Swaminatha Swamy Temple,
Swamimalai – Worship Practices
The
temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on
a daily basis. The priests belong to the Shaiva community, a Brahmin
sub-caste. The
temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 6:00 a.m.,
Kalasanthi at 9:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 noon, Sayarakshai at 5:30 p.m.,
Irandamkalam at 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual
comprises four steps: Abhisheka (sacred bath), Alangaram
(decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa
aradanai (waving of lamps) for Swaminathaswamy. The worship is held amidst
music with Nadaswaram (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.
Like other Murugan temples, the worship practises
include tonsuring in the
temple, ablution of the deity with sandal, panchamirtham (a
mixture of five ingredients) and milk are performed by devotees. Carrying milk
pots (called palkudam) and Kavadi are other common forms of
worship. A few years ago, a popular event called Subramanya Sahasranama,
meaning doing archana with 1008 forms of Muruga was celebrated every
month. Like in Palani
Murugan temple, Vibhuti Abhishekam, the ablution of the central deity with
ash is performed. The central deity with adorned with diamond Vel every
Thursday.
