Pujaabhishekam Blog (Page 16)

PANGUNI-(MARCH-APRIL)

In the month of Panguni, the festival called Panguni Uttiram is important. It occurs when the full moon is on the asterism ‘Uttiram’, (Beta Leonis). In the majority of the temples in South India, the annual temple festival known as Brahmotsava, lasting for ten days, reaches its culmination and consummation on this sacred day. Hence it is of importance in all temples. Siva is said to have married Parvathi on this day.

The marriage of Goddess Minakshi with Chokkanathar at Madurai and the wedding of goddess Kamakshi with Ekambaranathar at Kancheepuram, etc., are said to have taken place only on this auspicious day. The marriage of Rama and Sita also is considered to have taken place on this Panguni Uttiram day. Naminandhi Adigal Nayanar of the 63 saints of Saivism was hailed 1,300 years ago, as one who conducted this festival ably and devoutly at Tiruvaroor, by Saint Appar.

Thirugnanasambandhar also refers to this festival, as celebrated at Thirumayilai, (Mylapore), in seventh century A. D. There is an allusion to this festival, even in a poem of Agananuru, (137), a classic of the Sangam age, which dates back to 2,000 years. Sangam poet Nakkeerar also refers to this festival and informs that it was very popular and famous at Uraiyur, the ancient Chola capital of the Sangam age. All these literary references go to prove the antiquity of this festival. Although Panguni Uttiram festival is very famous in almost all the temples of Siva, Kancheepuram Ekambaranathar temple is noted for it. When the marriage of Lord Ekambaranathar and goddess Kamakshi takes place, many marriages of poor people are celebrated simultaneously and ceremoniously in the immediate presence of the divine couple, Ekambaranathar and Sri Kamakshi devi. This age-old religious and social custom indicates the foresightedness and the far-sightedness of our ancient ancestors, in setting up a highly commendable grand model, for the modern day mass marriages.

MASI-(FEBRUARY-MARCH)

Masimagam is the most important festival, which occurs in the month of Masi, Magham is the day, when the star Magham (Leonis) holds sway. In all places situated near the seacoast, sea-bath is very important for the Masi-magham festival. The deity of the local temple and the other deities from all the temples in the neighbourhood are taken in procession in a festive manner to the seashore or to the riverbanks and ceremoni-ously immersed in water with due rituals, at an auspicious moment. Simultaneously all the people attending the festival bathe in the sea. This is referred to by Sambandhar as Masi-Kadalattu (Theerthavari).

For this festival Sri Bhoovaragaswami of Sri Mushnam temple is taken in a procession to the far-distant sea-coast near Chidambaram and this procession takes a week to reach the seacoast. All the people living in the villages, on the route of the procession, participate in the festival with great joy and zeal. Likewise, in many coastal places, this Masimagham festival is being celebrated. For once in twelve years, this festival is celebrated at Kumbakonam, as Mahamagham and several lakhs of people come to take bath in the Mahamagham tank at Kumbakonam. The tradition is that the nine rivers celebrated in Hindu lore, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Kaveri, Sindhu, Narmada, Kumari and Krishna appear in a confluence in the waters of this tank on this Masimagham day and therefore a bath in it is the most meritorious in one’s life-time. This is an age-old grand festival of All India importance.

THAI- (JANUARY- FEBRUARY)

The month of Thai is very popular because of its Pongal or Sankaranthi festival. On the first day in the month of Thai, the sun passes from the ninth sign of the zodiac to the tenth sign ‘Makara’ and this is called Uttarayana, the journey of the sun from the south to the north. Uttarayana is considered to be meritorious. Hence from the first day of Uttarayana in the month of Thai, the Pongal festival is celebrated, continuously for four days. Bhogi is the first of the four days. Pongal proper is on the first of the Tamil month of Thai and Bhogi is a day earlier on the last day of the previous month, Marghazi.

AIPPASI-( OCTOBER-NOVEMBER)

During this month, people celebrate Deepavali festival. Deepavali is probably the greatest national festival of India. Deepavali occurs on the night of the 14th day of the dark fortnight called Chaturdasi in the Tamil month of Aippasi; the next day is the new-moon day, Amavasya. Deepavali, means the festival of a row of lights and is welcomed with an oil bath, done a little earlier than daybreak. All the people of the household wear new clothes; prepare many varieties of sweets and dishes and enjoy a sumptuous and delicious feast. Young children rejoice in firing crackers. But this is mainly a social festival and does not have much connection with temples. But Saivas, Vaishnavas, Jains, Sikhs and others joyfully celebrate this Deepavali festival.

