At THIS temple in Tamil Nadu, a touch of modernity places Goddess Muthumari on a bike

India is no stranger to festivals. There are festivals galore throughout the calendar year ranging from January to December. Being a diverse country with multiple communities, there is a festival for every season. During the ongoing monsoon season, there are famous monsoon festivals in India that have different names and myriad customs. One such festival is Aadi Perukku, also known as Aadi Monsoon Festival. This Tamil traditional festival is celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Adi. According to the calendar, the month began on 16 July and will end on 16 August. The Sri Muthumari Amman Temple, located in Samathrmapuram in Theni district of Tamil Nadu has been celebrating this festival in a unique manner. This year, the temple authorities decided to add a modern twist to the festival. Goddess Muthumari has been seated on a bullet bike, inside of a stage or platform, for the devotees. She has been decorated with huge garlands and ornaments. Currency notes have been placed on the flowers, to show devotees will be showered with prosperity during this season. The novel idea has grabbed the attention of the devotees, who are visiting to offer prayers to the goddess. Goddess Muthumari Amman is believed to be the divine consort of Lord Subramanya. Muthumari Amman is worshipped as a virgin deity as she is considered a child. It is believed that the devotees who want to get married offer a grain of gold at her feet, instead of the traditional offering of a mangal sutra. She is depicted with four hands holding a trident, skull, serpent and damaru (a small drum). Tamil Nadu’s Aadi Monsoon festival is dedicated to Goddess Aandal Nachiar, as the pooram Nakshatra in the month of Aadi is the birthday of the goddess. In India, various unusual places of worship are often found, some are built based upon strange belief systems as they are associated with mysterious stories or legends.