Hundreds of devotees participated in the annual sword-piercing ritual at Sri Ramalinga Sowdambigai Amman Temple in Coimbatore on Vijayadasami day. The 400-year-old tradition saw participants chanting and dancing while piercing their bodies.
Coimbatore: The annual sword-piercing festival at Sri Ramalinga Sowdambigai Amman Temple in Coimbatore's Town Hall area witnessed a large turnout of devotees on Vijayadasami day. This centuries-old tradition, believed to be over 400 years old, involves devotees piercing their bodies with swords as an act of devotion to the goddess.
The procession began early morning from the Vinayagar Temple in Sai Baba Colony, with over 500 devotees participating.
Participants of all ages, from children to the elderly, chanted "Vesukkoo! Theesukkoo!" as they marched through the streets.
As part of the ritual, devotees pierced their bodies, particularly their hands and cheeks, with swords and other sharp objects. Blood flowed from their wounds as they danced and chanted, calling out to the goddess.
Many applied a sacred powder called "Thirumanjana podi" to their wounds, believing it would heal them within three days.
The procession wound its way through the main streets of Coimbatore before culminating at the Sri Ramalinga Sowdambigai Amman Temple in Town Hall. Spectators lined the streets, watching in awe as the devotees displayed their faith through this intense ritual.
Despite the seemingly painful nature of the ritual, participants appeared to be in a state of religious ecstasy, dancing and chanting throughout the procession. The festival, which takes place annually on Vijayadasami day, continues to draw large crowds and remains an important part of Coimbatore's cultural heritage.