Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple, Woraiyur – Religious
Practices
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 Vaishnavite community, a Brahmin sub - caste. The temple
rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at
8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00
p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00
p.m. Each ritual has three steps: Alankaram (decoration), neivethanam (food
offering) and Deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Azhagiya
Manavalan and Kamalavalli.
During
the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion
instrument) are played, 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. Instead of Kumkum Prasad usually offered in Vishnu
temples, sandal is offered in this temple. In the nivedhanas, pepper only is
used and not chillies.
