Wednesday 27 July 2016

A Wonder of Chettinad Culture and Houses of Devakottai, Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu.

27th July 2016.
கடந்த ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை 24 சூலை 2016,  நண்பர் திரு நாச்சியப்பன் அவர்களுடன் தேவகோட்டை பயணம். நான் செட்டிநாட்டிற்க்கு செல்வது இது முதல் தடவை இல்லை என்றாலும், இந்தமுறை சென்றது முக்கியமானது.. காரணம் கோட்டை அம்மன் தரிசனம். ஒருமாதத்திற்க்குமுன்பு தேவகோட்டை திரு வெங்கடேஷ் அவர்களின் புதல்வர் திருமணத்திற்க்கு செல்லவேண்டியது  கடைசி நிமிடத்தில் அலுவல் காரணமாக தடைபட்டது. திரு நாச்சியப்பன் அவர்கள் கோட்டை அம்மன் திருவிழா சிறப்பாக இருக்கும் என்று கூறியதால் தேவகோட்டை செல்ல முடிவு செய்தேன்..பயணம் இனிதாக இருந்தது..அவருடைய விருந்தோம்பல், சிறியவர் முதல் கொண்டு பெரியவர் வரைவாங்கஎன்று வரவேற்றது என்னை திக்குமுக்காட செய்தது..ஒருநாள் முழுவதும் அவருடைய குடும்பத்தாருடன் இனிமையாகக் கழிந்தது... அவர்கள் பழைய வீடு நூறு வருடத்தை தாண்டிவிட்டது என்றும்.. சமீபத்தில் மிக பொருட்செலவில் மராமத்து வேலைகள் பார்த்ததாகவும் கூறினார்..ஏழாம் எட்வர்டு பட்டமேற்ப்பு விழா, மைசூர் மன்னர், அவர்கள் தாத்தா, கொல்லுத்தாத்தா புகைபடங்கள் மிக அருமை.. வீதிகளிலும் சாலைகளிலும் செல்லும் போது அவருடைய உறவினர்கள், அண்ணா, தம்பி, தங்கை, மாமனார் வீடுகளையும் காட்டினார்..அடுத்து அடுத்த வீடுகள்

காலையில் ஸ்ரீ மீனாட்சி சுந்தரேஸ்வரர் தரிசனம்.. பின்பு கோட்டை அம்மன் தரிசனம் ( விபரம் தனியான பதிவில்)..மாலை ஸ்ரீசாய்பாபா தரிசனத்துடன் சாக்கோட்டை ஸ்ரீ வீரசேகர பெருமான் தரிசனம்..

House front View 
House front View  from inner 
Lights old and New 
Court yard with verandah 
wooden Ceiling, Pillars, Fans all from Burma
Front verandah 
 Front verandah
 Mysore King at Palace 
Edward VII- Coronation
The three generations 
---o0o---

Friday 22 July 2016

Sri Veeramathi Amman / ஸ்ரீ வீரமாத்தி அம்மன் கோயில், and Sri Karuppana Swamy Temple, Annual Festival 2016, தாழ்குணி / Talguni, Erode District, Tamil Nadu

22nd July 2016.
The annual festival of our Kula Deivam Sri Veeramathi Amman, at Talkuni, near Kolapalur was celebrated this year on 20th, July and 21st July 2016. This Sri Veeramathi Amman belongs to a section of Viswakarmas of Kuruppu nadu in  Kongu mandalam ( During Chozha, Pandya, Vijayanagara kings rule the present Coimbatore, Erode, Salem districts are  called as Kongu mandalam and the same was divided in to 24 subdivisions and one of the subdivision is Kuruppa nadu with Vijayamangalam as head quarter )   and worshiped as Kula Deivam.

The festival will be held during 1st week of every year. This year I was fortunate to attend the both days functions. Since it is a village god, the temple is  little away from the village Talkuni and poojas are performed by a non Brahmin priest, usually called as poojari. Kannimar and Karuppaswamy are in the adjacent building. The Poojas conducted are typical Village type and  not confirmed to any agamas.  

TIRTH POT ( KUDAM ) PROCESSION
On 19th July 2016, afternoon, A batch of 20 people went to Bhavani river ( Puliampatti ) 12 KM away from Gobichettipalayam  and brought theertham for abhishekam usually called  as “Abhisheka tirtha kudam“.  The abhisheka  tirtha kudams are  brought to the temple in procession with melathalam and fire works  ( Musical Instruments like Thavil, Nathaswaram, Pambai are played. Few ladies also danced to the tune of music, called as “sami aduthal” throughout the procession. 

