Theppotsavam Explained

Theppotsavam, or Theppothsava or float festival, is a Hindu religious festival carried out in Hindu temples in parts of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during the month of Chitthirai or Aries. As a part of this festival, the principal idol of the temples is decorated and taken in procession through the tank of the temple.

Some of the temples where the float festival is celebrated are:

• Tirumala Venkateswara Temple^[1]
• Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai^[2]
• Samayapuram Mariamman Temple^[3]
• Simhachalam Temple, Visakhapatnam^[4]
• Kanaka Durga Temple, Vijayawada^[5]
• Thiyagarajar Temple, Thiruvarur
• Kolaramma Temple, Kolar, Karnataka
• Thiruvarur
• Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Notes and References

1. News: Float festival begins. The Hindu. https://web.archive.org/web/20121109052558/http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/16/stories/2011031655680200.htm. dead. 9 November 2012. 16 March 2003.
2. News: Huge crowd witnesses float festival at ‘teppakulam' in Madurai. 21 January 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110125235440/http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/21/stories/2011012164610600.htm. dead. The Hindu. 25 January 2011.
3. Web site: Festivals. Samayapuram mariamman Temple.
4. Web site: ‘Teppotsavam’ draws crowds. The Hindu.
5. News: Dussehra festivities end, but joy continues at Vijayawada KanakaDurga temple. 21 September 2015. Deccan Chronicle. 5 October 2014. Vijayawada.