R ARIVANANTHAM
CUDDALORE, JAN 9
The car festival of Sababathy temple popularly known as Sri Natarajar temple in Chidambaram in Cuddalore district was pulled by thousands of devotees on Thursday. The car festival was held as part of the Arudra Darshan to be held on Friday.
Five cars in processional cum presiding deity Lord Nataraja and his consort Sivagamasundari, Lord Vinayaka, Lord Subramaniam and Chandigeswarar were rolled out from the temple premises at around 7.00 a.m. The devotees pulled the cars around the four mada (car) streets.
After the procession, Lord Natarajar and goddess Sivagama Sundari were brought to the 1000-pillar mandapam in the temple where Laksharchana and special pujas would be performed.
On Friday, the penultimate day of the 10-day festivities, the sanctum sanctorium would be again opened for Ärudra Darshan’ when the presiding deity in cosmic dance posture would be taken out in a palanquin procession.
This is one of the two important annual ten-day festivals when Lord Natarajar is taken out around the four Car Streets in the temple-town, the other festival being `Aani Thirumanjanam’.
Cuddalore district police have made elaborate security arrangements for Arudra Darshan fete on Friday. A huge posse of police personnel were posted around the temple and in the town. The security arrangements were monitored by the Superintendent of Police M. Sree Abhinav
