Muslims breaking their fast after observing the first day of Ramzan at Big Mosque, Triplicane.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
The car festival of the Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore, will be held on April 9.
| Photo Credit:
B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
As always the city had a busy festival calender in March. The holy month of Ramzan passed with the devout fasting during the day and breaking it with Iftar in the evening. The Big Mosque in Triplicane, Masjid Javeed at Anna Nagar, and the one on Mount Road served food at sunset.
“Every day during the holy month, when The Holy Quran came down to us, we kept ‘kanji’ ready by 4 p.m. so that those breaking the fast at home or office could collect it. People cutting across religions collected it. For those coming to the mosque after sundown, we had served ‘kanji’, fruit, samosa, and dates,” said L.K.S. Syed Ahmed, president of Masjid Javeed.
Around 600 persons collected ‘kanji’ daily, 900 took part in Iftar, and around 500 persons took Sahar, the early morning meal. Every evening, after the Iftar and prayers, special discourses (Bayan) were held.
The organising committee thanked the K4 police station for regulating the traffic in the area during Ramzan.
Nine-day celebrations
Closely following Ramzan, which ended with Eid on March 31, Ramanavami saw devotees get immersed in the festivities.
At the Sri Parthasarathi Perumal Temple in Triplicane, the nine-day celebration saw the utsava idols of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, and Hanuman being brought out in procession on select days around the Mada Streets.
The idol of Rama alone was brought out on the Hamsa Vahanam, Garuda Vahanam, and Hanmuntha Vahanam. Special Thirumanjanam (abhishekam) was performed daily to Lord Rama.
Homes celebrated the Navami Thithi, on which Lord Rama took avatar, with simple offerings of ‘panagam’ (drink made from jaggery, lime juice, and dry ginger), ‘neer more’ (watery buttermilk garnished with coriander, curry leaves, and mustard), and ‘kosambari’ (a salad made with cut cucumber, shredded coconut, soaked moong dal, and garnished with asafoetida and mustard).
Car festival
The annual Panguni Peru Vizha has begun at the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, with processions of the deities Lord Kapaleeswarar and Devi Karpagambal twice daily on different Vahanams. The festival is also an opportunity for roadside vendors to sell their wares. The festival that began on April 2 with the puja to Grama Devathai Sri Kolavizhi Amman will conclude with the Uma Maheswarar Darisanam on April 13. The car festival will be held on April 9 and the grand Arubathumoovar, when idols of the 63 Nayanmar Saints are brought out in procession, will be held from 3.30 p.m. on April 10.
Published – April 08, 2025 10:43 pm IST
