Thousands of devotees witness Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into Vaigai

The deity was draped in a green silk attire, which symbolises prosperity to people and good yield to farmers

Thousands of eager devotees witnessed Lord Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai river after two years as part of the Chithirai festival here on Saturday.

Around 6.20 a.m., about 30 volunteers carried Lord Kallazhagar, draped in green silk attire and mounted on a ‘golden horse’ to Alwarpuram, the venue of the event. The Lord was received, as per custom, by Lord Veera Raghava Perumal on a ‘silver horse’.

The deity entered the Vaigai river amid loud chants of ‘Govinda Govinda’ from devotees. Adorning the green attire that signifies prosperity to people and good yield to farmers, the deity made three rounds around the makeshift mandapam, erected near the Albert Victor Bridge for the event, giving darshan to devotees.

After performing ‘Thirumanjanam’ — adorning the floral garland from Sri Andal, brought all the way from Srivilliputhur Andal temple to the Sri Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple in Tallakulam in Madurai, the deity left for the Vaigai.

Later, the deity moved to Rama Rayar Mandapam at 11 a.m. for the ‘theerthavari’ ritual, where thousands as per tradition, dressed as Lord Kallazhagar and Pathinettam Padi Karuppu, sprayed water from bags made of goatskin at the deity to beat the sweltering heat.

After making pit stops at various mandahapadis, the deity finally reached the Vandiyur Veeraraghava Perumal temple late at night.

Many camped on the riverbed as early as 2 a.m. on Saturday at vantage points on the north and south banks of the river and many on the steady water-flowing Vaigai, waiting patiently to witness the holy event.