Jaya supporters turn to gods, pray for favourable verdict

As former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha’s appeal in a disproportionate assets case comes closer to a judgment, AIADMK cadres and die hard “Amma” fans are placing their faith in divine intervention for their supremo’s comeback.

Ever since the main arguments on the appeal ended, scores of senior ministers and party cadres in the state have been intensifying their prayers for Jayalalitha, with some of them even embarking on a yatra to Nepal.

Her fans have undertaken an overwhelming number of rituals: Sudharsana Yagam, Chandi Maha Yagam, Maha Rudra Yagam, Saha Chandhi Yagam and several “homams”. Partymen have tonsured their heads, pulled golden chariots of temples and more in the hope of a favourable verdict for Jayalalitha.

Party workers have fully “taken to propitiating the gods” after Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who took over after Jayalalitha resigned in the wake of the case against her, made a specific appeal against all forms of protest.

In the latest spiritual feat for Amma, a team of 20 die-hard AIADMK cadres from Tiruvarur district on Monday undertook a gruelling journey on bicycles for the “Sudharsana Yagna” at Muktinath temple in Nepal.

Besides, the “Thiru Vilakku” pooja, which involves a large number of women coming together, were also organised at various Goddess Amman temples across the state with hundreds of lamps being lit since Sunday.

In some temples, devotees also pierced small spears through their mouth to fulfill their wish of the AIADMK supremo’s early release from the case.

Special prayers were also held in all prominent places of worship in the state, including the “Aaru Padai Veedu” (six sacred abodes of Lord Muruga), the Sri Arunachaleshwara temple, Srirangam Ranganatharswamy temple and Kanyakumari Bhagavathy Amman temple.

Prominent senior ministers, including Natham R Viswanathan, B Valarmadhi, Gokula Indira, Sundararaj, P Thangamani, R B Udhaya Kumar and Sellur K Raju, were among those continuously participating in prayers seeking Jayalalitha’s “return as chief minister”.

Special prayers were held at darghas and mosques in several places. Candle light processions were taken out to churches, including the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health Velankanni and Holy Rayappar and Chinnappar. In addition, special prayers were organised at Mother Mary church at Tuticorin on Monday.

Besides a host of spiritual events in places of worship, welfare assistance was also distributed to the poor people.

In December last year, the Supreme Court told the Karnataka High Court to constitute a Special Bench to exclusively hear Jayalalitha’s asset case on a daily basis and complete it in three months. The hearing started on her appeal on January 5, 2015.