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The Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry is celebrated on the
full moon day of the Tamil month of Masi, corresponding to
the months of February - March by the Gregorian calendar.
The focus of the festival lies on the bathing of the deities
in the waters of `theerthavari' or Bay of Bengal. Idols from
as many as 64 temples are brought in the early morning to
the sea front near Kuruchikuppam in Pondicherry and given a
ceremonial bath through various rituals. The auspicious
Nadhaswaram, which is a non- brass acoustic instrument of
South India, blows loud as an accompaniment to the colorful
processions that take out the deities.
The devotees who flock with the processions, take dips on
the holy water of |
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the sea with the faith that the immersion
would actually wash away the sins. The whole of the sea
shore in the Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry becomes a
fair ground full of fun and festivity. It is mostly
celebrated by the fishermen community of Pondicherry.
Deities like Lord Sivasubramania, Swami Sri Sivasubramania
Swami, Sri Aranganatha Swami and Sri Poyyamozhi Vinayakar
from important temples attract most of the attention in the
Masi Magam Festival in Pondicherry.
Apart from the Kuruchikuppam shore, the Pondicherry Masi
Magam festival is also celebrated at other places. At
Vriddhachalam, people gather with the deities on the banks
of Manimuktha, to celebrate the Masi Magam. The food stalls,
temporary shops selling nick knacks flock by the edge of the
sea. The deities return to their respective temples in the
evening through equally colorful processions.
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