Punnainallur Mariamman Temple ‘kumbabhishekam’ performed

Members of Muslim community residing in and around Punnainallur near Thanjavur presented fresh and dry fruits and other offerings at the Mariamman temple consecration ‘yaga salai’ on Sunday evening.
| Photo Credit: special arrangement

The “kumbabhishekam” of Sri Mariamman Temple at Punnainallur, on the outskirts of Thanjavur, was performed on Monday.

The “yaga salai pujas and homams”, which commenced on February 7, culminated on Monday morning. The pots containing the “holy water” was taken in a procession by priests from the “yaga salai” to the sanctum sanctorum, vimanams and the gopurams after the final ‘poornahuthi’ at the ‘yaga salai’.

While the ‘sanctified water’ was poured on the kalasams fixed atop the vimanams and gopurams at around 9.45 a.m., the ‘holy water’ was poured on the idols installed at the sanctum sanctourms by around 10 a.m.

A large number of devotees, who were denied entry into the temple precincts during the consecration period, witnessed the ‘kumbabhishekam’ held after two decades, from atop the houses and buildings located in the vicinity of the temple.

More than 1.000 police constables were deployed in and around the temple to ensure smooth conduct of the event.

Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam, Thiruvaiyaru, and Thanjavur MLAs Durai Chandrasekaran and T.K.G. Neelamegam, Thanjavur Mayor S. Ramanathan and temple hereditary trustee Babaji Rajah Bonsle were present.

Muslim participation

The event witnessed the participation of a group of Muslims from in and around Punnainallur hamlet on the penultimate day on Sunday.

Men and women clad in traditional Muslim attire carried fresh and dry fruits and other offerings and presented them at the ‘yaga salai’ on the February 9 evening, where the religious rituals in connection with consecration of the temple was performed by the priests.