Masi streets were bursting at the seams as thousands of devotees thronged areas around Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple to witness the Car festival on Monday.
Much before the decorated cars started from ‘Thermutti,’ crowds swelled East Masi and South Masi streets. Men and women, young and the old had dressed up for the occasion. With the local people having a clear idea about the event, many started to assemble on West Masi Street to find a vantage position from where the two imposing cars of the presiding deities. could be best viewed
Playing of ‘udukkai’ attracted the attention of devotees. | Photo Credit: G. Moorthy
With the sun remaining at an acute angle, the tall commercial buildings protected them with a long shade.
Children were enthused with the giant elephant making its way on the busy street. Following the elephant was innumerable groups of Lord Shiva devotees who played many instruments, including drums, traditional bugle-like wind instruments and cymbals, big and small.
The playing of conches and ‘udukkais’ added to the festival scene.
Some of the devotees drew the attention with their matted hair and bare-chests covered by huge rudrakasha malais and the holy ash. Children dressed up like Lord Shiva also joined the procession. Sivanadiars, including women, danced all their way to the beats of drums and cymbals.
Soap bubbles added to the festive atmosphere on the Masi streets. | Photo Credit: G. Moorthy
This time, the police personnel prohibited playing of plastic bugle-like toys for the inconvenience its din would cause to fellow devotees. Not just they stopped its blowing, but also its sale by the vendors. The police seized them from the vendors.
Several volunteers, organisations and shopkeepers had put up stalls to treat the devotess with drinking water, buttermilk, juices, bananas, pongal, sweet pongal and puliyotharai.
Hundreds of police personnel were posted all along the Masi streets to regulate the crowd.
Barricades were put up to prevent entry vehicles on Masi streets and bylanes leading to them.
The long wait for up to a couple of hours was worth every minute for the devotees when they witnessed the colourfully decorated cars pass through them.
