Traditional Celebration as Farmers Send Paddy to Alaghar Temple in Thenur Village, Madurai

In a vibrant celebration held in Thenur village near Cholavantan in Madurai district, farmers participated in an ongoing event, marking the ceremonial offering of the first harvest of paddy to the revered Alaghar temple.

Sonai Muthu, a former panchayat council president of the village, led the initiative this year by commencing the harvest of paddy from the beginning of the Thai month. The farmers, in accordance with the tradition, created a symbolic paddy fort, known as Kallazakar, in front of the Sundaravalliamman temple, the village deity. The harvested paddy was meticulously piled on the land owned by Sonai Muthu.

A series of rituals, including abhishekam, special pooja, and Pongal, were performed to honor the goddess Sundaravalliamman. The gathered paddy was adorned with garlands, and sandalwood and kumkum were delicately applied, followed by the observance of religious ceremonies.

Subsequently, a tri-paddy fort constructed with straw was prepared, and the farmers poured the harvested paddy into this fort. As per the village customs, the Kanmai Mata opener Mata meticulously built the paddy fort, adhering to traditional practices. The ceremony included rituals such as the application of sandalwood, garlanding, coconut breaking, and various pujas.

In the morning, the farmers will carry the paddy fort adorned with black to the Alaghar temple, where they will formally present it to Kallaghar, continuing this age-old tradition with reverence and devotion.