Rameswaram, October 8, 2013: The famous Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple here had an unwelcome visitor on Monday – a stray pig – to the shock of the devotees.

The incident caused much embarrassment to the temple authorities and the security personnel posted in the temple.

Sources in the temple said municipality conservancy workers were rounding up stray pigs in the vicinity of the temple, when a terrified boar ran into the temple. On being chased, the pig went inside the temple through the main eastern entrance and ran up to the sannathi of Goddess Paravathavardhini.

Finally, the temple security personnel, with the help of some devotees, caught the animal, using a rope and brought it outside. All poojas and abishekams in the temple were suspended for about 40 minutes till the pig was brought out.

Immediately, the whole place was washed and the priests performed rituals associated with purification, after which regular poojas and abishekams commenced, the sources said.

Source: The Hindu, October 8, 2013