Thousands take part in car festival

A large number of devotees go around the temple carry their children in ‘sugarcane cradle’ to fulfil their vow

DRAWN BY DEVOTION: The temple chariot carrying the deity of Arunachaleswarar, popularly called ‘Periya Ther’, passing through one of the Mada Streets at Tiruvannamalai on Friday as part of the Karthigai Deepam festival.

Thousands of people participated in Tiruvannamalai car festival on Friday.

The car festival is celebrated on seventh day of 10-day Karthigai Deepam festival every year. The death of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa cast a shadow on festivities during days preceding the car festival.

However, people participated in the festival with enthusiasm. The first to roll was the temple chariots carrying Vinayaka and Murugan one after another in the morning. A large number of people were seen coming around the temple carrying their children in “sugarcane cradle”, a cradle tied to the bunch of sugarcane to fulfil their vow.

The colourful roadside shops were missing this year.

The hawkers selling balloons and flutes and so on carrying them in their hands were seen in usual numbers.

Chants rent the air

By around 12.20 p.m., the “Periya Thear”, the car bearing the Chandrasekara, a form of presiding deity of Arunachlaeswarar, was pulled from its stand. Thousands of devotees pulled the chains of the car and chanted “Annamalaiyanukku Harohara”.

It started its journey around the Mada Streets with traditional majesty.

After taking more than seven hours to traverse the Mada Streets, the juggernaut finally reached its stand by 7.40 p.m.

Amman car and Chandikeswarar car would follow their procession. Police made elaborate security arrangements and have ensured a smooth conduct of the festival.