AVANI( AUGUST-SEPTEMBER)

Avani is the month, noted for Vinayaka Chaturthi festival and the Avani-moolam festival. Vinayaka is the most popular deity in the whole of South India. Vinayaka festival is performed on the fourth day, Chaturthi thithi, on the bright fortnight of the Tamil month of Avani. Scholars say, that the month of Avani was originally the first month of a year, long before the time of Saint Tholkappiyar and Vinayakar being the god who is usually worshipped first, at the very start of every act. His festival has appropriately come to be celebrated in the first month of Avani. Avani Moolam (Scorpionis), is another important festival of this month. It is held as very sacred and is celebrated not only in Madurai temple but also in all the Siva temples of Tamilnadu.

ADI-POORAM FESTIVAL (JULY-AUGUST)

In the month of Adi, the Pooram festival is celebrated in both the Saiva and Vaishnavatemples. The star Pooram is said to be the natal star of Ambal or the Goddess Sakthi. Hence, it is celebrated in almost all the Saiva temples. Since Adi-pooram is the birth-star of Sri Andal also, it is sacred to Vaishnavites as well.

This festival is very famous at Srivilliputtur and is elaborately celebrated in honour of Sri Andal, the ladysaint among the twelve Azhvars, for ten days. Adi- Tapasu Vizha is conducted in the Siva (Sankara-Narayanar) temple at Sankarankoil of Tirunelveli district. Ambal or Sakthi is considered to be the sister of Vishnu and the Ambal, here known as Gomathi Devi, is said to have desired to have darshan of both Siva and Vishnu inseparably together and performed a penance (tapas) therefore. Complying with her ardent desire, both Siva and Vishnu appeared before Her, together in the form, since known as Sankaranarayanar. This form symbolises the integration of the Saiva and Vaishnava sects; the azhvars and the Nayanmars have both sung on this combined or integrated form. Adi-pooram festival is enthusiastically celebrated in all the villages of South-India, to all the goddesses like Mariamman, etc., generally called the ‘grama-devatas’.

PRAPITAMAHESHVARA TEMPLE

No deva-puja is so old and so famous in India as that of Siva or Mahadeva (the great god), who occupies an honoured place in the Hindu Trinity. Historically, it is as old as the Indus Valley civilisation. Copious references have been made in honour of Siva, in the Vedas, epics and Puranas. The mighty king Jarasandha-Asura of Magadha, (which includes Gaya), was a devout worshipper of Rudra-Siva. The Mahabharata has mentioned the figure of Nandi of Griddheshvara-Siva existing on Griddhakuta at Gaya and the same still forms a holy spot of the Gaya pilgrimage .The impressive black-basalt stone-temple of Prapitamaheshvara, referred to in the Agni Purana ,stands at the feet of two adjoining sacred hills of Brahamayoni and Vasma-Koota and just to the east of the holy Rukmini Kendra, on the northern side of the famous shraddha-vedi of Akshyavata. The charming hilly environs of the temple present pleasant views. It is one of the oldest and loftiest existing temples of Gaya.

The pyramidal tower of the temple is surmounted by amalaka, ornamented finial and a broken iron trident. This temple was originally built in 1050 A.D. by Visvaroopa at the time of King Nayapala belonging to the famous Pala dynasty, as is evident from the stone inscription found in the neighbouring Vatesha-Temple (1050) standing under the famous Akshayvata where pindas are offered by the pilgrims. The sanctum of the temple contains the phallic symbol oflord Siva called Prapitamaheshvara. The shape of the Linga is of uncommon type. Its upper part is tapering and its base bears a circle of lotuses. The top of the Linga is bulged out like a jata. Its cylindrical body shows three circular belts and fifteen vertical stripes. It is an Ekmukhi Linga, representing the face of lord Siva. He is bedecked with a ‘munda-mala with eleven beads and other ornaments. The Linga stands on an uncommon type of Argha, which is circular in shape instead of being projected to the northern side. The temple has its attached sabhamandapa in the front, i.e., to the east. These columns bear little ornamentation. There are five graceful domes over the mandapa, revealing its unique type. The enormous size and height of the mandapa do not conform to that of the structure of the temple. The mandapa contains an old and elegant image of Ganesha. It is assumed that the stone-materials, employed in rebuilding this temple (excepting the original lower part of the sanctum) and its mandapa, were brought from some ruined temples of the neighbourhood, This may be known from the fact that a stone door-jamb has been used as the roof-slab of the garbhagrihe; a huge stone door-lintel has been utilised as a step leading to the mandapa and the stone blocks of the temple’s tower are of different shapes, sizes and ornamentations.

