Temple car

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Temple car in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Temple cars are chariots used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The car is usually used on festival days called Ther Thiruvizha (தேர் திருவிழா) usually happens once in a year, where many people gathered around the temple and pull the cart. Thiruvarur, Srivilliputhur, Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu and Puri, in Odisha, host some of the largest annual temple car festivals.

One of the very old and ancient festivals that often mentioned in the devotional hymns of saints like ( Tirugnanasambandar and Sundarar) and many Tamil literature, usually held during the summer between March and April months of every year, lasts more than 25 days. The main attraction of the festival is the procession of the great temple car of Thiruvarur (in Tamil: ஆழித் தேர்). This great chariot is said to the biggest one of its type in size and height. It is 96 feet (29 m) tall and weights more than 300 tons.[1] The size of the largest temple cars inspired the Anglo-Indian term Juggernaut (from Jagganath), signifying a tremendous, virtually unstoppable force or phenomenon.

As of 2004, Tamil Nadu had 515 wooden carts of which 79 need repairs. Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram Natarajar Temple are some of the temples that possess huge wooden chariots for procession each. In particular, Natarajar temple celebrates the chariot festival twice in a year one at summer (Aani Thirumanjanam (June- July)) and another at winter (Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (in December - January )). Lord Krishna of Udupi has five temple cars, namely Brahma ratha (biggest), Madya ratha (medium), kinyo (small), and silver and gold rathas.

Chariot of ChinnaThirupati, Salem

List of cities having temple cars

Tiruvarur temple car, the largest temple car in Tamil Nadu
Temple car (decorated), Udupi,Karnataka, India
Srivilliputtur Andal Temple car which was idle 18 years up to 1974 - 2nd largest Temple Car in Tamil Nadu
~ Picture of Tirunelveli Nellaiappar Temple Golden Car taken on Nov 2,2009
~ Picture of Alwarkurichi People pulling Sivasailanathaswamy Temple Car taken on Apr 13,2006
Temple car in Chennai, India.
Construction of a chariot or ratha
  • Palakkad - Many temples in settlements of Palakkad have temple cars
  • Koduru, Anantapur(Dt) Andhra Pradesh

List of temples/cities having Golden cars

  • Sri Kodhanda Ramudu, Koduru, Anantapur(Dt)

List of temple car makers in Tamilnadu

  • G.Radhakrishnan Sthapathy,Sakkottai,Karaikudi.

C.Velayutham Sthapathy, Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu. +919789877819

See also

Tiruchembur Tirumurugan Temple, Mumbai

References

  1. ↑ "Dinamani". Retrieved 2010-05-06. 
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