VARAMAHALAKSHMI POOJA

                                          Decorated Kalasam

                                              

                                            Pooja being performed

 

Another view of Goddess

 Varalakshmi Vrata is a festival performed to appease the Goddess Lakshmi for wealth, auspiciousness and prosperity. She is also for the health and long life of the husband. It generally falls during   "Sravana month" according to the people of Karnataka and according to the people of Tamilnadu it falls during the month of Addi. According to the Western calender, it falls during the month of July - August. This year it was celebrated on 27th July. It is a festival celebrated by the people of South India.

In my younger days, I  remember  that this festival was observed only by a certain community, mostly by gold smiths. These days everyone is celebrating. In a way it is good , as it brings all the hindus together.

I our family my mother never observed  this festival. But in my wife's family, it is a very important festival. We used to visit my in-laws place along with our children. i do not remember the exact period, my wife introduced the festival in our family. It is a very nice and colorful festival festival. I think it is the only festival, wherein only ladies do all the arrangements on the day of the festival. Being the male member of the family I will hav e to man the kitchen and prepare the food for others.

Actually the preparation starts at least a fortnight in advance. The preparation starts with cleaning of the house and in most of the cases repainting of the house. Purchase of sarees for the Goddess. Earlier people used to purchase gold ornaments. Now the gold price is sky rocketing, people go for silk sarees.This was the case in our house as well. Then comes washing of curtains and sofa covers. Finally it is drawing of rangoolis with color paints.

On the day of the festival starts the purchase of all kinds of pooja articles, right from banana plants to color threads. Then the purchase of fruits. Finally, comes  the purchase of flowers. This year I could access the flowers were the costliest items. The rates varied from Rs 30 to 60. The vendors were dictating terms. No bargains!

Then starts the work of decorating the Goddess A table is used as a pedestal, a new table cloth spread on it neatly. A kalasam is prepared. KALASAM - water is filled in a medium sized vessel with round bottom (Sombu). The vessel may a copper,bronze or silver  metal. A small piece of camphor, some elachi, some tulasi and vilva leaves, little rose water and a gold ornament like ring or chain put into the vessel. One end of some seven good mango leaves placed in the vessel in such a way that the sharp end of the mango leaves visible out side. A good shaped coconut smeared with termaric powder and vermilion placed at the mouth of the vessel in such a way that the eye portion with the fibre of the coconut visible on top. a face of Goddess Lakshmi is fixed to the fibre of the coconut. The face of Goddess Lakshmi is available in all jewellery shops. Again the Goddess is decorated with jewels and plenty of flowers.Finally two small banana plants are placed on either side of the Kalasam. Whole pedestal is decorated with serial lights. Sweets and different verities of fruits are placed before the Goddess in trays. With this decorating of Goddess Mahalakshmi ends.

At an auspicious time Pooja is performed with a song "Bagyadha Lakshmi baramma .. .. .." All the married
 ladies in the neighborhood  are invited and given Thambulam with blouse piece and one rupee coin. Goddess remains in the house for three days and dismantled at the end of the third day.

Indeed it is a colorful festival. Everyone in the family  enjoyed the occasion. I also throughly enjoyed it.

THIRUKADAIYUR

Thirukadaiyur is situated about sixty eight kilometers from the temple town of South India  KUMBAKONAM.  A famous temple is located in this place for Lord Shiva and his consort. Lord is called  AMIRTHAKADESWARAR and his consort called ABHIRAMI. The temple is related to the stories of BAKTHA MARKANDEYA and ABHIRAMA BHATTAR.

Myself and my wife who is an ardent devotee of Shiva and Shakthi visited this temple many times. Our last visit was around some fifteen years back. We have not heard about the Homas that are performed now in this temple during our earlier visits. Since the temple features in many bakthi programmes in various channels, we decided to visit this temple on 13th May, which was our wedding  day, not for performing any Homas.

