Adi festival begins at Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: BALACHANDAR L
The Aadi Thirukalyana festival commenced on Wednesday with the flag hoisting at the Rameswaram Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple.As the 17-day festival would continue until August 21, on the first day of the Aadi Thirukalyana festival the temple doors of the temple were opened at around 4 a.m., and Spadilinga Puja was performed.Following the evening worship (Sayarakshai Puja) and regular morning pujas, Ramalakshmi, the temple elephant of Rameswaram, paraded around the four chariot streets carrying the flag.At around 10 a.m., Goddess Parvathavardhini Amman, adorned in special decorations, arrived at the Navasakthi Mandapam.Subsequently, the flag hoisting ceremony was conducted at the golden flagstaff inside the mandapam during the auspicious Kannya Lagna, amidst the chanting of mantras by Vedic scholars, marking the commencement of the Aadi Thirukalyana festival. A large number of devotees participated in the event.The 17-day festival features a series of prominent events, beginning with Aadi Amavasai on Wednesday, August 12, followed by the Chariot Festival on Thursday, August 13. The celebrations continue with Aadi Pooram on Friday, August 14, Aadi Tapasu on Saturday, August 15, and the main Thirukalyanam ceremony on Sunday, August 16.The festival will officially conclude following the procession to the Gandamadana Parvatham mandapadi on Friday, August 21. Published - August 05, 2026 08:28 pm IST
