ஸ்ரீ வெங்கடேஸ்வரா ஸ்வாமிக்கு வாரத்திற்கு ஒரு முறை மட்டுமே தவறாமல் நடைபெறும் வாராந்திர உத்ஸவங்களை பற்றி தெரிந்து கொள்வோம்.
Weekly Sevas Performed at Srivari Temple
- Mondays : Visesha Pooja
- Tuesdays : AshtadalaPadaPadmaradhana
- Wednesday : Sahasra Kalasabhishekam
- Thursday : Tiruppavada Seva
- Friday : Abhishekam,Civet Vessel, Musk Vessel, Nijapada Darsanam, Vastralankara Seva.
Every Monday after second bell the utsava vigraha is brought to the mantapa for ‘Chaturdasa kalasa visesha puja’ i.e. 14 kalasas. After seeking the permission of Sri Malayappa Swami, ankurarpana and punyaha vachanam is rendered by archakas. As Panchasukatas-Sri,Bhu, Nila, Purusha and Narayana Suktas are recited, Tirumanjanam is performed to the utsava murtis. Seven vessels out of fourteen vessels will have gingerly oil, Milk, Curd, Ghee, Akshatas (holy grains of rice), Darbha and Panchagavya. The remaining seven vessels contain Sudhodaka(Pure Water). Abhisheka Harati is offered to mark the culmination of the seva. Purnahuti is offered to herald the conclusion of the homa. Naivedya is offered to God. The arjita Seva ticket holders who took part in this seva are presented with vastra bahumanam.
The Visesha Pooja was started by TTD on April 8, 1991 and then after it became as Arjitha Seva.
This seva is conducted after the second bell. This ritual was first introduced in Srivari Temple in 1984 on the Golden Jubilee Year of TTD, when a Muslim Devotee offered Lord Srinivasa 108 gold lotuses. The archaka commences the puja by offering dhupa(arti stick) and dipa(lit the lamp) to the main deity. Then he recites the divine names (108) of the Lord. While uttering each name of the Lord, one golden lotus is offered at the holy feet of the lord. On completion of the archana to the Mula Virat, archana is offered to Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavati. Later Ratha Harati is offered first, followed by ordinary Harati.
The Sahasra Kalasa Abhishekam seva is offered to Sri Bhoga Srinivasa Murthi-the silver replica deity of Mula Virat, the processional deities of Sri Malayappa Swamy varu along with his two consorts, Sri Viswaksena-the chief commander of Lord. This seva is performed to the deities after the second bell in the morning at the Bangaru Vakili. The Bhoga Srinivas Murthy is brought outside the Golden doorway and is connected by means of thin silk rope with the Mula Virat inside the Garbhalayam (sanctum). One end of the rope is tied round the feet of the Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy while the other end is placed near the Kathithasta of the Mula Virat, thus symbolically establishing a relationship between the Main deity and the Bhoga Srinivas Murthy to achieve two purposes. Firstly, it becomes clear that Bhoga Srinivasa is representing the Mula Virat and secondly, it makes clear that the Pooja offered to the Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy is nothing but the puja is assumed to have offered to the main deity.
Sri Malayappa Swamy with his two consorts Goddess Bhudevi and Sridevi are also brought from the Sanctum and placed outside the Bangaru Vakili. The Deity of Viswaksena is also brought from the sanctum and placed outside the Bangaru Vakili. One Thousand and Eight Silver Vessels filled with Abhisheka Thirtha otherwise known as the “Parimala Teertham”-pure water with the aroma of sandal paste, along with eight more Parivara Vessels and One Gold vessel filled with water are placed in the Mantapam in front of Bangaru Vakili. The archakas recite Pancha Suktas and the Pancha Shanthi Mantras. Thirumanjana Abhishekam is offered to Sri Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy, Sri Malayappa Swami and his consorts and Viswaksenula varu with the water in the 1008 Kalasas and the other eight Parivara Kalasas. At the conclusion of the Tirumanjanam, the water in the Golden Vessel alone will be carried by one Archaka to the accompaniment of the recitation of Vedas and Mangala Vayidyas, round the Ananda Vimana Prakara, the Dwajasthamba and then taken to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Then an Archana is offered to the main deity and the water from the Golden Vessel is sprinkled on the Feet of the main deity, thus symbolically including the Mula Virat(main deity) also in the Sahasra Kalasabhishekam. This archana is offered in private where a curtain will be drawn before the Mula Virat, with an Archaka alone inside the temple.
