Skanda Sasti festival - Soora Samhāram to be performed this evening
Posted on: 25/Oct/2017 1:29:10 PM
The famous Skanda Sasti festival celebrated in a grand manner at the popular Thiruchendur temple of Lord Muruga is in progress. The most important event in the festival, known as Soora Samhāram, will be performed this evening (Wednesday, 25th
October).
Thousands of devotees are thronging in the temple to watch and participate on this grand occasion.
Lord Muruga has 6 divine abodes in Tamil Nadu, called �Arupadai veedugal�. Thiruchendur is the 2nd of these 6 divine abodes. Skanda Sasti festival, celebrated here, is the most important event of the year. This year�s Skanda Sasti festival started on 20th October.
The deity of Lord Muruga or Lord Jayanthinathar will be taken to the seashore in front of the temple at 4.30 PM, The demon or Asura, Soorapdaman, appears with the elephant and lion faces in his original form to fight with Lord Muruga and gets killed.
The asura, Soora Samhāram, then turns into a mango tree, when Lord Muruga bisects the tree, killing the demon. Then, the evil demon or asura Soorapadman transforms into a spear (vel) and a peacock (mayil) surrendering to Lord Muruga who accepts both the spear and peacock as permanent accompaniments.
Once Soora Samhāram event is completed, the Lord and His Consort Ambal will be special adorned and Deeparadhana will be performed. Then the deity of the Lord will be taken on a procession of �Giripraharam Ula� and then taken inside the temple.
At 10.00 PM tonight, �Saaya Abishekham� will be performed on the deity of the Lord in front of the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Mahadeva.
The devotees will be tied with the Sashti Pooja small plates (shields) kept during the special pooja on their hands. The divine marriage will be performed at 11.00 PM tomorrow (Thursday, 26th October).
A holiday has been announced for this important event of Soora Samhāram festival in Tuticorin district today (25th October).
Apart from the devotees within this district and other districts, devotees from other states of India and other countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore have come to participate in this important festival.
