In the village of Viralipatti, near Vatthalakundu in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, stands a 200-year-old fortified Swami temple known as Arulmigu Karuppasamy Temple. Every Friday and Tuesday, a multitude of devotees, not only from Vatthalakundu but also from various districts, flock to this sacred site to offer countless prayers.
The temple has a unique tradition associated with it. Those who have struggled with alcohol consumption come to the temple, where they solemnly vow to quit drinking. They perform this ritual by tying a rope around the temple priest, symbolizing their commitment to abstain from alcohol. This practice is especially common among the men in the community, and when they find it difficult to control their drinking habits, the women of the family bring them to the Karuppasamy temple to take this oath of abstinence.
Aadi Masa Festival: A Celebration of Sacrifice
During the commencement of the Aadi month, lambs are brought to the Arulmigu Karuppasamy temple in Viralipatti to be sacrificed on behalf of numerous devotees who have offered prayers there. The Aadi Masa festival witnesses the sacrifice of over 4000 rams. This festival is exclusively participated in by men who carry out the rituals and partake in the feast.
Padayal typically refers to a meal comprising rice and gravy, but uniquely in this temple, the offering consists solely of lamb. During the Adi month festival, it is believed that all the over 5000 men who partake in the festivities do so without consuming alcohol and will not visit the temple if they have done so beforehand.
Dreadful Fate of Those Who Drink Alcohol at the Festival
The locals firmly believe that if anyone dares to attend the festival on the temple premises after consuming alcohol, a dreadful fate awaits them. According to the belief, such individuals either meet their demise on the spot or suffer severe injuries, losing parts of their body like hands or feet.
The Feast of the Lambs
According to Gopal, the temple’s priest, Karuppasamy, the revered deity of Arulmigu Karuppasamy Temple, is believed to bless those who visit with the gift of children and provide government jobs to those seeking employment opportunities. The fort, symbolizing Karupusami’s benevolence, is said to safeguard the people of the region and shower goodness upon devotees seeking refuge in him.
The Aadi month festival takes place in this temple on the Friday following the new moon. During this festive occasion, lambs left by devotees for grooming are ritually slaughtered and cooked, then offered as prasad to those attending the temple festival. It has been a longstanding belief that women should not participate in this event, and indeed, even to this day, no women have attended the festival.
The celebration is exclusively attended by men, with a significant gathering of 5000 to 10,000 male devotees partaking in the festivities, enjoying Kota Karuppasamy Prasad and mutton. It is firmly believed that regardless of the number of goats sacrificed in this temple, all of them should be prepared and distributed within the temple’s boundaries. The tradition dictates that not even a small portion of the curry should leave the limits of Arulmigu Karuppasamy Temple.
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