31 July 2016

Communal Kuthuvilakku Puja: July 29, 2016


In the month of Aadi, communal pujas such as the Kuthuvilakku Puja are performed on Tuesdays and Fridays at various Shakti Temples throughout the State. The pujas are performed for the well being of home and family or sometimes for the fulfilment of individual desires, such as a young girl wanting a husband or desiring children in a marriage. 




The most common among all lamps is the Kuthuvilakku. The name is derived from the fact that these lamps were originally spiked into the ground. They are now stand-alone pieces with ornate decorations, but the name has remained through the ages. The lamp has five bowls on the top and there is a trim pedestal fixed firmly on a heavy circular base. 



 
These lamps are used in common households and are also used on ceremonial platforms. The Kuthuvilakku is usually decorated on the top with structures of the "hamsa" (mythical swan) or with other religious symbols.



The photographs in this posting, are of the Kuthuvilakku Puja performed on Friday, 19th July 2016 in the Kalayana Mandapam, 3rd Prakaram of Arunachaleswarar Temple. 




To find out more about the different types of lamps used in Tamil Nadu homes and Temples, go to this previous link here




To find out how to perform a Kuthuvilakku Puja at home, go to this link here.


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Devotees get benefits by performing Mahalaxmi Thiruvilakku Pooja. However specific benefits for each month are listed below: 

Chithirai: Blessed with increased production of Pulses.
Vaigasi: Blessed with Money 
Aani: Blessed with Marriage 
Aadi: Blessed with Long Life 
Aavani: Blessed with New Born Children 
Purataasi: Blessed with more Cows 
Aipassi: Blessed with Food 
Karthigai: Blessed with Moksha 
Margali: Blessed with Good health 
Thai: Blessed with Victory in life 
Maasi: Blessed with removal of sins. 
Panguni: Blessed with Dharma 

Thiruvillaku Pooja can also be performed on Ammavasi and pournami days. 

7 comments:

Divya said...

Very nice pics! Brings back memories of pujas in India. Do you ever do pumas at home or in temples?

Meenakshi Ammal said...

Hi Divya. Yes indeed it does bring back memories. Do you remember Swami's devotees worshipping the padukas inside the Mandir at Puttaparthi? I stopped with pujas etc when I came to Arunachala. Different sort of sadhana here.

Anonymous said...

Just doing girivalam?

Meenakshi Ammal said...

Actually I don't do girivalam nowadays. Everything is so crushed and congested. Like to do more peaceful things closer to home.

Divya said...

I wasn't there in Parthi for paduka puja but I did some other puja there once. I used to do many pujas during my 7 years in Shanti Ashram (near Rajahmundry) and was strictly trained by a Vaishnavait Jeeyar Swami. I learned a lot! I used to close my eyes and chant the entire Vishnu Sahasranama, Hanuman Chalisa and many other mantras.

Meenakshi Ammal said...

But you always did have a good memory Divya . . . so no problem for you to memorise all the necessary mantras and texts. Good opportunity to be trained under Jeeyar Swami. Do you keep in touch with performing pujas now that you are living in California?

Divya said...

I didn't keep up with pujas and stotras once I moved back to Parthi in 2001, the support system and peer pressure to do group pujas disappeared! After I came back to USA in 2005 of course I didn't start up again either.