Chennai Chronicles - Panguni Thirunal

The highlight of the trip to the village was the Panguni Utsavam. Every Panguni (Tamil calendar month - Last month in the tamil year - March 15th through April 15th), in the temple of Mahara Nedun Kuzhai Kadhar at Thenthiruperai a small village on the banks of Tamarabrani river, a festival is celebrated in full splendor. The festival starts on Panguni Uthram (tamil star) and goes on for the next 10 days.
Among all Vaishnava temples, the most celebrated are 106 Thirupathis (108 in all, 2 of which are believed to be in/on the way to Heaven) across the Indian Peninsular. One among these these is Thenthiruperai. The God there is MaharaNedunKuzhai Kadhar (The one with the ornamental Maharam on his Ear).
During the Panguni Utsavam, Lord Kuzhai Kadhar appears on the streets in a different vahanam every night. It ends with a trip on the Theru (Chariot). We were at Thenthiruperai for 5 of these days. Starting from the second day. Here are some pictures!

(Simha Vahanam - Lion)(Hanuman Vahanam)(Thanga Thozhi Kinnam - Golden Cup)
(Sesha Vahanam - Cobra)

(God on Garuda Vhanam and Goddess on Anna Vhanam - Vulture and Swan)

Nantu had a blast watching the God from our doorstep every evening. I looked every part of the photographer with a still and video camera hanging from my neck. It was a true village experience with loads of unsolicited advice on taking photographs. However unlike the city people moved out of the way to give me room to take pictures. And they did so for all the half a dozen or so people with cameras. It was a real fun experience, and we were sorry to leave before the end of the festival and miss the theru (Chariot)! However, we had to return and Nantu shifted all his enthusiasm to the train journey back home to Chennai.
We are already on our next trip. This time to Coimbatore my home town... for some fun and frolic and a lot of relaxation! We had a hail storm on our first night here and our first tryst with Indian never ending power failures where the UPS finally ran out of charge and spluttered off!! However, just the fact that I am home makes me forgive the EB and mother nature for ruining my first evening here! Looking forward to more adventures here!!