The story about the temple is, a Maharishi by name Mrigandan and his wife Marudhanaathi lived in this place had no children. They prayed to Lord Shiva for a child. Lord pleased with their prayers appeared before them and granted their wish, but with a choice. Lord asked them to choose between a child who will not be virtuous but will live for hundred years and one will be virtuous but will live for only sixteen years. Maharishi and his wife chose for virtuous son. Markandeya was born to them, As Markandeya grew was pleasing with his behaviour and was liked by all. He also became an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.  His parents were proud of him, but remembered that he will live only until the age of sixteen. This made them unhappy. One day his mother informed him of boon Lord Shiva had granted to them. Markandeya was confident that lord Shiva would protect him.

Markandeya made a Lingam out of wet sand of river Cauvery  and started his penance. As Markandeya entered sixteenth year of age, Yama came to take  his life, but Markandeya grabbed the Lingam and refused to go with Yama. Yama threw the noose around Markandeya  and since he was hugging the Shivalingam, the noose fell around Shivalingam also. This angered Lord Shiva and he killed  Yama and blessed Markandeya to be immortal. It is said that the mark of Yama's noose still can be seen on the Lingam. It is also said that there is on opening mark on the top of the Lingam to prove that Lord Shiva emerged from this Lingam.

It is also  believed that Devas had not worshiped Vinayaka before churning of ocean for nector. To teach a lesson to Devas. Vinayaka stole the pot containing nector and hid it. Hence  Vinayaka in this place called "KALLA PILLAYAR'.

As death is conquered in this place, people perform Sasthiabdhyipoorthi, Bheemarath and Sadabishegam here.

The legend goes further, that there lived a priest in the temple by name ABHIRAMA BHATTAR. He was a staunch devotee of Goddess Abhirami and throughout the day he used to sing about the Goddess. One day the King of Tanjore visited the temple and saw Abhirama Bhattar immersed in the thoughts of Goddess, when the king inquired with others, some even said he is a madman. To ascertain himself, the king asked Bhattar what thiti is today. Bhattar who was engrossed in the Goddess said it is Full moon day, actually it was New moon day. The king said, if moon does not rise in the evening his head would be cut-off.

Bhattar realized his mistake  and prayed to Goddess Abhirami to save his life. When evening approached the guards of the king tied him to specially erected swing over fire. Abhirama Bhattar took permission from the king to sing Abhirami Andhadhi. Andhadhi is a collection of one hundred four lined verses composed by Abhirama Bhattar. Uniqueness of Andhadhi is that the last word of last composition becomes first word of the next verse.

When Abhirama Bhattar started to sing, the ropes tied to the swing started to break one by one and when he started the hundredth verse, Goddess threw her ear ring into the sky and it shone like a full moon in the sky. The king wondered at the devotion of Bhattar and the power of Andhadhi. The king ordered his release bestowed on him the title Abhirama Bhattar and named the Andhadhi as Abhirami Andhadhi and the king also ordered Andhadhi to be recited in the temple everyday, the practice is continuing even today.

 Rajagopuram

 

                                                                                                                                           

                                                             Abhirami Sannadhi

                                                 

 

                                                                   Temple elephant                                             

KOTILINGESHWARA TEMPLE

Kotiligeshwara Temple is situated at Kammasandra in the Kolar district of Karnataka. Kammasandra is a small village surrounded by green fields, water logged fields and hillocks. It is at a distance of  six kilometers from Kolar Gold Fields, popularly known as KGF. This small village houses a rarest of rare temples in the world called "KOTILINGESHWARA TEMPLE'. The name Kotilingeshwara denotes one crore Lingas. It is a wonderful sight to see so many Lingas in one place.

