Bramhotsavam 2011

17^th Year Brahmotsavam (08.02.2011  to 19.02.2011)

Brahmotsavam is a festival celebrated for 10 days once in a year in South Indian Temples. Not all temples celebrate in the same month . In Tirupathi  it is always celebrated in September-October month. In Anantha PadmaNabha Swamy Temple of Gandhinagar Adayar,Chennai, it is celebrated in February – March months .

Diety in this temple is Called as “Anantha PadmaNabha” GOD Vishnu lying on Shesha Nag. This Temple is exact replica of temple in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

Concept of Brahmotsavam

Every south Indian temple has two images of GOD. Main Image in Sanctum Sanctorum (Shrine)is called Moola Murti made up of STONE .It is fixed and does not move. This is First Image of GOD.

The second Image of GOD in every temple is made up of PANCHA Loha (alloy of Gold, Silver, Tin, Copper and Zinc).This is called as Utasava Murti. This image is taken in procession on Four Roads around the temple during the Bramhotsavam festival days. All 10 days GOD is decorated in different avatars and rides on different Vahanas(vehicles).

During festival days ,there will be one image of GOD is sitting on a jhoola (swing)in temple.You can push the swing and use fan as service to GOD. This is called as OONJHAL Sewa (OONJHAL means swing)

OONJHAL-HE is sitting on jhoola as HE would sit in BAIKUNTHA and it is called as PARAMPADANATHA

Day 0     MOOSHIGA VAHANAM SRI LAKSHMI GANAPATHY ALANKARAM

Day before festival starts , Ganesha is worshipped so that no obstacles come during the following 10 days of festival .In evening Ganesha is brought in Procession riding  on Mooshika(Mouse) (Alangaram means decoration)

Day1-SRI NARSIMHAR ALANKARAM SIMHA VAHANA(Lion)

On 1^st day in morning on First day is Kodiyetram is done (Kodi means flag).Flag is raised in temple to announce beginning of this festival

In evening GOD comes riding on LION Vehicle so called as SIMHA VAHANA and GOD is decorated as Narasimha.

 

Day2-    SRI PARTHASARATHY ALANKARAM (Surya Prabhai)/SRI TRIUPATHY VENKATACHALAPATHI (Chandra Prabhai)

On 2^nd day in morning GOD is decorated as SUN and is called as SURYA PRABHA

In evening GOD is decorated as MOON and called as CHANDRA PRABHA

Day3-SRI SARASWATHI ALANKARAM

On 3^rd day evening,HAMSA (SWAN)( in Tamil ANNA VAHANAM )carries GOD dressed as Saraswathi with Veena.

Day4-SRI VAIKUNDANATHAR ALANKARAM

On 4^th day in evening behind GOD will be hoods of Sesha naag (serpent) spread out.This image of GOD is called as SHESHA VAHANAM

Day5-SRI RAJA ALANKARAM

On 5^th day in morning there is Garuda Sewa(Garuda means the bird,Brahmani kite, who carries Lord Vishnu)-GARUDA VAHANAM.

In evening there is Hanumantha sewa (SRI HANUMANTH  VAHANAM)where Hanumaan carries GOD and GOD is decorated as Lord RAMA.

Day6- SRI GURUVAYOORAPPAN ALANKARAM

On 6^th day GOD is riding an Elephant decorated like GURUVAYURAPPAN and called as GAJA VAHANAM(Gaja means elephant).

Guruvayur is most famous Krishna temple in Kerala.

In temple there was a story enacted for Gajendra Moksha. Story->Once there was an elephant who daily without fail used to pluck flowers from a lake and offer to GOD.One day a crocodile caught his legs and he tried his level best to escape but could not.Then he started enchanting GODs name and GOD came riding on Garuda with his chakara ( Disc)to save him. Actually Elephant was some Devta in his previous janma and he was sent to Earth to suffer for some misbehavior. So he thanks GOD and returns to normal Devta form

Day7  PUNNAI MAARA ALANKARAM

It is called as THIRU THERmeaning Chariot procession.On this day GOD is taken for procession in a beautifully carved wooden chariot .People walk behind it chanting Vishnu Sahsranama.

On this day GOD will be standing in front of the PUNNAI  (TREE) MARA ..Punnai is the sacred Tree under which Krishna  used to stand and play the  flute in Brindavan.

GOD is decorated like Krishna as Pundarik Vithala of Pandarpur  in maharashtra with his wife Rukmani.Saint Purandaradasa has written 4 lakhs songs praising Pundarik Vithala and the saint says GOD is putting HIS Hands on his HIPS with gaps so that devotees can go and hug HIM .

Day8- SRI RAJA ALANKARAM

This day GOD is representing KALKI avatar riding on Horse KUDHIRAI VAHANAM (Ashwa).When the world is going to end GOD is supposed to come riding on a horse to save Righteous people from Pralaya (Total destruction)

Day9-SRI SWAMI THIRU KALYANA KOLA ALANKARAM

GOD is decorated as Vishnu with his  wives on his left and right namely Sridevi (symbolizing Prosperity) and Bhudevi(symbolizing Earth) .

Kalyana Utsavam means Marriage Celebration-Usually on 9^th day  Marriage of GOD is celebrated in the Temple in the evening and after that procession of GOD and his wives  is taken out .On the way people offer sweets,sarees,dhotis and thali(mangala sutra ) for 2 wives of GOD. 

Whenever, Lord Vishnu descended on the earth,as an Avatara, Bhudevi and Sridevi also came down as his wives.For example,Bhudevi was Sita devi in Ramavatar and Sridevi and Bhudevi were Rukmini and Satyabhama in Krishnavatar.

Day10-VENNAI  THAZHI  KANNAN  ALANGARAM-Butter Pot Krishna

Bala Krishna holding a pot of Butter.He is sitting in a palaki made of flowers.So also called as Pushpa Pallakku in Tamil.

 On the last day there will be THEERTHA VARI meaning Bath in the river or temple tank.Usually 1 priest will take the image of GOD'S chakra , called SUDARSHANA  Alwar and immerse it 3 times in the  river. (GOD’s idol will not take bath only his chakra)

After that  there is Kodyirakkam means taking down the flag after successful completion of the festival during  the  last 10 days

Priests who decorate GODs in all these days are presented gifts with GOD'S  Blessings.

People came out of there houses and took the blessings of the God every day around 8:00 a.m.and around  8:00p.m..

Popular singers of Chennai gave performances in the evening from 7:00 p.m.to 10:00 p.m. in the hall adjacent to the temple.  Very talented artists play ed Classical music  on a variety of Instruments like Saxophone,Violin,Mridangam,Morsing,Tabla,Ghatam,Kanjira  both as Solo performers and also as accompanists to the  vocalists . There was also a musical discourse by a very talented young lady on Saint Purandara dasa.

Some popular names include:-
Padmasri Dr Kadri Gopalnath,Tmt KanyaKumari,Sri Praveen Kumar,Sri B RajaSekar,Sri Rajendran, Sri TN Krishnan,Smt Visaka Hari,Sri TV Sankar Narayan,Smt Gayathri Girish,Priya Sisters(Smt Haripriya and Smt ShanmugaPriya),Malladi Brothers(Sri Ram Prasad and Shri Ravi Kumar),Bombay Sisters(Smt C. Saroja ,Smt C. Lalitha)

The bhajans were followed by applause of devotees in large number. and finally my favorite prasadam was distributed.

 This is a good way to increase spirituality as well as appreciation of classical music in the city.


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