Kalyana Utsavam of Tirumala Tirupati Sri Balaji along with his consorts is scheduled to take place at Kalyan, Maharashtra on January 26, 2012. Lord Balaji along with his consorts is scheduled to arrive from Tirumala at Sri Balaji Mandir, Dombivili, Thane on January 25th night at 11.30 pm and shall leave for Kalyan in the morning at 8 am.
TTD RECEPTION COMMITTEE , MUMBAI AND Sri Ahobila Mutt Kainkarya Sabha, KALYAN PRESENT KALYANA UTSAVAM OF LORD SRI BALAJI OF TIRUMALA TIRUPATHI at Kalyan Sports Club, Adharwadi Chowk, Birla College Road, Kalyan West.
Programme – 26th January, 2012, Thursday:
8.00 am Receiving Sri Balaji & His two consorts at Durgadi Killa with Poornakumbam. Proceeding to Kalyan Sports Club Hall
8 to 12.00 Darshan of Sri Balaji
& 2 to 4.00
4.00 pm Annamacharya Kirtan / Bhajan at the Stage
4.30 pm Sri Sridevi & Sri Bhudevi samedha Sri Balaji proceed to Kalyanostav Stage
6.00 pm Kalyana Utsavam
9.30 pm Departure for Pune
Prior to this schedule, Tri Kalyana Utsavam upanyasam by Sri U Ve Ramanuja Patrachar Swami will take place everyday starting January 20,1012 as per the following schedule…
Daily 7.30 pm to 9 pm
20 January 2012 Fri SRI ANDAL KALYANAM
21 January 2012 Sat SRI SRINIVASA KALYANAM
22 January 2012 Sun SRI RUKMINI KALYANAM
VENUE – Sri Balaji Mandir Hall, Dombvili
Kalyana Utsavam and its Significance
“Mangalyam tantunanena Jagath rakshana hetuna:
kanthe badhnami subhage lokanam mangalam kurum||”
The above shloka aptly conveys the very purpose behind the Kalyana Mahotsavam of Lord . The sole purpose of Kalyana utsavam is the protection and prosperity of the world. Everyone from THE LORD AND HIS CONSORTS , the Archakars and the devotees, with single minded focus, channel their thoughts to create global harmony. Yes, The lord and His consorts too are in this list since they,by the means of Kalyana utsavam , explicitly declare their intentions to the hordes of believers and non believers that they too, the ever most divine and loving parents are all attention to the slightest need of us,their children.
Tirumala Hills (seven hills) situated at Tirupati, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, is the abode of Lord Balaji (Sri Srinivasa Bhagavan). It is one of the most sacred & precious places among 108 Divya Desams (sacred Sri Vaishnava kshetras) in India.
It is said, “ut” means grief & “savam” means to remove it – hence performing or participating in a celestial wedding of Lord Balaji removes all difficulties. The name Kalyanam itself bestows all sorts of goodness (subham). The Kalyanotsav of Lord Balaji who is Pratyaksha Bhagavan in Kaliyug has the power of leading mankind to the right path and ultimately to salvation
Srivari Kalyanotsavam is performed to the utsava murti – Lord Sri Malayappa swami and his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. A purohit conducts the marriage and an archaka is consecrated to perform other rituals on behalf of the bridegroom. The wedding ceremony is held according to Vaikhanasa Agama rituals and starts with the Panchamurthi Puja. This is followed by recitation of Vedic mantras and pronouncing the family pedigree of the brides and bridegroom. The archa-vigraha of the Lord and his brides face each other with a thera (screen) in between them. After the priests perform appropriate homas, the bridegroom and the brides are allowed to see each other at the appropriate auspicious moment as the screen is removed. This is followed by Mangala sutra dharana, Thalambralu and then Lord and his consorts are garlanded.
This seva is not performed on important festivals like Srivari Brahmotsavam. Pavitrotsavam, Pushpayagam etc. and on the days of solar and lunar eclipses. The duration of the seva is about one hour. Previously each ticket entitled two people; nowadays each ticket entitles only one person to attend this arjita seva and they are awarded one silver Pendant (2 grams), one big laddu, one vada, one vastra bahumanam (Cloth Gift consisting of one silk Uttariyam for gents and one cotton blouse for ladies), along with Lord’s akshantalu (‘sacred rice’ used for blessing). At the conclusion of the seva, the ticket holders are also sent for the darshan of the main deity in the sanctum sanctorum.
The practice of Kalyana utsavam started in 1536 AD when Tallapakam Tirumala Ayyangar conceived the idea of celebrating the marriage festival of Lord Malayappa swami and the ceremony was conducted over five days in the Tirumamani mandapam.
Paancharatra aagamam prescribes an elaborate procedure for Thirukkalyanam. All the elements of marriage in our marriages are taken from what is prescribed for Emperuman Himself. We are just listing a few things followed by the children in this Thirukkalyanam:
- Bhoota shuddi , Dwadasaksharam – assuming an aprakrutha shareeram by archaka for doing the Thirukkalyanam.
- Shataksharam, Manasa aaradhanam
- Bakyaham – Pathara sthapanam
- Vishvaksena aaradhanam, Punyaha vachanam
- Bhagavad anugnya, Rakshabandhanam
- Mangalya pooja – aavahanam of SriDevi on Thirumangalyam with Srisooktha japam
- Thiruvadi alambudhal , Pidi sutri podudhal
- Maalai maatral,Agni Prathisthtai and 16 upacharams to Perumal and Thayar
- Honey,milk,curd and Ghee samarpanam
- Aachamaniyam, alankara aasanam, Dhoopam, mai idudhal, thilakam, Vasthra, Gandham, Akshadhai, Divya parimala pushyam, Darpanam ( mirror on which SriMahalakshmi aavahanam is made is shown to Perumal)
- Bhojyasanam, Argana paneyam
- With the completion of the Thiruvaradhanam, Purushasooktha homam and Svishtakrit havanam was conducted . Them Emperuman was adorned with Brahma sootram i.e a set of poonal. Following this was Mangala shatakam, Vasthra daranam, Maha sankalpam and Thaitriyaupanishad parayanam.
- Then Emperuman did His abhivadanam ( yes just as we do) which is called Pravara Vishayam.
Finally the Thirumangalya dharanam with chanting “ Mangalyam thantunanena” and the Lord ties the divine knot to his consorts.This was followed by Sapthapathi and other post-Thiumangalya ceremonies. Then comes the Thengai uruttal (during Anandyanana kalam not done owing to the restriction) with recitation Vaaranam aayiram. Next comes the Shanthi Homam and Poorna Aahuthi.
Aasheervadam is the final act in the Thirukalyana Mahotsavam.
Write up by Sri Srinivasan Rangaswamy
