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

Vellore (Tamil Nadu) [India], 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.
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 .