Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the rivers in the Cauvery delta districts and performed oblations to their departed ancestors on the occasion of ‘Mahalaya Amavasya’ today.

After taking a dip at the river and performing rituals on its banks, people offered prayers at the temples. Special poojas were performed to the presiding deities.

A large number of devotees thronged the Mahamaham tank in Kumbakonam and the bathing ghat at Thiruvaiyaru and performed ‘tarpanams’. Special prayers were also offered at ‘Navagraha’ temples in and around Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district where a large number of people conducted ‘Pithru Poojas’. The rituals were performed to the ancestors at the river banks and seashores in the Cauvery delta districts.

Additional police personnel were deployed to manage the crowd.