Tue Sep 23 14:09:01 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text and a news article based on it:

**Summary:**

The text is a news snippet from The Hindu, dated September 23, 2025, reporting on the commencement of the ‘Dasara’ festival at the Kulasekarapattinam Sri Mutharamman Temple in Thoothukudi district. The celebrations began with special rituals, a flag hoisting ceremony, and the tying of “kaappu” (holy threads) by devotees. The festival includes daily processions and culminates on October 2nd with the enactment of ‘Soorasamhaaram’ on the beach and a car procession on October 3rd.

**News Article:**

**’Dasara’ Festivities Begin at Kulasekarapattinam Sri Mutharamman Temple**

**THOOTHUKUDI, Sept. 23, 2025** – The annual ‘Dasara’ festival has commenced with fervor at the Sri Mutharamman Temple in Kulasekarapattinam, Thoothukudi district. The celebrations kicked off on Tuesday, following pre-festival ‘Kaali puja’ on Monday.

Early morning rituals, beginning at 2:00 AM, marked the opening of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum. A flag procession then wound its way through the car streets of Kulasekarapattinam.

The flag hoisting ceremony, held at 5:35 AM, was followed by sixteen different types of ‘abhishekams’ (ritual bathing) performed on the flag mast. Devotees marked the occasion by wearing the ‘kaappu’, signifying their participation in the religious observances.

Throughout the festival, special ‘abhishekam’ and ‘alangaram’ (decorations) will be held in the mornings and evenings, with daily processions around the temple until October 1st.

The highlight of the ten-day festival will be the enactment of ‘Soorasamhaaram’ (the slaying of the demon Soorapadman) on the beach around 11:00 PM on October 2nd. A car procession will then take place in the early hours of October 3rd, and again at 6:00 PM that same day. The devotees will end their fast at the end of the car procession.

The Kulasekarapattinam Sri Mutharamman Temple is a popular destination for devotees during Dasara, with thousands expected to participate in the festivities.

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