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THE 14 DAYS ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF ERODE CITY.
Erode city is one of the richest city in our country. It is very famous for hand loom industries and turmeric production. The city is adorned by Cauvery river. The city is very famous for its schools and colleges.
The central part of the city is called Paneer Selvam park. The city has 3 important Maari Amman temples. There are also many other temples. But the most famous temple is '' Periya Maari Amman Temple''.
Though the temple is very small and has no place for expansion, the power of the goddess and the richness is very high. There are 2 other similar shrines called Chinna and Nadu Maari Ammans in the city.
When I was in my primary classes I used to wait for the annual function. We all do the annual exams very well just to get money from parents to get toys in the great exhibition which will exist for a month during the annual festival.
There are few clay dolls till in our showcase, 20 years old. Though I live in Madras, I visit the annual festival every year even by taking leave and show the gratitude and respect to the 3 goddesses.
After researching lot about Kannagi, I was able to enjoy the inner meaning behind the festival. The Maari Amman festival differs from place to place. But it is very unique in Coimbatore - Erode zone. It depicts the inner theme of the anklet story.
We wait for the bamboo poles and coconut roofs:
When the hot April arrives, we all peep out of the school bus windows for bamboo poles, ropes and coconut roofs. It is the indication for the annual festival. Women will prepare their homes for the annual festival.
On a fine Saturday night the goddesses will be showered with plenty of flowers to cool them. This is the first event of the festival. It is called '' Poo Chaatru''. We go to the temples from that night to receive the flowers as sacred prasadam. Following dawn is very sacred for Erode people. The sacred 3 branched neem tree trunk called ''kambam'' will be stumped before the goddess.
The sacred kambam:
The kambam is a neem tree. Priests appoint hunters to choose the tree before a month itself. The bark will be peeled and smeared with turmeric paste. It has 3 branches.
This tree is considered as Kannagi's husband ''Kovalan''. He is now coming from heaven to see Kannagi. So he will be placed before her. Immediately when the priests stump the sacred tree trunk, women, men, children start pouring sacred turmeric and neem leaves water upon the trunk. People respect the trunk and offer various poojas.
People wait in long lines to reach the trunk to offer the scared water. I have stood 3 kilometers away from the temple for hours together to offer the water. We smear the trunk with turmeric and saffron powder.
Colorful rituals:
The villages around Erode city take turns in pouring the sacred water. People come in vans, jeeps, lorries and by long walk carrying water from various sources. The drum beats, songs and rituals like holding a fire pot, walking on fire path, drilling the skin with sharp tridents will show their devotion. Walking on the fire path is very important to show that Kannagi burnt Madurai and left to Chera country.
We always wait to see such colorful rituals. Most of us used to dance and go along with the group. The devotees gather from many places in and around Erode city to honor their Queen.
The ever flowing milk:
Inside the main shrine, the goddess will be offered sacred bath with pots and pots of milk from morning till night. By evening she will be decorated with varieties of jewels and costumes.
People offer pots of milk, tender coconuts, sandal paste water, juices for sacred bath. By night the goddess will be taken under procession all along the main parts of the city on various mounts like lion, swan and parrot.
The festivals lasts for 14 days. The important events are as follows:
1st Wednesday - Maa vilakuu [ rice cakes made with rice powder, jaggery and coconut water]. Thousands of women prepare this sweet and take under long procession. The sweet ball will be decorated with beautiful colorful paper cutting fans with a stick to poke into the cakes. It is just 5 rupees but the beauty and perfection is great. We wait to remove that from the cakes after rituals.
The palanquin made of fresh flowers:
That day night the goddess will be taken for long procession in special palanquin prepared with banana trunk and flowers. It is called '' Poo pallaku''.
That week Friday will be the main day . It is called as Pongal similar to Attrukkala festival. Thousands of women cook the pongal and offer to Kannagi and pray for the family welfare.
The unique offerings to the goddesses:
* Even other religion devotees also offer many gifts like small silver, tin made tiny human shapes for thanking the disease.
* Farmers offer clay made cattles, human forms to thank the goddess for healing the disease.
* Devotees offer money, ritual items, garments and show their gratitude to the goddess.
Every day night the city town hall enjoys the performing arts and debates. People gather day and night all over the streets and celebrate the 14 days festival. Local channels telecast the sacred water pouring ritual through out the day. Local devotees offer the sacred water at least 3 times within this 14 days.
Mean while all these 3 shrines enjoy the 14 days with special mood. On pongal day, the Naddu Maari Amman will be taken in the temple chariot. On the last Friday the Chinna MaariAmman will be taken in Poo pallaku.
The end of the festival:
Slowly the festival comes to the end. The 3rd Saturday will be the last day for the kambam. So slowly people who missed the chance will rush up and offer the sacred water.
The last event without women:
By 1 P.M , women will slowly move out of the temple and the local men gather around the shrine. The time to remove the sacred kambam will be decided and the priest will do the final rituals to the goddess and get into the trans and remove the kambam.
The ritual indicates the death of Kovalan and the kambam will never come out of the hole. Slowly the priests remove the kambam and come around the temple with dance and songs.
The time of removing the kambam will be announced and no women will see that ritual. The goddess will be dressed like a widow with pure white cloth and scared ash will be showered on her.
Then will police protection all the 3 kambams will be taken under long procession all over the city. The devotees shower salt, pepper and flowers and show the last respect. In the hot summer, the Erode city will be drenched with pepper and salt. The kambams will be taken to either Cauvery river or the local canal and made to go by night. People spray turmeric water on each other and its is called '' manjal neerattam''.
The ancient system of vaccination:
In olden days people gather for any annual festival in a village from various places. So they carry various infections and skin diseases. So on the last day the local devotees prepare large cans of pure turmeric paste water which is the best antimicrobial agent and spray on each other and on the streets. In south Tamil nadu, the turmeric water will be boiled with neem leaves also. Maari Amman festival decorations includes neems leaves and turmeric powder.
Then for 3 days various shanthi poojas to make the goddess calm will be done. Then people start the regular worship. But the exhibition and various stalls remain for 20 to 25 days.
The inner meaning of kambam festival:
* The kambam has 3 branches which indicates the 3 phases of Kannagi in 3 different cities.
* The central part holds a big fire bowl which depicts her purity in thought, speech and action.
* The 14 days festival represents the 14 days long journey across Pandiya country to reach the valley to attain the final salvation.
* The goddess decorated as widow is found no where in country other than in Coimbatore zone Maari Amman cult.
* The sacred water is offered to put of her anger and to cool her mind and body after burning Madurai.
* Erode city is developing day by day because of her blessings. So let us visit Erode city during the annual festival which falls on Panguni month. [ April]
* Erode district is also very famous for Bannari Maari Amman festival. The sacred walk on the pyre is very long there.
Thank you!
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