CHENNAI: Lord Adhi Aththigiri Varadha Perumal, addressed by devotees as Aththi Varadhar, returned to his watery abode in Anantha Saras pond in Sri Devaraja Swami temple in Kancheepuram, early on Sunday after 48 days of darshan, which happens once in 40 years. The holy idol of Aththi Varadhar, will emerge from the pond only in 2059 again.
On Friday night, public darshan continued till 2.20 a.m., On Saturday, the concluding day, devotees were not allowed to have darshan of Aththi Varadhar since many rituals had to be performed. At 12am on Sunday, the idol was immersed in water.
In the afternoon, an advocate Maharaja, appointed by the Madras High Court, to oversee the arrangements being made for keeping the holy idol back in the temple pond, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board representative and other officials inspected the water to be filled in the Nadavavi Kinaru, where Aththi Varadhar idol will reside for the next 40 years. They took samples of water to check whether it was clean as per norms. Top police officials also inspected the pond. As many as 48 surveillance cameras were installed around the pond.
On Saturday, the holy idols of Sri Devaraja Swami and his divine consorts came to Vasantha Mandapam where Aththi Varadhar was seated and special poojas were performed. Later, ‘thailakappu’ (applying medicinal oils) was performed for the idol.
Kancheepuram Collector P Ponniah said that during the past 48 days, 1.07 crore devotees had darshan of Aththi Varadhar and they offered `7 crore in the hundis. The footwear left by the devotees would be given to orphanages and the roads damaged in Kancheepuram would be repaired within a couple of weeks. He said the State government had allocated `29 crore for the Athithi Varadhar festival and later, many government departments had spent `15 crore.
`29 crore Amount allocated for the Athithi Varadhar festival. Later, many govt departments had spent another `15 crore
Immersed at 12 am
On Saturday, devotees were not allowed to have darshan of Aththi Varadhar since many rituals had to be performed. At 12am on Sunday, the idol was immersed in water
1.07 crore
Devotees had darshan of Aththi Varadhar in the last 48 hours and they offered `7 crore to the hundis