Carnival-like atmosphere on Masi streets of Madurai

Thousands of devotees thronged MADURAI streets for Car festival, with traditional music, dancing, and police regulation.

Masi streets were bursting at the seams as thousands of devotees thronged areas around Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple to witness the Car festival on Monday.

Much before the decorated cars started from ‘Thermutti,’ crowds swelled East Masi and South Masi streets. Men and women, young and the old had dressed up for the occasion. With the local people having a clear idea about the event, many started to assemble on West Masi Street to find a vantage position from where the two imposing cars of the presiding deities. could be best viewed

With the sun remaining at an acute angle, the tall commercial buildings protected them with a long shade.

Children were enthused with the giant elephant making its way on the busy street. Following the elephant was innumerable groups of Lord Shiva devotees who played many instruments, including drums, traditional bugle-like wind instruments and cymbals, big and small.

The playing of conches and ‘udukkais’ added to the festival scene.

Some of the devotees drew the attention with their matted hair and bare-chests covered by huge rudrakasha malais and the holy ash. Children dressed up like Lord Shiva also joined the procession. Sivanadiars, including women, danced all their way to the beats of drums and cymbals.

This time, the police personnel prohibited playing of plastic bugle-like toys for the inconvenience its din would cause to fellow devotees. Not just they stopped its blowing, but also its sale by the vendors. The police seized them from the vendors.