Theppa Thiruvizha - Arulmigu Thayumanaswamy Temple, Rock Fort, Tiruchirappalli:

Theppa Thiruvizha - Arulmigu Thayumanaswamy Temple, Rockfort, Thiruchirapalli Theppa Thiruvizha ofArulmigu Thayumanaswamy Temple is also known as the famous Float festival of Tiruchirappalli, India. The Thayumanaswamy Temple is situated in the Rockfort complex of Trichi and was built in the 6th century AD by the Pallava King Mahendravarman I. One has to climb up to 300 steps to reach the temple. Theppa Thiruvizha has been celebrated since 1546 in between the month of March-April. It is an annual festival celebrated for whole 10 days. All days have their own significance, but the final day is considered the most important day of the festival. On the last day of the float festival, the auspicious "Teerthavari" is conducted. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Thayumanavar and is represented by the lingam, and his consort Parvati is depicted as Mattuvr Kuzhalammai. The presiding deity is celebrated in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint muses known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. As per the historical records, a woman named Rathnavathi, a sincere devotee of Lord Shiva, was pregnant. She requested her mother to come over when she started experiencing labor pains, but her mother could not make it due to heavy floods in river Cauvery. Rathnavathi kept on praying to Shiva, even when her delivery date was near. Shiva, moved by her devotion, took the form of Rathnavathi's mother and helped her in her delivery. After her delivery, Shiva vanished, and Rathnavathi's birth mother arrived. The family discovered that it was Shiva who attended to the delivery. Therefore, Shiva in the temple is called Thayumanaswamy, meaning the Lord “who acts like a mother”. The temple was named after its presiding deity, Thayumanaswamy. Thayumanavar means the one “who became a mother”, is the name Shiva gave to a pregnant lady while he disguised himself as the mother. A traditional style iconic float is specially built for this annual festival, which is supposed to take the idols of deities navigating the tank. Then the Gods Thayumanaswamy and Mattuvar Kuzhalammai from the temple, along with the temple priests, sail five times on that decorated and illuminated float around the beautifully lit up central mandapam located in the middle of the temple pond (Teppakulam) which marks the end of the festival. Devotees will go home and further celebrate it in their home by feasting on delicious special meals. Usually, the float festival (Theppa Thiruvizha) in the Teppakulam tank is celebrated only after the corporation fills the tank with Cauvery water sourced from Kambarasanpettai collectors. However, if the rainwater is enough to host the festival, the temple employees decide accordingly without relying on the Cauvery water.