Fairs and Festivals, Pondicherry, Part VI, Vol-XXV
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CENSUS OF INDIA 1961 VOLUME XX.V PONDICHERRY STATE PART VI FAIRS AND FESTIVALS P. K. NAMBIAR of the Indian Administrative Service Superintendent of Census Operations Madras and Pondicherry & K. C. NARAYANA KURUP. B.A. Deputy Superintendent of Census Operations Madras and Pondicherry 1969 CENSUS OF INDIA 1961 (Census; Report-Vol. XXV will relate to Pondicherry State) Under tbis series will be issued the following publications. Part I General Report on Census Part II A. General Population Tables B. Economic Tables c. Cultural and Migration Tables Part III A. Household Economic Tables B. Housing and Establishment Tables C. Scheduled Caste Tables Part IV Village Survey Monographs (Five numbers in five volumes) Part V Crafts and Artisans of Pondicherry State Part VI Fairs and Festivals Part VII Administration Report (For official use only) Part VIII District Census Handbook PREFACE 1961 Census has b€en' utilised for recording information about various aspects of peoples' lives. A study of the" Fairs and Festivals" of each State is one of its special features. The report on the Fairs and Festivals of Madras State which has already been published gives a detailed description of all the important festivals celebrated by Hindus, Muslims and Christians. These remarks will apply to Pondicherry State also. I have not repeated them in this vol~me. In another special study, we have published volumes on temples of Madras State. The temples in Pondicherry Union are not as many as to merit a separate volume. As such. a compendium of temples has also been presented in this volume. This volume consists of two parts, the first part contains a detailed description of the prominent temples in each commune as well as the important festjvals celebrated therein followed by tabular statements giving relevant information regarding all the temples. The second part contains a description of the prominent festivals celebrated exclusively in each commune, apart from those in specific temples followed by tabular statements of all fairs and festivals conducted throughout the year in each commune. Care has been taken to make the statements on Temples and Festivals as exhaustive and accurate as possible. Maps showing the location of important temples as well as fairs and festivals and other illustrations of temples, :mosques, churches and festivals enhance the usefulness of the report. I am extremely grateful to Sri A. Chandrasekhar, Registrar General, India who has encouraged me in this venture. I must place on record my gratitude to the members of my staff who compiled the relevant data and put in much work in the preparation of this volume, particularly to Sri K. C. Narayana Kurup. P. K. NAMBIAR I wish to place on record my appreciation of the able assistance given by the following members of my staff in the preparation and presentation of this volume : 1. Sri V.. Rajagopalan, Research Assistant 2. Sri A. S. Ramamurti, " 3. Sri N. D. Rajan " 4. Sri A. Rajamani, Draftsman 5. Sri T. Balakrishna Kurup, Upper Division Clerk P. K. NAMBIAB. CONTENTS Page Preface iii Introduction 1 PONDICHERRY COMMUNE Important Temples Sri Manakula Vinayakar Temple 8 Sri Muthumariamman Temple 9 Sri Droupathiamman Temple 9 Sri Kamatchiamman Temple 10 Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple 11 ~ Sri Vedapureeswarar Temple 12 Other Temples Temples under the Government 14 Temples outside the Government 22 ARIYANKUPPAM COMMUNE Sri Sengazhuneeramman Temple 26 at Peria Veerampattinam Temples under the Governm~nt 32 Temples outside the Government 38 MUDALIARPET COMMUNE Temples under the Government 44 Temples outside the Government 50 OZHUKARAI COMMUNE Sri Muthumariamman Temple 55 Temples under the Government 56 Temples outside the Government 66 VILLIANUR COMMUNE Sri Kokilambal Tirukameswarar Temple 68 Temples under the Government 72 Temples outside the Government 86 iv Page MANNADIPET COMMUNE Sri Vadukeswarar Temple 89 Temples under the Government 90 Temples outside the Government 98 BAHOUR COMMUNE Sri Moolanathar Temple 100 Temples under the Government 102 Temples outside the Government 114 NETTAPAKKAM COMMUNE Temples under the Government 124 KARAIKAL AREA Karaikal Ammayar Temple 136 Temples under the Government 138 Temples outside the Government 142 TBIRUNALLAR COMMUNE Sri Darbharanyeswarar Temple 144 Sri Bhadrakali Amman TempJe, Ambagarathur 147 Temples under the Government 148 Temples outside the Government 15-'2 NERAVY COMMUNE . Temples under the Government 156 Temples outside the Government 162 NEDUNGADU COMMUNE Temples under the Government 166 KOTTUCHERRY COMMUNE Thirumeniazhagar Temple 171 Temples under the Government 172 Temples outside the Government 174 GRAND ALDEE COMMUNE Sri Jadayupureeswarar Temple 176 Temples under the Government 178 Temples outside the Government 182 v FAIRS AND FESTIVALS Page PONDICHERRY AREA Masimagham Festival 187 Fairs and Festivals of Pondicherry Town 192 Pairs and Festivals of Muthialpet Town 198 Fairs and Festivals of Pondicherry