Kuthuvilakku Puja, Arunachaleswarar Temple

In the month of Adi, 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 yesterday (Friday, 2nd July 2013) in the Mandapam at 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. 

Silver Dress for Goddess Durga

As today is the beginning of a Festival to Divine Mother (see previous posting), thought it would be appropriate to post these photographs which I took some time ago at the Durga Shrine, Ramana Ashram. A devotee wished to donate a silver dress for the Goddess, and that entailed specialist craftsmen coming to the Ashram Temple Shrine and taking three separate moulds; the major one of the Body, and two individual moulds for the arms of the Goddess. 

The photographs show the creation of the primary mould, which once set is taken off the form and allowed to fully dry. Afterwhich individual moulds are taken of the arms of the Goddess. Once all three moulds are fully dry, the craftsmen return to their native place and create the ordered silver dress for Sri Durga. 

Temple Artisan to take Mould

Material to make Mould

Goddess Durga, Ramana Ashram

The Goddess

These men are specialists working with Idols

Preparing the Paste for the Mould

Covering the Statue for primary Mould

Individual Moulds required for each Arm

Primary Mould is set and left to fully harden

The last photograph of this posting is of the Goddess Rajarajeshwari at her peace-filled shrine on the Girivalam Roadway, wearing her beautiful golden dress (which would have been prepared in the same way as above). 

Goddess Rajareshwari in Golden Dress

10 Day Parvathi Amman Utsavam 2013

This day July 31, 2013 marks Adi Kodietram, the beginning of the 10 Day Parvathi Amman Utsavam. The photographs below are of the hoisting of an emblem of the Goddess on the Flagpole above the Amman Temple (in the Third Prakaram) at Arunachaleswarar Temple.

Hoisting Mother's Emblem

Flagpole, Mother's Temple

During this Festival the Goddess, Apeethakuchambal will be taken every day around the Mahaveedi. On Poornam Natchatram, the Valai Karpoo (Bangle) ceremony will take place in the Valai Karpoo Mandapam (in the Fifth Prakaram). 

Flagpole at Mother's Temple in front of Gopurams and Arunachala

Flagpole, Arunachala

Goddess Apeethakuchambal

At the end of the Festival, Fire Walking will take place around midnight. Hope to give more details of the upcoming programme. 

Preparation for Fire Walking, a previous year

But for now, check the pictorial narrative about a previous Fire Walking Ceremony, at this link here.

Replacing Bamboo Leaves at House

The side wall of the compound of my rented house became unstable after heavy rain, and rather than go through the time-consuming process of having a new cement wall constructed, decided that a bamboo wall would be a quick fix for my compound. 

Garden recovering from hot summer

Another reason for the haste, was I needed to make sure that my all of my six doggies were safe and secure in the compound – so the comparatively quick work of putting up a bamboo wall, seemed to be the smartest decision. 

Inner Metal Plates for Doggy Protection

I am posting some before and after photographs below showing the bamboo work at my house. The work is not yet complete as it still needs a bamboo frame and leaves for the inside of the wall. Thus in affect creating an invisible dog-resistant bamboo-metal plate sandwich.

Bamboo Wall from outside Compound

I know from experience that if the metal plates were not at the bottom of the bamboo wall, my doggies would burrow through in a matter of minutes. So by making a bamboo-metal plate sandwich, it will look nice and be completely dog-proof.

Side of House with Bamboo Frame

Side Bamboo Frame joining with Front Frame

I’ve been told nowadays that the bamboo used to leaves, is taken from immature trees, meaning that the leaves have a shorter life span. However, not too sure if its the leaves, or whether the workers do their work with an intentional short term obsolesce in mind!

Bamboo Frame at Front of House

 

New Bamboo Leaves on Side of House

Side Bamboo Frame at Corner with Front Bamboo

The leaf work around the side of my house was under two years old but from its previous decrepit, mangy look, seemed to be years older. I used local workers for this job, but nowadays most folk who want seriously good bamboo work bring in artisans from Pondicherry and other spots, as there is a deficiency of good bamboo workers at Tiruvannamalai

Front Bamboo Leaves

New Bamboo Leaves, side of Housae

As strong sun and heavy rains, shorten the lifespan of bamboo, house owners nowadays are also choosing lightweight aluminum in place of bamboo leaves.

Arunachala Postings: 7-27 July, 2013

Below are links and short extracts of postings on my various Arunachala Blogs from Sunday July 7, 2013 to Saturday July 27, 2013. 

