There has been no street procession of Sri Kapaleeswarar in the last nine months following the restrictions that came into force when wave two of the Covid 19 struck the city.
This weekend will see the popular annual Aruthra Utsavam.
In December 2020, permission was provided for the Pancha Moorthy procession around the four Mada Streets of Mylapore as part of the Aruthra utsavam. That was in fact the first Pancha Moorthy procession of the year as the Brahmotsavam of 2020 had not taken place as scheduled.
The temple authorities have sought the permission of the Collector to run the Pancha Moorthy street procession on Saturday evening starting at 7.30pm. The Aruthra Utsavam street procession of last year kicked off the street processions at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple after the first wave had brought all street processions in the State to a halt in March 2020.
Till late on Friday night, the temple authorities could not confirm that permission had been granted. Since there has been no Pancha Moorthy procession after the Panguni Brahmotsavam, devotees are eagerly looking forward to this first street procession in the second half of this year.
If the permission is not granted, the Pancha Moorthy procession will take place inside the temple complex.
Pon Oosal
Friday evening was the second day of the three day Oonjal Utsavam with Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal providing darshan to the devotees in the Oonjal in front of the Navarathri Mandapam. ‘
Saivite saint poet Manickavachakar had presented 10 verses of praise on Utharakosamangai, a temple town near Ramanathapuram, with songs of Pon Oosal meant to be sung when swamy and ambal are on the swing.
Othuvar Sathgurunathar and Othuvar Vageesan were present on the occasion and presented the Pon Oosal verses in front of the divine couple. ( seen in the photo here).
The Oonjal Utsavam will conclude this evening.
Following the Pancha Moorthy procession and the Oonjal Utsavam, there will be a Natarajar abhisekam late on Saturday night after 11pm.
Margazhi Thiruvathirai
On the occasion of Margazhi Thiruvathirai, there will be the Deepa Aradhanai on Sunday morning at 5 am, followed by the Nataraja Theerthavari at the temple tank and a joint procession of Nataraja and Sivakami around the Mada Streets.
The temple authorities told this writer late on Friday that there was no confirmation yet on the street procession slated for Sunday morning.
- Report, photo by S. Prabhu
