Monday 26 March 2018

Sri Sakthi Mariamman / ஸ்ரீ சக்தி மாரியம்மன் கோயில் - A Village Guarding Deity's Annual Festival, Pappavalasu near Kunnathur, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

26th March 2018.
Pappavalasu is a tiny Village near ( Adhi ) Kunnathur in Erode district. Sri Sakthi Mariamman, the village guarding deity’s,  ( kaval deivam) annual festival usually celebrated in Tamil month Chithirai ( March – April ). It will be a  5 days festival which starts on Sunday. Our Village comprises of three streets and the residents are relatives to each other like brothers ( Pangalis ). The responsibility of conducting the festival will be on rotational basis to each pangalis. Sisters family ( Maman machan – uncle )  are not eligible for conducting the festival, even if they lives in the same Village.  The festival will be kick started with erection of kambam ( an wooden pole ) with 2 or 3 branches to hold the fire pot.  Normally the wooden pole will be of  “Paala maram”  -  if you cut any branch milk like liquid will be oozed out. The outer skin will be peeled off and turmeric powder will be applied before erecting.

Only during the nights from Sunday to Thursday devotees used dance in a rhythm  to the tune of “man melam“, around the Kambam. They used to tie salangai pad ( small bells stitched on a  leather pad ) The poojari will first go around the temple  with the fire pot. It will be interesting to note that the dancers will be coming from nearby Villages of different castes. On Wednesday devotees used to go to Bhavani to bring the holy Kaveri water which will be used for Amman’s abhishekam, on Thursday. On Wednesday night there will be a small function, in which all places Amman’s  ( Ammai azhaithal ) will be called for this festival.

On Thursday morning Abhishekam will be done for Sri Sakthi Mariamman followed by a procession of   Maa- vilakku ( a mixture of sugar with raw rice powder, some times a lamp will be lighted on the top and decorated with paper flowers. People used to bring the mulaipari also ( nine cereals grown on a pot / plate / bamboo basket ). Then starts the Pongal and offered to Sri Sakthi Mariamman.   Since Sri Sakthi Mariamman is a Village guarding deity, after Pongal, some devotees used to offer goats also. The festival will be concluded on Friday with a Pooja to Amman called maru pooja.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE


 Maavilakku procession
 Maavilakku procession
 Poojari circumambulate around the sanctum with fire pot  
 kambam ( an wooden pole ) with 2 or 3 branches to hold the fire pot.

 Mathalam is also played during pooja 
 “Manmelam” used to be played during  dance around kambam.
An air instrument called Kombu played during pooja    


---OM SHIVAYA NAMA--- 

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