Worried Jayalalithaa supporters pull chariot, carry milk pots

It was a sight to behold in Puducherry when a large number of AIADMK legislators and workers took out a procession with milk vessels on their heads and offered prayers at a temple on Sunday. AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbalagan and his colleagues in Assembly A Baskar and K A U Asana, the secretary of Puducherry state unit of AIADMK P Purushotham were among those who participated. Most of the party workers carried portraits of the Chief Minister. Special ‘abishegams’ were performed at a temple later, party sources said. 

Members of the Karnataka unit of AIADMK today offered special prayers at the Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi hills here, for early recovery of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who is currently undergoing treatment in Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. 

During the prayer, the ‘utsava murthi’ (procession idol) of Goddess Chamundeshwari was placed in a silver chariot and taken around the temple complex in the morning as part of ‘Ratotsava’ rituals performed by the supporters of Ms. Jayalalithaa. They pulled the chariot, praying for the good health of their leader. Temple’s head priest Shashishekar Dikshit said about 10-15 people, who identified themselves as the members of AIADMK from Bengaluru, performed ‘ratotsava’ for the complete recovery of Ms. Jayalalithaa. The ritual lasted for more than an hour.

Later, a representative of the AIADMK team expressed happiness that the Chief Minister had been responding well to treatment. “This is a prayer for better times hoping that good times are ahead for our leader. So, we have offered special puja and sought the blessings of the deity for the sake of our leader,” the representative added. 

Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy today visited the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at the Apollo hospital, where she was admitted, and enquired about her health condition with the doctors. Talking to reporters, he said he enquired about the health condition of the Chief Minister with the Ministers and doctors. “I wish her speedy recovery,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr Koshua, Advisor to Singapore Deputy Prime Minister, also visited the hospital and enquired about Ms Jayalalithaa’s health condition. He told reporters that his was a personal visit and not an official one.