Special events mark Sadaya Vizha at Big Temple

TIRUCHY: Abhishekams to Peruvudayar, Periyanayagi, the presiding deities of the Big Temple, and garlanding of Raja Raja Chola’s statue marked the celebration of the 1,040th Sadaya Vizha of Rajaraja Cholan, who ruled the Chola Kingdom on Friday.

Sadaya Vizha is celebrated on the birth star of Raja Raja, and the year denotes the year of his coronation as king.

In view of the festival, the folk artists came in a procession by performing from the palace premises at around 8.30 am. The procession was flagged off by the MP S Murasoli, Mayor Shan Ramanathan, Deputy Mayor Anjugam Boopathi and others. The procession reached the Big Temple premises, where a natiyanchali by 400 dancers was performed to mark the event.

Subsequently, the leaders garlanded the statue of the king. Following the garlanding, a ceremonial procession of the manuscripts of ‘Thirumuraigal’, the compendium of songs on Lord Shiva, the original manuscripts of which were unearthed by Raja Raja during his regime, was taken through the main streets of Thanjavur atop an elephant.

Following the procession special abhishekam was performed to the Shiva Lingam with 48 substances, including milk, sandal paste, turmeric paste, Panchamirtham, Vibuthi (sacred ash), juice of various citrus fruits, including orange, lemon and rice.

Hundreds of devotees thronged the temple for the Sadaya Vizha. As part of the festival, devotees were served food at the temple campus. A musical performance and a dance performance were also organised in the evening. The idols of Peruvudayar and Periyanayagi were also taken out in procession.