Srirangam devotees gather at Cauvery River for Mahalaya Amavasya

Thousands of devotees gathered at the Cauvery River ghats in Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, to observe Mahalaya Amavasya. Participants from various districts across Tamil Nadu arrived at locations including Amma Mandapam, Ayyalamman Padithurai, Thillainayagi Padithurai, and Odathurai to take holy dips and perform tharpanam, or ancestral rites.

The turnout was reported to be higher than usual as the observance coincided with a public holiday. According to Hindu tradition, Mahalaya Amavasya in the Tamil month of Purattasi is a significant occasion for honoring departed parents and ancestors through fasting, prayer, and rituals at water bodies. It is considered especially auspicious for those who may have missed other ancestral rites during the year.