Devotees celebrate ‘Aadi Perukku’ in Tamil Nadu

KARUR - Thousands of devotees thronged the Mahalakshmiamman Temple here to celebrate the annual festival ‘Aadi Perukku’.

Following performance of rituals, priests broke coconuts on the heads of devotees as a mark of thanks to the deity for fulfilling their wishes.

The annual festival is celebrated in the month of ‘Adi’, which falls from mid-June to mid-August, as per the Tamil calendar.

Devotees from across the state assembled on Tuesday to attend the ritual that was scheduled for Wednesday.

“For the past four years, I have been coming to the temple, and my wishes are fulfilled. I am 60-year-old lady, I have four daughters, they were opposed to breaking of coconut on my head because of my age. For the past 16 days, I was having pain in my leg. After the breaking of coconut on my head I have no leg pains,” said Lakshmi, a devotee.

It is believed that if a devotee gets hurt during the breaking of coconut, he or she failed to follow the strict religious regimen, and was therefore, punished by God.

The festival is an integral part of communities that are living along the banks of River Cauvery. By Jehovah G (ANI)