CHENNAI: The Maha Pushkaram festival planned along the Tamirabarani river in October has run into a controversy after opposition parties raised objections to the event fearing a hidden “communal agenda”.
They have also raised questions on the ecological damage the river may suffer as the organisers of the festival have claimed that around three crore people from various parts of the country would take a dip in Tamil Nadu’s only perennial river.
Pushkaram, a Hindu festival is celebrated once in 12 years and Maha Pushkaram is celebrated once in 144 years. Pushkaram festival in Cauvery river was organised in the State along the Cauvery course last year in which even the Chief Minister took part. But, then there was no opposition to the festival, which is in sharp contrast to this year’s event along the Tamirabarani. Why?
K G Baskaran, CPM’s Tirunelveli district secretary, says, “We strongly suspect there is a communal agenda behind this Pushkaram festival. There are reports that organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad are involved in organising this event.”
The political parties who have so far petitioned the Tirunelveli district collector against the festival includes DMK, CPM, CPI, VCK, MDMK and Naam Thamizhar Katchi.
The festival is scheduled to start on October 12 and last till October 23. The main organiser of the festival is the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and the festival is being conducted along Tamirabarani after 144 years.
By these calculations, the last Maha Pushkaram on Tamirabarani was held in 1874. “Missionary and late Tamil scholar Robert Caldwell had released the history of Tirunelveli in 1881 wherein he has mentioned much information about Tamirabarani river but did not have any information on this Pushkaram festival,” says Baskaran disputing the basis on which the festival is said to be organised.
Asked how could this festival would have a communal agenda, he said, “Visiting temple is my personal affair. But mobilising a large group of temple goers is the first step towards communalism. The organisers of this festival say around three crore people would visit the river during the Pushkaram festival days. Moreover,there are reports that Vishwa Hindu Parishad is also involved in this festival.”
Also, congregation of so many people on a river that is just 128 kilometers long would heavily pollute the river and they also cite the damage caused to Yamuna river when Art of Living Foundation organised a huge event on the river banks in 2016.
The organisers of the festival say the fears about environmental damage to the river are misplaced. V Jayendran, one of the coordinators of the committee formed by religious organisations, including Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, told Express, “The charge that the river will get polluted because of this festival is baseless because the festival will take place across the stretch of the river at different places and not at onc place. So, the crowd will be scattered in various places. Further, as on date, at least one lakh people are to take bath per day in Tamirabarani river from its place of origin to its end.
On the occasion of Aadi Amavasya, 10,000 people took a holy dip at Kurukkuthurai alone. Those who take part in will have a holy dip and would perform ‘pitru tarpanam’ (prayers to forefathers). So, legally, no one can oppose this festival.”
“We will take up a campaign to request the public not to leave clothes, not to use soap, oil, etc., while taking the holy dip. They should not wring the clothes they wore while taking dip in the river. Women should not dry their hair in the river. “
When contacted, a representative of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam told Express that “The Math does not react to such developments. We hear that the issue may be dragged to court. At that time, we will produce evidence that this festival took place 144 years ago.”
When contacted by Express, Tirunelveli district collector Shilpa Prasath Satish said, “They (the opposition parties) requested that the river should not be polluted. We will ensure that. Every religion has its right to celebrate some occasion. So, we cannot prohibit anything. But we will certainly regulate the festival.”
Meanwhile, it is learnt that a few Hindu religious groups engaged in Pushkaram festival is likely to represent to the government that what is planned from October 12 is not actually Maha Pushkaram festival because it falls only in 2022 as per astronomical calculations.
What is a Pushkaram?
Pushkaram is a festival dedicated to worshiping of rivers.
It is celebrated at shrines along the banks of 12 major sacred rivers in the country. It happens once in 12 years. Maha Pushkaram is celebrated once in 144 years and that is happening in Tamirabarani this year. Each river is associated with a zodiac sign, and the river for each year’s festival is based on which sign Jupiter (Guru) is in at the time