Chariot Festival brings music and worship to Tooting (From Your Local Guardian)

Chariot Festival brings music and worship to Tooting

4:55pm Monday 25th August 2008 in Video news By Dan Menhinnitt

Tooting was bought to life with colour and music today thanks to a stunning spectacle of Hindu worship.

The Chariot Festival, which began life in 2001, was organised by the Sri Muththumari Amman Temple, based on Upper Tooting Road.

It saw the main deity of the temple, Mari Amman, drawn through the streets of Tooting on an ornate chariot which had been specially imported from Sri Lanka.

The chariot stopped frequently along the route, which ended in Mitcham’s Figges Marsh, so that worshippers could make offerings.

The parade included dancing and music provided by traditional drums and horns.

An afternoon of music dancing and drama had been planned in Figges Marsh before worshippers returned the chariot to the temple.

Watch a video of the festival