GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
AHMEDABAD, MARCH 18
Even as Gujarat celebrated Holi, called Dhuleti in Gujarat, with great zeal and enthusiasm, thousands of Tamils thronged the temples of Lord Karthikswamy across Gujarat on Friday to fulfill their vows on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram festival. This day assumes significance because of the star Uthiram and Pournami (full moon) occurring together.
Besides, according to belief, it is on Panguni Uthiram that the marriage of Parvati and Parameshwaran, and Murugan and Deivanai are solemnised.
On this day, all places, where Lord Subramanya or Murugan temple is located,the devotees carry ‘Pal kavadi,Panneer kavadi,Pushpa kavadi’ and others to fulfil their vows or ‘nerthikkadan’..
In Ahmedabad,devotees visited the Sri Balamurugan Devasthanam Trust in Khokhra to fulfil their nerthikadan (vows) such as Pal Kudam,Panneer Kudam and others. Some people also pierced ‘vel’ into their bodies before reaching the temples.
The kavadi procession of the Devasthanam began at 7 am from Hatkeshwar Circle and after covering the main thoroughfares of Khokhra it culminated around noon at the temple in Ahmedabad.
In the evening, Balamurugan, Valli and Deivanai kept on a big flower bedecked chariot, while Balaganapathy were taken out in a procession around the main thoroughfares of Khokhra on a small chariot amidst the chanting of ‘Muruga Muruga’, ‘Kandanukku Arohara’ and ‘Vetrivel’ Veeravel’ by the devotees.
One of the devotees said: “Special arrangements have been made at the temple for smooth conduct of the festival. A visit to Karthikswamy Temple will absolve one of all sins and take away one’s sorrows.”
President of Sri Jai Ambe Kartik Swami Temple on Station Road, Vadodara said, “The kavadi procession commence from the Sursagar Lake at 7 am and converged at the temple around noon.”
Panguni Uthiram was also celebrated at Karthikswamy temples in Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Hapa, Gandhinagar and Kalol.
Despite the scorching summer, the devotees walked barefoot in a long procession before reaching the temples. Annadhanam was offered to all devotees at Shri Muthumariamman Temple in Khokhra and Shri Muthumariamman Devasthanam in Mothinagar, Amraiwadi and also by individuals around noon.
Many Tamil cinema fans associations have put up Thanner Pandal (water sheds) all along the roads for the benefit of devotees carrying kavadi.
Devotees said that they were happy to be in the temple after two years since the pandemic had disabled them from attending the celebrations in person.
Meanwhile, the festival of colours saw a different scale of celebrations this year in the backdrop of a significant drop in coronavirus cases, which encouraged people to step out of their homes without much fear and mingle with each other.
This was in a sharp contrast to 2021 when COVID-19 cases were soaring ahead of Holi, leading the state government to ban public celebrations and mass functions on Dhuleti.
The COVID-19 outbreak had dampened Holi festivities in 2020, too.
In absence of curbs this time, open plots with lawns on the outskirts of cities turned into venues for celebrations. Such commercial events were held in all major cities of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat.
“I have come here to enjoy the rain dance with my friends. Last year, we remained indoors because there was a ban on such functions. Luckily, there was no such ban this year. We have been waiting for this festival all year,” said Yash Patel, a college student who came to enjoy Dhuleti at a party plot on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, reports PTI.
People also celebrated the festival in their residential societies by putting music systems in common areas and hiring water tankers to sprinkle water on each other.
Ministers and political leaders visited their respective native places to enjoy the festival with their near and dear ones.
While former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani celebrated the festival in Rajkot, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi was in Surat to mark the occasion. Sanghavi also paid his respects at Ichchhanath Mahadev Temple in Athwalines area.
Notably, the temple is managed by local police.Union minister Parshottam Rupala celebrated the festival with his family and supporters in Amreli, while Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel visited Jamnagar to take part in festivities.
