Thousands of devotees from Cuddalore and across the State pulled the temple car of Sabapathy temple popularly known as Sri Natarajar temple in Chidambaram, as part of the ‘Arudra Darshan’ festivities on Thursday.
Five cars carrying the processional cum presiding deity Lord Nataraja and his consort Sivagamasundari, Lord Vinayaka, Lord Subramaniam and Chandigeswar rolled out from the temple premises at around 7.00 a.m. The devotees pulled the cars through the town, covering the four mada streets.
After the procession, Lord Natarajar and goddess Sivagama Sundari were brought to the 1000-pillar mandapam in the temple where Laksharchana and special pujas would be performed.
On Friday, the penultimate day of the 10-day festivities, the sanctum sanctorium would be again opened for Ärudra Darshan’ when the presiding deity in cosmic dance posture would be taken out in a palanquin procession.
This is one of the two important annual ten-day festivals when Lord Nataraja is taken out around the four Car Streets in the temple-town, the other festival being `Aani Thirumanjanam'.
Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made by the Cuddalore district police for Arudra Darshan fete on Friday. A huge posse of police personnel led by Superintendent of Police M. Sree Abhinav have been deployed for security.