 Abhisheka Theertha kudam procession with melathalam  
 Abhisheka Theertha kudam procession – Ladies dancing – sami aduthal 
 Abhisheka Theertha kudam procession – Ladies dancing – sami aduthal 
 Abhisheka Theertha kudam procession  
Abhisheka Theertha kudam kept at temple after procession  

AMMAI AZHAITHAL ( அம்மை அழைத்தல் )  ( INVITING THE OTHER GODS FOR THE FUNCTION )
This function is used called as “ammai azhaithal”, is to invite other gods right from Sri Vinayagar, to all the Ammans of Tamil Nadu ( Mari Amman, Kali Amman etc..).  The Pooja was offered to a  very small linga shaped  stone, called as Padavettamman on a small platform.  The offerings are brought from the temple with mela thalam, by a person who has the authority of the same village. At the end of the pooja,  the pambai musician invites all the gods to attend Sri Veeramathi Amman’s thiru Kalyana urchavam ( ie the annual function and not the usual thirukalyana functions held at Shiva or Vishnu temples. )

 Pooja to Sri Padavettamman 
 Pooja to Sri Padavettamman 

 Pooja to Sri Padavettamman 

 Pooja to Sri Padavettamman 


AMMAN ABHISHEKAM.
On  20st, July morning around 07.00 hrs the Abhishekam was done  to Sri Vinayagar, Sri Veeramathi Amman and Sri Murugan, with the abhisheka theertham brought from river Bhavani. After Abhishekam the mavilakku was brought to the temple by a group of Ladies  after performing a small pooja at Sri Azhagu Raja Perumal Temple with melethalam.  Pooja was performed to Sri Veeramathi  Amman after the mavilakku reached to the temple. Abhisheka panchamirtham and prasadam sarkarai ( sugar ) Pongal was distributed to the Devotees.   

 Maavilakku at Sri Azhagu Raja Perumal temple 
 Mavilakku procession 

Maavilakku procession was received at the temple  and a pumpkin was cut to remove thiristi ( to remove bad happenings)  

 Abhishekam to Amman 
 Abhishekam to Amman 
 Abhishekam to Amman 
 Abhishekam to Amman 
Amman in Santhana alangaram after Abhishekam 

THE PERUM POOJA TO SRI KARUPPANNA SWAMY.
After the pooja to Sri Veeramathi Amman, the perum Pooja was started to Sri Karuppanna Swamy  and Non vegetarian prasadam was offered after sacrificing the goats and cocks..  A separate poojari conducted the pooja for Sri Karuppanna Swamy with the mouth covered. During that time, Kannaimars are covered with  cloth.  The Non veg prasadams are distributed to the was distributed to the devotees.

 Pooja to Sri Karuppanna Swamy 
 Saptamatrikas or Kannimars 

  
A musical treat 

The tablet contains the names of the donors for the expansions of the temple was opened by Mr T P Thangaraj of P R D Exports, Thiruchengode.
 
For the details and Photos of the annual functions held earlier  : CLICK HERE  
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA:--- 

Sri Azhagar Raja Perumal Temple and a Shiva Temple at Talguni, Tippu Period Temples at Talguni near Gobichettipalayam, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

 22nd July 2016
When I was at Talguni, Kolappalur near Gobichettipalayam, the locals claims that the Sri Azhagar Raja Perumal temple and the Shiva temple are very old, built during Tipu Sultan period, by his Hindu minister. There is evidence found to prove the same.  The temples are maintained by local Vellalar/ Gounder caste peoples.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLES : CLICK HERE

SRI AZHAGAR RAJA PERUMAL TEMPLE
The temple is facing east with a garudathoon/ vilakku thoon / Deepasthambham. In side the sanctum there is no murti/ Deity of perumal instead there is a platform on which linga like stones were kept. What is the significance, do not know and  nobody was there to explain. Anjaneyar relief is kept in a separate sannadhi.






SHIVA TEMPLE
The shiva temple is facing east in the midst of field near a burial ground. The vimanam is in pyramid shape with a kalasam on the top. Vinayagar and murugan are at the entrance of the sanctum. A nagar relief is there on an unfinished stone.  





 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA:--- 

Monday 18 July 2016

Sri Devi Bhavani Amman Temple, annual Festival 2016, Ramakrishna Nagar, Adambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

 18th July 2016
The Adi month’s Annual festival, for the year 2016 of Sri Devi Bhavani Amman, located at Ramakrishna Nagar, Adambakkam, Chennai 88 was celebrated  in the first week of the Tamil month. In other temples the Adi month’s festival will be celebrated  in any one of the  week.  The main purpose of this celebration is to distribute Koozh made of rahi –a variety of millet, since this month will be the dry season  of the year.  The procedures followed  will be very much similar to the festival celebrated in  Drowpathy Amman Temples.  Normally this will be three days function  starts on Friday and concludes on Sunday.  The important features of this festival are, providing annathanam to all the  devotees, walking on the fire and Amman will be carried in procession  through the streets.  In addition to this in some of the temples theru koothu / street play  ie drama of Mahabharata  will be conducted. 

 Amman in sandal paste alangaram 
The kumbhams taken for the procession 
 The kumbhams taken for the procession 
 This amman is made of mud and the lamp will glow throughout the function 
 Kumbam in procession
It was believed that if the procession crosses on the lying man,  all the evil effects will be vanished.. 
Arul vakku
 Preparation of fire for the fire walk 
 Amman is ready for procession 
After fire walk – the man in costume
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---