Ringing in the New Year by singing hymns from Thirupugazh

Singing hymns from Saint Arunagirinathar’s Thirupugazh is how devotees at this popular Murugan temple in Tiruvallur district ring in the New Year. The Tiruttani Thirupugazh Padi Vizha began in 1917 with Vallimalai Satchidananda Swamigal himself leading the devotees on December 31 up the 365 steps of the Sri Subramanyaswamy Temple at Tiruttani. The practice of singing Thirupugazh and climbing up the steps became so popular that special trains used to be run for the event in the 1920s and 1930s.” At the temple, pujas are performed to the steps that are decorated with flowers. The steps that begin at the temple tank, Saravana Poigai, are cut out of rock.” Priest Sampath Gopi Gurukkal says hundreds of devotees apply turmeric and kumkum to the steps, break coconuts, and climb up.