The umbrella on Sri Narasimhara’s chariot tilts during the procession

The chariot is part of the annual Aani Brahmotsavam at the Sri Parthasarathy Perumal Temple in Triplicane. | Photo credit: SR Raghunathan

A cart carrying the utsava idol of Sri Narasimhara belonging to the Sri Parthasarathy Perumal Temple had to stop for nearly 45 minutes on Wednesday morning after an umbrella atop its vimana tipped over.

Sources said the car, which started at 7 am as part of the annual Aani Brahmotsavam, was stopped around 8.30 am when the flag umbrella almost fell off its hinges. “Three men used the help of an extended ladder on a fire engine to secure the umbrella to the top of the vimana,” said Sarathy, a devotee who was present during the incident.

Official sources at the temple said that it was a minor incident and that there was a slightly strong wind that caused the umbrella to lose its balance. The chariot passed through the usual cable wire without any problem, just like Parthasarathy Perumal’s chariot during the previous Brahmotsavam.

A retired official from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department said that temple chariots usually have a vimana and a kalasam (holy water pot) on top. When the deity is taken out of the temple in procession, the vimana and kalasam are symbolic representations of the temple itself.

“The umbrella and the flag are just accessories. Also in this case the road under the concrete is cement concrete and not smooth for the wheels of the car and as a result the whole structure vibrates. This might have caused the umbrella to come loose. The wheels should have some kind of suspension to prevent similar incidents in the future,” he said. The temple car reached its starting point at 9.30 am, soon after which the priests performed Thirumanjanam for the deity.

Published – 02 Jul 2026 03:49 IST