Poochorithal festival begins at Samayapuram temple

TRICHY: The 28-day-long Poochorithal festival in Arulmigu Mariamman Temple at Samayapuram began on Sunday with religious fervour.
Temple management carried the first batch of flowers to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple atop an elephant.
Poochorithal (showering the flowers) festival is considered the most significant festival of the Samayapuram temple located near Trichy.
For centuries, the festival has been celebrated on the last Sunday of Tamil month Masi in a belief that the chief deity -- Mariamman -- pursues 28 days fasting for the welfare of people.
For the next one month, people from adjoining villages will carry a basket full of flowers to adorn the chief deity on Sundays.
Thousands of people thronged the temple since morning. Around 350 police personnel were deployed for crowd management.