Every Thursday, after the morning pooja, the Mula Virat is divested of all ornaments, flowers etc. The deity will be draped only in Dhoti and Uttareeyam. The Thirunaman Kaappu and Kasturi on the forehead of the main deity are also reduced in size. This results in the unique posture of Lord where one can witness the peculiar Netra Darshan (where the divine eyes of the Lord can be seen) of the main deity. During other days the wide Namam with which the Lord’s forehead is adorned, covers almost half of his eyes. But on Thursday morning we can have the full view of the benign eyes of the main deity. On Thursdays Thiruppavada Seva is performed as arjitha Seva in the Mantapam in front of the Bangaru Vakili and Annakutotsavam (where heaps of tamarind rice is poured) is performed. A large rectangular tub – like golden vessel is placed in the Mantapam and a huge quantity of “Pulihora”-tamarind rice, along with other sweet preparations such as payasam, laddu, jilebi, thenthola, appam etc and other delicacies are deposited thereon with coconuts, flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, deepam and is placed in that trapezoid receptacle to be offered as naivedya to the Lord. Amid Chanting of Mantras, the previous wide Naamam is peeled off and a thin Naamam is adorned on the forehead of Mula Virat just to cover the space between His eyebrows. When this happens, it is believed that the Lord’s first gaze after “opening” His Eyes (because they were covered by the Naamam earlier) should not fall on mortals, because it has huge power that could not be withstand by humans. Instead, it is made to fall on the mound of “Pulihora” directly in front of Him, thereby sanctifying it and reducing the intensity of His Gaze. The “Pulihora” therefore acts like a Veil (“Paavada” in Telugu/Tamil) protecting devotees from His Powerful Gaze.
Poolangi SEvA
After the Tiruppavadai Seva, the temple observes some rituals like suddhi (cleaning of the temple) etc., and the Moola Virat is adorned with Velvet Gown from Crown to the Feet and then the main deity is decorated with flower garlands. This service of the main deity being adorned exclusively with garlands is known as Poolangi Seva.The Poolangi Seva is mentioned in the Silappadikaram, the early Tamil Classic in 756 A.D.
Every Friday after Suprabhatha Seva, the regular Thomala and Archana Sevas are done in privacy and then Srivari Abhishekam is observed. This happens to be the most ancient Arjitha Seva that is being observed in the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara. The Abhishekam starts with Sacred water brought from Akasa Ganga Theertham, then with Milk, then with Suddhodakam, Chandanam and other scented articles like powdered Pachcha Karpooram, Saffron paste and drops of civet oil etc., which are brought earlier in the silver vessels. While performing the Abhishekam to the Moola Virat, Purshasukta, Narayanasukta, Srisukta, Bhusuktha, Neelasuktha and selected Pasurams from the Divya Pradbandham are all recited by the priests. Later, the Abhishekam is performed for the image of Goddess Lakshmi on his chest with Turmeric Paste. The Arjitha Grihastas who take part in this seva, are all assembled inside the temple and each one is entrusted with one Silver Vessel that contain various scented articles like powedered Pachcha Karpooram, Saffron paste, drops of civet oil, Chandanam and etc., All the Arjitha Sevaparas carry these articles round the inner prakara of the temple accompanied by Mangala Vayidyas. When they reach the Bangaru Vakili, the vessels and plates are collected by the Archakas and the contents will be used while performing Abhishekam to the Main Deity. In the year 966A.D. a Pallava Queen “Samaavai” gifted the present silver deity of Bhoga Sinivasa Murthy to the temple. This deity is exact miniature replica of the main vigraha. The year when she gifted, it was on Jyestha Bahula Tritheeya when Sravana star was in the ascendant in Akshya Year and it was on Friday. While installing the Bhoga Srinivasa Murthy deity in the Sanctum, an Abhishekam was performed to the main deity also. Thus, started the practice of doing Abhishekam to Moola Virat on every Friday
