Amid the beating of drums, singing and dancing, a sea of devotees gathered at the Ramarayar Mandapam in Madurai for ‘Theerthavari’. As Lord Kallazhagar made His way into the mandapam during the recent annual Chithirai festival, the devotees sprayed water on Him, as part of the tradition.
To fulfil their vows, devotees, including children, dress up as Lord Kallazhagar and go to the mandapam to spray the water from bags made of goat skin, slung on their shoulders. This unique bag is made specifically for the annual event.
Daily-wage workers
These bags are made at Kamarajar Colony, located off the main road, leading to Kariapatti town in the neighbouring Virudhunagar district. It houses about 150 families of mostly daily-wage workers. While most of them are engaged in construction, some are loadmen.
For most of the year, these residents go about their regular work. However, the colony, comprising people belonging to the Arunthathiyar community, becomes a hive of activity for at least three months before the Chithirai festival. At this place, the goat skin bags are made. The process of making these bags begins during the Tamil month of Thai and continues through Masi and Panguni. Men and women are involved in this traditional vocation.
K. Gurunathar Vellaichamy and his son Muthu Mahalingam, both involved in the work, say all the 150 families in the colony make these bags individually. Mr. Mahalingam says the workers buy the goat hide from the markets in Madurai, Virudhunagar, and Dindigul districts. The hide costs ₹40-₹90 apiece.
The workers first clean the hide and keep it soaked in water for a day. Then they apply sunnambu (limestone) on the hide to remove the fur with scrapers. Then, the layer of sunnambu is removed with the application of Avaramkolai and Nattu Karuvapatta. It gives the bag its brown colour. The hide is dried in the sun and then ironed. Now, it is ready to be polished and stitched.
This year, about 4,000 bags were made, and almost all of them were sold, says A. Thanga Murugan, a bag-maker. A bag cannot be reused and unused bags can be used only if they are stored properly, says Mr. Mahalingam.
Checked by devotees
Following the hoisting of the holy flag to mark the beginning of the Chithirai festival at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple that draws people from far and near to the city, the makers of these bags go to Madurai with the hide, which they display near the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. After devotees check the hide for damage and make a choice, the makers stitch the bags.
These bags are sold for ₹300-₹700, and large bags can fetch ₹1,000-₹1,100. Small bags can hold two litres of water and large ones up to 40 litres. The large bags can hold two big ‘kudams’ [pots] of water, says P. Subramani, a bag-maker from Kariapatti. The pipe is fixed for spraying water in the front right leg part of the hide, says Mr. Mahalingam.
The bag-makers stay in Madurai during the key events of the festival: the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple; the coronation of Goddess Meenakshi; the celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar; and Lord Kallazhagar’s journey to Madurai and entry into the Vaigai.
Grand celebrations form part of the festival. Despite the scorching summer heat, people make arrangements for the festival. Decorations and materials are readied and people, including devotees of Lord Kallazhagar, get their costumes, like those of the deity, stitched.
After Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the Vaigai, the devotees follow the deity as He makes His way to the Ramarayar Mandapam.
M. Kannan, a devotee from Viraganoor, says his family has been following the tradition of dressing up like Lord Kallazhagar since the time of their forefathers. Devotees take a vow and spray water on the deity. Another devotee, M. Arulmurugan, of Sakkudi, believes that the more the water is sprayed on the deity, the more the blessings will be.
Devotees feel that spraying water on Lord Kallazhagar is to cool Him from the sweltering summer heat; it is a service. According to legend, Lord Kallazhagar travels from Azhagarkoil to witness the wedding of His sister Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar. On reaching Madurai, Lord Kallazhagar learns from Lord Veera Ragava Perumal that the wedding has already been solemnised. A dejected Lord Kallazhagar chooses not to cross the Vaigai. He is upset that the wedding was over before His arrival. Water is sprayed on the deity to cool Him down.
King Thirumalai Nayak merged two different festivals into one grand event to foster harmony between Shaivism and Vaishnavism. The Shaivite Chithirai festival of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple was merged with the festival of the Sundararaja Perumal Temple at Azhagarkoil.
