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| Aazhi ther, Asia's biggest Ratha, Thiruvarur, TN i.ytimg.com |
Thiruvarur, the capital of Thiruvarur district (formerly part of composite Delta District of Thanjavur) is synonymous with three cultural aspects;
01. The famous Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple along with one of the largest temple tanks in India Kamalalayam in the prime area of the town,
02. The 96 ft tall Aazhi Ther (base of wooden ther (with 400 wooden carvings) is about 66 ft; rest consists of 92 decorative features weighing about 50 ton). The length of the giant rope (Vada Kayaru) attached to the base of the ratha is about one kilometer and weighs 15 ton Asia's largest ratha and Aazhi therottam festival that falls in the Tamil month of Panguni (March-April)bin Ayelyam nakshatra
03. The birth place of Carnatic music composers Sri Thygaraja swamigal (Thyaga Brahmam), Shyama Sastry and Muthusamy Dikshithar (Trinity of Carnatic Music).
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| Thiruvarur Aazhi ther, wooden basetripadvisor.com |
This year the popular Aazhi Ther festival went off well on March 21, attended by Thousands of devotees. The festivities began on Feb 27 with customary temple flag -hoisting on the temple premises in the morning.
Thousands of devotees from far and near participated in the Aazhi Ther festival and a large number of devotees took part in pulling the huge rope attached to the 350 ton Ratham on which were mounted the processional idols of Sri Thyagaraja, his consort Parvati and Sri Chandikeswarar. It was a day long arduous religious procession around the four wide and well laid ''Mada Veedhis'' (streets). The wooden ther was so heavy it was pushed from behind by heavy duty bulldozers and to stop it at certain places it is provided with special hydraulic break system. It was a day of religious fervor and gaiety with the 'Chants of “Aaroora, Thyagesa” by the devotees and the sound of “Siva Vadhyam.” Two other wooden temple cars carrying the idols of Lord Vinayaga and Lord Murugan pulled by the devotees preceded the Aazhi Ther. .
This unique and popular annual festival has been around for centuries and it is the cultural legacy of this town. Documentary evidences available in the Saraswathi Mahal library, Thanjavur city confirm that this Ther festival had been held continuously since 1748 CE till the middle of 20th century (vide the Modi scripts in Marathi language of the Thanjavur Mahratta Ruler Shahaji (1684-1712 CE)..
After traditional puja and Aarthi, the Therottam with long procession began at 9 am (on March 21) on East Veedhi and then through the South, West and North Veedhis before being docked at its shed again in the evening near the temple. It is the only Ther in Tamil Nau glorified in the ''Thirumaura'' divotional songs.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2023/03/azhi-therottam-of-thiruvarur-is-to-be.html
https://www.vikatan.com/spiritual/thiruvarur-thiyagarajar-temple-car-festival-2024
https://www.navrangindia.in/2022/08/puri-jagannath-ratha-odisha-and-azhi.html
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