Arunachaleswarar Mahakumbhabhishekam: Cow, Horse, Elephant Puja. Homam—January 28, 2017

The programme in connection with the festivities of Arunachaleswarar Mahakumbhabhishekam are as below. 

January 28, 2017 Saturday 7.30 a.m. 

Sri Vighneswara puja. Dhana puja. Sri Ganapati homam. Lakshmi Homam. Navagraha Homam. Gaja Puja. Go Puja. Annam Puja. 

To keep up-to-date with the programme connected with the February 6, 2017 Mahakumbhabhishekam go to this link here and get details of functions in both Tamil and English. 

Horse Puja at Big Temple

Cow and Rukku at completion of Cow and Elephant Puja

Homam at Big Temple

Sri Pidari Amman Utsavam: January 27, 2017 Friday

On Friday evening (27 January 2017) utsavam was observed at the Sri Pidari Amman Shrine, 3rd Prakaram, Arunachaleswarar Temple. The below photographs are of the procession of the Goddess on the Madaveedhi (perimeter streets) around the Big Temple, which was conducted in heavy rain. 

To keep up-to-date with the programme connected with the February 6, 2017 Mahakumbhabhishekam go to this link here and get details of functions in both Tamil and English. 

Sri Pidari Amman

Preparation for 2017 Arunachaleswarar Temple Mahakumbhabhishekam

Below are a few photographs of the preparations connected with the Homams which are part of the Temple Mahakumbhabhishekam programme. 

Young lads from the Veda Patasala preparing pots for Homams

Scaffolding readied on all gopurams and vimanas in connection with the consecration that will occur on February 6, 2017: date of Arunachaleswarar Kumbhabhishekam

Staircase runs inside Gopurams, but outside scaffolding is required to access summit

Sri Durgai Amman Utsavam: January 26, 2017 Thursday

Yesterday evening (Thursday, 26 January) mangala music and utsavam was observed at the Sri Durgai Amman Temple, Tiruvannamalai. Thus begins many days of functions, homams and celebrations in connection with the Arunachaleswarar Temple Kumbhabhishekam of February 6, 2017. 

To keep up-to-date with the programme go to this link here, to get full details of functions in both Tamil and English.

Sri Durgai Amman alangaram

Aarti at Sri Durgai Amman Temple, Tiruvannamalai

Goddess being carried from Shrine on palanquin

Goddess on procession in Silver Chariot

Renovations and Kumbhabhishekam Yagasala at Arunachaleswarar Temple

Most of the renovation work at Arunachaleswarar Temple is complete in time for the 2017 Mahakumbhabhishekam Ceremony which is scheduled for February 6, 2017. Below are some photographs of some very smart newly painted Shrines and Mandapam.

Bairava Temple, 4th Prakaram

In the inside of the Mandapam eight pillars each support different manifestations of Lord Bhairavar, namely:- Niru Bhairavar, Kapali Bhairavar, Bhisha Bhairavar, Krothana Bhairavar, Asitharga Bhairavar, Samkara Bhairavar, Unnathu Bhairavar, and Sandai Bhairavar. 

Formerly Kala Bhairavar was situated in the second Prakara near the Palliarai (sleeping chamber of the deities). The reason for the change in location goes as follows:- 

“After an untoward incident according to a legend a child was left inside the second Prakara but when the mother came to reclaim her child after the doors had been closed she was advised by a voice from inside to come and take back her child in the following morning and reassured that her child would be safe. But the mother insisted and so the voice angrily told her to take her child and proceeded to throw it out with torn limbs—and the child was dead. This was supposed to be done by Kala Bhairavar who is the guardian of the Temple. Hence this powerful statue was shifted to the fourth Prakara. Kala Bhairavar is one of the fierce manifestations of Lord Siva.” 

Alankaram Mandapam

To the east of the Raja Gopura is a small mandapam meant for darshan of the Panchamoorties during processions. A fire on July 11, 1996 burnt the previous Mandapam to the ground. The current Mandapam built at an estimated cost of 107 lakhs was part of major restoration work of the Temple completed in time for the Arunachaleswarar Maha Kumbhabhiskeham of February 27, 2002. 

This current mandapam rises 31 feet at the Central Eastern Pinnacle and 22 feet on the North and South sides and consists of cut stone flooring. Although this current mandapam consists of 44 pillars it continues to be known as the 16 pillar mandapam (pathinaru). 

Ceiling and stonework top of pillars have been painted

Even the oldest clock and tower in Tiruvannamalai has been painted

The four below photographs are of the specially constructed Yagasala to be used during Mahakumbhabhishekam. 