Arunachala Grace 

Mahashivaratri Retreat 2014: Information about Torsten Brugge and Padma Woolf Retreat at Mahashivaratri 2014. Venue Sri Nannagaru Ashram, Tiruvannamalai. 

Shani Pradosham July 20, 2013: Photographs of Shani Pradosham at Arunachaleswarar Temple. Mythology of Shani Pradosham Vrata Mahatmyam. Mahakaleshwar Temple and Lingam.

Gods at Ayyankulam Teertham: Function marking the end of the Ani Brahmostavam Festival. Information and photographs about the Arunagirinathar Temple. 

Abhishekam of Lord Nataraja: Lord Nataraja brought in procession to the Thousand Pillared Hall at the Big Temple. 

Guru Poornima 2013: Photograph and Mantra dedicated to the Guru. 

Rudra Pasupathi Nayanar: Narrative on life of this Nayanar and video of the Sri Rudram: Namakam-Chamakam in Devanagari, English translations 

5th day Ani Brahmostavam Festival: Rishaba (Bull) Chariot Procession through Tiruvannamalai on fifth day of Festival. 

Ani Brahmostavam 2013: Photographs of the flag hoisting at Arunachaleswarar Temple at the beginning of Festival. 

Arunachala Birds 

Indian Birds’ Nests Part 2: Narrative with photographs of unconventional nests of four Indian Birds.

Peacocks at Arunachala: Series of photographs of the Peacock at Ramana Ashram. Links to previous postings. 

Arunachala Mystic 

Uttarayana and Dakshinayana: Esoteric significance of the seasonal calendar delineations of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. 

Visit to Country Ashram: Visit to the countryside Ashram of Sri Siva Jothi Mona Siddhar, some 20 kms from Tiruvannamalai 

Arunachala Land 

Duplex at Vediappanur: Photographs and information about Duplex for sale at Vediappanur, off Girivalam Roadway, Tiruvannamalai 

Jackfruit Tree: Photographs, mythology and information about the popular Jackfruit Tree of Tamil Nadu. 

Mahashivaratri Retreat February 22 to March 8, 2014

Torsten Brugge and Padma Woolf have been bringing pilgrim groups from Europe to Tiruvannamalai over the course of the last 10 years. For each of their visits, the venue for their Retreat is Sri Nannagaru Ashram where they stay from between 9-14 days. The Brugge—Woolf Retreat is the only Retreat that I know of held at Sri Nannagaru Ashram, that Swamiji has personally blessed. 

In 2014 the dates of their Retreat Programme are scheduled for February 22nd – March 8th, 2014. And for the first time during their regular Arunachala Pilgrimage, their group will be at Arunachala during the sacred time of Mahashivaratri (February 28, 2014). As always the venue for their Retreat will be the peace-filled Sri Nannagaru Ashram. 

As well as their usual programme of satsang, guided meditations, talks and meetings, there will also be a special programme during the 24 hour Mahashivaratri Festival which will include an escorted group giripradakshina of Arunachala late in the evening of February 28, arriving at Arunachaleswarar Temple before midnight, in time to attend the myriad functions of Mahashivaratri. 

Early in the day of Mahashivaratri devotees will be creating colourful kolams

Beautiful Kolams depicting aspects of Lord Shiva

Devotees light lamps around Temple Tank on night of Mahashivaratri

To find out more about the splendid Mahashivaratri Festival, both its history and celebration at Arunachaleswarar Temple, please go to this link here. Arunachaleswarar Temple is open throughout the night of Mahashivaratri, during which several pujas are performed; the Kala Puja is celebrated inside the Siva Sannidhi and the Lingodbhavamurti puja is performed at the back of the Siva Sannidhi. 

Lingodbhavamurti Puja, behind Shiva Sannidhi

Throughout the evening of February 28 and into the morning of March 1, a cultural programme highlighting the best of Tamil dance and song, will be held in the open auditorium on the Temple grounds.

Music programme at an earlier Mahashivaratri Function

Large crowds gather at Arunachaleswarar Temple for the cultural programme

Traditional Tamil dancing and singing represented at the Cultural Programme

Over the coming months I will be posting photographs, narratives and reports from participants of the Brugge—Woolf 2012 Arunachala Retreat. However for more information about the upcoming Retreat please go to their website at this link here.

“Torsten and Padma offer self-enquiry in the tradition of Sri Ramana Maharshi and in the lineage of Sri Poonjaji, Gangaji and Eli Jaxon-Bear. The focus of the retreat will be to make Sri Ramana Maharshi’s profound self-enquiry and the silent power of Arunachala accessible to participants. Torsten and Padma offer daily Satsang-meetings on the roof-terrace of Sri Nannagaru Ashram. The group will also visit different abodes of Sri Ramana Maharshi on the mountain for silent meditation.

