Siva
Suriya Peruman Temple, Suriyanar Koil – Festivals & Religious Practices
Rituals:
The
temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and
on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamilnadu, the priests belong to
the Shaivite 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 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam
at 10:00 p.m.
Each ritual comprises four
steps: Abhishekam (sacred bath), Alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food
offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for Suryanar, Usha Devi and
Chaya Devi. The worship is held amidst music with Nadaswaram (pipe
instrument) & tavil (percussion instrument), religious
instructions in the Vedas read by priests and prostration by
worshippers in front of the temple mast.
Festivals:
10-day Ratha Saptami in Thai
month (January-February) is a very important festival in the
temple. Ratha Saptami is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun
God Surya turning
his Ratha (Chariot)
drawn by seven horses, with Aruna as
the charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction.
Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of
the harvesting season. On the first day of each Tamil month special pujas
and abisheks are performed to Lord Surya (Sun) who heads the Zodiac family. Also,
Saturn (Sani) and Jupiter (Guru) transition days are celebrated with special
pujas. First Sundays in the months of Aavani and Karthigai are
celebrated with much fanfare.
Worship Practices:
Suriyanar
Koil and Thirumangalakudi
are closely related to each other. People who offer worship at Suriyanar
temple have to go first to Thirumangalakudi
to offer worship. In early days, both places are same and was called Argavamam
before dividing. Both the temples have Erukan plant as Sthala Vriksham.
There is a marked difference of
worshipping in this
temple from other temples; one has to follow the custom of worshipping. To
offer worship at Suriyanar
Temple, one has to reach the Rajagopuram (Main Entrance) and move towards
North where Pushkarini of temple is located. One can take bath in the tank or
sprinkle holy water in the head as purification. Next after the bath one has to
offer prayers at the Rajagopuram before entering the temple. After entering the
temple, one has to turn towards Southern side where Kol Theertha Vinayagar
is placed. One has to do the Sankalpam and Archana as Hindus find Vinayagar as
turnover of all obstacles.
After worshipping Vinayagar, one
has to climb steps to reach Narthana Mandapam at Northern Side and then more
towards Sabanayagar Mandapam where one can offer prayers to Utsava Idol. After
Sabanayagar Mandapam one can reach Main Mandapam and offer prayers to Sri
Kasiviswanathar and Visalakshi. Next to Main Mandapam, there is Maha Mandapam, where
Guru Bhagavan (Lord Jupiter) shrine and sanctum are situated. People do the
Archana for Guru and offer prayers to Lord Sun.
One has to move South wards to
come out of Sanctum to reach the Lord Saturn (Sani). Lord Kuja and Lord Mars
are placed separately then move northwards to offer prayers to Lord Moon and
Kethu. Then, move towards west where Lord Sukra and Raghu are placed. Finally,
one has to offer prayers to Chandikeswarar. After finishing prayers at
Chandikeswarar, one has to come clockwise to reach the Vinayakar to give final
prayers, after all the prayers are over, one would reach the flag post and
prostrate before it. Then nine rounds of the temple is a must. After nine
rounds again, one has to prostrate and meditate on the nine planets for
sometimes.