It is said that in order to instill culture of divinity, peace and prosperity Sri Sri Sri Samba Shiva Murthy Samiji founded this temple on a thirteen acre land in the year 1980, and the first Linga was installed on the tenth of October the same year. Later a temple for Kotilingeshwara  was built. The complex now houses eleven temples of various deities like Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, Venkataramanaswamy, Annapoorneshwari,
Panduranga, Panchmukhi Ganapathi, Anjaneya, Rama Lakshmana Sita, Kannigaparameshwari and Karumariamman. The temple contains a Linga which is 108 feet in height. This is considered as the largest in Asia. A Nandi which is 60 feet long, 40 feet wide and 35 feet tall has been erected on a pedestal which greets the visitors to the temple.

It is also said that eighty six lakhs Lingas have been installed so far. All these Lingas have been installed by the devotees. Hassle free arrangements are in place in the temple for installing Lingas. A nominal fee is charged for installation and the amount varies according to the size of the Linga. The temple provides all the articles required for the prathisthapana including nadaswara and the pooja lasts for an hour. Abhisheka is performed everyday for all Lingas installed both in the morning and evening with nadaswara in attendance. Archakas in two groups go around the complex and perform the Abhisheka for all Lingas installed. The temple also offers free accommodation to devotees who want to stay from 6am to 8pm. The temple also offers Annadhana to all the visitors.

Now the Government of Karnataka declared this place as a tourist spot. Large number of devotees and tourists come not only from Karnataka but also from the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu.  The place is well connected by bus fron Bangalore and KGF.

A Nandi which is 60 feet long, 40 feet wide and 35 feet tall

Linga which is 108 feet in height and is considered the largest in Asia

Rows of Lingas

GANGAIKONDA CHOLAPURAM

Rajendra Chola-I was the son of Raja Raja Chola-I, who built the world famous Tanjore Brihadeeswarar Temple.  Rajendra Chola-I built the city, Gangaikonda Cholapuram to commemorate his victory over the kings on the banks of river Ganga. He later shifted his capital from Tanjore to Gangaikonda Cholapuram for administrative reasons. It is said that Rajendra Chola-I was the first Indian King to take his armies overseas and conquered territories up to Burma and Indo-China.

He built a Shiva Temple at his new capital. The temple is a replica of Tanjore Brihadeeswarar Temple, built by his father but smaller in size. He also named it BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE. Like the Tanjore big temple, the shadow of the kalasa atop the gopuram does not fall on the ground. The temple is spread over an area of six acres and dates back to 11^th Century.

The main entrance situated on the eastern side, looks to be in ruins without gopuram and compound walls. It is learnt that the British engineers were responsible for its present state. In 1896, the British engineers dismantled the gopuram and the compound walls and used the granite stones for constructing a dam called “LOWER ANICUT” across the river KOLLIDAM, a tributary of river Cauvery, some five kilometres from the temple.

Rajendra Chola-I was famous for creating images of rock-cut rathas. His expertise can be seen here. The whole temple looks like a ratha with huge wheels and drawn by elephants.

A big Nandhi of 15 feet in length, 8 feet width and 11 feet height erected on a high platform facing the main sanctum greets the visitors. Stone steps have been provided on either side which lead into a big mantapam supported by 153 pillars. A passage has been created to reach the sanctum. At the foot of each pillar on either of the passage, a fairly deep hole has been carved. It appears that these holes were filled with oil and a wick used as oil lamps for light. At the end of the matapam there is an entrance on either side with stone steps. This seems to be the entrance for a private worship for the royal families. Beyond the private worship area is the main sanctum with a huge Shivalingam. This Shivalingam is considered as the largest in entire South India, measures four feet high.

Both the inner and outer walls of the temple adores the most beautiful mind blowing images. The statue of Goddess Saraswathi at the private worship entrance and the big images of DWARAPALAKAS at other entrances look life-like, even today. Many stories of Puranas have been engraved on the walls of the temple without leaving a vacant spot. In totality, the temple is an architectural wonder.

It is also said that the king Rajendra Chola-I brought Ganga water on 108 elephants for the Abhisheka of the Shivalingam. He also poured Ganga water into a lake constructed by him and named it CHOLAGANGAM. The lake is now being called “PONNERI” and used for irrigation, even today.

