March was a busy month for places of religious worship in the city. Decorative lights lit up the gopurams, spires, and domes as festivals, including Panguni Uthiram, Easter, and Ramzan, were celebrated.
The Panguni Peruvizha of the Kapaleeswarar Temple at Mylapore saw huge crowds as the idols of the 63 Nayanmars (Saivite saints) were brought out in procession last Saturday. A large number of devotees distributed food, water, buttermilk, and milk to the multitudes that gathered on the occasion.
The Tamil star of Uthiram in the month of Panguni, falling on the full moon day, is also special for the Murugan temple at Vadapalani, which is officially known as the Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar Temple. Swaminathan, a priest at the temple, explained that the idol was taken out in a procession, and then taken around in the temple tank on a float. This was done on three consecutive days in the evening. Each day, the idol was dressed up differently.
On day one, the utsava idol was decked up as Sri Vadapalani Andavar, on day 2 was Sri Shanmugar with six faces, and the third day He was Subramaniar, accompanied by His Consorts Sri Valli and Sri Devasena. The temple also had a Laksharchanai for three days.
Easter celebrations
On Sunday as the Lord Resurrected, the 40 days of Lent with its fasting by the devout came to an end. Churches in the city celebrated Easter with special decorations and sermons.
The St. Mary’s Church of South India, consecrated in 1680, the oldest Anglican Church east of the Suez, prayerfully celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ through a Holy Communion worship and the Presbyter delivered a special sermon with prayers.
Devotees attend a prayer on the occasion of Easter at St. Andrew’s Church, Egmore. | Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran
Prince Vijayakumar, who attended the midnight mass at St. Andrews Church, also known as the Kirk, on Poonamallee High Road on Saturday night, said it also provided an opportunity to meet all his family members. “Somehow midnight mass has its charm with all the colourful lighting and beautiful flowers,” he said. All the churches, including the Santhome Cathedral, were decked up for the occasion.
Ramzan is on
As communities celebrated peace and brotherhood, the holy month of Ramadan is under way. Mosques and Dargahs are observing the month prayerfully. The Big Mosque witnesses over 1,500 persons daily at its Iftar.
According to Syed Maheruddin, chief hereditary trustee and Mutawalli at the famous Dargah of Hazrath Syed Moosa Sha Khaderi (RA), popularly known as Mount Road Dargah, hundreds of persons of all faith fast at the Iftar and get blessed.
The saint, who is said to have descended from the Khaderi Sufi order family of Hazrath Syedina Abdul Khader Jilani (RA) of Baghdad, came to Chennai to preach the oneness of the Creator and to worship Him. The Dargah has been busy since February when the Urs or Sandhana Koodu festival was held. Syed Mansooruddin, descendant and senior hereditary trustee, said the festivities begin with flag hoisting, and then spread over 15 days when poetry recitation, spiritual lectures, and Sufi Qawwali were held. April, though a hot month, too holds a lot of promises in terms of festivals in all houses of worship.
