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Festival time at Ayyappa Temple
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Devotees can now offer "Irumudi Kaanikkai" for 41 days as in Sabarimala during the Mandala Pooja at the Rajah Annamalaipuram Ayyappa Temple, Adyar, says T. A. SRINIVASAN.
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COME THE Tamil months of Karthigai and Margazhi, towns and villages in Tamil Nadu reverberate with "Ayyappa Sarana Gosham" ("Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa" meaning surrender to Lord Ayyappa) and the devotees, who observe strict vow and celibacy for 41 days, undertake an arduous journey, four km of it on foot, over a rough rocky terrain, to have a darshan of the Lord in all His resplendent glory.
All devotees, irrespective of caste and creed, mingle together and repeatedly announce their willingness to unconditionally surrender at His feet without seeking any material benefits. Many people, young and old, undertake the journey year after year. Whatever may be their reason for trekking to Sabarimala in the chilly weather,the number of pilgrims is increasing every year. Not only that. Many temples, exclusively dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, are being built all over the State, especially in Chennai. One such is the Sri Ayyappaswami Thirukkoil (Temple) at Raja Annamalaipuram (Adyar) in Chennai, which was consecrated first on January 29, 1982, and reconsecrated on March 27, 1994.
Unlike the temple in Sabarimala, which remains closed for most of the year after the Mandala Pooja and Makaravilakku, to reopen only for Chithirai Vishu, the temple at Rajah Annamalaipuram is open throughout the year. Devotees can offer "Irumudi Kaanikkai" only for 41 days as in Sabarimala during the Mandala Pooja, which began on November 17. There are Moolavar and Utsavar idols in the temple and during the Mandala Pooja, "Irumudi Neyyabishekam" is performed to the Moolavar for 35 days and Brahmotsavam (main festival) is celebrated for six days.
This year's festival is to be held from December 22 to 27. On the first day after performing Ganapathi Homam, 1,008 kalasams will be installed and they will be sanctified by the recitation of Vedic hymns. The next day Abishekam (sacred bath) to the Lord will be performed and on the third day poojas will be offered to the 18 holy steps (Padhinettampadi) in front of the Moolasthanam and "Pushpabishekam" will be performed. On the fourth day, "Utsava Bali" will take place in the morning. The next morning, Sri Bootha Bali Abishekam will be performed and in the evening, the Lord's idol will be taken in a procession in the newly made silver car .
On the sixth and concluding day of the festival "Aaraattu Bali" will be performed. The Utsava idol of the Lord will be taken in a procession in the evening on all the six festival days. Only during the Mandalabishekam and the Brahmotsavam for 41 days, the 18 steps will remain open and devotees, who observe the vow, will be allowed to go through them. During the rest of the year they will have to climb the steps on the left and right sides to reach the temple situated atop a 20-feet high platform.
The Ayyappan Temple at Rajah Annamalaipuram, Chennai.
The temple has all sub-shrines as in Sabarimala for Sri Maha Ganapathi, Sri Nagaraja, Sri Maligaipurathu Amman (Manja Matha), and other "Parivara Devatas".
From January 1 to 20, Neyyabishekam is performed to the Lord during the Makara Jothi days. On Tamil New Year Day, Vishu Kani Darisanam is held and Neyyabishekam is performed for 10 days. All fruits and vegetables will be spread in front of the sanctum-sanctorum on the Makara Jothi day. The Utsava idol of the Lord will be taken to the Makara Jothi platform in front of the Dwajasthambam and the Lord, adorned with "Swarna Kavacham" (golden armour), will give darshan to the devotees.
What is so special about performing the Mandala Pooja for 41 days? Four plus one makes five, which marks the five elements of Nature and Lord Ayyappa is considered to be their presiding deity. The chief priest performing poojas in the temple is Sri Kandaru T. K. Maheswaran Thanthiri from the Sabarimala Temple.
Ayyappa or Sastha worship may be considered to be a recent phenomenon by many, but in the Tamil country He had been worshipped from time immemorial and Tamil literary works like Silappadikaram speak about this. He was worshipped as Ayyanar, Sathan and by other names, according to them.
There were Tamil poets belonging to the Sangam period who had names like Madurai Koola Vaanigan Sathanar and Seethalai Sathanar and another poet with the name, Ayyanarithanar. Almost all villages in the Tamil country in the past and present had temples for Ayyanar at their entrance with huge images of Ayyanar riding the horse.
The temple at Rajah Annamalaipuram, built on a site donated by Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar of Chettinad, is well maintained by his illustrious son, M. A. M. Ramaswami, who is the Pro-chancellor of Annamalai University, founded by his grandfather, Rajah Sir Annamalai.
When it was established in 1981, the Panchaloha idol was made by the sculptor of Nagercoil, Sri Bhattanachariar. It was taken in a procession from January 25, 1981, from the Krishnan Temple in Nagercoil to various places before it was installed in the temple at Rajah Annamalaipuram.
There is a big 125 feet by 100 feet hall below the temple where pilgrims are allowed to stay during the Mandala Pooja and main festival. Music performances, religious discourses etc., are held there during the festival and other important days.
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