Rameswaram:Multitudes of devout Hindus from all over the country took a holy dip in "Agni Theertham" (Sea) and performed "rituals" to their beloved ancestors on the occasion of "Aadi Amavasya" in the holy Island of Rameswaram on Wednesday.
According to the Tamil calendar year, Aadi Amavasya the new moon occurring in the Tamil month of "Aadi" is considered as a highly auspicious day for performing "Pithru Puja" (rituals for the ancestors).The day is very significant in Rameswaram, where the devout Hindu people congregate at the sea shore (Agni Theertham) and perform rituals to their forefathers.
Special pujas were performed to the presiding deity "Lord Ramanatha Swamy" of the World-renowned "Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple on the occasion.
Official sources said over five lakh people were expected to visit Rameswaram to offer worship after paying obeisance to their forefathers by offering "Tharpanam" today. Hence, the temple and police authorities have erected barricades near the Agni Theertham seashore to regulate the crowd.
Over 1,500 police personnel were deployed in Rameswaram for security.A large number of people gathered at sacred places like Dhanushkodi, Muhuntharayarchatram, Sethukarai and Devipattinam in Ramanathapuram district on this holy occasion.
Lakhs of people thronged Triveni Sangamam in Kanyakumari, Thiruchendur, water bodies, ghats of various rivers, especially all along the River Cauvery bed that traverses around several districts across the State to perform rituals.
According to reports reaching here, thousands of people flocked to perform the ritualistic homage to their forefathers at the famous "Amma Mandapam Bathing Ghats" on the banks of River Cauvery near Srirangam.(UNI)