Raja Kopuram (Main Tower) of Jeyanthi Nagar Sri Sivasubramaniya Swamy Temple in Ginthupitty

by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

“Aadi”- The month of Festivals. The annual Aadi Vel festival of Arulmigu Sri Sivasubramaniya Swamy temple was held on July 30 th 2007. The temple is decorated with fresh banana trees with bunches of bananas, “Thoranam” (young coconut leaves are woven together) and sugar cane leaves. All the statues at the temple are specially and beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, and silk for the festival.

“Aadi Vel” (Festival of Trident) celebrations began on July 28th 2007 at the temple with the “Poorna Aguthi” (Vedic fire to dissolve the negativity). ‘Adi Vel” is held annually in honour of Lord Murugan-God of War. Vel cart started its journey while the temple bell began to toll and devotees chanted “Vettivel (Victorious Vel), Veeravel (Courageous Vel), and Arokara amidst tight security set up in the city.

Brass statues of Sri Sivasubramaniya Swamy along with Sri Valli and Theivaanai were polished and beautifully decorated with lotus, jasmine, vaada mallikai, ponnochchi, sevvanthi, rose and nanthiyaavattai flowers .These three statues were taken on procession on a wooden carved cart which was dragged by a tractor.

The cart procession started in the morning, and ended in the night on the same day. The procession went on Ginthupity Street, Vivekananda Hill, Wolfendhal Street, Gabos Lane, St. John’s Street, Main Street, 5th Cross Street , Norris Road, 4th Cross Street, Keyzer Street, Lotus Road, Sea Street, Sri Kathiresan Street, Aandivaal Street , and Brass Founder’s Street. It stopped on the way to bless the devotees. A special Police protection was given to the procession and devotees.