Devotees carrying flowers to Samayapuram Mariamman Temple on the occasion of Poochorithal festival on Sunday.

Samayapuram  March 10, 2014: A large number of devotees offered worship at Samayapuram Sri Mariamman temple on the occasion of poochorithal festival on Sunday. Devotees came to the temple with baskets of flowers and offered it to the presiding deity.

It’s an important annual festival at the temple falling on the last Sunday in the Tamil month of Maasi. It also marks the start of the 28-day holy fast (popularly known as pachai pattini), a vow by Sri Mariamman for blessing the devotees. It ends at the last Sunday in the Tamil month of Panguni.

During the holy fast, thullu maavu, sugarcane juice, tender coconut, and buttermilk is offered to the deity. Adequate security arrangements were made at the temple for the regulation of queues.

G.Thennarasu, Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and executive officer of the temple, supervised the arrangements for the festival.