The 10 day Panguni
Thiruvizha of the Karpagaambaal Kapaaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, Chennai
was celebrated from March 26. On all 10 days, Vinaayakar, Kapaleeswarar-Karpagambal,
Karpagambal, Murugar with Valli Deivayaanai and Chandikeswarar (Ainthirumenigal
- 5 deities) were taken in procession around the 4 Maada veedhis on different
vaahanams / vehicles on pallakkus, palanquins, chariots. As an opportunity
for the asuras and demons to redeem themselves from their sins and bad
actions, they are also used by the Lord as his vaahanams during this 10
day festival.
March 26,
2004 - worship to village deities, Vinayagar on Mooshika vahanam
Special pooja & worship was
offered to the village deities, especially Kolavizhi Amman on the 26th,
a day before the festival began. In the evening at 10.00 pm Lord
Vinayaka was taken in procession seated on his silver Mooshika vahanam.
(He is worshipped at the start of any action or venture, for he is considered
to be the Lord who removes obstacles (vignam) and hence is also called
Vigneshwara.
March 27,
2004, 7.15 am - 8.15 am - Flag Hoisting
The flag was hoisted on Panguni
Uthiram, on 27th to mark the beginning of the festival. The Lord
gave darshan in the mandapam at 6.30 am. The flag hoisting was at 7.15
am - 8.15 am - Lord on Pavazha kaal vimaanam.
March 27,
2004, 10 pm - Karpagambal in the form of a peacock, tree vahanams
In the evening at 10.00 pm, the
deities were taken in procession on trees as vahanams - Punnai maram, Karpaga
maram & vengai maram) Karpagambal was in the form of a peacock worshipping
the Lord.
March
28, 2004 - Surya Chandra vattam
On the 28th, there was the procession
of the Lord - the Surya vattam at 8.30 am & Chandra vattam at 9.00
pm. In the night, there was a procession of Karpagambal on kili vahanam
(parrot) and Murugar with Valli & Dievayaanai on anna vahanam (swan).
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March 29,
2004, 6.00 am - Adhikaara Nandhi, Gandharva, Gandharvi, Mooshika,
Rishaba vaahanams
Adhikaara Nandhi, an important procession
was on the 29th. Kapaaleeswarar was seated on a huge silver
(kavasam) Adhikaara Nandhi, Karpagambal on a Gandharvi, Murugar
with Valli Deivayaanai on a Gandharvan, Vinayagar on a Mooshikam and Chandikesvarar
on a silver rishabam. At
9.30 am was the celebration of Ambaal feeding Thirugnana Sambandar with
Gnaana Paal (milk).
March 29,
2004, 9.00 pm - Boodhan, Boodhaki, Thaaragaasura vaahanams
March 30,
2004, 8.30 am - Purusha mirugam (partial man, partial animal- a
gargoyle), Lion, Tiger vaahanams
March 30,
2004, 9.00 pm - Snake, Kamadhenu, Ram vaahanams
March 31,
2004, 9.30 am - Savudal Vimaanam
March 31,
2004, 11.00 pm - Silver Rishaba vaahanam
April 1,
2004 - Pallakku procession
April 1,
2004, 10.30 pm - Elephant vaahanam for all five deities
April 2,
2004, 9.00 am - Thaer - Car festival
This is the most important among
day of the 10 day festival. The Lord is seated in a huge chariot
which is richly decorated with appliqued thombais, thoranams & floral
garlands. There are wonderful carvings & sculptures of yazhis,
horses, guards on the chariot. It is considered a great pious act to draw
this chariot. Devotees voluntarily draw the chariot.
In the evening the idols from
the thaers are taken back to the temple.
April 3,
2004, 11.00 am - Thirugnana Sambandar giving life to Poombaavai
April 3,
2004, 3.30 pm - Procession of Aruvathu Moovar - (63) Naayanmars
& the Ainthirumenigal
The Lord wished to honour his ardent
devotees, the 63 Naayanmars and hence the festival concludes with the Naayanmars
being taken in procession. Idols from other temples in and around
Mylapore are also taken in procession on this day.
April 4,
2004, 3.30 pm - Iravalar Kolavizha
The Ainthirumenigal were taken in
procession both morning & in the evening. At 6.30 pm, during
the evening procession, Kapaleeswarar as Bikshaadanar had a begging bowl
in his hand. He is supposed to have spent all his wealth for the
festival preparations & hence has no money to wed Karpagaambaal.
He collects money from his devotees for the wedding celebrations.
April 5,
2004, 3.30 pm - Thiru Kalyaanam
On the final day, Ainthirumenigal
were taken in procession in the morning (Thiru Kootha Perumaan - Natarajar)
& theerthavaari was performed getting the idols ready for the evening
celebrations.
At 7.30 pm, Karpagaambaal in the
form of a mayil (peacock), offered worshipped Lord Siva under the punnai
maram. At 10.45 pm, the divine wedding took place. The couple
were then taken to their abode Kailaayam, lifted by Raavana, an ardent
devotee of Siva.
The flag is brought down as an indication
of the completion of the 10 day festival. The festivities come to
an end with Chandeswarar vizha.
The next day, the divine couple gave
darshan as Uma Maheswarar.
It is believed that the Lord comes
out in procession to give darshan even to those devotees who are unable
to visit his temple for various reasons. He comes out of his abode
to meet & bless his devotees.
During the 10 day festival, Mylapore
turns into a place of intense activity. Devotees young & old,
teenagers having fun with their crowd, merry go rounds & giant wheels
for the children to enjoy, vendors with their colourful wares (pottery,
toys for children, plastic wares, utensils, accessories, coir items and
many others are broungt from far & wide to be displayed &
sold in Mylapore).
Devotees offer their prayers &
worship by lighting camphor, applying beautiful kolams on the four main
streets as a welcome to the Lord & his devotees, carrying kavadi &
pulling tiny thaers.
Ainthirumenigal - Five idols - Every
day the five idols Vinayakar, Kapaleeswarar, Karpagambal, Murugar with
Valli Deivayaanai & Chandikeswarar were taken in procession
Chandikeswarar - a loyal devotee of Lord Siva who was accepted by Lord
Siva as his chief devotee
Iravalar - begging, asking for bhiksha,
alms
Kailaayam - Mount Kailas, the abode
of Siva & Parvathi
kalyaanam - wedding
kavasam - an external covering made of metal, which is fitted around
the stone or wooden idol
maada veedhis - the four main streets surrounding the Kapaleeswarar
temple tank; veedhi - street
maram - tree
Panguni - Tamil month (March 27, 2004 - Panguni 14, Subhaanu year)
Thiruvizha - festival
vaahanam - vehicle
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