A spiritual spectacle: Inside the grand Kulasai Dasara festival

CHENNAI: The Dasara festival, known for its symbolic victory of dharma over adharma, finds one of its grandest celebrations in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district at the Mutharamman temple in Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal village near Tiruchendur.

Legend has it that Goddess Mutharamman once appeared before King Kulasekara Pandiyan and blessed him, giving the village its name. Over time, devotees lovingly shortened it to Kulasekarapattinam or simply Kulasai. Today, the temple is one of the most visited shrines in southern Tamil Nadu, revered for its vibrant Dasara festivities.

Unlike the simple street shrine it once was, the temple has grown into a sacred landmark, powered by the unwavering faith of devotees.

In earlier times, devotees at the temple would take vows, mainly to seek cures for smallpox. Now, thousands arrive each year seeking solutions for all kinds of struggles be it personal, financial, and emotional.

During the festival, devotees take vows, dress in different disguises, and beg for alms (known as yaasagam) before offering it to the goddess.

The disguises range from monkeys, bears, lions, and tigers to gypsies and even the fierce form of Goddess Kali. Some pledge to do this for three, five, or ten years, while others vow to continue until their last breath.

The Kali devotees undertake the toughest vow: 48 days of penance that includes eating vegetarian food without onions or mustard, barefoot living, sleeping on the floor, and bathing twice daily in cold water.

Groups of devotees travel to neighbouring villages, singing and dancing as they collect offerings. A third of all collections go into the temple’s hundi as an offering to Mutharamman.

The 10-day festival reaches its peak from the 7th day onwards. On the ninth night, lakhs of devotees gather near the temple, waiting for the climactic ritual , the Soorasamharam.

At midnight on Vijayadasami, the goddess slays the demon Mahishasura in a spectacular re-enactment on the seashore.

As dawn breaks, devotees remove their garlands and conclude their vows on the same beach, symbolizing a fresh beginning.

What makes this festival even more unique is its inclusivity. People from other religions too join in, dress up in disguises, and fulfill vows at the shrine.

For 10 days, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts turn into a carnival of music, dance, and devotion.

A popular belief still holds strong: no one who stands before the goddess should leave empty-handed.

For photographers, travelers, and seekers of cultural experiences, the Kulasekarapattinam Dasara is nothing short of a visual and spiritual feast.