Tuesday (April 27) should have seen Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal provide darshan around the four Mada Streets as part of the final day celebrations of the Vasantha Utsavam.
Earlier this month, the TN Government placed restrictions on street processions. And with new restrictions announced on Saturday evening preventing entry of devotees into temples, the final day of the ten day Kapaleeswarar Vasantha Utsavam was held inside the temple on Tuesday evening sans devotees with only the service personnel taking part in the events.
However, there were those devotees who wanted to have at least a glimpse of the divine couple and they stood there eagerly outside the metal barricaded entrance of the eastern Raja Gopuram from 7pm. They found great devotional joy in listening to the presentation of the Othuvars and there was a devotional vibrancy when to the beating of the drums and the devotional musical rendition, Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal made their way to the Pillayar Sannidhi.
Chief priest E Venkatasubramanian Shivachariar told Mylapore Times “Othuvars presented select verses from the Thirumurai. Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal went on five pradakshinams around the temple accompanied by a different musical instrument such as Mukha Veenai, Chinna Melam and Nagaswaram.”
Othuvar Sathgurunathan was kind enough to collect flower garlands from the devotees and hand it over to the priests.
It was the Chief Priest who suggested to the authorities to keep the two main Gopurams gates open from Monday morning so devotees could at least have a glimpse of the Lord from outside the entrance.
Following the completion of Kapaleeswarar’s Vasantha Utsavam, Singaravellar will enjoy his fortnight long Vasantha Utsavam from today.
- Report, photo by S. Prabhu
