Thousands of devotees gathered along the banks of the River Cauvery in Trichy on Saturday to celebrate the vibrant and spiritually significant Aadi Perukku festival, marked by prayers, rituals, and cultural traditions.
Observed on the 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi, Aadi Perukku is a festival dedicated to honoring rivers, especially the Cauvery, revered as “Cauvery Thaai” (Mother Cauvery). Devotees, particularly newlyweds and women, thronged Amma Mandapam and other key ghats such as Chinthamani Oodathurai and Ayyalamman from the early hours of the morning.
Wearing traditional attire, women offered pujas with turmeric threads, bangles, ear flowers, and rice on banana leaves, while camphor lamps flickered in reverence along the riverside. Unmarried women prayed for suitable life partners, and married women sought blessings for marital harmony and family well-being.
This year’s festivities coincided with heavy water discharge from Karnataka, with over 16,000 cusecs flowing into the Cauvery. As a result, steps at many ghats were submerged, prompting authorities to install barricades and issue advisories urging people not to enter the river.
Despite the high currents, the spiritual fervor remained undeterred. More than 200 police personnel were deployed by Trichy City Police, along with fire and rescue teams, to manage the large crowd and ensure public safety. Loudspeakers relayed safety instructions while municipal authorities maintained a close watch.
The 2025 Aadi Perukku celebration in Trichy unfolded as a powerful blend of devotion, tradition, and nature’s force—drawing crowds not just from Trichy but from neighbouring districts as well.