Starting on 19 September 2009.
Once in a year during the month of October the temple organizes Navarathri festival with pomp and splendor. Navarathri and Vijayadasami are the festivals celebrated over a period of ten days. The first nine days constitute the Navarathri festival. Navarathri itself means nine nights (Nava means nine and rathri means night). The "Dassera" or "Vijayadasami" is the last and tenth day festival. The term "Dassera" is derived from the word for number ten i.e. Dasha (in Sanskrit).
Navaratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.
Day 1 - Rajangam
Raja means king and angam means parts. So Rajangam means king and his government. This scene depicts the Lord Murugan who wore a saint look to be seen as a King holding scepter in his hand. He safeguards the humankind with the six parts of his government viz Army, Citizen, Finance, Ministry, Friendship and Defence.
Day 2 - VennaiThazhi
This scene portrays the Lord as a person who steals butter and cheese from the house of a shepherd. Cheese (white color) symbolizes our clean, pure heart, which the God likes from us.
Day 3 - Markandeyar
This scene depicts Lord Murugan as Lord Siva, who kicks Yama (God of Death) to safeguard Markandeyar. This represents a story in which fate can be won by mind and devotion. The story is: Yama came in front of Markandeyar, when the later was performing Siva pooja (prayer). Seeing Yama, Markandeyar hugs the Siva Statue Lord Siva appeared in front of him and saved him. (The name of the holy place where this incident is stated to have happened is Thirukkadaiyur in Tamilnadu, India). It is believed that people who go to Thirukkadaiyur and worship Lord Siva get his blessings for longevity.
Day 4 - Venuganam
Lord Murugan is seen as Kannan who plays the flute. The flute is a musical instrument made up of thin bamboo stick. All living creatures (Men, women, cows, goats, birds and trees) are fascinated by the music played by Lord Murugan.
Day 5 - Kannappa Nayanar
A true devotee of Lord Siva, Thinnappan, a hunter of the forest near Sri Kalahasti, prayed to him by preparing pork, tasted it and offered to God (Siva Lingam). On the sixth day he saw the God bleeding and he removed his eyeballs and pasted on the Siva Lingam (God Statue). Hence Thinnappan was given the name Kannappan (Kann in tamil means an eye) by Lord Siva. This illustrates the man’s devotion to God. Here Lord Murugan represents Lord Siva (Murugan’s Father)
Day 6 - Oonjal
Lord Murugan appears as Mother Goddess who swings in the heard of true devotees. This scene reflects Human beings who roam in between happiness and sorrow and obtain peace through prayer.
Day 7 - Pittuku Mann Sumandal
When the Vaigai river in Madurai was flooding the king ordered everyone to volunteer to bring sand (mann) to build a river bank to control the flood. Lord Siva became a coolie (manual worker) for an old woman called Vandhi who sells Pittu (sweet rice flour). Lord Siva got pittu as wage from the old woman for carrying out the orders from the king on behalf of the old woman. But, he slept after eating. The king saw him sleeping and gave him a canning punishment. Lord Siva gave a holistic appearance to the king. Here Lord Murugan represents Lord Siva.
Day 8 - Kalinga Narthanam
This scene illustrates Lord Kannan, who killed a devil kalinga, which was a five-headed snake on the Yamuna River and danced on it. Here Lord Murugan represents Lord Kannan.
Day 9 - Saraswathi Poojai
The scene depicts the Goddess of knowledge, Saraswathi who performs a prayer to Lord Siva.
Day 10 - Vijayadasami
Vijayadasami means a day of Victory.
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