The Annual five day festival of Arulmigu Gurunatha swamy Temple at Anthiyur,Tamilnadu,
is not visited by just devotees but also thousands of cattle are brought to.
It is not only the temple festival but also the cattle festival.Leading to the temple,hundreds
of temporary shops are erected on both sides of the road for over three km,for a display of
indigenous breed of cows and horses at the cattle festival which raises the festive mood of
the devotees.
The festival fot off to a flying start with devotees carrying the two decorated temple cars with
the main deities,Sri Kamatchi, Sri Perumal and Sri Gurunathaswamy on their shoulders in the morning
yesterday.The cars were moved on amidst drum beats and playing of traditional musical instruments.
The key attraction in the carnival is the livestock and cattle,numbering over 25,000 to 30,000, which
is both for display and for sale.Displays include indigenous nad nearly extinct Alambadi and Bargur breeds,
Ongole cows, geer and many other breed varieties from North India.
