On this Maasi Magam morning, Chakrapani provided darshan atop the Chariot, Sarangapani on the float and Athi Kumbeswarar on a majestic Rishabham
It is the 8th day of the Maasi Brahmotsavam with Chakrapani Perumal of Thiru Kudanthai having made his way this Sunday (March 1) morning to the centuries old Rayar Agraharam west of the temple. The popular Soundararajan Bhattar finished a beautiful alankaram of Chakrapani Perumal atop the Golden Horse Vahana just after 7pm, the time slated for the start of the evening vahana procession.
Unfortunately, the ubayadarars of the day are not present and they make Perumal wait endlessly with Kumar Bhattar, the priest anchoring the activities at the Chakrapani temple sitting on the floor.
It has been a long standing battle that the priests have repeatedly lost. There are scores of devotees who have made their way to the mandapam at 7pm and they returned to come back later for they are told that the procession can only start after the ubayadarar mariyathai is done with.
It is an Agraharam that once housed traditional Rayars. The trustee, Prakash, told this writer on Sunday evening that their forefathers were Dewans to a number of Rajahs in the centuries gone by prior to India’s independence.
It is well past 8pm when the families of the ubayadarars arrive for the mariyathai. On this 8th evening, Aathi Varaha Perumal too has made his way to the Rayar Agraharam mandapam and he too is seen atop the horse vahana ahead of the joint procession.
Wide ranging prasadam is handed out to devotees by the ubayadarars. It is almost 9pm when Chakrapani Perumal finally makes his way out of the mandapam. Residents of the this historic Agraharam come out of their homes to present flowers and fruits. At the south end of the Agraharam the family of the trustees of this once vibrant private locality of the Rayars welcome Chakrapani into their homes followed by Aathi Varaha Perumal. The Nadaswaram artistes present devotional tunes in front of the trustee’s home.
It is almost 10pm when the Lords bid good bye to this beautiful Agraharam that had come to life on this festive Sunday evening. The two Lords make their way onto the Solaiappan street where residents continue to come out of their homes to present Thattu.
Some of the Sripatham and Kainkaryaparas are glued on to the tense knock out T20 World Cup match between India and West Indies even as the procession heads on to the Chakrapani North Street. It is well past 10pm and would have been sleep time but on this Kuthirai Vahana night, the Vedic Students of the ancient Patshala come out in good numbers and invoke the blessings of the Lord with folded hands.
English Notes and Sripatham Voyali
Almost close to 11pm, the sripatham personnel present voyali in front of the Chariot on the Chakrapani East street to the tunes of English Notes Nottuswaram by the Nadaswaram artistes much to the delight of the devotees receiving the biggest applause of the night. While Chakrapani Perumal made his way on to the Sannidhi street, Aathi Varaha Perumal bid good bye to him and continued on his way to his abode North West of the Chakrapani temple.
In front of the eastern Raja Gopuram, a visibly tired looking Kumar Bhattar, who anchors all the festivals at this temple, is vocal that the mariyathai for the sripatham is to be done at the vahana mandapam and not outside the temple as per the tradition followed by his forefathers telling them that a deviation in 1-2 years in the past does not justify presenting mariyathai in front of the Raja Gopuram. The Sripatham personnel have great regard for Kumar Bhattar, who also takes care of the Parthanpalli Divya Desam in Thiru Nangur, and they nod their approval to his direction.
Shatari and Maalai Mariyathai is presented at the Vahana Mandapa to every single Sripatham who carried the Lord on this day bringing to end the proceedings on this 8th evening of the Maasi Brahmotsavam as the Sripatham personnel head back for a well earned rest for a few hours.
But for the priests there is more on this night. Chakravarthi Bhattar and Kannan Bhattar have arrived at the temple for alankaram of Chakrapani Perumal for the early morning procession to the Chariot. And this goes on till 2am!!! Yes, that’s the way of life for temple priests during Brahmotsavams.
An hour later, the prabhandham members arrive to present the Thiruppavai Ghoshti. It is 4am and Kumar Bhattar is pushing the Sripatham personnel to come together to carry Chakrapani to the Chariot.
Maasi Magam Chariot Festival
The story goes that once upon a time, the rishis found it difficult to undertake their penance at Thiru Kudanthai as they were continuously troubled by Asura Jalanda. Around the same time, the Sun Lord’s heat in this region was becoming unmanageable. When asked the reason for this over heated state, the Sun Lord replied in an arrogant tone that he was the only source of light and heat and it was his choice to decide the intensity.
The rishis undertook penance at this place invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu to save them, both from the asura and the heat. Answering their prayers, Lord Vishnu appeared here and hurled the chakra in his right hand to kill the Asura. This chakra was said to have had the power equivalent to several times the Sun’s rays.
Seeing the powerful Chakra swirl from the hands of Lord Vishnu, a threatened Sun Lord went into hiding. A worried Devas came down in a large group here and requested Lord Vishnu to give back the powers of the Sun God so this place could receive the sun rays again. Realising his folly, the Sun God too came out from his hiding, invoked the blessings of Lord Vishnu here and apologised for his arrogant behaviour. In memory of this event, the Sun God performed special poojas for Sudarshana Moorthy on Maasi Magam.
To the presentation of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Siriya Thiru Madal, Chakrapani Perumal makes his way out of the Eastern Raja Gopuram and positions himself atop the Chariot. While the Ubayadarars are handed out their Mariyathai, the prabhandham members continue their recital with the presentation of Periya Thiru Madal, the final decad of Periya Thirumozhi and Thiru Ezhu Kootrurikkai.
செல்வம் மல்கு தென் திருக்குடந்தை
அந்தணர் மந்திர மொழியுடன் வணங்க
ஆடு அரவு அமளியில் அறிதுயில்
அமர்ந்த பரம
It is now Monday morning and given the Rahu Kaalam and Yama Kandam, the start of the Chariot procession is scheduled to start after 9am and the priests, who have not slept through the night, are happy with the 4 hour break.
Sarangapani Theppam
There are a few devotees who have an early morning darshan of Chakrapani atop the Chariot even as the attention shifts south to the Sarangapani Koil, where Soundar Bhattar is back to decorate his favourite Lord ahead of the procession to the Theppam. It is 9.30am when Sarangapani Perumal makes his way out of the towering east gopuram to the recital of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar first decad of the Periya Thirumozhi by the Prabhandham members, while at the Chakrapani temple too the chariot procession has begun.
ஆரா அமுதே அடியேன் உடலம் நின்பால் அன்பாயே
நீராய் அலைந்து கரைய உருக்குகின்ற நெடுமாலே
சீர் ஆர் செந்நெல் கவரி வீசும் செழு நீர் திரு குடந்தை
ஏர் ஆர் கோலம் திகழ கிடந்தாய் கண்டேன் எம்மானே - Thiruvoimozhi ( 5-8-1)
It is past 10am when Sarangapani makes his way via Ramaswamy Koil on to the Theppam for an hour long one round the tank that is now brimming with water. Past 11am, even as Sarangapani is making way around the south side of the tank, Athi Kumbeswarar and Mangalambika are making their way on the Rishabham to the Maha Magam tank for the theerthavari on this Maasi Magam day.
What a morning it was in and around Thiru Kudanthai with Chakrapani, Sarangapani and Aathi Kumbeswarar all in action, each of a different kind – one inside a Theppam, another atop a beautifully decorated Chariot and Lord Shiva on the Silver Rishabham.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's Madal: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/10/thirumangai-azhvaars-madal.html
Thiru Ezhu Kootrirukkai: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/06/thiru-ezhu-kootrirukkai_22.html
