CHENNAI: Seated on a wheelchair behind a huge crowd, 72-year-old Radha patiently waits to see the Kanchi Athi Varadar. After 40 years, she had come all the way from Cuddalore to get the blessings of the deity.
From young children to 80-year-olds, physically challenged to pregnant women, nothing deterred these devotees from thronging the Athi Varadaraja Perumal Temple in huge numbers on the third day of the Kanchi Athi Varadar festival. The entry to the temple was through the East Mada street and exit was through the west.
“Kanchipuram has become like Tirupati. Though I am seeing Athi Varadar for the second time, it feels like I am seeing it for the first time,’’ says 70-year-old S Perundhevi. She adds that the people are awed seeing the deity. The Athi Varadar deity is made of wood and carved of the athi tree. “Athi Varadar is one of the four ‘moorthigal’ who emerged out of a ‘yagam’ performed by lord Brahma,’’ says Santosh AS, a priest of the temple and district secretary of Hindu Munnani in Kanchipuram.
“One day, the elders found the deity while emptying the lake and then decided it should be brought out every 40 years and should be kept visible for devotees for 48 days,’’ he says.
Poor arrangements?
Though there were special arrangements such as 20 special buses for devotees, drinking water drums in many places and heightened security, many devotees, especially senior citizens, felt the arrangements were bad. “The police said they would only allow me in a separate queue if I was 70-years-old but there is no such law,’’ says 66-year-old Ravindran S. He added that police were arrogant and used vile words against old people.
Senior citizens who were physically challenged, said there was no proper ventilation and were made to wait for hours.