Aruvathimoovar Festival
Every year, during the Tamil month of Panguni, on Uththiram Star, the "Aruvathimoovar" festival is celebrated in Sri Kapaleeswarar Koil, Mylapore.
To honour the 63 naayanmaars; some of the more famous naayanmaars are Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar, (thirugnana) Sambandar, Kannappar. The decorated 63 idols are taken in procession around the four mada veedhis, followed by Sri Kapaleeswarar Himself. This is the most important festival in the ongoing Panguni Utsavam of the Koil.
Today (April 11th, 2006) was the festival. Myself and Vijaya went to RK Mutt road on some other errand, and when we hit the road we couldn't believe our eyes - was it the same old RK Mutt road on which we walk daily? No, it can't be ! The road had transformed totally into a mega Mela, with thousands of men, women, and children ambling about. Mostly women and children, in their festival best !
For those who don't know RK Mutt road, this is the road that runs North - South, with Luz corner on the North and heading towards Adyar on the South. We started our "journey" from the BSNL tel exchange on the south side - it is about 2 km from the South Mada street. Right at the entrance to the exchange, there was this Thanneer Pandal where the tel people were distributing that looked like Rava Kesari. Every devotee had a thonnai full of Kesari.
At every 10 metres or less, on both sides of the road, were more thanneer pandals mostly sponsored by individuals, giving away Sakkarai Pongal, Puliyodharai etc. A small girl had purchased 100s of biscuit packets and she was giving 2-3 biscuits to everyone ! Some woman was giving what looked like Rava Laddu. It was a sight to behold.
No need to talk about water packets. There were in abundance, all free.
As we approached the Mandaveli bus terminus circle, the MTC employees had erected a huge pandal and serving Sambhar sadam to the thronging crowd. Just next to this, the Autoricksaw drivers' Union had set up another pandal and giving another thonnai of meals. Here too biscuits and Rava Laddu distribution was going on. Hardly 10 metres away there was another pandal giving out hot (veg) biriyani to all.
From the bus terminus circle, the crowd became denser with people joining from two other roads, and walking became that much slower and difficult. On both sides of this segment there were umpteen shops and stalls selling the usual Utsavam things. Crowds were purchasing too ! Reminded me of our Tirupapuliyur koil utsavam, but that was very small compared to today's.
At the other end of this segment is the Ramakrishna Mutt itself - the Mutt was distributing Sambhar Sadham and Thayir Sadham to the thousands and thousands of devotees ! The individuals' serving of biscuits and tidbits continued all through. Finally, we reached the circle where RK Mutt road meets South Mada Street. Here, there was verily an ocean of humans on all the four roads. Easily lakhs of people. What a crowd !
We stood here, had darshan of a few Deities (like Sri Vaaleeswarar, Pillaiyar) and returned home, thoroughly impressed.
Next year all of you come and see for yourselves the proportions of this Aruvathimoovar Festival; and more importantly, see for yourselves how large, how noble our countrymen's hearts are !! Seeing is Believing. Our ancient Heritage at its Best.
Rajappa
20-55 on 11 April, 2006
* Obviously, we couldn't enter the last segment of RK Mutt road (West Mada st ?). The South mada street was jam-packed with humans !!
Every year, during the Tamil month of Panguni, on Uththiram Star, the "Aruvathimoovar" festival is celebrated in Sri Kapaleeswarar Koil, Mylapore.
To honour the 63 naayanmaars; some of the more famous naayanmaars are Appar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar, (thirugnana) Sambandar, Kannappar. The decorated 63 idols are taken in procession around the four mada veedhis, followed by Sri Kapaleeswarar Himself. This is the most important festival in the ongoing Panguni Utsavam of the Koil.
Today (April 11th, 2006) was the festival. Myself and Vijaya went to RK Mutt road on some other errand, and when we hit the road we couldn't believe our eyes - was it the same old RK Mutt road on which we walk daily? No, it can't be ! The road had transformed totally into a mega Mela, with thousands of men, women, and children ambling about. Mostly women and children, in their festival best !
For those who don't know RK Mutt road, this is the road that runs North - South, with Luz corner on the North and heading towards Adyar on the South. We started our "journey" from the BSNL tel exchange on the south side - it is about 2 km from the South Mada street. Right at the entrance to the exchange, there was this Thanneer Pandal where the tel people were distributing that looked like Rava Kesari. Every devotee had a thonnai full of Kesari.
At every 10 metres or less, on both sides of the road, were more thanneer pandals mostly sponsored by individuals, giving away Sakkarai Pongal, Puliyodharai etc. A small girl had purchased 100s of biscuit packets and she was giving 2-3 biscuits to everyone ! Some woman was giving what looked like Rava Laddu. It was a sight to behold.
No need to talk about water packets. There were in abundance, all free.
As we approached the Mandaveli bus terminus circle, the MTC employees had erected a huge pandal and serving Sambhar sadam to the thronging crowd. Just next to this, the Autoricksaw drivers' Union had set up another pandal and giving another thonnai of meals. Here too biscuits and Rava Laddu distribution was going on. Hardly 10 metres away there was another pandal giving out hot (veg) biriyani to all.
From the bus terminus circle, the crowd became denser with people joining from two other roads, and walking became that much slower and difficult. On both sides of this segment there were umpteen shops and stalls selling the usual Utsavam things. Crowds were purchasing too ! Reminded me of our Tirupapuliyur koil utsavam, but that was very small compared to today's.
At the other end of this segment is the Ramakrishna Mutt itself - the Mutt was distributing Sambhar Sadham and Thayir Sadham to the thousands and thousands of devotees ! The individuals' serving of biscuits and tidbits continued all through. Finally, we reached the circle where RK Mutt road meets South Mada Street. Here, there was verily an ocean of humans on all the four roads. Easily lakhs of people. What a crowd !
We stood here, had darshan of a few Deities (like Sri Vaaleeswarar, Pillaiyar) and returned home, thoroughly impressed.
Next year all of you come and see for yourselves the proportions of this Aruvathimoovar Festival; and more importantly, see for yourselves how large, how noble our countrymen's hearts are !! Seeing is Believing. Our ancient Heritage at its Best.
Rajappa
20-55 on 11 April, 2006
* Obviously, we couldn't enter the last segment of RK Mutt road (West Mada st ?). The South mada street was jam-packed with humans !!
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