The light, intermittent rain took a break on Thursday evening ( December 4) as Karthigai Deepam celebrations began at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore.
The grand alankaram of the ambal, of the lord and ambal and of Sri Murugan and his consorts stood out at the far end of the Navaratri mantapam inside the temple. A few hundred people were here.
At the end of the deep-aradhanai, the procession of the gods began and the palaquins were rested in the 16-pillated mantap in Sannidhi Street in the eastern precinct of the temple zone.
Then, the priests carried the fire to the sokkapanai set up at the far end of the street and lit it up even as over one thousand people prayed, chanted and took photographs.
Around the same time, similar rituals went on at Sri Veleeswarar Temple on South Mada Street. The sokkapanai, erected opposite the temple, was later hit.
