Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 10 : Thousands of devotees and members of the public on Saturday gathered at the Cauvery River ghats in Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, on the occasion of Mahalaya Amavasya in the Tamil month of Purattasi, to take a holy dip and perform rituals for their ancestors.
As it was a public holiday on Saturday, people from various districts across Tamil Nadu arrived early in the morning at Amma Mandapam, Ayyalamman Padithurai, Thillainayagi Padithurai and Odathurai ghats along the Cauvery River. After taking a holy dip, they performed tharpanam (ancestral rites) and offered prayers at nearby temples.
According to Hindu tradition, people who have lost their parents observe Amavasya by remembering their departed parents and ancestors, fasting and performing ancestral rituals at water bodies.
Mahalaya Amavasya, which falls in the Tamil month of Purattasi, is considered particularly auspicious for honouring ancestors, following the Amavasya observances in the months of Thai and Aadi.
According to religious belief, Mahalaya Amavasya is an important occasion for those who missed performing ancestral rites on any of the 12 Amavasya days during the year, those who do not know the thithi or birth star of their ancestors, and those who could not perform tharpanam during Thai or Aadi Amavasya.
Following this tradition, thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the sacred Cauvery River and performed ancestral rites. Some also offered food to the poor as part of their religious observances.
People arrived from Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi and other parts of Tamil Nadu to perform the rituals. After completing the ceremonies, many visited prominent religious sites, including the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, one of the foremost Vaishnavite shrines, as well as the Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswarar Temple and the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, to offer prayers.
The turnout was significantly higher than usual as the observance coincided with a public holiday.