Temples In India-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKAseparate dance-dramas meant to beperformed on eight successive nights, i.e.,Avatharam, Kaliyamardhanam, Rasakreeda,Kamsavatham, Swayamvaram,Banayuddham, Vividavadha andSwargarohanam and Purana recitations(Narayaneeyam, Baghavatham, BhagavadGita).Guruvayur is a temple of festivals andfestivities par excellence. Every day is afestival day for the temple. As a temple ofNityostava, Guruvayur celebrates annualfestivals like Ekadasi, seasonal festivals likethe Mandala and Vaishaka and dailyfestivals like the Ashtami, Rohini, Onamand Medavishu. The Dhvaja Pratishta day,the Kuchela day, Narayaneeyam and Gitadays are all auspicious at Guruvayur. Niraand Puthari, the initial yields of the harvestseason and the use of new rice respectivelyare important at Guruvayur. Besides, allthursdays and monthly Sankramams aredays of importance. Of the seasonalfestivals, the Mandala (41 days beginningfrom 1st Vrichchika and ending on 11 thDhanus-November-December) iscelebrated. Throughout this period, thereis the Panchagavyam Abhishekha and onthe last day Kalabha Abhishekha. Further,there will be five rounds of Seeveli insteadof the usual three. Vaishakam (from thenew-moon day of Meda to the next newMoon-day-April-May) is the most auspiciousseason to worship the Lord. Legendsassociated with Guruvayur-Vaishaka areinnumerable and the festival attractsdevotees in great numbers. The Vaishakavrata or observance of austerities duringthis month is considered specially sacredto the Lord. During Navarathri days, specialworship is offered to the goddessTEMPLE INDIASaraswathi.Among the various festivals at Guruvayur,the one which has attracted popularattention most is the Guruvayur Ekadasi.Tradition has it that Lord Krishna made hisGitopadesa and that He performed theGovardhana raga on this day. The Ekadasicelebrations begin 30 days in advance.There is vilakku (a festival of lights) on allthese days. In memory of late ChembaiVaidyanatha Bhagavathar who used tohave his musical concert on this Ekadasiday, ‘Chembai Sangeethotsvam isconducted during the last four days of thefestival. Prominent artists offer theirperformance free of cost during these days.Another important festival is the annualfestival celebrated in the month of Kumbha(February-March) which lasts for ten days.The most remarkable features of thefestival are Anayottam (elephant-race) inthe inaugural day, the grand Utsavabali onthe eighth, the Pallivetta on the ninth andthe Arattu on the final day. The Devaswomowns 36 elephants, all received by way ofdonations. The 36 elephants are made torun from the East Nada and the one whichtouches the flagstaff inside the temple first,is declared triumphant. It alone has theprivilege to carry the utsava vigraha. Thefestival culminates in the Aratta when thedeity is bathed in the temple-tank amidstthe chanting of mantras. Devotees alsohave a holy dip along with the deity, whichis considered to be highly auspicious.The first in the hierarchy of priests is theTantri who is well-versed in the Tantrasor science and art of temple worship. Thepresent [1981] Tantri is Sri ChennasParameswaran Nambudripad. His is ahereditary office. In addition to the Tantri,156