Karunellinathar Temple, Thiruthangal – Religious
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 Shaivaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals
are performed four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m.,
Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., and Ardha Jamam at 8:30 p.m. Each ritual
comprises four steps: Abhishekam (sacred bath), Alangaram (decoration), neivethanam
(food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Lord
and Mother.
The
worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in
the Vedas (sacred text) 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 Amavasai (new
moon day), Kiruthigai, Pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. Thai
Poosam is a festival celebrated during January and food is distributed to poor
people.
Chithirai
festival in April-May, 11 day Karthikai festival in November-December, special
festival for Palaniandi, Thiruvillakku puja to Mother Meenakshi on all Poornima
– full moon days, procession of Lord Shiva on Pradosham days – 13th day either
from new moon or full moon day – Abishek and pujas to Mother Durga on all
Tuesdays, special pujas on Tamil and English new year days, Deepavali, Pongal
are the festivals celebrated in the temple. The crowd is huge on New Moon, Full
Moon days and Pradosha days in the temple.