Chennai, Nov 8 Deepavali was celebrated across Tamil Nadu on Sunday with traditional fervour, even as intermittent rain disrupted festivities in parts of the state.
Sporadic showers disrupted the morning celebrations in Chennai and its suburbs, keeping many residents from bursting crackers outdoors. In Kanyakumari, thousands of tourists who had gathered to watch the special Deepavali sunrise returned disappointed as rain and cloud cover blocked the view.
To curb air and noise pollution, the Tamil Nadu government had permitted firecrackers to be burst only in two one-hour slots, between 6 am and 7 am and between 7 pm and 8 pm.
Despite the weather, the festive mood remained high.
In Vellore, large crowds thronged meat shops early in the day to buy supplies for the traditional Deepavali feast.
In Chennai, veteran actor Rajinikanth, in keeping with tradition, stepped out to greet a large gathering of fans who had waited outside his residence to exchange festive wishes.
Special prayers were held at major temples across the state. In Chennai, devotees visited the Vadapalani Murugan Temple despite the wet weather. For many, the rain turned out to be an advantage, as it thinned the usual festival crowds and allowed quicker darshans.
Palaniappan, a resident of Ashok Nagar who visited with his family, told PTI Videos that the sparse crowd made for a quick and special visit, and that it was his son’s first trip to the temple.
Mahalingam (88) of Mambalam, a regular Deepavali visitor, said the rain had delayed their usual early morning darshan, but seeing the deity gave him immense satisfaction.
The temple also gave solace to those away from home. Vijay, a native of Salem working in Chennai, said he visited the temple fasting after failing to get tickets to travel home, and that seeing the deity eased his loneliness. Selvaraj from Udumalaipettai said he walked through the rain specifically to seek the deity’s blessings.
In Thoothukudi, devotees braved the rain to offer prayers at the Sankararameswarar Temple.
In Madurai, actor Sivakarthikeyan, accompanied by his wife Aarthi, visited the Meenakshi Amman Temple on the festive morning.
Speaking to reporters, he urged the public to be careful while bursting crackers, especially around children.
The actor, who was visiting his in-laws, spoke warmly of the city. “Madurai has always been special; I have been visiting the city since I was young. And because my wife, Aarthi, is from here, being a son-in-law of Madurai is a source of great pride and happiness for me,” he said.
In Mayiladuthurai, Dharmapuram Adheenam pontiff Srilasri Ambalavana Desika Paramacharya Swamigal extended his Deepavali greetings and urged the public to help the poor and needy.
In his message, the Swamigal highlighted the cultural significance of the traditional early morning oil bath, known as Ganga Snanam.
“It is an established belief that Goddess Lakshmi resides in the oil and Goddess Ganga in the water,” he said.
He appealed to people to light traditional lamps, place new clothes, crackers and sweets before the deity, and celebrate the occasion together.
He urged them to visit temples, seek the blessings of elders and rid themselves of the darkness of arrogance.
Recalling the mythological origins of the festival, he said the day marked the slaying of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna and Satyabhama.
Citing Saint Thayumanavar’s teaching that love is divine, he said, “We must wish for everyone’s happiness, show love to all, and live together in unity.”
In his Deepavali message on Saturday, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the festival of lights symbolised the triumph of good over evil.
He called upon citizens to contribute to the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Tamil Nadu’ (Developed India and Developed Tamil Nadu).
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay wished the people a joyous festival and appealed to them to celebrate safely and share happiness with all.
(PTI News)
