Rdxfbgrtj

Stone temple car in the Vitthala Temple at Hampi, India.

Temple car in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Temple cars are chariots that are used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The cars are usually used on annual festival days called 'Ther Thiruvizha' (தேர் திருவிழா), during which many people gather around.

The size of the largest temple cars inspired the Anglo-Indian term Juggernaut (from Jagannath), signifying a tremendous, virtually unstoppable force or phenomenon.

The procession of the great temple car of Thiruvarur (in Tamil: ஆழித் தேர்) features prominently in an ancient festival held in the town. This festival, called Ratha Yatra, is a famous festival mainly observed in Eastern India. It is usually held annually in March and April, lasts more than 25 days, and is often mentioned in the devotional hymns of saints Tirugnanasambandar and Sundarar, as well as in Tamil literature. This great chariot is said to be the largest of its kind in height and weight, standing at 96 feet (29 m) tall and weighing more than 300 tons.

As of 2004, Tamil Nadu had 515 wooden carts, 79 of which needed repairs. Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram Natarajar Temple are among the temples that possess these huge wooden chariots for regular processions. The Natarajar Temple celebrates the chariot festival twice a year; once in the summer (Aani Thirumanjanam, which takes place between June and July) and another in winter (Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai, which takes place between December and January). Lord Krishna of Udupi has five temple cars, namely Brahma ratha (the largest), Madya ratha (medium), kinyo (small), and the silver and gold rathas.

List of places with Temple cars

• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Temple chariot in Bannur, Mysore.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  House of Jaffna temple car at Nallur Kandaswamy temple, Northern Province, Sri Lanka, where temple car preserves or rests during non-function.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Tiruvarur temple car, the largest (chariot) temple car in the world, it weighing 300 tonnes with a height of 90 feet.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Temple car (decorated), Udupi, Karnataka, India.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Srivilliputtur Andal Temple car which was idle 18 years up to 1974 – 2nd largest Temple Car in Tamil Nadu.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Picture of Tirunelveli Nellaiappar Temple Golden car.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Picture of Alwarkurichi People pulling Sivasailanathaswamy Temple car.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Temple car in Chennai, India.
  

  
  

  
  

• 
  Teluk Intan, Nagarathaar Sri Thendayuthapani


• 
  Coimbatore, Koniamman Temple


• 
  Chidambaram, Nataraja Temple


• 
  Kadiri, Sri Khadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple, Kadiri Anantapuramu District, Andhra Pradesh
  


• 
  Dindigul (Abiramiyamman Kovil)


• 
  Denkanikottai (Betarayaswamy Kovil)


• 
  Srivilliputtur (Sri Andal Temple- Second largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)


• 
  Tirunelveli (Sri Nellaiappar Temple – Third largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)


• 
  Srivaikuntam (Sri Srivaikuntanathan Permual Temple – Fourth largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)


• 
  Suchindram (Thanumalayan Temple)


• 
  Madurai – (Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple and others)


• 
  Mannargudi- (Sri Rple and others)


• 
  Kumbakonam (Sri Saarangapani Temple and others)


• 
  Gobichettipalayam (Sri Kondathukalaimman Temple, Sri Balamurugan Temple etc.)


• 
  Avinashi (Sri Avanashiappar Temple)


• 
  Erode (Chennimalai, Sivagiri, Sivanmalai)


• 
  Tiruchengode (Sri Arthanareeswarar Temple)


• 
  North Authoor (Sri Somanathar Somasundari Temple)


• 
  Cherai, Ernakulam


• 
  Salem, Tamil Nadu (Elampillai, Aranagalur, Rasipuram)


• Kadayanallur


• Aragalur


• 
  Kapaleeshwarar temple, Mylapore, Chennai


• 
  Manali New Town, aiyya temple, chennai


• 
  Karamadai, Coimbatore


• 
  Palani – Golden car


• Thirthahalli


• Tiruvallur


• Tiruvidaimarudur


• Virudhunagar


• Yanam


• 
  Thungapuram, Ariyalur-Perambalur combined district Village panchayath


• 
  Sakkottai, Karaikudi


• Kanchipuram


• 
  Kuala lumpur Malaysia – (Seri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam)


