| Nadapavai Festival
Nadavavi festival is a corruption of Nadapavai, vavi means
a well.
Businessmen from the city of Madras attend
this festival in Kancheepuram to discharge their vows
and provide food and drink to the poor throughout the duration.
This is a local festival of great importance
held on the full-moon day in April-May, owing its origin
to one Kodi Kannikadanam Thatchachariar and to the money he collected
for Varadharaja Perumal temple. He excavated a tank and built
a temple in honour of lord Anjaneya (Hanuman) who saved him from
dacoits. Alive to the fact that the money was originally collected
on behalf of Lord Varadharaja Perumal. It was agreed up
on by the devotees of the Lord that he should be taken on
his 'birthday' to Ayyangarkulam. Lord Varadharaja is supposed
to have emerged from the sacrificial fire on a Hastam. His
image is taken to the Mandapam inside the Nadapavai well
during the festival. It is a well of architectural splendour, containing
beautiful carvings on the pillars and sides. This well is
situated very near the Sanjeevarayar temple and can be
reached by a graveled path way leading from the temple entrance. The main
pillared door way is a deep hollow with a number of steps leading
to the well. At the time of festival the well is full and the water
overflows and laps the last step. The image of the Lord is brought
through the doorway to the steps, immersed in the well and then taken
out. |
