Car festival held after 19 years in Veeravanallur

Boominathar Temple car festival in Veeravanallur after 19 years, thanks to road improvements by local officials.

The car festival of Boominathar Temple in Veeravanallur in Tirunelveli district was held after 19 years on Sunday.

Margazhi Thiruvathira festival at the ancient temple is celebrated with great devotion by the people when the presiding deities, Boominathan and Sri Maragadhambikai, are taken on procession through the streets.

Nineteen years ago, the temple car was damaged in an accident. Although the car was subsequently repaired, the absence of suitable roads to draw the car by the devotees prevented the festival from being conducted.

The issue was brought to the attention of Collector K.P. Karthikeyan, who took it to the notice of Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru and Highways Minister E.V. Velu. Following his efforts, ₹1 crore was sanctioned and the road works were carried out. The 700-metre road around the temple was widened, along with construction of two culverts.

With these developments, the car festival was held after a gap of 19 years. Mr. Karthikeyan, Cheranmahadevi Sub Collector Arpeet Jain and former Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiyappan were present.