Nanguneri Chitrai Brahmotsavam Horse Vahana Procession

It is a day of great celebration as villagers around Nanguneri come together ahead of the Golden Horse Vahana Procession of Deivanayakan

The eighth day of the Chitrai Brahmotsavam is a special one at the Thothadri Nathan Divya Desam in Nanguneri.  It is a day when the villagers come together to organise the celebration. Following the pallakku procession at 8am last Wednesday (May 7), Deivanayakan, the utsava deity at the temple enjoyed a Thirumanjanam at the mandapam west of the temple, where he remained through the day. 

Srikaryam of the Vaanamaamalai Mutt, Srikanth, led the Vedic recital. It was past noon when the morning events came to an end with a large quantity of Ven Pongal distributed to several hundreds of devotees present on the occasion. 

It was past 11pm when the music programme that was conducted at a specially erected stage came to an end. By this time, Perumal had mounted atop the Golden Horse Vahana while Srivaramangai Thayar was atop the Sesha Vahana. The Prabhandham members began the recital of the third canto of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi leading to the start of the procession. 

பெண்மைமிகு வடிவு கொடு வந்தவளை 

பெரியபேயினிது உருவு கொடு மாள  உயிருண்டு 

திண்மைமிகு மருதொடு நற்சகடம் இருத்தருளும் 

தேவனவன் மகிழ்ந்து இனிது மறிவு உரை கோயில் 

உண்மை மிகு மறையொடு நற் கலைகள் நிறை பொறைகள் 

உதவு கொடை என்று இவற்றின் ஒழிவு இல்லாப் 

பெரிய வண்மை மிகு மறையவர்கள் மலிவு எய்து நாங்கூர்

வைகுண்ட விண்ணகரம் வணங்கு மட நெஞ்சே

There was a celebratory buzz all around. The organisers got down to dismantling the music stage for Perumal and Thayar to start the procession around the temple complex. It was past midnight when they reached the eastern entrance of the temple, where mariyathai was presented to the Jeer of the Vaanamaamalai Mutt that adminsters the temple.  Devotees had gathered in good numbers to watch the mounting of the colourful canopy atop the divine couple. 

The Sannidhi Street remains traditional to this day with Agraharam style homes. Devotees came out of each home to present thattu welcoming Perumal and Thayar to their homes. The devotional excitement of seeing their favourite Perumal in a princely alankaram was palpable. Sripatham Personnel continue to carry the Lord on their shoulders in this Divya Desam and they showed a lot of energy stopping at each home a few yards apart and then resuming the procession.

The Prabhandham members had moved on to the fourth canto of Periya Thirumozhi when they turned on to the East street when hundreds of devotees gathered at the far end of the Sannidhi street. It is 1am and the devotees are looking forward to the mega bursting of crackers that had been announced earlier in all the posters around the temple. Rockets went up unabated for 15 minutes lighting up the entire sky even as Prabhandham members continued their recital amid the loud noice of the rockets.

And then the fire crackers were lit much to the delight of the residents. It signified the happy state of mind of the residents of Nanguneri as they wanted to make this an enjoyable night of celebration. 

Even as the fire crackers were coming to an end, the police personnel turned up to inform the temple authorities that given the poor state of a couple of roads and the time having gone past 1am, the procession had to head back through the Sannidhi Street. The Prabhandham members who had already made their way to the East street were informed accordingly and they returned back to the Sannidhi street as Deivanayakan made his way back in a fast paced procession back to the temple entrance. 

நால் திசை நடுங்க  அம் சிறைப் பறவை ஏறி

நால் வாய் மும் மதத்து இரு செவி

ஒரு தனி  வேழத்து அரந்தையை

ஒரு நாள் இரு நீர்மடுவுள் தீர்த்தனை

The Ghoshti members presented Thiru Ezhu Kootrurukkai, another of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Prabhandham and Satru Murai of Periya Thirumozhi verses (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/06/thiru-ezhu-kootrirukkai_22.html). 

குன்றா மது மலர்ச் சோலை வண்கொடிப் படப்பை

வரு புனல் பொன்னி மா மணி அலைக்கும்

செந்நெல் ஒண்  கழனித் திகழ் வனம் உடுத்த

கற்போர் புரிசைக் கனக மாளிகை

நிமிர் கொடி விசும்பில் இளம் பிறை துவக்கும்

A special feature of Brahmotsavams in Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu is the increasing number of Bhagavathas participating in a wholesome way in the processions. Here too, they were present right till the end.

It is past 1.45am when Deiva Nayakan and Srivara Mangai Thayar presented an Ekantha Sevai as they made their way back to the Sannidhi. It is the kind of peaceful late-night procession to the Sannidhi that a select set of local residents experienced and enjoyed. 

The day is still not complete as the priest heads to the moolavar sannidhi for the Artha Jaama Pooja bringing to end the 8th day celebrations of the Chitrai Brahmotsavam. 

For the Sripatham too there is still some more work left as they carry the horse and sesha vahana back to the vahana mandapam before they got back for a well earned rest late on Wednesday night. It is almost 2.30am when Nambi Bhattar made his way back home after a long day at the temple, a typical scenario during Brahmotsavams in remote temple towns.