Padma Woolf and Torsten Brugge

In their dialogues with participants Torsten and Padma support spiritual seekers through traditional as well as modern approaches of self-enquiry to awaken to the inner freedom of our true nature and ground ourselves in that. To that end they also make their experience in Enneagram-work, Buddhist meditation, transpersonal psychology and other approaches available. 

The main transmission, however, consists in the message of Sri Ramana Maharshi: ‘We already are the formless, silent Awareness before, during and after all transient appearances. When we rediscover that, our limited sense of I dissolves and the natural bliss of our true nature shines forth.’” 

To watch a video of Torsten and Padma’s response to the question, “Many western seekers come to India looking for enlightenment as if it is an experience. What is enlightenment? Go to this video link here.

Shiva - The Mystic Night 

We conceive God as glory, as creativity and as austerity. Vishnu is glory and magnificence, Brahma is creativity force, and Shiva is austerity and renunciation. You might have heard it said that God is the embodiment of six attributes of which renunciation is one. You will be wondering how God can renounce things. He is not a Sannyasin. He is not an ascetic like a Vairagin or a Sadhu. What is He going to renounce? How do you conceive Shiva as an austere Yogin or a renunciate? What does He renounce? The all-pervading Almighty, what has He to give or abandon? Here is the secret of what renunciation is! It is not renunciation of anything, because there is nothing outside Him; renunciation does not mean abandonment of object. If that had been the definition of renunciation, that cannot apply to God. God does not renounce or abandon any object, because all objects are a part of His Cosmic Body. Then how do you represent God as an embodiment of Vairagya (dispassion)? 

Lord Shiva and his Goddess

Bhagavan, who is endowed with 'Bhaga' or glories of a sixfold nature, is also embodiment of Vairagya. Do you identify Him with a Sannyasin, possessing nothing? No, never. God is the possessor of all things. Then, how can you call Him a renunciate, a Sannyasin or a Vairagin? The secret behind the concept or the consciousness of Vairagya, renunciation is here, in the identification of this attribute with God. It is only when we interpret things in terms of God that things become clear. Otherwise, we get confused. We cannot know what goodness is, we cannot know what evil is, we cannot know what virtue is, unless we refer all these values of life to the concept of God in His Perfection. The only standard of reference for us in all matters of life's values, is the existence of God. So, the concept of renunciation, which has been very much misused, also gets rectified, clarified and purified when it is understood with reference to the existence of God whose special manifestation, in this context, is known as Lord Shiva. 

To continue reading this narrative go to this link here:

Sani Pradosham Arunachaleswarar Temple, 20 July 2013

The second Pradosham of July, 2013 fell on a Saturday and is thus known as Shani Pradosham or Shani Pradosham Vrata. According to Hindu astrology Saturn is known to affect one adversely on occasions when it placed in a certain position in one's horoscope. A prayer to God, especially on Saturdays, is said to mitigate one’s hardships. Thus, it is believed that by observing a Vrata (vow) and offering prayers to Lord Shiva on Shani Pradosham, one can escape from the ill effects of Lord Shan (one of the Navagrahas or nine celestial Gods). 

Nandi at Arunachaleswarar Temple

Pradosham fast is observed from sunrise to sunset and ends with the evening puja. Since the name Pradosham literally means ‘a period just before sunset and after sunset’, the Pradosham period for prayers is from 1.5 hours before sunset and 1 hour after sunset. While most devotees prefer observing a strict fast by refraining from food and drinking only water, some devotees practice a partial fast by consuming fruits and water. Nonetheless, the strictness of the fast totally depends on the devotees. Even after offering the evening prayers, devotees eat only the Prasad and recommence with eating proper food only the next morning. During the day of the fast, devotees visit Shiva temples and offer pujas and chant mantras. 

Circumambulation inside Temple grounds

On Pradosham Day Puja is performed on Pradosham kaal. This Pradosham kaal is exactly for 2 hours and 24 minutes. Pradosham kaal means twilight period. The twilight period starts approximately 1.5 hours before sunset and ends 1 hour after the sunset. During this period, the devotees believe that God Shiva and Parvati are most happy and will satisfy prayers asked during the puja. 

