It was the biggest moment of the Panguni utsavam this far.
The clock had just ticked past 5 am on Thursday morning when the Pancha Moorthy idols made their way for the procession inside Sri Kapali Temple from the Thiru Kalyana mandapam.
By this time, people had already gathered in several hundreds, both inside the temple and outside the raja gopuram.
On the third morning of the Panguni utsavam, the rolling up of the screen to present the grand Adikaara Nandi alankaram , with Sri Kapaleeswarar atop the vahana was a moment that every devotee was waiting for.
The devotional excitement was palpable in front of the pillayar sannidhi with not an inch of space left as Kapaleeswarar made his way to the raja gopuram for the deeparathanai at 5.45am.
Devotees lined up the entire Sannidhi Street right up to the shed of the ther ( chariot) and it was a sight to behold as they chanted ‘Kapali Kapali’ in chorus when the Sripatham presented the lovely voyali in front of the eEastern raja gopuram just after 6am.
Even as the Lord strode out to the 16-pillar mandapam, the devotees were already humming to the beating of the Periya Udal (drums) and the Nagaswaram tunes.
People were seen discussing and describing every part of the alankaram as they watched in awe the tall Nandi carrying Kapaleeswarar.
It was past 8am when Kapaleeswarar moved on to the South Mada Street but the crowd continued to swell as late comers who missed the gopura vaasal darshan now had a close darshan of the beautiful looking Adikaara Nandi.
At every corner, residents presented milk to the service personnel and devotees in honour of Thiru Gnana Sambandar’s Gnana Paal episode that was enacted inside the temple tank ( photo above).
- Story by S. Prabhu. Photos: Madhan Kumar
