Amravaneswarar Temple, Manthurai – Worship Practices
& Festivals
The
temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like
other Shiva temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to the Shaivite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals
are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at
8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m.,
Irandamkalam at 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual
comprises four steps: Abishekam (sacred bath), Alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and Deepa Aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Manthuraiyappar
and Azhagammai.
The
worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion
instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas read by priests and prostration by worshippers in
front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like Somavaram and Sukravaram,
fortnightly rituals like Pradosham and monthly festivals like Ammavasai (new moon day), Kiruthigai,
Pournami (full moon day) and Sathurthi. Annabishekam
during the Tamil month of Aipasi (October–November), Karthikai Deepam
during November–December and Adi Shankaracharya Jayanthi in Vaikasi (May–June)
are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
