Celebration in the air

With Pillaiyar Chaturthi round the corner, the city is gearing up for yet another colourful celebration. N.V.R.SWAMY looks into some of the rituals that make the fete distinct.

IT IS a custom among the Hindus to perform a puja to Lord Vinayaka before commencing any work or an auspicious function. It is their belief that if his blessings are not sought, there may be some obstructions.

It is believed that Lord Siva (Vinayaka's father) was not an exception to this. When Siva went riding his chariot, to fight Tarakasura, He did not think of Vinayaka and the axle of his chariot broke. The chariot tilted and Siva realised it was Vinayaka's anger! Vinayaka then appeared before Siva and restored the axle.

Vinayaka is popularly known as Pillayar in Tamil Nadu and Ganesh or Ganpati in North India.

In the Hindu pantheon, every god and goddess has been prescribed with a day in the year for special worship. Maha Shivratri for Siva, Krishnashtami for Krishna, Rama Navami for Rama, Navaratri for - Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi and Vinayaka Chathurthi for Vighneswara.

The fifth day from the full moon day every month is known as 'Sankatahara Chathurti'. On this day, special abhishekam and puja are performed in the evening, at the time of sunset.

In all Siva temples, Vinayaka is enshrined at a specific place. He is seen on the left goshtam, with Lord Subrahmanya on the right at the entrance to the front gopuram. In the prakara, His place is on the south-west corner.

There are numerous small Vinayaka temples, but there are some famous temples in South India, where he is the presiding deity. Among them, the temple at Pillayarpatti, near Karaikudi in Ramanathapuram district is unique. Here the idol of Vinayaka is a 'rock-cut' one - six-feet high, a bas relief, unique of its kind, seated in the Ardha Padmasana pose, with his trunk twisted rightwards (Valam Chuzhi Vinayakar). His left hand rests on his hip, while the right hand is holding a modhaka representing wisdom.

The idol has two arms only as against the four generally seen in all temples and without any weapon in his hands. Because of the uniqueness of the image, special importance is attached to this temple. Uchhi Pillayar Temple in Trichy and the Mukkuruni Pillayar in the Madurai temple are also famous.

In the mahamandapam of Varasiddhi Vinayakar Temple in Besant Nagar, the 32 forms of Vinayaka in stucco-image (multi-coloured) can be seen.

Of the 32 forms, 16 images are known as shodasa Vinayakar. These can be seen on the banks of the Kamalalayam tank at Tiruvarur. Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, one among the Music Trinity, has sung about all these images of the Lord, which are known as 'group kritis'.

At the Adi Sankara Mandapam in Rameswaram, facing the sea, is a small Vinayaka temple where 16 idols of the Lord have been installed on the outer walls of the temple, sculpted according to the various Ganesa dhyana slokas.

The favourite offering to Vinayaka is modhakam of two varieties.

One is made out of rice flour, jaggery and coconut and the other is made out of rice flour and black-gram dal.

'Pavazha malli' flowers and 'Aruhan' (Doorva grass) are a must to perform Vinayaka puja. Among the fruits, mango, plantain and guava are the Lord's favourite.

Some devotees, especially in Thanjavur district take a vow to offer 1,008 modhakams to Vinayaka. Vinayaka being the remover of obstacles, people all over the country celebrate Pillaiyar Chathurthi with religious fervour and gaiety.

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