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The wheels of faith
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The atmosphere is charged with enthusiasm as young and old come together to pull the chariot of Sri Kapaleeswarar in Mylapore. SCHARADA BAIL witnesses an event that is integral to Chennai's ethos...
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All roads led to the Kapaleeswarar temple ... Pic by K.Pichumani
THE HUGE, elaborately decorated edifice of the chariot of Sri Kapaleeswarar, the presiding deity of Mylapore, travels a metre or two, pulled by a thick rope. There is a roar as thousands of enthusiastic volunteers pull the chariot. One can hear the burst of clapping from bystanders assembled on either side of the street.
The chariot has just negotiated a tricky corner and the crowd has every reason to rejoice, apart from the sheer joy of being present on such an occasion.
The car festival of the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple has been drawing increasing crowds over the past few years. Although numerous festivals are celebrated around the same time at other Shiva temples across the State, such as the Ekambaranathar temple at Kanchipuram or the Thiruvanaikaval temple at Tiruchi, Mylapore's car festival is special because it is close to the heart of Chennai — our own outing for a day with our Lord.
It is that time of year when Mylapore reverts to its old village status, and the streets around the temple come alive with vendors selling everything, from long green cucumbers to terracotta pots, brightly coloured plastic toys and many other things.
Traffic is diverted several days in advance from the roads around the temple tank, and Police and Fire services are on standby on the appointed day. Since crowds have been swelling every year, such simple precautions are necessary.
People begin gathering on both sides of the road and selecting vantage points to watch the procession of the temple chariot being pulled. A crate, a raised shop front, the shoulders of an indulgent father, all these are satisfactory perches. Terraces, roofs and balconies of the buildings lining the Mada Street are already full. Amongst the crowd, one is amused to see a small boy smartly salute a policeman in uniform!
Perhaps it is only on occasions like these that the law enforcers get their due.
Sujatha, 18, and Subha, 20, both students, are local residents who have been coming here for as long as they can remember. "It is great fun and one feels happy just looking at the car being pulled,'' says Sujatha. "Today happens to be a holiday. If it wasn't, we would have taken a couple of hours off anyway to join the fun,'' says Subha. Both girls appear regretful that their gender precludes them from actually pulling.
It is so obvious that the young boys pulling the chariot are enjoying themselves.
They are a sweaty, happy bunch, looking up at the people poised on the roofs, and yelling at them to throw water on them. A few buckets of the precious fluid (especially in Mylapore) are splashed on them, and they shout and pull with more energy.
Charitable and social service organisations line the street to provide buttermilk, panakam, water and food to the chariot pullers. "While the elderly among them may be doing it in a truly devoted spirit, for the youngsters it is just an occasion to have fun,'' says Viji, a stationery shop owner on Mada Street. "Our business drops at that time, as the vendors who have come from afar make good sales. But nobody minds — it is a special occasion for all of us.''
In the midst of the milling crowds are snowy haired gentlemen of great dignity, who stand in quiet devotion, a part of the bustle around them, and yet slightly apart. "I have been coming here for the past 58 years,'' says Ramachandran. "The sight of the car moving is a delight to see, and what is best is that there are no differences among the people who pull it. In these troubled times, I feel happy when I see the Kapaleeswarar car festival is attracting more people every year.''
As we talk, the mammoth car moves again, accompanied by hundreds of voices shouting together. And the exhilaration one feels is undeniable.
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