds of devotees witnessed the flag hoisting ceremony.

A special yagam was performed. After special pujas, aesthetically decorated idols of Lord Muthukumarasamy and the Goddesses were taken out in a procession on the outer prakaram. Later, they were brought to the Kodikatti mandapam for the ceremony.

Abishekam was performed to dwajasthambam. Special pujas were performed to Lord Ganapathi and his permission was sought to hoist the flag.

Special aradhanas were made to dwajasthambam, the flag post, and holy flag on the outer prakaram.

Amid chanting of hymns and beating of percussion instruments, a team of temple priests led by Nataraja Pandithar Amirthalingam Gurukkal hoisted the flag sporting the holy lance, peacock and cock on the flag post around 11 a.m. in Kadaga lagnam.

Celestial wedding

Celestial wedding of Lord Muthukumaraswamy with Goddesses Valli and Deivanai will take place at 7 p.m. on June 6, and the holy car procession at 4.30 p.m. on June 7, the Vaikasi Visakam day. Veedhi ula will be held during the festival days. The 10-day festival will conclude on June 10.

Joint Commissioner P. Rajamanickam and other temple staff had made elaborate arrangements for the flag hoisting ceremony.