Kumbakonam: Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the sacred ‘Mahamaham tank’ here on the occasion of ‘Masi Maham’ on Saturday.
Principal deities of 12 Saivite temples were brought in ‘rishaba vahana’ to the banks of ‘Mahamaham tank’. The ‘Abishekams’ were performed to “Asthiradevars” of these temples and they were immersed in the tank for a holy dip around 11.30 a.m.
Following this, people who gathered on the eastern bank of the tank started taking holy dip. Though the crowd of people who took the holy dip swelled at the time of the ‘Theerthavari’, people started taking holy dip in the tank from five am this morning. Officials say nearly 50,000 to 60,000 people would have taken bath by noon.
Principal deities brought to the tank were Adhikumbeswarar, Kasi Viswanathar, Abhimukheswarar, Gowthameswarar, Banapureeswarar, Amirthakalasanathar, Kambatta Viswanathar, Kotteeswarar, Ekambareswarar, Nageswarar, Someswarar and Kalahastheeswarar.
The ‘car festival’ of Chakkarapani temple (Vaishnavite) was also held on Saturday. Hundreds of devotees pulled the chariot car. In the evening, Chakkarapani, Rajagopalaswamy and Adhivarahaswamy-all from Vaishnavite temples were taken to the banks of Cauvery for the ‘Theerthavari’.
‘Maha Arathi’ was performed by hundreds of saints who came in procession from Panchaiyappan street to the sacred tank in the heart of the town.
The police made elaborate security arrangements. Revenue and Health staff, fire and rescue services personnel have also made other arrangements for the benefit of devotees.
