Vilakkoli Perumal Temple (Tiruththanka or Thoopul),
Kanchipuram – Festivals & Religious Practices
The
temple follows the traditions of the Vadakalai sect of Vaishnavite tradition and follows Vaikhanasa
Aagama. The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis.
As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a
Brahmin sub-caste.
The
temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7
a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00
p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m.
and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: Alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps).
During
the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion
instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are
recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals
performed in the temple.
The Brahmotsavam
festival during the Tamil
month of Puratasi (September
- October) is the major festival celebrated in Vedanta Desika shrine. During
the festival, the festival image of Desikar is carried to the Varadaraja Perumal Temple. Special worship practises and rituals are followed
during the occasion.
During
the Brahmotsavam in Varadaraja Perumal Temple during the Tamil month
of Vaikasi (May - June), the festival image of Varadaraja Perumal on his
Garuda Vahana is brought to the shrine of Vedanta Desika on three different
days.
Lord
Vilakkoli Perumal visits Desika’s shrine during the Aavani festival in
August-September and the one in Margazhi (December-January) of Perumal honoring
Desikar.