AIADMK legislator made arrangements for mass prayers for the health of J Jayalalithaa.
Women draped in yellow, orange and maroon sarees walk in, bucket in hand. In the bucket is a lamp, coconuts, chandhan, kumkum and oil. The venue is a temple in Chennai's RK Nagar, where special pujas are being held for the safe return of their leader, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who has been admitted in hospital for nearly a month.
The women light the lamps and repeat the mantras chanted on the public address system, sitting on mats laid out for more than 20,000 AIADMK supporters. At the end of the passage a fire burns. The puja has started.
The arrangements for the mass puja session have been made by AIADMK legislator P Vetrivel. RK Nagar is the constituency of the Chief Minister herself.
The party claims thousands participated in the puja, not because of compulsion or bribery, but their love and devotion to the Chief Minister.
"We didn't force anybody. All these people came willingly. They all are here for Amma. This puja is for the honour of the Chief Minister to come back safe and healthy," said Mr Vetrivel.
Meanwhile at Chennai's Apollo hospital, where Ms Jayalalithaa has been admitted, supporters continue to queue up every day.
Prayers are being offered elsewhere too, in various temples and churches of the state.
In Trichy, a large number of party members, headed by minister for tourism Vellamandi N Natarajan offered special prayers at the Varaganeri Subramaniya Swami temple.
Temples in Perambalur, Ariyalur, Karur, and Pudukkottai too, witnessed large number of AIADMK supporters conducting special prayers and pujas.
The 68-year-old Chief Minister had been admitted to hospital on September 22. Her party said she had fever and was dehydrated. But doctors later confirmed that she's on respiratory support with a lung infection.
A specialist has flown down thrice from UK to supervise her treatment. A trio of doctors from Delhi's AIIMS hospital also travelled to Chennai to check on the Chief Minister.