CUDDALORE: After two years, thousands of devotees took part in the car procession held as part of the Nataraja Temple's Aani Thirumanjanam Urchavam festival in Chidambaram on Tuesday. This was the ninth day of the major annual festival.
Under DSP S Rameshraj, police were deployed on roads and inside the temple. Homeguards, NSS and NCC cadres were also deployed to control traffic on the major roads. On June 27, the Aani Thirumanjanam Urchavam of the Sri Sabha Nayagar (Nataraja) temple was kicked off with a flag hoisting.
In the morning, the decorated idols of Natarajamorthy, Sivakamasundari, Subramaniar, Vinayagar and Sandikeswarar were kept in different cars. The procession started from Theradi in Keezhaveedhi, and returned to the same spot in the evening, after travelling through Therkuveedhi, Melaveedhi, and Vadakuveedhi.
Before the procession, devotees and Sivanadiyars of the Hindu Alaya Pathukappu Kuzhu, Thillai Thirumuraikazhagam, and Appar Thondu organisations marked the occasion by washing the road with water, and drawing kolams. Othuvars also sang Thirumurai Aradhana (devotional hymns) songs before the procession.
As per tradition, deeparathanai and mandagapadi (donating silk clothes to Natarajamorthy and Sivakamasundari idols) was performed by people from the fishermen community at Kanjithotti in Melaveedhi. Local sources said that as per mythology, Lord Shiva had married Parvathy Devi of the fisher community. As a dowry, fishers would donate silk fruits, during the car procession.
After the procession got over, the idols were taken to the Thousand Pillars Hall, and the Egakala Latcharchanai was performed. On the tenth day, Mahaabhishekam and Anithirumanjana Darshan will take place at the Thousand Pillars Hall and then, Ragasiya Pooja will be held at the Chit Sabhai. Then, the idols will be taken to Nadanapandal for Aani Thirumanjanam Darshan, and then Chit Sabhai Pravesam will be held.
On the last day, the Panjamorthy car procession will take place.