The balder I get, the more difficult I find going out in the sun. So having experimented with various timings for visiting the arupathumoovar festival (including one disastrous year when I tried to go at 3.00 pm), I have now hit upon the right timing – 10.00 pm.
At that time, the crowd is just about 100000000 strong and not 1000000000 strong and that makes all the difference. The sun too, has long called it a day.
I cant say these are great photos but this was the best I could manage. I have managed to get some control over the issue of grainy photos I think.

By the time I reached,the deities were just about to re-enter the temple.

The best I could manage of Kapali was a shaky shot

Singaravelar was a lot better

All of them together was not a great pic
And finally Vairamudi Swami – known as such because at one time he would arrive for this procession decked in the diamonds loaned by the Lodd Govinddoss family. Now I am told that practice is discontinued.

Missed several such as the Kolavizhi Amman, Tiruvalluvar and Vasuki, Mundagakanni Amman and Ratnamudi Swami. Next year certainly.
Where are these Vairamudi Swami and Ratnamudi Swami temples??????