According to the Puranas, Prapitamaheshvara, like Gadadhara, is a witness-deity for the performance of the pinda-dana ceremony completed by the pilgrim at Gaya. This is also supported by a stone inscription dated 1240 A.D. of the time of Sultana Maujidina (or Sultan Maujuddin) fixed in the northern outer-wall of the mandapa, recording that one Rajput chief, Mantreshvara Kamdeva, performed Gayashraddha duly witnessed by the god, Prapitamaheshvara of Gaya. In front of the mandapa, there is a brickmade, small, circular platform. According to local tradition, it is the burial place of a military chief who died on the spot, immediately after his breaking a part of the iron trident on the top of the temple by an arrow and this broken trident is still seen there. It is noteworthy that the people of the locality, as a customary rite, perform, within the precincts of the temple, some funeral rites.

Other Puranic Saiva deities, enshrined in the temples at Gaya-kshetra are:

•  Pitamaheshvara,
•  Vriddha-Prapitamaheshvara,
•  Markandyesha,
•  Falgisha, Kedara,
•  Rameshvara,
•  Matangeshvara,
• Rinamoksha,
•  Papa-moksha,
• Ekadas-Rudra,
• Pitarauni, Ekoddishta, etc.

VISHNUPADA – TEMPLE AND OTHER IMPORTANT AT GAYA TEMPLES GAYA:

The Eternal City Gaya, located in south Bihar, stands on the banks of river Falgu and is girdled by seven hills. The city is well connected with all important centres of India by railways and bus routes. The holy land of Gaya has been the earliest centre of various religious doctrines and civilisations of the pre-Aryan tribes of Vraryas Kikatas and Asuras, as well as, of the Aryans, Buddhists, Jainas and neo Brahmanical Hindus. The Vedic name of the Gaya-region was Kikata  afterwards, Magadha. The city of Gaya or Gayapuri has derived its name from the Rajarshi Gaya (Mahabharata, Vana-Parva,) and the Siddha demon, Gaya-Asura, lent his name to Gaya-Kshetra (Vayu Purana,)., “There is hardly any city in the world that can claim greater antiquity, greater sanctity and greater veneration than Gaya.” (History of Dharmasastra,).

GAYA:

The Temple City “Our temples and centres of religious pilgrimage are our heritage and give the configuration of India’s personality. Under the patronage of benevolent kings and generous persons, hundreds of temples have been built and re-built in the ancient and renowned Gaya-Tirtha, since the time of the great Vaishnava Gupta Emperors of Magadha (4th/5th century A.D.). The ruins of Hindu Gaya bear sufficient evidence of the ruthless destruction of numerous shrines at the hands of the iconoclast Moslem rulers. But with the rise of the Maratha power, early in the 18th century. Gaya again resumed its religious activities and glory, as it is seen today.

VISHNUPADA- TEMPLE

The Vedic Vishnu is a prominent god of the Hindu Trinity. He is responsible for preservation and prosperity. Yaska giving an explanation of a Rig Vedic verse states that Trivikrama-Vishnu set his foot on Vishnupada and Gayasuras. Both of them form holy spots of Gaya, where Pindas are offered to the manes by the pilgrims. The existence of the Vishnupada temple at Gaya in the time of the great Vaishnava Gupta Emperors of Magadha is evident from the discovery at Vaishali of a terracotta seal containing Vishnu’s emblems “sankha, chakra and gadha” with the legend ‘Vishnupada Swami Narayana’ and this seal must have come from the famous Vishnupada-temple of Gaya.

THE RANAKPUR TEMPLE

One of the most famous temples of Rajasthan, was built in 1436 A. D., at Ranakpur in Jodhpur on an area of 40,000 square feet. This three-storeyed massive structure, is four-faced (Chaturmukhi) and has 26 mandapas and 420 pillars. The carvings on the pillars and columns relate to various aspects of Jainism. The one beauty of art displayed in this temple is that the carvings on the pillars are different. The temple is dedicated to Adinath, whose quadruple image graces the main shrine.