GO

Home
Today's Paper
All Sections
News
National
International
Opinion
Business
Sport
Elections
Features
Sci-Tech
Entertainment
Cities
Bengaluru
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Kozhikode
KolkataMadurai
Mangaluru
Mumbai

CITIES MADURAI

MADURAI, January 25, 2016

Updated: January 25, 2016 08:19 IST

Float festival attracts hundreds to Teppakulam

IBPS GK PDF Free Download - Last 6 Months Topics Covered, Download IBPS Current Affairs
PDFwww.talentsprint.com/Bank
Ads by Google

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
COMMENT PRINT T

inShare1

Meenakshi Sundareswarar teppam festival in progress at Vandiyur Mariamman Tank in Madurai on Sunday.
Photo: R. Ashok

Decorated float wafted its way on green water on the 22-acre tank
The joy and grandeur associated with the 12-day teppam festival of Meenakshi Sundareswarar
Temple here returned on Sunday as the decorated float wafted its way on clean and green water
on the 22-acre tank, a major tourist attraction of the temple city. The festival is held every year on
the day of Poosam, the birth star of King Tirumalai Nayak, in the Tamil month of Thai.
Last year, the water was at a lower level and the earlier two years saw a 'nilai teppam' (static float)
on a dry tank. This year, water has been filled in the tank much earlier to a depth of about nine
feet. As per convention, Devendrakula Velalar youth from nearby Anuppanadi pulled the float
around the central mandapam of the tank using nylon ropes, twice in the morning and once in
the night.
Earlier in the day, Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi were taken in a procession
through the Chithirai streets, East Masi Street, Yanaikkal, Nelpettai and Kamarajar Road to
Muktheeswarar Temple near Teppakulam. After pujas, the deities were taken to the float which
ambulated around the central mandapam in its first round around 11.30 a.m.
Hundreds of devotees assembled along the tank parapet to worship the deities, which were
clearly visible from a distance. Traffic flow on the Kamarajar Road and the roads around
Teppakulam was smooth.
As the sun set in the evening, the area came to life with a riot of colours under a full moon.
Devotees swarmed all roads around the tank as the Teppakulam turned into an arena of an
annual fair. Traffic was diverted to facilitate smooth movement of pedestrians. The deities
returned to the temple late in the night.