The day’s schedule reads: Day 16: Aadi 19: 930 vil arangettram, 1030am to 12 thirukalyanam for Draupadi and Arjun – but that title hides so much!
Wedding notes: a large crowd, a very interesting morning. Amman’s wooden figure goes on procession with the big bow. They stop at the corner of Bharati and Iswaran, and along comes Arjuna, dancing. Meantime Veerappan bhagavatar is telling the story of the wedding and the contest with the bow – absolutely splendid, see the recording. We clap when Jarasandha, Karna, Others fail to string that bow, he says, because their success makes more room for Arjuna who is the rightful groom. The bow bending by Arjuna could be more dramatic, but once that’s done, the deities move back to the temple and the wedding proceeds. It’s a splendid community affair. Many women in attendance, and what a scramble for bangles at the end there.
The new ther finally arrived at 6pm, clearly with some fanfare, which we missed. Priest remarked on it later. Kalasa was kept in the garbhagriha when we saw it. Hoisted a day later in the evening.
Thanks to the Bhagavatar and his storytelling, this was easily my favourite day of this whole vizha so far.