Dasara celebrations at Kulasekarapattinam draw thousands of devotees

Thousands of devotees gathered to witness soorasamharam at Sri Mutharamman Temple at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district on Saturday.

The celestial event is the highlight of the 11-day Dasara festival at the famous temple.

Symbolising the triumph of good over evil, the devotees - men, women and children - dressed up in different colours and danced to the tunes of the musical instruments all the way to the shrine. Over 4,000 police personnel were deployed in and around the venue to regulate the huge turnout of devotees.

On October 3, the holy flag was hoisted following which the devotees tied kaapu and observed fast as part of the rituals. Next to Mysuru - where Dasara celebrations are conducted in a grand manner, it is Kulasekarapattinam that attracts a similar crowd, devotees say.

On all 10 days, priests performed special pujas from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Around 10 p.m., the Amman was taken out in a procession along the main thoroughfares in different vahanams. On Saturday, the deity was taken on simma vahanam to Sri Chidambareswarar Temple on the beach and the mahishasuram was enacted.

The devotees chanted Jai Kali and Mutharamma on witnessing the mahishasuram all through the evening. The special pujas and abishekam were witnessed from mega screens installed by the organisers.

HR&CE Joint Commissioner M. Anbumani told mediapersons that the festival would conclude on Sunday, October 13, with the presiding deity being brought back to the sanctum sanctorum in the evening.

For the benefit of devotees, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation organised special service buses from Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, among other places, to Kulasekarapattinam. DIG of Police (Tirunelveli Range) Moorthy, Thoothukudi SP Albert John, 10 ADSPs, 30 DSPs were among officers who supervised the bandobust arrangements.

Temple chairman V. Kannan, executive officer R. Ramasubramanian, AC K. Selvi and others participated.

Published - October 12, 2024 08:49 pm IST