• 
  George Town, Malaysia – Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple


• 
  Trincomalee, (Koneswaram temple), Sri Lanka


• 
  Colombo, Sri Lanka


• 
  Hamm, Germany: Sri-Kamadchi-Ampal-Temple


• 
  Palakkad – Many temples in settlements of Palakkad have temple cars


• 
  Hampi, Karnataka Stone Chariot built by Vijayanagara Kings


• 
  Suratkal, Karnataka
  


• 
  Bantwal, Karnataka
  


• 
  Mangalore, Karnataka
  


• 
  Banavasi, Karnataka
  


• 
  Udupi, Karnataka
  


• 
  Kateel,karnataka,shri Durga Parameshwari temple


• 
  Mulki,karnataka,shree kalikamba temple


• 
  Puttur, Karnataka,Shri MahaLingeshsara temple


• 
  Mulki,karnataka,Shri Bappanadu temple


• 
  Mangalore,karnataka,shri venkataraman temple


• 
  Puri, Odisha
  


• 
  Bhubaneswar, Odisha
  


• Koduru, Anantapur(Dt) Andhra Pradesh


• Karnataka – Sri Mahabaleshwara Temple Gokarna


• 
  Kallal Town – Somasundareswarer Kovil


• 
  Kancheepuram – Ekaambaranathar Kovil


• 
  Thiruthangal – Perumal kovil


• 
  Thirukoshtiyur – Sri Sowmiya Narayana Perumal Kovil

List of temples/cities having Golden cars

Puducherry

• Sri Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar, Pondicherry, Puducherry
  

Karnataka

• Sri Krishna matha, Udupi
  


• Shri Durga Parameshwari temple,kateel
  

Tamil Nadu

• Arulmigu Maruntheeswar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Devi Karumariamman, Thiruverkadu, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar, Vadapalani, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Kamatchiamman, Mangadu, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Kanthaswamy, Parktown, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Mundakakanniamman, Mylapore, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar, Mylapore, Chennai
  


• Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy, Maruthamalai, Coimbatore
  


• Arulmigu Eachanari Vinayagar, Coimbatore
  


• Arulmigu Thandumariamman, Coimbatore
  


• Arulmigu MeenakshiSundareswarar, Madurai
  


• Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan, Pazhamudircholai, Alagarkovil Madurai
  


• Arulmigu Jambukeswarar, Thiruvanaikkaval, Trichy
  


• Arulmigu Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli
  


• Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy, Rameswaram
  


• Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy, Thiruchendur
  


• Arulmigu Kamatchiamman, Kanchipuram
  


• Arulmigu Dandayuthapaniswamy, Palani
  


• Arulmigu Swaminathaswamy, Swamimalai
  


• Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy, Thiruttani
  


• Arulmigu Anjaneyaswamy, Namakkal
  


• Arulmigu Pachaimalai Murugan, Gobichettipalayam
  


• Arulmigu Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman, Gobichettipalayam
  


• Arulmigu Mariamman, Bannari, Erode
  


• Arulmigu Velayuthaswamy, Thindalmalai, Erode
  


• Arulmigu Arthanareeswarar, Thiruchengode, Namakkal
  


• Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy, Sivanmalai, Erode
  


• Arulmigu Kottaimariamman, Dindigul
  


• Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar, Thiruvannamalai
  


• Arulmigu Vaidhyanathaswamy, Vaitheeswaran Kovil
  


• Arulmigu Mahalinga Swamy Temple, Thiruvidaimarutur


• Arulmigu SankaraNarayanaswamy, Sankarankovil
  


• Arulmigu Vanamamalai Perumal, Nanguneri
  


• Arulmigu Balamurugan, Raththinagiri


• Arulmigu Mariamman, Samayapuram
  


• Arulmigu Masaniamman, Anamalai
  


• Arulmigu Mathurakaliyamman, Siruvachur, Perambalur District
  


• Arulmigu Angalaparameshwari Amman, Melmalayanur, Villupuram District
  

Andhra Pradesh

• Lord Shiva temple


• Narasimhaswami temple

See also

• Ratha


• Carroccio


• Types of carriages

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple chariots.