Thiruvaikunda Vinnagaram (Vaikunta Nathan 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 Vaikuntanathan and his
consort Vaikundavalli.
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. 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. Vaikunda Ekadasi in December-January and Vaikasi Brahmotsavam in May
or June are devotionally celebrated in the temple.
