Kandadevi temple car in Sivaganga district all set for inaugural run on June 21

The Sivaganga district administration is all set for the inaugural run of the new temple car of the Swarnamutheeswarar Temple in Kandadevi, Devakottai on June 21, 2024. 

The Sivaganga district administration is all set for the inaugural run of the new temple car of the Swarnamutheeswarar Temple in Kandadevi, Devakottai on June 21, 2024. 

At a preparatory meeting chaired by Devakottai Revenue Divisional Officer, S. Pauldurai, held on Tuesday, June 11, people from four regions of Devakottai Taluk, known as Naadus, agreed to the participation of devotees belonging to all Hindu communities, without any discrimination, in pulling the temple car. 

Police officers as well as officials from Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department took part in the meeting. Representatives of all castes/communities agreed to give list of their participants to pull the four vadams (ropes) of the car. 

“We have asked for a list of devotees from all castes in the four regions along with their Aadhar cards. After verifying that the participants belonging to the four regions and not outsiders, to avoid trouble, we will issue them tokens or identity cards and allow them to pull the ropes,” said the RDO. 

The Kandadevi temple car came to a halt in 1998, after Dalits asserted their right to pull it, and since then, the car festival has been mired in controversy. The car was pulled once in 2006, but the practice was once again halted, and has not been taken up since then. The highlight of the Aani festival of the temple, managed by Sivaganga Samasthanam, is the car festival. 

The renovation of the temple was later taken up, and was completed in 2012. Subsequently, the authorities decided to replace the old car. A new car was built and its trial run was held in February 2024 following a direction from the Madras High Court.