Thousands participate in Thanjavur temple car festival

This is the third year in succession that the car festival is being celebrated after a gap of more than 100 years. The new temple car built at a cost of Rs 37 lakh was run for the first time during the 2015 Chithirai  festival. 

On Friday morning, the bronze deities of Lord Thyagarajar and Kamalambal were brought from the Big Temple and placed on the 16.5 feet high car. It was a sight to behold with the decorations atop the car reaching to a height of 32 feet. 

After the deities were placed in the car, a special deeparatha na was performed and it was brought out of the stand on the West Main Street. Once it was flagged off, devotees began pulling the juggernaut along the mada streets.  Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu, A Annadurai, the District collector, M Rengasamy, MLA led the devotees in pulling the car through the West Main street. The car procession which commenced at 6 am was over  by noon. 

The car was stopped in front of Santhu Mariamman temple, Konganeswarar temple, Moolai Hanumar temple in West Main street, Pillayarkoil, Rathinapureeswarar temple, Gurukula Sanjeevi temple in North main street, Kodimarathumoolai, Vittobatemple and Manikarnikeswarar temple, Varatharajaperumal temple in East Main street and Kaliyuga Venkatesaperumal koil, Kasi Viswanathar koil, Kaliyammankoil in South Main street where devotees offered pooja. Odhuvars of the temple recited verses from Thevaram.