| Panguni uttiram
The marriage of the god and goddess is the annual event
in all temples in Tamil Nadu in the month of Panguni.
This
month is also noted for the Uttiram festival for Lord Subrahmanya
or Muruga for ten days. For villagers, this is a very important
festival and as it comes off in the off-season, they participate
in it fully and give offerings of paddy to the temples.
On the morning of the final day the Vel or
the lance, which is the chief weapon of Lord Subrahmanya, is taken
out in a procession to the river bank, where devotees make offerings.
Along with the deity, a pair of wooden sandals, Kavadi - a palanquin-like
structure with bells and other decoration on it
and a baton known as the Idumban Thadi are also anointed
The day following the Panguni Uttiram is set apart for
the Idumban festival. On this day, Pujas and offerings are made to Idumban
vassal of Lord Subrahmanya. During the course of puja, the deity's
spirit is believed to enter many a devotee who will there
upon act as though he is in a state of delirium. He will beat himself
with the Idumban Thadi and also give out forecasts which can be deciphered
only with difficulty. These are said to forecast coming events and the
people believe that Idumban himself is doing so through the medium.
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