MADURAI: The much-awaited event of the annual chithirai festival – Lord Kallalagar entering the Vaigai river – took place on Monday morning. Adorned in green silk (to mark prosperity in agriculture) and mounted on a golden horse vahanam, Kallalagar entered the river at 5.48 am as hysterical crowds chanted “Govinda, Govinda” and loudspeakers blared ‘Vararu Vararu Alagar Vararu’ song from the Vijayakant-starrer Kallalagar, rendered by Deva.
Kallalagar , the processional deity of Sundaraja Perumal temple, started in a procession from Thirumaliruncholai or Alagar Kovil on Saturday and arrived at the HR&CE department mandagapadi built in the Vaigai river. Upon his arrival, people who had converged on the river banks in Goripalayam erupted with joy and devotion.
On Sunday night, Kallalagar arrived at Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple in Tallakulam. Around 2.30 am, rituals were performed and the deity was adorned in green silk and placed on the iconic golden horse vahanam for his journey to Madurai. As per tradition, the processional deity of Koodal Alagar temple, Lord Veera Ragava Perumal mounted on a silver horse vahanam received Kallalagar into the Vaigai river.
After circling the platform built inside the river three times, Kallagar proceeded on the Vaigai North bank road to Ramarayar Mandapam where ‘theertha vaari (spraying of water) ritual’ was performed. Thousands of devotees disguised as deities Kallalagar and Pathinettam Padi Karuppu sprayed scented water on the deity using leather bags Thopparai. Later, the procession proceeded to Vandiyur Perumal temple.
Lord Kallalagar would be visiting Thenur Mandapam on Tuesday and relieve Sage Manduka of his curse. He would return to Alagar Kovil on May 17. Special arrangements were made by the district administration to regulate the crowd. Several lakhs of people from across the state arrived in Goripalayam to wtach Kallalagar enter the river. Ministers P K Sekar Babu and P Moorthy, Madurai MP Su Venkatesan were among those present. R Rajesh Kannan, a resident said,
“Every year we would take part in the procession, this year too ,authorities have made extensive arrangements. The barricade arrangements in the procession path made it a bit difficult for us to take part in the procession.”