Hindu Temple News from Deccan.

Special Puja, festival, ritual news from Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Sabarimala Temple and Nandagad Anjaneya Temple.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple’s Alpasi Festival to Begin on Oct 10.

ENS | Thiruvananthapuram | Aug 22, 2015:: The Alpasi festival at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here will begin on October 10. The tantric rituals in connection with the festival will begin with the ‘mannuneerukoral’ ritual on October 7. The rituals ‘praakarasudhi,’ ‘bimbasudhi,’ ‘homakalasam,’ ‘tatwahomam,’ ‘tatwa kalasam’ and ‘brahmakalasam’ will be held in the following days.

Sivelis

‘Siveli’, the ceremonial processions circumambulating the inner complex of the temple, will be held on certain days during the murajapam. The idol of the presiding deities will be taken on ‘vahanam’ (carrier) in gold and silver during the sheeveli days.

The sheeveli dates and corresponding vahanas are: October 13 (simhasana vahanam), October 14 (anantha vahanam), October 15 (Kamala vahanam), October 16 (pallaku vahanam), October 17 (Garuda vahanam), October 18 (Indra vahanam), October 19 (pallaku vahanam), October 20 (Garuda vahanam), October 21 (Garuda vahanam) and October 22 (Garuda vahanam).

The Travancore royal family head will accompany the siveli processions holding the royal sword.

The valiyakanikka ritual will be held on October 20 and the pallivetta on October 21. The festival will conclude with aarattu on October 22.

The temple administration committee has said that the devotees can offer utsava kalasams and utsava sreebalis as offerings. The utsava kalsams will be held from October 14 to October 21.

Music concerts will be held on all festival days at the mandapam near the Sree Padam gate and performing art forms like Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam at the Thulabhara mandapam.

Monthly Poojas Conclude in Sabarimala.

ENS | Sabarimala | Aug 22, 2015:: The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here was closed on Friday evening, marking the conclusion of the five-day monthly poojas for the first month of the Malayalam New Year of Chingam. Sahasrakalasam, Kalabhabhishekam and Laksharchana were the special rituals conducted at the temple. In connection with the Sahasrakalasam, Thantri Mahesh Mohanaru in the presence of Melsanthi Krishnadas Nampoothiri conducted Kalasabhishekam on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during Uchcha pooja.

As part of Kalabhabhishekam, the Thantri conducted Brahmakalasa pooja at the Mandapam of the temple at 10.30 am. Kalabhabhishekam on the idol of the Lord was held during Uchcha pooja, after the procession carrying the Brahmakalasam led by the Thantri and the Melsanthi circumambulating the Sreekovil of the temple.

In connection with Laksharchana, the Thantri in the presence of the Melsanthi conducted Kalasapooja at the Mandapam of the temple at 6 am, followed by a recital of Vedic mantras by a dozen scholars. The ritual concluded with Kalasabhishekam on the idol during Uchcha pooja. Udayasthamana pooja, Padi pooja and Pushpabhishekam were the other rituals held on the concluding day of Chingam poojas. The temple was closed at 10 pm after Athazha pooja and Harivarasanam.

The temple will be reopened on August 26 evening for the four-day Onam festival. The customary Onasadya will be offered to  devotees at the annadanamandapam at 10.30 am on August 27.

The feast will be offered to the devotees after conducting poojas by Thantri Mahesh Mohanaru and Melsanthi Krishnadas Nampoothiri at 10 am.

Temple Idol Refurbishment to Start Next Month.

ENS | Thiruvananthapuram | Aug 21, 2015:: The refurbishment work on the main idol at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple will begin on September 2.

A change in the darshan timing will follow, till September 30, the temple management said here on Thursday.

“Darshan will be withheld between 11.30 am and 5 pm from September 2 to 30,” temple thantri Tharananalloor Parameswaran Namboodiripad, executive officer K N Satheesh and administration committee member C A Vijayakumar said.

The idol of Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy is made of kadusarkara yogam, a complex mix of numerous ingredients like earth, kashayams, cereals, tree resins and spices.

A team led by Kanipayyur Makan Krishnan Namboodiripad carried out the work on the idol. The laborious task of preparing the kadusarkara yogam was executed by a team comprising Thekumanmadhom Pradeep Namboodiri, Ratheesh Namboodiri, Harikrishnan Namboodiri and Suresh Bhattathiripad.

New Periyanambi Takes Charge

Narasimham Kumar has replaced Marutampadi Padmanabhan Namboodiripad as the chief priest (periyanambi) of the temple.

Kumar, serving as the panchagavyathu nambi of the temple will be succeeded by Vasudevan Narayana Bhatteri.

The installation ceremony of the periyanambi was held on Thursday morning.

Thiruvonam Celebrations

The devotees will be given an opportunity to make plantain offerings (kazchakula) to the deity at the Abhisravana Mandapam in the temple on Uthradom day.

The traditional Onavillus will be offered to the deity on the Thiruvonam day.

Floral decorations, special lighting, Chakrabjapooja, traditional feast and a special seeveli will be held on the Thiruvonam day.

A panchavadyam ensemble will be held at 9 am and Thayambaka will be held at 4 pm.

Temple manager Venu and public relations officer Babilu Sankar attended the press conference.

Villagers Flock to Temple to See Hanuman ‘Open’ eyes.

ENS | Belagavi | Aug 21, 2015:: Nandagad village of Belagavi district has turned into a pilgrim centre after word went round that the idol of Lord Hanuman in the Anjaneya temple opened its eyes recently.

Curious devotees are swarming to Nandagad to watch the idol at the Anjaneya Temple with their own eyes. The news has been going around rapidly for the last couple of days, attracting hundreds.

The villagers claim the eyes of the Hanuman idol used to be shut but are now open. The temple is located beside an ancient tree, from which freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna was hanged by the British. The villagers believe the “miracle” is a symbol of prosperity of their village.

However, a few villagers feel it is the ignorant devotees believing the idol’s eyes have opened. A villager, on condition of anonymity, said the idol was  very old and used to have a thick coating of oil.

He suspects someone must have cleaned the idol after which it regained its original look with the Lord’s open eyes showing up.

All News Source: New Indian Express.