Indian Columbus

Wherever you turn, you see people filled with enthusiasm and joy. Children are playing, vibrant colors adorn the streets, and vendors sell everything imaginable, from local foods and handmade crafts to dolls. This festival attracts vendors from remote places and gathers thousands of devotees from surrounding villages, all contributing to the lively, festive atmosphere that stretches for about 5 kilometers. Yes! I’m talking about the ten-day annual festival celebrated every April at Madhavaram St. Sebastian Church. This festival, known as the Madhavaram Festival, has been a beloved tradition for over 75 years. St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian preacher, founded the Franciscan Order. He is renowned for his love of nature and animals, as well as his dedication to poverty and humility. Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Ecumenical, and non-de...

Exploring the vibrant city of Mysore sparks memories of various facets, with the grand Dusshera festival standing out prominently. Yet, delve a bit deeper into  Dusshera  celebrations, and Kulasekharapattinam emerges as a significant association. Following this thread of festivity, Palayankottai takes center stage as the city that magnificently hosts  Dusshera  after Mysuru and Kulasekharapattinam. At the heart of these celebrations lies the Ayiraththamman temple. Ayiraththamman, where 'Ayiram' signifies one thousand in Tamil, carries a captivating legend. In the Samadanapuram locality, Pattalaththu Thidal, a vast ground known for its connection to the army, holds a tale of fervent worship. The name "Pattalaththu Thidal" stems from the presence of soldiers, and a humble temple within, where the locals sought solace from the menace of a small fox that plagued Palayankottai. In an unexpected turn, an English officer, infuriated by the soldiers' inability to attend d...

For 48 days starting from 1st July 2019, all the roads in Tamil Nadu lead to Kanchipuram. Yes, around one crore (10 million) devotees have thronged to the holy city to get darshan (glimpse) of Athi Varadar, who comes out of the water once in 40 years. Almost all the temples in Kanchipuram have significance. This town makes one wonder if the number of temples is more than that of houses. Every nook and corner has a temple. Among all the Vaishnavite temples of the town, the Varadaraja temple is the most popular and the biggest. The temple, which is always crowded, got tenfold the usual crowd for these 46 days thanks to the arrival of Athi Varadar. Athi Varadar is the idol of Varadaraja, made of the Athi tree (fig tree). It is believed that this Murti was worshiped as the temple's presiding deity earlier. Different versions explain why this icon was placed under the water and replaced by the current stone icon. But none of these views have concrete evidence. Also, many legends are...

Among various festivals celebrated across Chennai city, Arubathumoovar Procession of Mylapore Kapaleeswara Temple is the most popular and crowd-pulling festival. During the Tamil Month of Panguni (March/April), the annual festival of Kapaleesvara Temple is celebrated. The most important event among the ten-day celebrations is the procession of 63 Nayanmars (the legendary devotees of Lord Shiva). As there are 63 Nayanmars, they are referred to as Arubathumoovar in Tamil, which denotes the number 63. Photo Courtesy: Mr. Venkateswaran Radhaswamy During the Arubathumoovar Procession, along with Kapaleesvara and Karpagambal, the bronze images of all 63 Nayanmars are taken in palanquins. The palanquins of Nayanmars face Kapaleeswara, and hence they move backward during the procession. It is a colorful gala event of the city, witnessed by thousands of devotees every year. Photo Courtesy: Mr. Venkateswaran Radhaswamy The other deities such as Ganesha, Singara Vela and Chandikeswa...

They scream; they cry; they dance; And, they play loud music. Crackers are fired; the temple is decorated; Cocks and goats are sacrificed. The girls are dressed like fierce Goddess; their faces are painted in bright colors; the boys, too, join them; they look like the deity who would destroy this universe; they shout; they stare at you and even scare you. They don't fear or care about anything; they dance with total energy and rage on the roads. Here comes the annual festival of Mayana Kollai, a ritual that is celebrated in a grand manner. The word Mayana Kollai means looting of the burial ground. It is a festival celebrated on a day before the full moon day after Maha Shivaratri every year (February or March). It is celebrated in Angala Parameswari temples. Angala Parameswari is a female village deity who is worshiped all over the state of Tamil Nadu as well as in some parts of Kerala. However, her temples are primarily found in Chennai and northern Tamil Nadu. Hence, this a...

If I say the procession of Chennai city, most of you would get reminded about the 63 Nayanmars procession of the Mylapore festival. But this post from me is not about that festival. Another procession has been conducted regularly every year in Chennai for the past two centuries. How many of you have heard about that? Let me discuss this procession in this post. Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most important annual festival celebrated in the internationally famous Tirumala Tirupati temple. This festival lasts nine days during the Ashvin month of the Hindu calendar, which falls either in September or October. The Utsava images of Venkateshwara and his consorts are taken on different Vahanas daily during this event. Thousand of people nationwide gather to participate in this grand festival of Tirupati Balaji. From Tamil Nadu, only two holy things are being sent to Tirupati Balaji every year. One is the garland from Srivilliputhur, and the other is the holy umbrellas from Chennai. Two ...

Durga Puja, an integral part of Navaratri celebrations, enjoys immense popularity in Bengal. Similarly, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Navaratri takes on a grand form with the elaborate display of dolls, meticulously arranged on stepped platforms. This captivating assembly of dolls, made from various materials and of varying sizes, in homes or temples is known as 'Kolu' (sometimes mis-pronounced as 'Golu'). Even in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Navaratri is celebrated with the exhibition of Kolu dolls. These dolls may encompass images of deities, representations of animals, humans, and even creatively depict various scenes. While other regions of India observe Navaratri in different ways, the display of Kolu dolls is a unique tradition primarily associated with South India. In Gujarat, for instance, Navaratri is celebrated with great fervor through Goddess worship, but the practice of displaying dolls during this festival is not a common tradition. How...