Happy Mahashivaratri 2022

 

To understand the significance of Mahashivaratri visit an earlier posting at this link here which gives an indepth explanation of the legends associated with this great Festival. 

 

 

    

2021 Navaratri Festival, Tiruvannamalai: Temple Alangarams and Kolu Displays

Each year Navaratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvin. The Navaratri festival or 'nine day festival' becomes a 'ten day festival' with the addition of the last day, Vijaya Dasami (day of victory) as its culmination.


In 2021 the dates of this Festival ran between Day 1, Thursday October 7 until Day 10 Vijaya Dasami Saturday October 16, 2021. The celebrations and attendance were limited in the first days at Tiruvannamalai Temples, however as a result of the ruling of a Chennai Court Case, Temples including Arunachaleswarar Temple were instructed to remain open for the last three days of the Festival. 

 

Alangaram of Goddess Saraswati

Origins of Navaratri

There is different mythology connected with this Festival. In one legend Mahishasura, the King of Demons started a war against the Gods. To combat him, the Gods combined their powers to give birth to 'Shakti'. The Goddess fought the demon for nine nights and on the tenth day, the Goddess slew it - thereby achieving victory over evil.


Another legend is that Goddess Uma the wife of Lord Siva and daughter of Daksha - the King of the Himalayas - is said to return home for ten days during Navaratri.


It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya gave upadesa at two primary locations during the installation of a Sri Chakra at Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) and at Koolurmugambika (Karnataka). At the time of the installations he directed women folk to worship the Goddess and seek Her blessings for the wealth, prosperity and long life for their husbands and overall happiness in the family.


Navaratri is celebrated in many ways, depending on region, local history and family influences. Some see it as a way to commune with one's own feminine divinity. A widespread practice honours the Goddess in every woman by inviting young girls to the family's home and feeding and offering new clothes to the girls. During the Festival, women also perform tapas and selfless acts.



Kolu Displays

Families in Tamil Nadu traditionally prepare in their homes a Kolu, an exhibition of small dolls, figurines and artefacts on a stepped, decorated shelf. At least one murti of Shakti must be present, as well as wooden figurines of a boy and a girl together to invoke auspicious marriages.


For more information and details of the origins and significance of this Divine Festival visit my website at this link here.


To view unique, original photographs of the alangarams of the Divine Mother through each day of the Festival at a variety of Temples at Tiruvannamalai and spectacular Kolu displays at Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram and at the private house of Dr. K. Shanthi, Science Professor at Tiruvannamalai Arts College, visit Album archives at my website at this link here. 

 

Kolu Display at Dr. K. Shanthi's Home

Thiruvoodal Festival 2021: Arunachala

 

Thiruvoodal Festival is celebrated in the month of Thai during Pongal (which has to do with the movement of the sun from the southern to the northern hemisphere). Legend has it that the Lord in answer to a promise given to Parvati appears on this holy day (Uttarayana) to dance on one foot. He says; ‘On Uttarayana holy day, I will do the dance when the sun rises.’

The word 'Thiru' signifies; deity, sacred, holy and wealth and the word 'Voodal' actually means 'tiff' or 'petty quarrel', and represents the friction between the male and female in a love relationship which is consciously exacerbated. The distinguishing mark of Voodal is that it should arise and stay only for a brief period and not be prolonged as its focus is the bliss when the Voodal is withdrawn.

The poem Thirukkural says in the chapters dedicated to 'kama' which is concentrated on the relationship between man and woman and the establishment of household and children, that; 'The way to amplify bliss through desire or relationship is through voodal. That ever present bliss you can only see when the tension comes and is withdrawn. It is like salt to food – beyond a certain limit it is lost completely.' Thirukurral explains the tiff as 'creation of a tension, which when released you have a bliss that is always present. It is the Voodal that helps one focus upon that.'

Thiruvoodal is  unique festival enacted by Shiva and Parvati to convey social truths to their devotees. It takes place; inside the compound of Arunachaleswarar Temple, on the streets delineating the perimeter of the Temple, and on the girivalam pathway itself; by iconic representations of Shiva and Parvati. Thiruvoodal Festival is regarded in such high esteem that one of the perimeter roads has earned the special name Thiruvoodal Street by this convention.

For more information about this Festival go to this link here.

The Gods exiting Temple through the Thitti Vasal Gate