Devotees Flock to Tamil Nadu for Grand Vaikasi Visakam Festival

Thousands of devotees flocked to Lord Murugan's temples across Tamil Nadu on Monday, marking the auspicious Vaikasi Visakam Festival with fervent prayers, rituals, and traditional celebrations. In Madurai, priests conducted abhishekams and alankarams, and devotees participated in processions featuring Lord Murugan's idol in elaborately decorated chariots.

The temples witnessed a massive turnout as worshippers sought blessings and offered kavadi. Devotees also engaged in fasting and attended cultural events and devotional music performances, enhancing the festival's vibrant atmosphere.

At the Tiruchendur Subramanya Swamy Temple in Thoothukudi, devotees gathered in large numbers, dressed in traditional attire, to celebrate the festival's spiritual essence. Known as the spring festival, Vaikasi Visakam began on May 31, celebrating Lord Murugan's birth star, and attracts thousands annually.

The festival, a significant event in the Tamil month of Vaikasi, lasts for 10 days, each featuring different processions. Lord Murugan, also known as Kartikeya, is revered for his mythological triumph over the demon Tarkasura.

The pandemic saw the 2020 festival cancelled due to lockdowns, but it has resumed with enthusiasm, highlighting its cultural and spiritual importance among Hindus, particularly in South India.

(With inputs from agencies.)