Kalamega Perumal Temple, Thirumohoor – Festivals &
Religious Practices
The
temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis
based on Pancharathra Agama. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, 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 10:00 p.m.
Each
ritual has three
steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering)
and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Kalamega Perumal and
Mohanavalli. 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. 10-day
Vaikasi Brahmmotsavam (May-June), Vaikunta Ekadasi (December-January), Gajendra
Moksham in the Masi Poornima day in February – March, 2-day Panguni
Thirukalyanam (March-April), Krishna Jayanthi are the main festival observed in
the temple. Also, all new moon days, both Tamil and English New Year days,
Deepavali and Pongal are the festival days in the temple.