Chennai: Devotees and pilgrims hitting the road to Kanchipuram tomorrow (Thursday, 15 August) for Athi Varadar darshan are advised to note the change in darshan timings:
There will be truncated darshan tomorrow on account of Adi Garuda Sevai. There will be no darshan after 5 pm as the festival is to be celebrated.
The temple doors will be closed at 2 pm and those who join the queue before that will only be allowed darshan till 5 pm.
VIP darshan would be allowed only till 15 August and on 16 August there will be only general queue. There will be no darshan for the public 17 August, the last day of the 48-day vaibhavam.
The idol will be returned to the temple tank on the day.
Today being the 45th day of darshan, the deity was decked up in white and pink robes. The pink vastram had a beautiful, contrasting blue border.
As usual, the idol was almost covered with flowers, and the regal crown adorns His head. There were garlands of shenbagam flowers apart from lotus, jasmine and thulasi for the Lord.
How can a festival in Kanchipuram, the silk capital of Tamilnadu, be complete without silk yarn garlands? Today also, there were silk yarn garlands and a tiny green garland was seen dangling from the abhaya hastham (hand that blesses) of the Lord.
Today also marks the 14th day of ninra thirukolam (standing pose) of Lord Athi Varadar who was taken out of the Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple tank in June.
He was kept for public darshan in the Vasantha Mandapam from 1 July and was worshipped in sayana thirukolam (reclining posture) till 31 July.
The ninra thirukolam darshan began 1 August, and the vaibhavam concludes 17 August after 48 days.
Reports state that at least 4 lakh people had darshan of Lord Athi Varadar yesterday and the queues are lengthening today also.
Photos / video: D Sundar