Commune (Rural) 200 Fairs and Festivals of Ariyankuppam Commune 202 Fairs and Festivals of Mudaliarpet Commune 206 Fairs and Festivals of Ozhukarai Commune 208 Fairs and Festivals of Mannadipet Commune 214 Fairs and Festivals of Villianur Commune 218 Fairs and Festivals of Bahour Commune ~26 Fairs and Festivals of Nettapakkam Commune 234 KARAIKAL AREA Thetharavu Matha Festival 241 Kandoori Festival 24l Our Lady of Lourdes Festival 243 :P~ira and Fativals of Karaikal Commune 246 --Pairs and Festivals of TbirunaUar Commune 248 Fairs and Festivals of Neravy Commune 250 Fairs and Festivals of Nedungadu Commune 252 Fairs and Festivals of Kottucherry Commune 254 Fairs and Festivals of Grand Aldee Commune 254 MAHB AREA The annual feast of the venerated shrine of St. Teresa of Avila at Mahe 259 Thira Festival (Theyyattam) 260 Fairs and Festivals of Mahe Town and Mahe Commune (Rural) 264 YANAM AREA Fairs and Festivals of Yanam Area _266 MAPS , Map showing the Location of important temples in the Union territory of Pondicherry Frontispiece Facing page Map showing the Centres where there are temples in Pondicberry area 8 Map showing the Centres where there are temples in Karaikal area IJ6 Map showing the Fairs and Festivals in the Union territory of Pondicherry 186 vi PHOTOGRAPHS Facing Page 1. The idol of Lord Manakula Vinayakar 8 2. The utsavar of Manakula Vinayakar 8 3. The beautifully decorated utsavar of Goddess Muthumariamman 8 4. The image of Goddess Droupadiamman 5. The rajagopuram of the Manakula Vinayakar temple 9 6. A painting depicting the marriage of Lord Vinayaka 9 7. A view of the Droupadiamman temple 9 8. Festival Image of Goddess Droupadiamman 9 9. Image of Goddess Parasakthi 10 10. Rajagopuram of Kamatchiamman temple 10 11. Image of Goddess Kamatchiamman 10 17. Entrance to Varadaraja Perumal temple 10 13. Images of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanumar 10 14. Image of Goddess Thayar Perum Devi 10 15. Clay image of Muthu Rowther in Droupadiamman temple 11 16. Cioser view of the tower of Kamatchiamman temple II 17. Festival image of Goddess Kamatchiamman 11 18. A view of the outer prakaram of the Varadaraja Perumal temple 11 19. Image of Lord Varadaraja Perumal 11 20. Rajagopuram of the Vedapureeswarar temple 11 21. Closer view of the Rajagopuram 12 22. Dwajasthambham in the temple 12 23. Image of Goddess Thripurasundari 12 24. Closer view of the shrine inside the temple 13 25. Swayambhu Hngam in Vedapureeswarar temple 13 26. Festival idols of Vedapureeswarar and His Consort 13 27. Sengazhuneeramman temple corridor 26 28. Sengazhuneeramman temple-Inside prakaram 26 29. Gopuram of Sengazhuneeramman temple 27 3e. The well-decorated car of the temple 28 31. The Chief Commissioner arrives to inaugurate the Car festival 28 32. Sacred tank of the temple 28 33. The Muthu Pallakku of the temple 28 34. Closer view of the Gopuram of the Sengazhuneeramman temple :'8 3~. The Temple Car being taken in procession 29 vii Facing Page 36. The Chief Commissioner inaugurating the procession 29 37. The elephant fanning the Goddess during the procession 29 38. The Goddess being carried from the Temple to the palanquin 29 39. The Palan'quin with Sengazhuneeramman in procession 30 40. Preparation of Pongal for offering 30 41. A view of the fish market 31 42. Clay vessels on sale 31 43. A view of the Muthumariamman temple, Ozhukarai 54 44. Closer view of the pagoda of Muthumariamman temple, Ozhukarai 55 45. Rajagopuram of Thirukameswarar temple 68 46. Southern gopuram of Thirukameswarar temple 68 47. Another view of the Rajagopuram 69 48. Closer view of the southern gopuram 69 49. Specimens of artistic sculpture in the temple 70 50. Idols of Somaskandar and Kokilambal 70 51. A view of the Temple Tank 71 52. Image of Lord Nataraja 71 53. A view of the Vadukeswarar temple, Tiruvandarkoil 88 54. Image of Dakshinamurthi 88 55. Image of Ardhanareeswara 88 56. The tower over the sanctum of Vadukeswarar 89 57. Image of Bikshadanar 89 58. Image of Goddess Durga 89 59. Srimoolanathar temple, Bahour 100 60. Vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum 100 61. Sculpture depicting a dancing girl 100 62. Another view of the Srimoolanathar temple 101 63. Festival idols in the temple 101 64. Another attractive sculpture in the temple 101 65. Karaikal Ammayar temple 136 66. Image of Karaikal Ammayar 136 67. Festival image of Karaikal Ammayar 136 68. Karaikal Ammayar with the mango fruit 137 69. Karaikal Ammayar worshipping Lord Nataraja 137 70. Darbharanyeswarar temple, Tirunallar 144 viii Facing Page 71. Darbha plant behind the sanctum sanctorum 144 72. Entrance to Kattai gopuram 144 73. Entrance to Nala Theertham 144 74. Idol of Lord Darbharanyeswarar 145 75. Images of Lord Thyagaraja and His Consort 145 76. View of the main tower with Kattai gopuram 145 77. Bhadrakaliamman temple. Ambagarathur 146 78. Festival idol of Bhadrakali Amman 146 79. Gopuram of the temple 147 80. Rajagopuram of Thirumeni Azhagar temple 170 81. Vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum 170 82. Idols of Thirumeni Azhagar and His Consort 170 83.