‘Aadi Perukku’ celebrated

Thanjavur:‘Aadi Perukku’ was celebrated with gaiety, enthusiasm and religious fervour on Friday in the Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.All rivers and canals in the three districts were having water, thanks to the copious inflow into Mettur Dam and release of water from Grand Anicut on July 21.The Public Works Department has maintained the flow in the Cauvery, Vennar and Grand Anicut Canal systems since July 21.

Attired in their best, women offered pujas in the bathing ghats along the rivers and canals. Women offered worshipped mother Cauvery at the bathing ghat near Big Temple, and the bathing ghats on Vennar, Vadavar and Vettar here.At Thiruvaiyaru, women in large numbers offered pujas at the bathing ghat along the Cauvery. Children had a gala time swimming in the rivers and pulling toy cars to celebrate the festival. Camphor-lit betel leaves were set afloat in the river.Pujas were offered at Mother Cauvery temple at Thirucherai in Tiruvarur district. According to S. Ranganathan, secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association, this is the only temple for Mother Cauvery. Legend has it that Mother Cauvery at Thirucherai has Perumal on her lap.

Following a suggestion made by Mahaperiyawal of Kanchi, pujas are being offered to Mother Cauvery at Thirucherai for the past 20 years on Aadi Perukku. The temple is mentioned in Alwar Pasurams and ancient texts.‘Aadi Perukku’ was celebrated with gaiety also in various parts Nagapattinam district.A large number of newly-married couple performed pujas on the banks of Cauvery and Vennar river systems after taking bath. They also visited various temples and worshipped deities.Heavy rush was seen in most of the temples as ‘Adi Perukku’ was celebrated on the third Friday of ‘Adi,’ said to be auspicious.

People gathered in large numbers along the banks of River Cauvery and performed customary rituals as a mark of thanksgiving here. People, especially the newly-wed and the youth, clad in bright new clothes thronged several bathing ghats along Thavuttupalayam, Vangal, Nerur, Thirumukkoodalur, Mayanur and Kulithalai took bath and paid their respects as a mark of thanksgiving to Mother Cauvery. They also partook the festive food brought from their on the river banks.