Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P. K. Sekarbabu on Tuesday launched the scheme of conducting 108 Thiruvilakku pujas in important Amman temples in the State. The pujas in which 108 women will take part and chant 108 potri meant for the respective goddesses by lighting lamps would usually be held on full moon days, Pournami in the evenings.
Speaking after launching the scheme at Muthara Amman Temple in Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district, he said there was a huge demand for the conduct of this particular puja among women devotees. “At times, even 1,008 lamps are lit and pujas held. The women would be provided a kit containing a sari, a blouse piece, lamp, kumkum holder, small plate, banana, coconut, oil, wick, kumkum, turmeric, camphor, betal leaf and nut, thaali charadhu and even the cost of stitching the blouse,” he said. Though each kit would cost around ₹1,000, the women are being charged a small amount of ₹200 and if sponsors are found, they need not pay even that, he added.
The puja takes about an hour to complete with the priest reading out the chants and the women following him/her. It is conducted in front of the ‘utsava’ idol of the deity, which is decked up and placed in the mandapam before the puja. Apart from the lamp in the kit, the respective temple also provides a lamp for the puja, which has to be returned to the temple.
The puja was launched at Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, Karumariamman Temple in Thiruverkadu, Angalamman Temple in Melmalayanur in Villupuram, Bannariamman Temple in Erode, Abhirami Amman in Dindigul, Kamakshiamman Temple in Mangadu, Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram, Muthumariamman Temple in Karaikudi, Kalikambal Temple in Chennai and Mariamman Temple in Punnainallur.s
