This
is a huge temple tank about 5 kms east
of the Meenakshi temple. The mandapam
in the centre has an idol of Vigneshwara
(Vinayaka). This tank was said to have
been dug by Tirumala Nayaka. It is the
biggest tank of its kind in Tamil Nadu
and one of the most imposing sights of
Madurai when it is full of water.The vinayaka
idol was found when the earth was being
dug out from here to build the Thirumalai
Nayakkar Mahal. So, the place attained
sanctity and was converted into a teppakulam
(tank).
This
enormous temple tank is fed by water
brought from the Vagai through an ingenious
system of underground Channels. King
Thirumalai Nayak born in 'Poosa' Star.
so in commemorating the birth of the
king, Float festival is conducted in
Tamil Month 'Thai' (Jan/Feb) in the
tank in a colourful way, which attracts
thousands of tourists.
Madurai,
in Tamilnadu, is known popularly as
the 'City of Festivals' and among the
many festivals big and small which take
place there throughout the year, one
of the most picturesque is the float
Festival or 'Teppothsavam'. On that
day, the idols of Goddess Meenakshi
and her consort Lord Sundareshwarar
are taken in grand procession to the
big lake called Teppakolam, and drawn
round and round a shrine built in the
middle of the small island in the centre
of the lake, seated on a decorated float
called 'Teppa'. The float festival was
originated in the 17th century by king
Thirumala Nayaka who reigned inThe local
story is that the king had a new palace
built and to make bricks for it, a great
excavation was made. Later, he converted
the excavated depression "into
a sixteen acre lake, fed the same by
the Vaigai river through underground
channels and built the temple of Ganesha
on the artificial island in the middle.
Then he started the custom of taking
the divine idols for a boat ride on
the waters of the lake on his birthday.
Generally, this festival is celebrated
during January of the year beginning
with Sankranthi (pongal) festival.
At
dawn, the processional idols of Meenakshi
and Sudareshwarar start out from the
main temple in great pomp. The deities
are carried in golden palanquins escorted
by elephants, horses, musicians and
thousands of devotees. After reaching
the Teppakolam, about three kilometres
away, the deities are placed in a prepared
'mandapam' on the banks of the lake,
where the devotees are allowed to worship
them. The idols are then taken in palanquins
and placed on a great raft-like structure,
colourfully decorated with varieties
of flower garlands, silken buntings,
paper lanterns and masses of flowers.
Hundreds
of devotees catch hold of the two big
ropes by which the float is drawn and
they await the signal to start. One
rope is pulled by men standing on the
central island and second by those on
the bank of the lake. After the final
ritual of worship the priests give the
signal and the men strain at the ropes.
Slowly,
the great float moves away from the
shore and begins its circuit. As the
men on the rope run along the bank of
Teppakulam the thousands of spectators
crowding there enjoy by shouting the
names of the deities in great joy. The
float itself moves around the lake at
slow, steady pace. After a couple of
rounds, which take more than three hours,
the ornamental raft is mooved to the
central island and remains there till
the evening. All through the day, a
number of boats ply to the island bringing
thousands of devotees to worship.
The
scene in the evening is even more wonderful
and over a lakh of people gather to
watch the procession. As dusk falls,
all the five towers of the island temple
glow with coloured light illumination.
And thousands of little oil-lamps are
lighted in the niches of the walls overhanging
the lake. All are brightly reflected
in the water and it looks as if the
lake is aglow with its own light. After
the gun signal booms, the float is also
illuminated with strings of coloured
electric bulbs, banks of fluorescent
tubes and a blaze of flood lights turning
the omarnental raft into a dazzling
sight.
Soon
afterwards, a display of fireworks starts
on the shore and an answering boquet
of red and green flares soars up from
the central island. Another gun signal
booms and the float begins to move.
The water ripples and the reflections
of coloured lights form ever changing
patterns. As the raft makes its slow
round of the lake, the fireworks continue
and the people cheer and fold their
hands in prayer to the deities. After
completing a full round, the float is
brought to the shore and the divine
idols are taken out with great ceremony.
Then follows the enactment of scenes
from the legend relating to the deities.
Finally, the idols are mounted on a
beautifully decorated golden horse and
return to the main temple in a great
procession.
This
float festival attracts large number
of tourists and visitors and the entire
city wears a festive appearance.
|
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Tours & Travels
No. 96/56, West Perumal Maistry
Street,
Madurai - 625 001, Tamil Nadu,
India
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