Kalpathy chariot festival to culminate on Sunday

The crowd in Kalpathy will swell to its highest point on Sunday evening when the elaborately festooned chariots from the four principal temples gather at Therumutty, signalling the grand finale of the 10-day Kalpathy car festival.

The convergence of the chariots, each carrying its deity, outside the Sree Visalakshi Sameta Viswanatha Swamy Temple, locally known as Rathasangamam, is expected to draw the biggest crowds. While the chariot gathering has not traditionally been a major religious event, media coverage in recent years has given it added prominence.

On Saturday, the historic lanes of Kalpathy buzzed with excitement as the chariots of Sree Visalakshi Sameta Viswanatha Swamy Temple and Manthakkarai Maha Ganapathy Temple were drawn through the streets. Thousands of residents and visitors greeted the deities with reverence, seeking blessings as the procession passed by.

Apart from Sree Visalakshi Sameta Viswanatha Swamy Temple, Kalpathy, and Mandakkarai Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple, New Kalpathy, the other two temples involved in the festival are Sree Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple, Old Kalpathy, and Sree Prasanna Maha Ganapathy Temple, Chathapuram.

On Sunday morning, the chariots of Sree Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple and Sree Prasanna Maha Ganapathy Temple will start rolling after mounting their respective deities. After covering their designated routes, all chariots of the four temples will gather at Therumutty.