Allikkeni Raja ~ Jai Ganesha procession 2019

Today 2^nd Sept 2019 is Vinayaka Chathurthi.

ஹிந்துக்களால் மிகவும் உற்சாகத்துடன் கொண்டாடப்படும் பண்டிகைகளில் முக்கியமானது விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தி. முழுமுதற்கடவுளும், ஈசனின் மகனுமான விநாயகர் அவதரித்த தினமான விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தி விழாவானது ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் ஆவணி மாதத்தின் வளர்பிறை சதுர்த்தி நாள் அன்று கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது.

The celebrations done with religious fervour at home, became a major social and public event after the sponsorship of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj following the Mughal-Maratha wars. The festival gained further prominence when it was publicly supported in the 19th century by the Indian freedom fighter, Lokmanya Tilak, who championed it as a means to evade colonial British government ban in Hindu gatherings through its anti-public assembly legislation in 1892.

At Thiruvallikkeni, since 1980s Ganesh Pooja and visarjanam are prominently celebrated centering around Thiruvatteeswararpet.   With the same inspiration and desire, a Team of devotees have been installing Vinayaka at Ponnappa Lane off Triplicane High Road.  This reportedly commenced with a  Committee in the year 1999, and after 17 years, Sri Bala Vinayagar Chathurthi Vizha kuzhu got a new name "Allikkeni Raja".

Every year Allikkeni Raja is installed after HE is taken in a procession from near Sri Parthasarathi swami Temple.  Yesterday thousands participated in the procession – hundreds of women holding lamps, followed by Siva vadhyam – was a great sight on the streets of Thiruvallikkeni. 

Here are some photos taken during that procession in the evening of 1^st Sept 2019.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.