Thirukkavalampadi (Gopalakrishna Perumal Temple),
Thirunangur – Worship Practices & Festivals
The
temple is open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The temple priests
perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis.
As at other Vishnu temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a
Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a
day: Ushathkalam at 8 a.m., Kalasanthi at
10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m. and Ardha
Jamam at 7:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: Alangaram (decoration),
neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for
both Gopalakrishna, Rukmini and Sathyabama.
During
the worship, 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. During the new moon day of the Tamil month Thai,
the festival
deity of Thirumangai
Azhwar is brought to the temple from Thiruvali-Thirunagari. The Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam is
celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (January–February).
The highlight
of the festival is Garudasevai, an event 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 also brought on a Hamsa Vahanam (palanquin)
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 a palanquin to each of the eleven temples. The verses dedicated to
each of the eleven temples are chanted in the respective shrines. This is one
of the most important festivals in the region which draws thousands of
visitors. Vaikasi Brahmotsavam is celebrated with much fanfare during the month
of May or June.
