Thiruvaiyar: With no water flows in the Cauvery, celebration of "Aadi Perukku" (welcoming fresh water in rivers) became a mere ritual sans gaiety and enthusiasm in Thanjavur district on Saturday.
In normal years when water flows in Cauvery, large number of people will throng Pushya ghat of Cauvery at Thiruvaiyaru near Thanjavur and celebrate the festival with joy and happiness.
But on Saturday, the crowd was less at Pushya ghat and people celebrated using bore well water (bore well erected by the Thiruvaiyaru town panchayat for supplying water for Aadi Perukku) in the dry river. Women offered worship to mother Cauvery with puja articles on the fleet of steps as dry Cauvery bed stared at them.
However, spirits of people have not been dampened as they faced similar situations in past years also. But if water is available, that will be a merry making one for children who will take a dive into river, religious fervour for women who will float camphor lit betel leaves in the river water etc. Women celebrated Aadi Perukku at Grand Anicut, Thirukattuppalli, Kumbakonam (both in Cauvery and Mahamaham tank) Grand Anicut canal near Big temple and Vadavar at Thanjavur.
