Thaer (Temple Car) is the final day of 18 days of festivity. The Thaer is pulled around the four Veedi's by the devotees (now a days mostly NHSS students). If you think this Thaer is magnificent, wait until you see Thirvaroor AazhiThear. As they say, 'Mannargudi Mathil Azhagu, Thiruvaroor Thaer Azhagu'. I did not get a chance to see Thiruvaroor Thaer this year...

After the 18 days of Utsavam, Lord and His Consort rest on 'Pon Oonjal' (Golden Swing) for a month of 'VidaiAatri' (I may be wrong about the duration and Pon Oonjal; it has been two decades since I attended this festivity). During which time pirasangams, classical dances, dramas, puppet shows, debates (Vazhakadu and Patti Mandrams) based on Ramayana, Mahabaratha, Harichandra Puranam, Silapathikaram etc are held. I fondly remember my dad taking me there night after night. I can clearly remember the sounds of Dr Theeran, Sri Kirubanada Variyar, Dr Selva Ganapathy and many other Tamil scholars who participated in those programs. I remember Swarnamuki's Baratham (especially Mayil Attam). I remember fervently supporing Karnan as better man than Tharman during those Vazhaku Mandrams. I remember sobbing through Harichandran drama. I remember countless morals I learned from all those. The programs usually start at 10 PM. Even though I was teen and preteen, I never felt asleep as late as 3,4 or even 5 in the morning because the programs were so absorbing. Most fascinating thing I remember is, in that big crowd, dad always knew where I was sitting and fetch me at the end (he would always stand way back, not sit). On the way back, dad will get me a special milk, bananas and my favourite sevu. Dad was not able to take my siblings same way to this festivity as when they were growing, the family was bigger and work was much harder.