It's Festival Time in Mylapore
In this auspicious tamil month of Panguni ( Mar-Apr) , in Mylapore , a 10 day utsavam in Sri Kapaleeswarar temple. It is a coincidence for Sri Rama in the same month this year to celebrate His avatar day – Sri Rama navami. So in Sri Vishnu temples too a 10 day festival is going on . In Mylapore Sri Madhavaperumal temple and Sri Adi Kesava Perumal temple celebrate it in a big way by taking the utsava murthy twice in a day , morning and night in mada streets . The same ritual is being followed in Siva temple for Panguni utsavam.
The famous utsavam of Sri Kapaleeswarar are – 3rd day morning – Adhikara Nanthi. The main daities , Shiva & Parvathi will be taken on a silver Nandhi vahanam and Pancha moorthis’ ( Vinayagar , Shiv Parvathi , Muruga & Chandigeswarar ) follows in procession on the streets. 5th day night is Rishaba vahanam , which comes out of gopura vassal at midnight. 7th day morning will be Ratha ( ther thiruvizha ) and 8th day afternoon , the arubathu moovar (63nayanmars)follow Lord Kapaleeswarar. Both the days there will always a big crowd in the mada streets and diversion of bus route will be announced regularly.
Thanneer Pandal , more & Juice pandal you can see around mada veethi. Panagam will also be served sometimes. When we were young and active in Scouting , me and Gopi, my brother do social service through Ashoka Scout Group . We help the devotees to from a circle around the Ratham for safety and all the scouts form a human chain to protect public from the ther chakras ( Ratha Wheels ). Similarly for Arubathu moovar festival and Rishaba Vahanam we do service along with other Bharat Scout groups.
Every day and night many Mylaporeans used to visit temple festival for all days and some for the big events mentioned above. The road side platform shops will be busy in selling their toys , pasi mani mala by Kuruvikara ladies ( with their young ones tied in their hip ) , pericham pazham ( dates ) , pala pazham ( jack fruit ) , nannari sarbath carts , thapoosani ( watermelon) carts etc. will flourish in their business.
For young and old Mylaporeans , this festival is an important one and many non-residents of Mylapore and who lived earlier in Mylapore will never miss this festival and make it at least a day or two with colourful cloths.
On arubathu moovar day , Thiruvalluvar Nayanar & Vasuki Ammaiyar , Big faced amman ( upto neck only ) from our old house neighbourhood used to join in the procession behind Lord Kapaleeswarar. Vaira sevai ( Lord Muruga wthl diamond studded dress and kreedam ) from Chintadripet is a special attraction. Vana vedikai ( fire works ) from China ( china petti – where many dolls comes out one after other when it glowas with colour fire ) is a highlight show.
When we were young we enjoyed with parents and periappa( father’s elder brother ) , and later in our college days with street friends .
Similarly Ramar utsavan comes daily in morning and night from Sri Madhava perumal temple and we were fortunate that our street was mada veethi for Perumal. Pushpa pallakku ( Floral Palanquin ), Ther ( Ratham ) , Hanumantha vahanam , Garuda vahanam were star attraction . We stand to show arti to the deity in front of our house in both times.
I feel great in sharing my old times of Mylapore festival here and many who read could recollect their old times and cherish the past. My blog is created to cherish the past and I love the good old days .
Chant Hare Krishna today ,” Sri Rama navami day “ forever and be happy.
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