A day is not enough to admire the beauty of this temple. It will be of great help, if the services of trained guides are provided here.  Gangaikonda Cholapuram is 71 Kms from Tanjore and 38 Kms from Kumbakonam. It is well connected with buses.  Private cabs are also available in plenty at Tanjore and Kumbakonam.  The place once flourished as a capital city, is now left with just a few shops around the temple.

ULSOOR

 Mention of the name Ulsoor, now Halasuru, excites me very much, because it is my birth place and I have spent my childhood in this locality. This is one of the oldest localities in Bangalore. A serene place with a blend of all religions and languages. The city has witnessed many civil disturbances for various reasons, but one never heard of Ulsoor not being in the thick of things. It is one of the friendly neighbourhoods of the city. The locality got its name from jack fruit, "Halasina Hannu" in Kannada. It appears there were many jack fruit gardens in the area and hence the name Halasuru, which became Ulsoor after the advent of the British.

 It is a very busy place with all kinds of activities throughout the year. Bazaar street, Jogupalayam, Murphy town and Guntroop are the most crowded areas now, were crowded even during the 1950s. Almost all the youngsters including myself would like to test their cycling skills in these crowded areas. A play ground called "Gundappa Ground", which now houses the Corporation Maternity Hospital, was always active with youngsters and elders indulging in some sports. Many international footballers like Kempaiah, Arumainayagam, Ethiraj and Thangaraj to mention a few, have played in this ground. Annual Republic Day sports conducted on this ground is another colorful event.

Busy Bazaar Street in Ulsoor

 As far as religious festivals are concerned, the people of the locality used celebrate festivals of all religions with equal enthusiasm and joy. To mention a few of them, Oorhabha performed at Sri Kempamma Devi Temple is still fresh in my memories. Ladies mostly from Jogupalayam will come neatly and colourfully dressed in groups. Each of them will be carrying "Belaku Mavu" on their heads. Local musicians playing devotional songs would lead the procession. This will be followed by animal sacrifice and feeding the evil spirits with blood soaked rice in the middle of the night. The event will be very fearsome one. All the children of the area will not allowed to come out of the house after dusk, even the elders will not leave the house on any account after night.  Annual car and Pallaki festivals of Sri Someswara Swamy Temple is another beautiful and colorful event of the locality. St Lourd's Church on Cambridge Road also bursts with activities, when St Lourd Mary's statue taken on a decorated cart on procession was the only activity on the otherwise very serene Cambridge Road.

Sri Someswara Swamy Temple

 Ulsoor Lake is another great spot where many colourful events are held. Ulsoor lake is only surviving lake constructed by Kempe Gowda II. It is spread over an area of approximately 124 acres. The lake was remodeled and it got the present shape during the Britishers' regime. People would gather around the lake to watch the conclusion events of Moharam festival.  Army authorities used to conduct two important events which was watched by many, one is Regatta boat race among the army units, a day long event. Another one is annual Theppam festival of Odukathur Mutt located right behind Thiruvalluvar statue. This is conducted on the full moon day during the Maga month, called Thai Poosam in tamil. The Theppam decorated with colourful lights on a float, the statue of Lord Muruga is placed on the theppam and theppam would go in small circles. Devotees would offer poojas. This practice has been stopped now. The lake consists of as many as five islands, and boating is allowed in the lake. During 1950s the lake was completely dried, baring one island near MEG and Centre, all islands were accessible by foot. It was a wonderful sight. All of us school going children took this opportunity and visited the islands by foot. A small hill-lock with Kempe Gowda Tower was a great picnic spot in those days. Watching the movements of traffic from the tower was a wonderful sight. 

Ulsoor Lake

Tower near the Lake

 During those days Army establishments and Police stations will have gong hung at the entrance where the guard stands and every half an hour the guard would strike the gong to indicate the time. This was very useful especially during the night times. Ulsoor police station and 515 Army Workshop had this arrangement. It will be a great injustice, if I do not mention that many war veterans of two the Great Wars lived in the locality and their families still live there.

