Tamil Nadu: Lakhs flock to Vellore's Gudiyatham temple for Grand Sirasu festival celebration

ANI May 15, 2025 414 views

The annual Sirasu festival at Gengayiamman Temple in Gudiyatham drew lakhs of devotees from Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. The event featured a grand procession with traditional art forms and culminated in the symbolic reunion of the goddess’s head and body. Over 1,000 police personnel ensured smooth proceedings, while special rituals like the "eye-opening" ceremony were performed. Devotees offered prayers, lit camphor, and broke coconuts along the procession route.

"The festival celebrates the divine reunion of the goddess’s head and body, symbolizing renewal and faith." – Temple Priest
Vellore, May 15: The annual Sirasu festival was celebrated with immense fervour and devotion at the Gengayiamman Temple in Gopalapuram, Gudiyatham, in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu.

Key Points

1

Commemorates Parashurama's mythological act of beheading and reviving his mother

2

Features silambattam, mayilattam, and karagattam performances

3

Over 1,000 police personnel deployed for security

4

Special poojas and eye-opening rituals performed

The festival commemorates the mythological event of Parashurama beheading his mother and bringing her back to life. Lakhs of devotees participated from Gudiyatham and neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

The festivities began with the ceremonial carrying of the idol's head (Sirasu) from Muthyalamman Temple in Dharanampet, accompanied by traditional art performances like silambattam, mayilattam, puliattam, and karagattam.

The vibrant procession moved through several streets, culminating at the Gengayiamman Temple, where the Sirasu was ritually placed on the decorated body of the deity, Chandalaachi.

To ensure smooth proceedings, over 1,000 police personnel, led by Vellore District Superintendent of Police Mathivanan, were deployed for security. Over 100 special buses, special poojas, and a ceremonial "eye-opening" ritual for the goddess were performed, followed by thousands of devotees queuing up for darshan.

Devotees also performed offerings like garlanding the goddess, lighting camphor, and breaking coconuts along the procession path.They operated from surrounding areas to accommodate the massive turnout .

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
What a magnificent celebration! 🙏 The Sirasu festival truly showcases Tamil Nadu's rich cultural heritage. The traditional art forms like silambattam and karagattam are so unique to our region. Wish I could have witnessed the procession live!
R
Ramesh V.
While the religious significance is important, I'm concerned about the massive crowds and safety. Kudos to the police for managing 1,000 personnel, but hope the district administration improves crowd control measures for next year. The devotion is beautiful, but safety comes first.
S
Saranya M.
Attended with my family from Bangalore! The energy was electric ⚡ The eye-opening ritual gave me goosebumps. So proud to see devotees from Andhra and Kerala joining too - shows our cultural unity. Special thanks to the bus operators who made travel easier for outsiders.
K
Karthik B.
The mythological story behind this festival is fascinating - Parashurama's devotion and the power of restoration. Would love if the temple authorities could create more educational displays about the legend for younger generations who may not know the significance.
A
Anitha R.
My grandmother used to tell me stories about this festival when I was little. Seeing lakhs of people keeping this tradition alive warms my heart ❤️ The coconut breaking ritual along the procession path is such a powerful visual of faith and surrender.
V
Vijay S.
While the spiritual aspect is commendable, I hope the temple trustees will consider more eco-friendly practices next year. The amount of waste generated from camphor and coconut offerings needs proper disposal systems. Dharma and environmental care should go hand in hand.

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Tags:
Sirasu festival Gengayiamman Temple Gudiyatham Vellore Tamil Nadu festivals Parashurama