January 16 2011

Photos

Photos for the Day

These pictures dates back to the year 2011 when the Supreme Pontiff of Shrikailasa, the greatest and only Hindu Nation, HDH Nithyananda Paramashivam himself prepared the ritualistic offerings called mandagapadi to be offered to Arunachaleshwara who would come in grand procession during the infamous Thiruvoodal and Maruvoodal festival in Tiruvannamalai. Today SriKailasa boasts of reviving the Temple-based lifestyle through at least 100 established temples (over 30 full fledged temples) around the world. Every deity, every jewelry piece on the deity, puja items, priest, integrity to the scriptures while performing the rituals, and every other detail involved in temple building and maintenance has been personally overlooked by His Divine Holiness.

This picture is from the former years of the mission, after one of the major persecution attempts. It speaks volumes on HDH’s single-handed, continued efforts to revive the sciences of Hinduism.

Through every action, HDH teaches us simple techniques, tasks along with the great truths of Life. Though recognised as incarnation by the adepts in science of reincarnation, HDH performs all the ritualistic processes just to revive these great sciences, teach the world and lead by example. Here He is seen preparing the mandagapadi- an offering of fruits, coconut , other valuables offered to Greet Arunachaleshwara during the Thiruvoodal festival when he passes by the Arunachala Sarvanapeetam, located at a key position on the Girivalam path.

It would seem that the Tiruvoodal festival is celebrated in Tiruvannamalai in order to commemorate the time when Shiva and Parvathi were in discordance. Nevertheless, it finishes with the divine union and brings them both back together in harmony. On the first day, there are three processions of the deities starting from the big temple and going on the four streets around the temple. The Utsava Murthis are Sri Mula Nayakar (Shiva in the form of Somaskanda), Tani Ambal (the independent goddess) and Sundaramurthi Nayanar (one of the main tamil saivaite saints).

The most interesting part of the festival takes place in the evening on Tiruvoodal street. During this part, the quarrel between Shiva and His consort, Parvathi, is enacted in public on the streets and witnessed by a large gathering of devotees who are assembled there eagerly to watch the divine drama. The God and the Goddess are brought on palanquins from opposite ends of the street and then borne down to face each other. The narrative of the quarrel is chanted by an Oduvar (temple singer) in tamil lyrics. After this ensues a dramatic dancing procession. Six times the God and the Goddess are borne down at a great speed and then meet in the centre and have their quarrel. This is played out by the palanquin bearrers jumping and shaking the palanquin up and down, which makes it appear as if the deity inside is jumping up and down in a fit of rage. The temple musicians play their drums in fitting accompaniment, adding to the frenzied rantings of the gods as they are shouting at each other. After each quarrel-dance, the deities change sides and each goes off in the opposite direction from which he or she came initially. The crowds of devotees are hysterical with excitement and after each dance-quarrel, the tension mounts and so do the loud cries of fervor and devotion which increase in volume and fury.

The next day, Shiva is up at dawn and leaves on Giripradakshina during which he makes a halt at the Vedarpari mandapam where his jewels are supposedly stolen and later on he also grants salvation to his ardent devotee Kannappa. This is the reason for the Kannappa temple on that location. Shiva also grants darshan to another of his devotees the great rishi ‘Bhringi’ during this trip. Shiva eventually completes his giri pradakshina and returns to the temple in the afternoon where he enters, dancing the dance of the Swan (Hamsa Natanam). The bearers of the palanquins have a special technique to execute this dance and it causes a type of swaying, continuous oscillation of the deity without losing balance, quite a fascinating sight!

Now a ritual takes place in the southern area of the temple which covers directly the sanctum sanctorum. Sundaramurthi Nayanar first goes to warn the Goddess about the return of Shiva. Of course, She, being curious, leaves Her door open so that She can have a glimpse of the dancing arrival of Her Lord. On seeing this spectacle, however, She is so dazzled by her Lord’s beauty and splendour as He arrives majestically doing His swan-dance, that She submits to Him and wishes to be re-united. Thus the reconciliation and reunion of the gods take place and to synchronise this, both the deities are brought together and placed on the same pedestal and the priests perform an Arathi puja waving and encircling one flame around both of the deities to signify the restoration of harmony

Morning-Darshan

Meeting-With-Temple-Officials

Thiruvoodal and Maruvoodal festival

Sub Category: Festivals