Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi – Festivals
The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) every day, including festivals. Like
other Vishnu temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavite community, a Brahmin Sub – Caste. The temple rituals are performed
four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:30 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m.,
Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual
comprises three steps; Alankaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and Deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for the presiding
deity. The worship involves religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text)
read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast.
There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals.
The major festivals celebrated in the temple are
18-day Panguni Brahmotsavam. Duration of Kurukshetra war was 18
days. Srimad Bhagwat Gita has 18 chapters in the immortal Mahabharata
epic. This is a famous festival in the temple. Lord
appears in 32 types of Alankaras representing his 32 Leelas. The
Butter Pot festival is celebrated on the 16th day when Lord comes in
procession as crawling baby with butter in hand. That is also
offered as Nivedhana. After the Alankara, when Lord comes to a
mandapam in the place, people throw butter balls. He returns to the
temple in horse vaahana in the evening. During this festival, Lord also appears
as Sri Andal, on two faced bird named Kanda Peranda Pakshi and as Sri Rama
dressed in stark on the Pancha Mukha Anjaneya vahanam. The festival deity is
placed in the Punnai tree, the branches of which are hung with
garments and ornaments.
Mother Sengamala Thayar blesses the devotees from a
separate shrine. Special Tirumanjanam is performed to her on Poosam
Star day-Mother’s birth star. On the fourth day of Thai
month-January- Lord and Mother appears together on a single
throne. Garuda is in female form before Mother’s
shrine. Those facing problems in marriage and concerned with the
welfare of children, light ghee lamps to Garuda. Though this is a Perumal
Temple, Maya, born before Krishna is blessing here as Durga in the Vaasudeva
Perumal ghoshta. Special pujas are performed here at Rahu Kalam
time. Devotees tie cradles here seeking child boon. Milk is the main
Nivedhana for Lord. This is given as Prasad also. As in
Madurai Kalazhagar temple, Dosa is the Nivedhana here only in evening pujas.
The chariot festival is the most prominent festival
of the temple and the surrounding villages. It is celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni (April–May); devotees pull a
chariot round the streets of Mannargudi. Verses from the Nalayira
Divya Prabandham are
recited by a group of temple priests and music made with nagaswaram (pipe instrument)
and tavil (percussion instrument) is played. Vaikunta Ekadasi during
December–January, summer festival in Chithirai – Vaikasi (April to June),
Oonjal festival for Rajagopalaswamy in Masi (February-March), Aadi Pooram
(July-August), Navarathri during September–October and butter pot
breaking ceremony (locally called uri adi) are the other festivals
celebrated in the temple.