PUDUKOTTAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, January 9, 2009: [HPI note: the Avudaiyar Koyil is a famed South Indian temple where Siva is worshipped as an immaterial lingam. Only the lingam’s base, or avudaiyar, exists in the sanctum].
A large number of devotees pulled the temple-car at Avudaiyarkovil, about 60 km from Pudukottai, on the occasion of “Thiruvathirai ther” festival on Thursday. They offered their worship to Sri Manickavasagar, one of the four Saivite stalwarts. All these rituals are associated with the life of Sri Manickavasagar who constructed the sanctum sanctorum of this temple.
The celebration of car festivals at this temple have striking similarities with the concurring Tiruvembavai at Chidambaram. While Lord Nataraja is taken out during the procession at Chidambaram, the murthi of Sri Manickavasagar is taken around the car streets at Avudaiyarkovil, twice every year.