Friday, February 3, 2017

Azhagiyasingar Temple, Thiruvali – Religious Practises & Festivals

Azhagiyasingar Temple, Thiruvali – Religious Practises & Festivals
The temple follows the traditions of the Thenkalai sect and follows Vaikasana Aagama. The temple is open from 7:30 -11:30 am and between 4-7:30 pm. The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day: Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., and Sayarakshai at 7:30 p.m. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.
The Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam is the most prominent festival of the temple. During the new moon day of the Tamil month Thai (January - February), the festival deity of presiding deity is taken in a Garuda mount to Thirumanimadam from Thiruvali. The major event of the festival is Garudasevai in which the festival images of the eleven Thirunangur Tirupathis are brought on mount designed like Garuda, called Garuda Vahana, to Thirunangur.
The festive image of Thirumangai Azhwar is brought on a Hamsa Vahanam (palanquin) from Thirunagari and his paasurams (verses) dedicated to each of these eleven temples are recited during the occasion. The festival images of Thirumangai Alvar and his consort Kumudhavalli Naachiyar are taken in the palanquin to each of the eleven temples and the verses dedicated to the temples are chanted in the respective shrines.
The other festivals celebrated in the temple are the ten-day Vaikasi Swathi festival, Pavitrotsavam during Aani (June - July), Swathi every month, and Panguni Uthiram during Panguni (March - April). Every year on the Tamil Panguni month Uthiram first night, the waylaying by the Azhwar and the Thirumandira Upadesam by the Lord are enacted in a grand festive manner.