TIRUCHY: Thousands of people gathered along the banks of Cauvery and Kollidam rivers in the delta districts on Sunday to celebrate Aadi Perukku. People living along river banks commemorate the 18th day of Tamil month Aadi as day of thanksgiving to the river, which plays a vital role in sustaining agriculture and livelihoods. Newlywed couples deposit the garlands used for their wedding in the flowing waters and women change the"thaali" string.
With a huge volume of water flowing in the Cauvery, the Tiruchy district administration had made elaborate arrangements at Amma Mandapam, Thillai Nayagam, Odathurai, and Ayyalamman ghats. Barricades and scaffolding were placed and people were permitted to take a dip with precautionary measures in place. Around 350 police personnel were deployed across the ghats to regulate the crowd.
Speaking to TNIE, S Karthik and Priya, a newlywed couple from Lalgudi said, "We got married just a month ago, and our elders insisted we attend 'Aadi Perukku' together. It is a beautiful tradition, and we felt a sense of peace offering prayers to the river that nourishes our land."
In Thanjavur district, the maximum crowd was at Pushya Mandapam ghat in Tiruvaiyaru. Children were seen pulling a small wooden car 'Sapparam", a traditional toy made for Aadi Perukku. People living near water bodies like pond, lakes also performed pujas on their banks. In Kumbakonam, the people visited the Cauvery river at Bhagavath ghat, Chakkara Ghat, Dabeer ghat and Rajendran Cholan ghat.
In Tiruvarur, people also performed rituals on the banks of the famous Kamalalayam tank. The festival was celebrated in Nagapattinam, Karaikal, and Mayiladuthurai districts. (With inputs from Thanjavur and Nagapattinam)