Thiruvanpurushothamam (Purushotama 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 Purushothaman and Purushothama Nayagi.
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. 10 day Panguni Uthiram in March-April; Pavithra Utsav in
Aavani Poornima day in August-September and Vaikasi Brahmotsavam during May -
June are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