Large Crowds attend the twice monthly Pradosham

The Gods on circumambulation

A story about Shani Pradosham Vrata follows goes as follows:-

Shani Pradosham Vrata Mahatmyam

. . . At the place known as Kurvapur there lived a learned Brahmin, His wife's name was Ambika. She gave birth to many children but, except the last one, none of the others survived. Unfortunately, that boy who survived, was dull headed. All efforts of his father to teach him were of no avail, as the boy had no grasping power at all. This was a cause of frustration and anxiety to the parents. The father died in dejection. Having no support, the son and mother were thrown into penury and had no means of livelihood. They had to take to begging and had to leave a very hard and miserable life. In despair they both decided to end their lives by throwing themselves into the river. As they approached the river bank with the object of putting end to their lives, the woman saw Sripada Sri Vallabha who came there for his bath. 

Sripada Vallabha

Seeing a halo around his face and divinity in his looks, the mother’s aching heart was soothed, and her fatalistic desperation was overcome by newborn peace, hope and joy in her heart. The compassion and love in Sripada's looks - love surpassing even that of a thousand mother's instilled and charged new life in her depressed and broken heart. She fell at his feet and vented out her anguish, saying, "How I wish I will have a son like you in my next birth at least." "So be it, mother!" said Sri Vallabha. He added, "But you will have to observe a particular Vrata; you will have to worship Lord Maheswara in the evenings on Trayodasi Thithi days coinciding with the Saturdays called Sani Pradosham. It is a powerful Vrata, and if dutifully performed, it will certainly endow you a son like Lord Krishna Himself." He narrated the following anecdote:- 

“Once upon a time, there lived a king named Chandrasen in Ujjain. He had a friend by name of Manibhadra, an ascetic and who was deeply devoted to Lord Maheshwara. Lord Maheshwara, very pleased with Manibhadra's devotion, gave him the celestial gem in the shape of Marakatha Linga. This gem, by its mere touch, could turn iron into gold, and fulfill any wish of the person who wore it. Manibhadra gifted the gem to Chandrasena, which bought prosperity to his people and kingdom. All the kings and people of other regions came to hear about the gem. Some of the neighboring kings wanted to get possession of the gem, and they plotted and invaded Ujjain. That day happened to be Sani Trayodasi day, and the king, was his wont, was engaged in worship in the Siva Temple. Although he was told about the invasion of his kingdom by the enemy kings, he remained unperturbed and unmoved, and did not leave from his place of worship. 

One of the cowherd boys saw the King's worship, and he also was seized with a desire to worship likewise. He picked up a round stone and started worshiping it as Shiva Linga. It was getting late in the night, but the boy remained totally absorbed in the Puja. As the boy did not return home, while all his companions returned to their homes, his mother felt worried. She came searching for him, and found him performing worship. She asked him to stop the Puja and return home along with her instantly. But the boy refused to move from there. 

The furious mother threw out what she believed to be a stone, which the lad had been worshiping as Shiva Linga. The boy distraught at the sacrilege committed by his mother in her anger, wished to atone for her sin by giving up his own life. 

 

Lord Shiva moved by the sincere anguish of the boy, appeared before him in the form of the Linga, dazzling with a million Sun's effulgence. From this manifestation of the Jyotirlinga, emerged the Mahakaleshwar Temple. 

 

Mahakaleshwar Temple

The boy prayed to Siva to pardon his mother for the sacrilege she had committed. Lord Shiva said the boy's mother had already earned great merit as she had witnessed the Puja which he (the boy) had been. 

Meanwhile the brilliance of the light, emanating from the Jyotirlinga was spreading far and wide, far up to the horizon in all directions. The Kings attacking the city saw the marvel and realised that divine protection was there on Ujjain and it's King. Thus peace was made and Ujjain remained safe, all due to the power of Shani Pradosham Puja. 

The king made the shepherd ruler of his community and gifted him many villages to rule. The penitent mother of was transformed by witnessing the emergence of the Jyotirlingam and in her next birth she was born as Yashoda. As foretold by Lord Shiva, she became the foster-mother of Lord Sri Krishna. This was the merit she earned by merely witnessing the Sani Pradosham Puja being done by her son. Had she done the Puja herself, Lord Krishna would have been born to herself as her own son.” 

Sripada Sri Vallabha finally said to Ambika, "if you do the Shani Pradosha Puja devotedly and regularly, you will certainly bear God himself as your child in your next life." The sage then blessed Ambika's son. With the mere touch of Sripada, the boy became fully enlightened and al wisdom and knowledge dawned on him. The boy became proficient in all the scriptures and his mother was made happy beyond all measure. 

[From: Sri Guru Charitra]