Deepa visited the Lawspet Subramania Swami temple in the morning for Panguni Utthiram. It turns out the Murugar Kalyanam happened last night, because the Utthiram Nakshatram began yesterday and ends later today.
Ramanan Gurukkal from the Mani Mutthumariamman koyil near Kamban Kalairangam/ Nelru Bazaar is there – he is mostly at this temple and goes to the Mani Mutthumariamman shrine on Fridays for the weekly abhishekam. He speaks of the importance of the Vel and the special pujas that can be done here. The golden chariot which was acquired four years ago is taken around for ul-purappadu on Krittikai, but can also be arranged for personal pujas on request. He makes sure I have prasadam (sundal and kesari) and takes me to the Old Vinayaka who sits beside the main Subramania Swami shrine–into which we could go directly and take all the photos we wanted. The Old Vinayaka was of course the first here, before the place became a Murugan shrine
Many women come that day with then-thinai (honey-foxtail millet) maavilakkus, each of which had six dots of kunkumam; this is a traditional offering on all days special to Murugan. Many ladies also offer lamps with panju thiris arranged on betel leaves and so on.
There is a steady stream of devotees, moving effortlessly like flowing water, waiting where they need to and doing what they need without bother.