THANJAVUR: Thousands of people propitiated their forebears in various sacred ghats in the delta districts on the occasion of Mahalaya Amavasya on Friday. While all new moon days are reserved for remembering the forefathers, the Mahalaya Amavasya that falls in the Tamil month of Purattasi is important for revering the deceased family elders.
With water flowing down the Cauvery, the day was observed with reverence and solemn by the thousands of devout from all sections of society in Thanjavur who gathered at the Pushya Mandapam bathing ghat in Tiruvaiyaru. With the help of vedic pudits and purohits, they propitiated their forefathers. Before the ceremonies, men and women took a holy dip in the Cauvery at the ghat on the occasion.
Incidentally, the presiding deity of Tiruvaiyaru, Sri Ayyarappar along with His divine consort Sri Aramvalartha Nayaki arrived in a procession at the Cauvery bathing ghat where the annual Teerthavari ritual was held.
In the temple town of Kumbakonam steeped in tradition, thousands of people congregated at the Mahamaham tank and offered prayers to their forefathers.
Similar was the scene at the sprawling Kamalayalayam tank of the Sri Tyagaraja Swamy in Tiruvarur where religious fervour marked the occasion.
In Nagapattinam district, thousands of people thronged the Kodiyakarai seashore and Vedaranyam where they remembered their forefathers after a holy dip at the sea and darshan at the ancient Sri Vedaranyeswarar Temple. Hundreds of people visited the seashore at Poompuhar since early in the morning and took a holy dip at the confluence of River Cauvery with the sea and propitiated their forefathers and had darshan at Sri Rathnapureeswarar Temple there.
