Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur – Worship &
Religious Practices
The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis.
Like other Shiva temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to the Shaiva community, a
Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day;
Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at
10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m.
and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: Abishekam (sacred bath), Alankaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and Deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Vanmikinathar and Piriyaa
Vidai Amman.
The worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in
the Vedas (sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by
worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like Somavaram
(Monday) and Sukravaram (Friday), fortnightly rituals like Pradosham and monthly festivals like Ammavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, Pournami (full
moon day) and Sathurthi.