Sathya Vageeswarar Temple, Kalakkad – Festivals
The
temple follows Saivite tradition. The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during
festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Shiva temples of Tamilnadu, the
priests belong to the Shaivite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals
are performed four times a day: Kalasanthi at
8:30 a.m., Uchikalam at
11:30 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., and Sayarakshai between
8:00 - 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: Alankaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and Deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Sathya
Vageeswarar and Gomathi. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals
performed in the temple.
The
temple is open from 6am - 12 pm and 4-8:30 pm on all days except during new
moon days when it is open the full day. The Vaikasi Visakam festival during
the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May - June) being the
most prominent. During the festival, the temple chariot is drawn around the
streets of Kalakkad, with the festival images of Sathya Vageeswarar and Gomathi
housed in it. Other festivals like Sivarathiri, Thirukalyanam (sacred marriage) and Kanthasasthi are
also celebrated.