Ringing in the New Year by singing hymns from Thirupugazh

Devotees at Tiruttani Thirupugazh Padi Vizha climb 365 steps singing hymns to Lord Muruga on New Year's Eve.

Singing hymns from Saint Arunagirinathar’s Thirupugazh is how devotees at this popular Murugan temple in Tiruvallur district ring in the New Year. The Tiruttani Thirupugazh Padi Vizha began in 1917 with Vallimalai Satchidananda Swamigal himself leading the devotees on December 31 up the 365 steps of the Sri Subramanyaswamy Temple at Tiruttani. This temple is the fifth of Lord Muruga’s Arupadai Veedu.

“He started climbing the steps that evening, pausing to sing a song from Thirupugazh at each step and reached atop the hill to have darshan of the deity. The Swamigal chose this method to popularise Thirupugazh, which was close to his heart. He left his job as a cook at the Mysore Palace and established an ashram at Vallimalai while living in a cave. He would himself cook and serve food to villagers on the condition that they sang or chanted the hymns,” says T.S. Sudarshan, secretary of the Vallimalai Ashram.

Sadhu Balananda, who heads the ashram now, says that from the time of the Swamigal, food is served to devotees for three days at the Nagarathar Thirumana Mandapam at the bottom of the steps at Tiruttani. “We rent the place since it is Margazhi, a Tamil month when no wedding is conducted. When the Swamiji was alive, he would supervise the cooking and serving of the food. The practice of singing Thirupugazh and climbing up the steps became so popular that special trains used to be run for the event in the 1920s and 1930s.” At the temple, pujas are performed to the steps that are decorated with flowers. Special offerings are made during the puja held on December 31. K. Ramani, Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, says the utsava idol was taken out in procession as part of the celebrations. “Only this temple has 365 steps — something that was not planned and made. The steps that begin at the temple tank, Saravana Poigai, are cut out of rock.”

Priest Sampath Gopi Gurukkal says hundreds of devotees apply turmeric and kumkum to the steps, break coconuts, and climb up. “Many believe that if they climb up on the 31st, it is akin to coming to the temple on all days of the year. There are kattalaidaarars who contribute towards the conduct of pujas to the steps every year. The practice of performing pujas to the steps is found at many Murugan temples, most of which are atop hills,” he says.

The churches in Chennai celebrated Christmas with apt messages, brightly lit buildings, and beautifully decorated cribs. Midnight masses were conducted at churches with large gatherings.

At Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, Perambur, the celebrations began with singing of carols at the start of December at the homes of the parish members. The 125-year-old shrine was bifurcated from St. Andrews Church at Vepery and became a parish in 1900.

Father Stanislaus Swamikannu, Rector and Parish Priest, says that after the rigorous caroling, the shrine with two churches also had special evening retreats in Tamil and English. “We presented special Christmas hampers, each costing ₹600, to 900 poor families. On Christmas, we had carol singing from 11 p.m. to 11.45 p.m. and the special masses in Tamil and English began at 11.45 p.m. and went on till 2.30 a.m. While one mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Presentation Convent, the other was held on the premises of the shrine itself.”