It was a very exciting news for me when the first Metro Rail passed through this wonderful  locality. It is needless to say that I hopped on to the Metro Rail on the very first opportunity and enjoyed the ride.

PLAGUE MARIAMMA TEMPLE

Temples have been dedicated to Goddess of small-pox in many places in the country, but Bangalore is the only place in the whole world which have temples dedicated to  the Goddess of plague called "PLAGUE MARIAMMA or PLAGUE AMM".
During September 1898, Bangalore City was hit by the most disastrous epidemic called Plague. It is believed that the disease was transmitted by a butler of a railway officer who brought the infection from Hubli. It became an epedemic and the areas worst affected were Balepet, Mamulpet, Old Tharagupet, Lalbagh, Ulsoor and Shivajinagar. It is learnt that the death toll peaked in November 1898, resulting in a decline in the population by 25 per cent. Over 30,000 people left the city during this period. Old Tharagupet, the chief grain market in whole of South India was deserted and the business came to stand-still. The British Officers in the cantonment area sent back their families to England.
Then the government took over. A new business area called New Tharagupet was formed and traders were pursuaded to shift their business to the new locality. A chief plague officer was appointed for the effective implementation of anti plague operations. Segregation camps were established, people with normal mhealth were asked to vacate their homes and live in segregation camps. Disinfection was undertaken. The houses where deaths occured due to the epidemic were demolished. Check-Posts were created and people entering the city were disinfected. The city also witnessed many changes during the period. Telephone lines were laid for the effective implementation of anti plague programme. New amenities like sanitation and health facilities were provided. New localities Malleswaram and Basavangudi were created. European  style of hotels were opened for the benefit of the British officers who had sent back their families to England. Regulations were issued for constructing new houses with proper nfacilities for sanitation and ventilation. Victoria Hospital was inaugurated with better medical facilities.The  disease was brought under control. The government announced a bonus of one month's salary for those whose salary was Rs 10 or less and died of plague while on duty.

While the government was taking all measures to combat the epidemic, elders of the localities afftected by the disease which resulted in heavy death toll, thought that the spread of deadly disease was acurse of Goddess Plague Mariamma and decided to build a temple dedicated to Goddess Plaguie Mariamma to ward of the evil. Temples were built in the name of Goddess and offerings were made. The residents of these localities also found another way to dirvert the attention of goddess, they wrote on the doors of their houses " PLAGUE AMMA, ALE BAA (PLAGUE AMMA, COME TOMORROW)".

The Plague Mariamma temples are than a century old, still  continue to perform Pooja without a break even today. The temple are periodically renovated and in some places some more dieties have been added and in some cases names have been changed. These temples are the only mute witnesses to the disastrous epidemic that struck the Great City of Bangalore.

This temple located at Bowee Lane, Ulsoor, still retains the name "Plague Mariamma Temple". Other temples have changed their names.

MASHANA KOLLAI

The day after MAHA SHIVARATHRI, is the day on which most of the hindu families who have buried their dead, visit the graves of their near and dear ones in the burial grounds. This happens once a year. Be a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim, a day is earmarked in their calendar to visit the graves of the dead ones in their families. In the case of Christians, it is called All souls day, I do not know what the muslims call it, but I have seen them visiting Kabristan on the day of Eid after the prayers. In Tamil, it is called ‘Mashana Kollai’ and in Kannada, it is ‘Hiriyara Habba’. I do not know the significance of these visits. My efforts to know about Mashana Kollai have been proved futile. However, I am sure a day has been earmarked in our life to remember our dead ones. Mashana Kollai literally means, looting in mashana. Perhaps, that is the reason, the moment you leave the graves after performing the pooja, all the items you left on the graves vanish without a trace.