Amavasya Pradosham Wednesday, 25 January, 2017: Arunachaleswarar Temple

The below photographs are of Amavasya Pradosham observed at Arunachaleswarar Temple on Wednesday, 25 January, 2017. When Pradosham falls on a Wednesday it is known as "Saumya Vaara Pradosha" and is believed to benefit a person with education, wisdom, children and the fulfillment of wishes.

Puja at Periyar Nandi, 5th Prakaram

Abhishekam at Kodi Kampathu Nandi, 3rd Prakaram

Aarti on completion of the Abhishekam

Lord Chandrasekhar procession

2017 Pongal—Thiruvoodal Festival

In an earlier posting I wrote that the Gods go on procession several times around the perimeter streets of Arunachaleswarar Temple (mada veedhis) on the 3rd day of the Pongal Festival. 

After the Gods have completed their processional circumambulation, they retire to the Alankaram Mandapam (outside the Raja Gopuram) and wait for the evening. In the evening the Gods set out towards Thiruvoodal Street to enact their “divine quarrel”. 

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 actual staging of the Divine Quarrel is re-enacted on the madaveedhi street named Thiruvoodal Street in celebration of this Divine Drama. 

Gods on Thiruvoodal Street having their "tiff" (photo from previous year)

 

After their quarrel, the Goddess continues her procession on the mada veedhi streets, circumambulates the Temple and re-enters via the Thitti Vassal Gate. Lord Shiva however turns left off Thiruvoodal Street and moves onto Thirumanjana Street until he reaches Kumara Koil (Temple famous for daily supplying consecrated water to the Big Temple). At that place He spends the night. 

The next morning He performs girivalam and gives His blessings to devotees during His circumambulation of the Hill.

To read in full about the Thiruvoodal Festival go to this link here.

Maruvoodal 

When Lord Shiva completes his girivalam he returns to Arunachaleswarar Temple and wishes to have a reunion with his consort. This part of the Festival is known as Maruvoodal. The point of the Maruvoodal myth is to show that even a Celestial Couple has differences between them. But in the end there should only be reunion. 

Returning to his residence, Shiva knocks but it has been bolted by Parvati. Lord Shiva asks, 

‘Oh my darling why have you locked the door?’ 

‘Sir after we came to an understanding still you went without me. And see now look you have lost everything there is no ornament or clothes. Not, only that but you went and gave darshan to all kinds of people. So, I am now requesting you must establish your manliness to me and retrieve everything that is lost and give the special one-legged dance.’ 

Shiva starts the dance, Parvati forgets everything and opens the door. 

Their reunion is complete. 

 

Goddess waiting in solitidue

Lord returning from his night away

Reunion complete Gods moving about Big Temple

"Tiff" over. Reunion complete

God Circumambulation on 2017 Maatu Pongal (3rd Day)

In the morning of the third day of Pongal (as celebrated at Arunachaleswarar Temple), after giving darshan to the lavishly decorated Temple Nandis, the Gods leave the Temple by the Thitti Vassal gate and later proceed to circumambulate the Temple several times on the mada veedhis (perimeter streets).

The below photographs are of one such circumabulation which occurs in the middle of the day when the Gods stop at the house of the Temple's chief Priest (located on Big Street) to symbolically take lunch and refreshment. 

The circumambulation on this day is one of the few times that the Gods on the palanquin (with two priests on each platform), is physically carried by devotees and not pulled by tractor. In fact it is only comparatively recently that tractors are used to pull the Gods on procession, some years previously bullocks were used to pull the Gods on their vahanas. 

The Gods on Big Street on circumambulation of mada veedhi streets

The palanquins of the Gods are being physically carried by devotees

The Gods are lavishly decorated

The Goddess on processional palanquin

Musicians accompanying the Gods on their procession

Notice the permanent "buffalo" bumps on the man's shoulders from carrying palanquins over the years. Many of the older carriers, because of the immensely heavy palanquins, have such bumps.

Gods stop in front of Priest House on Big Street

Family and devotees wait outside Priest House

Devotees offer clothes to the Gods, which the priests add to the display

After each offering of clothes, food, flowers and ornaments the Priest offers aarti

The priest comes out of his house to greet the Gods

Food is offered to the Gods so they can symbolically take lunch 

After "symbolically" taking food at the priest house, the Gods continue travelling down Big Street on their way around the Temple perimeter streets

Musicians continue accompanying the procession on its several circumambulations of the Temple perimeter streets

Throughout the procession devotees make their offerings to the Gods