KUMBAKONAM: The procession of 63 Nayanmar, the Saiva saint poets, was taken out in the temple town of Kumbakonam on Tuesday on the fourth day of Mahamaham Festival.
The bronze idols of 63 Nayanmar, the Saiva Saint poets who spearheaded the Bhakti movement were taken out in procession from the Aadhi Kumbeswarar temple.
The idols were first placed in the mandapam of the temple and pooja were performed and devotees worshiped them. Later they were placed in "Manjam", the wooden plank covered in the top and taken out on the four streets surrounding the Aadhi Kumbeswarar temple and later on the four streets around Nageswaran temple.
With the idol of Sekkizhar, the poet who compiled the history of the 63 Nayanmar, was taken in the front followed by the idols of the 63 Nayanmar including Aadhipathar, Thiruneelakandar, Iyarpagaiyar, Ilyankudimarar, Meiporul Nayanar, Amar neethi nayanar, Eripatha nayaran, Enathi Nayanar and Kannappa Nayanar.
Talking to reporters Gopu Natarajan, the President of "Thirukudanthai Sivanadiyar Thirukkootam", which has been organising the procession said from the Mahamaham held in the year 1968, the organisation has been conducting the Nayanmar procession during the annual Maham festival for the last 48 years. With the 63 idols of Nayanmar, the idols of nine Thogayadiyar and that of Sekkizhar, that is a total of 73 idols were taken in procession, Gopu Natarajan said.
Earlier on Tuesday the idols of Aadi Kumbeswarar, his consort Mangalambikai were taken in procession in the newly built Glass palanquin of the Aadi Kumbeswarar temple. The idols of Vinayakar, Subramaniar, Chandeswarar were also taken out in procession in separate palanquins. The ceremonial car procession of Aadi Kumbeswarar would be held on February 20.