I am observing from young age, that my parents visiting the graves of our grandparents and other close relatives. And when my father died in the year 1966, I have also become a part of the group and visit the grave of my father along with my mother. A lot of importance is given to this festival and I remember very well that my mother never missed visiting the grave of my father and other relatives even once, till her passing away in 2005.

People visit the burial grounds some fifteen to twenty days before the festival, reconstruct the graves. Our Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike have also employed people with quarters to assist the people who bring their dead for burial. There are about some ten families live in the burial ground. They not only assist in burial, but also maintain the graves, for a small price. These people though they have limited education, each family maintain around two hundred graves. They possess amazing memory and they remember all the graves they maintain by heart. These people construct the graves every year for Mashana Kollai, and either white wash or smear them with cow dung. This is done according to the family practice. Some people, who do not wish to pay, do it for themselves and paint the graves with all kinds of colours. The burial ground becomes colourful.

On Maha Shivarathri night, Goddess Kali is decorated and taken on a procession inside the burial ground. Animal sacrifice is made and the poor are fed on the following day.

On Mashana Kollai day, thousands of families visit the burial ground with pooja articles and lots of eatables, generally liked by the dead when they were alive. The area around the graves are swept, water sprinkled and colourful rangolis are drawn on and around the graves. Paper plates are spread on the graves, pooja articles and eatables are placed. Pooja is performed for the dead. A portion of the eatables along with coconuts together with the price for renovating the graves are given to the person who has done it. These days the burial grounds are so much crowded, full police protection is provided from morning to evening. No vehicles allowed inside the burial ground. On this day, the entire burial ground becomes colourful and burst with activities that last from dawn to dusk. I just wonder about our culture which earmarked a day even for the people who are dead and long gone. It is indeed amazing!

THIRUVANNAMALAI

I have heard a lot about ARUNACHALESWAR TEMPLE in the temple town, Thiruvannamalai, in Tamilnadu. However, I did not get a chance to visit this famous temple. After my retirement I started visiting temples and places of worships not only in India but also in Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. Of all the temples I visited, the temple at Thiruvannamalai attracted me a lot. People from all over the world visit this temple throughout the year. This town which lies on the state highway between Bangalore and Pondicherry, is built around the Annamalai hill. A montain raising some 4000 meters from the ground.

Spiritual gurus Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Ramana Maharishi, Arabindo, Seshadri Swamigal, Muniyandi Swamigal and many more saints and sadhus lived and attained eternity in this place.

The ancient and vast Arunachaleswar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the result of several centuries of building, alterations and additions. The temple spreads over twenty four acres. The temple has four gopurams, Rajagopuram in the east is 217 feet high. A thousand pillared hall and the temple pond were built by Sri Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar. Every full moon day people walk around the Annamalai hill and offer special prayers called 'Girivalam', a 14 kilometers walk on a neatly laid and well lit road. Ashtalingams namely Indiralingam, Agnilingam, Yamalingam, Niruthilingam, Varunalingam, Kuberalingam and Esanialingam greet the pilgrims on their girivalam route.

'Karthigai Deepam' in the month of November - December is the main festival which marks the end of ten days Brahmotsavam. To mark the occasion a lamp is lit on top of Annamalai hill using a couldron. Sarees and dothis are used as wick to light the lamp. On that particular day, it is estimated that around ten million people witness the lighting of the lamp. The whole town wears a festive look. Everyone irrespective of their religion decorate their houses with mango leaves and colourful rangolis. Most of the people in and around the town fast from dawn to dusk. The town will remain silent from five to six in the evening. Public transport buses would be stopped at the outskirts of the town and start moving after the deepam. One can feel the town coming to a grinding halt. Exactly at six in the evening the lamp on top of the hill will be lit amid chants of "Annamalaiku Arogarah". The lamp will be visible from a distance of thirty kilometers and will be kept burning for ten days. During these days the temple remains open from early morning till late night without a break. Devotees continue to visit till the last day in great numbers.

(This was published in Deccan Chronicle - Sunday on 13-09-2009)