Residents and activists of Mayiladuthurai have urged the State government to ensure adequate water flow in the Cauvery to celebrate the Tula Urchavam festival on the last day of Tamil month Aippasi.
Tula Urchavam is a month-long festival celebrated every year during the Tamil month of Aippasi. During the festival, thousands of devotees from Mayiladuthurai and its neighbouring districts would converge at ‘Tula Kattam’ (Tula Ghat) on the banks of the Cauvery River in the town to take a holy dip. The Cauvery Maha Pushkaram festival was celebrated at this Tula Ghat in 2017.
During Tula Urchavam, decorated idols of the deities from various temples, including Mayuranathar Swamy temple, Aiyyarappar temple, Vadharanyeswarar temple, and Kasi Viswanathar temple, would be brought to the banks of Cauvery for performing ‘Theerthavari’ (holy dip in the Cauvery) marking the culmination of Aippasi month.
The locals expressed concern over the inadequate flow of water in the Cauvery River. On October 18, the first day of Aippasi month that marks the commencement of the festival, devotees took bath in the water pumped from borewells as the river remained dry. Mayiladuthurai Municipality had installed sprinklers to facilitate the devotees to take bath and perform rituals.
In a representation to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, former MLA Jega Veerapandian and activist A. Apparsundaram urged to release 200 to 300 cusecs of water from Grand Anicut, a few days ahead of the festival scheduled on November 16, to facilitate devotees to take holy dip.
