Thousands draw Aazhi ther in Tiruvarur

The Aazhi ther of Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple being pulled along the car streets in Tiruvarur on Monday.
| Photo Credit: R. Vengadesh

The Aazhi ther of Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple being pulled along the car streets in Tiruvarur on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
R.Vengadesh

The magnificent “Aazhi ther” festival of Goddess Neelothpalambal Sametha Sri Vanmeeganathar temple, popularly known as Sri Thyagarajaswamy temple, Tiruvarur, was celebrated with gaiety and religious fervour on April 7.

The wooden car, in which the decorated idols of the “utsava moorthy” (processional deity) of Sri Thyagarajaswamy was placed on April 6 (Sunday) night, was taken out from its deck on the ‘Keezha Ratha Veedhi’ (East Car Street) on Monday morning by the devotees amidst chants of “Aaroora, Thyagesa”.

The devotees pulled the gigantic wooden car, weighing more than 300 tonnes and fitted with iron wheels and hydraulic breaking system, along the four car streets and brought it back to its deck in the evening. Earthmovers were deployed to help the devotees in pulling the ther along the four car streets.

The annual festival commenced with flag hoisting on March 15 (on the Hastha nakshatram in Tamil month of Maasi) and the wooden car festival was celebrated on April 7 (on the Aayilya nakshatram in Tamil month Panguni).