Annual Tamasha at Thiagarajaswamy Temple in Tiruvottiyur

A Different Ritual: At Thyagarajaswamy Temple in Tiruvottiyur, the near Poornami of Mahadeepam is special. On three days, the gold coating of Adhipureswara’s Swayambu idol is removed and a special anointing is done by Sambrani Thyalam. | Photo credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

As the Northeast Monsoon advances and clouds form a canopy over the Tamil month of Karthikai, the people of Tamil Nadu wait for Mahadeepam on the Arunachal Hills in Tiruvannamalai. Lamps are lit in houses and temples in preparation for the grand festival.

“Laksha Deepas are lit in many Shiva temples. Hundreds of devotees gather to light one lakh lamps in the temple complex. This is done on Kartikai Monday. At the Ekambaranathar temple in Kancheepuram, devotees light the lamps in the colorful kolams carved in Prakarma. Flowers were used in the Rangoli, which was drawn in the shape of Shivling, peacock, bird and flower. Lamps were lit in front of shrines,” says Raghunathan, an expert on temple rituals. Lamps were lit around the tall gopuram of the Othandeshwar temple in Thirumadhisai.

At Thyagarajaswamy Temple in Tiruvottiyur, Chennai, the Purnima (full moon day) near the Mahadeepam in the month of Kartikai is special. On three days, the gold coating of Adhipureswara’s Swayambu idol is removed and a special anointing is done by Sambrani Thyalam. It is estimated that eight lakh devotees participated in the consecration this year and worshiped the idol without Kavacham.

According to the Tamil scholar and religious exponent Maki. Ramana, the idol is Swayambu. It is an ant hill made of sand, mud and clay. “The Lord decided to appear here in this form. Among the seven types of Shiva Lingam, this is the best form. There are temples like Rameswaram where Lord Rama made a Shiva Linga out of sand and Tiruchendur where Lord Muruga worshiped five Shiva Lingas before the war. There is a verse in Thiruvasagam, thane vandhu thalai alithu atkondu arulum. It means God himself came, placed his feet on Manikavasagar’s head and blessed him,” he says.

It is said that the deity also known as Adipureshwar has been here since ancient times. The shape of the idol is similar to the dowry of a snake. Hence the name, Padampakkanathar.

According to Arulnandhi Sivan, priest of Sri Vadivudaimman Sametha Thyagarajaswamy Temple, Pacha Karpooram, Kumkumapu, Sambrani Thayalam and Punugule Abhishekam are performed on these three days. “We cannot use curd, water or Panchamritam used in Abhishekam on granite idols. Over the years, the use of thylam has made the idol tighter. At least 100 liters of thylum are used every year.”

Explaining why Kavacham is removed on Karthikai, he says that according to mythology, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and Sri Adhishen asked Lord Shiva for permission to touch Lord Shiva’s idol and at this time Lord gave permission. Devotees collect Thylam after Abhishekam and adorn it on their forehead with the belief that it has medicinal properties. Although 10 kala pujas are performed in three days, idols of Lord Tyagarajaswamy and Vadivudaimman are brought in procession around the huge temple prakarma.