Friday, February 16, 2018

Vellimalai Kumaraswamy Temple, Kumarakoil – Festivals

Vellimalai Kumaraswamy Temple, Kumarakoil – Festivals
Annual Brahmotsavam:
The annual Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the month of Maasi. Padi Utsavam is celebrated on Tamil New Year day in the month of April, and the asterism of Karthikai in the month of Aadi is also celebrated here.
Pushapabishekam:
Pushapabishekam is celebrated on the last Friday in the month of Aavani when the image of Kumaran is completely covered with hundreds of baskets of flowers contributed by the congregating pilgrims.
Vaikasi Visakam:
Vaikasi Visakam is celebrated for 10 days here in this temple.
Skanda Sashti:
As in other Murugan temples, Skanda Sashti is celebrated for six days.
Navarathri:
During Navarathri Pooja, Annai Adi Parasakthi (the divine mother of Lord Muruga) leave Suchindram temple and perform a yatra in Pallakku to Trivandrum, the headquarters of the Kerala State, to participate in the Navarathri Pooja celebrations at the Devi Koil near the Trivandrum Palace. Lord Muruga from Kumarakoil also accompany Annai in a procession, riding a horse. This practice has been in vogue since 1840 when the rulers of the erstwhile Travancore Samasthanam (province) changed their headquarters from Padmanabhapuram in Thuckalay to Trivandrum.
This practice exemplifies the strong connection between the erstwhile Malai Nattu (Kerala) rulers and Kumarakoil. The festival image of Murugan here is Manavaala Kumaran and this image is taken in procession every year during Navaratri to Thiruvananthapuram, along with Saraswathi and Bhagavathy from the Padmanabhapuram palace. Manavaala Kumaran is also taken in procession to take part in the annual festival of the Suchindram temple.
Thirukalyanam:
Murugan's and Valli's marriage is celebrated with great splendor in the month of Panguni (March – April). This Thirukalyanam is an enactment of the divine wedding and is attended by thousands of pilgrims from all over the state. The seven-day festivals begin in the star of Anuradha in the month of Panguni. Kuravar Patukalam, the war waged by Valli’s relatives against Murugan, is colorfully re-enacted during the divine wedding. The seven-day festival begins in the star of Anuradha in the month of Panguni.
On the day of the wedding Manavala Kumaran (processional deity) seated in a palanquin proceeds towards Tiru Kalyana Mandapam located at about 2 Kms from the temple. After the celestial wedding the deities are taken in procession back to the temple. En route we witness the ceremonial Kuravar Patukalam. Kuravars (tribal folk of the hill) wage a war against Lord Murugan in line with the legend associated with Murugan and Valli’s marriage. When the wedded couple reaches the rear entrance of the temple, Kuravas surrender to Lord Murugan and happily consent to the marriage.
Then Lord Murugan is propitiated with Abhishekam and Deeparadhana and a formal wedding is celebrated at night in the decorated temple mandapam bedecked with flowers. During the marriage, Valli cholai, Vatta cholai, Kizhavan cholai etc. are given as gifts to Lord Murugan from the bride’s side. This gift list is read aloud in the assembly. Kum-kum, honey and millet flour are given as prasadam after the divine wedding.
Worshipping Lord Muruga with Wet Clothes:
Nakkeerar’s Thirumurugattupadai mentions about the unique worship offered to Kumaraswamy. Devotees cover the lower part of their body with wet clothes and enter the temple with flowers to have darshan of Lord Murugan. This unique worship continues till date. The gruel offered in this temple as prasadam is believed to be a cure for many diseases. Other prayer commitments are milk abishekam, sandal Kaappu and tonsure
Police offering Kavadi Worship here:
About two hundred years ago a severe draught affected this area, so the erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore ordained his security guards to offer Kavadi worship to Kumaraswamy. Lord Murugan answered their prayers and prosperity restored in the region. To this day, the police offer Kavadi worship to Kumaraswamy on the last Friday of the Tamil month of Karthikai.
Last Fridays of every Tamil Month:
Kerala Tantram is a protocol of worship offered in this temple along the lines of most other temples in Kanyakumari district. Fridays, especially the last Fridays of every Tamil month are very sacred here. The Kanji which is distributed here on Fridays as prasadam is believed to have miraculous healing properties.