Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur – Aazhi Ther (Chariot)
The wooden temple chariot (Aazhi Ther) taken out in
procession is an ancient monument, the biggest of its kind in Tamilnadu, most
beautiful and highly popular. The Tamil saying ‘Thiruvarur Ther Azhagu’ speaks
of the grandeur of the Aazhi Ther. The chariot weighs 300 tons with a height of
90 feet. The Aazhi Ther which is primarily a wooden structure with beautiful
carvings gets added beauty when 68 decorative pieces are added to adorn the
chariot. Normally, the dome of the cars will be in the format of hexagon,
octagon, or circular. But the basement to the dome part of Aazhi Ther has five
bands per side, totaling 20 in all. The annual chariot festival is celebrated
during April – May, corresponding to the Tamil month of Chitrai. Valluvar
Kottam in Chennai has been modeled on this chariot.
