Dr. P. Jeyabalakrishnan* and N.Sumathe**
*Assistant Professor in History, DDE., Annamalai University
**Ph.D., Part – Time, Research Scholar, History, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
Kanyakumari District is well-known for its Vishnu temples. Vaishnavism flourished from a very early date. Shrines erected in memory of Vishnu are many in this district. The chief centres of Vishnu temples are Thiruvattar, Parakkai, Parthivapuram, Suchindrum, Kariyamanickapuram, Puravaseri, Thiruvithancode, Krishnancoil, Thiruppathisaram and Kochapidaram.
As in Shiva temples, many festivals and ceremonies are conducted in the temples of Vishnu. The analysis of various festivals, conducted in Vishnu temples reveals a very important fact that ceremonies in Vishnu temples are almost alike in Kanyakumari District. Vishnu temples also attract a large number of devotees on all days.
Janmasthami or Gohulashtami
Lord Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Vishnu was born on this day at mid-night on a full-moon day at Mathura. This festival is observed in the month of August-September, every year throughout the district, in all Vishnu Temples, especially in Krishna Temples. With great enthusiasm, devotees of Vishnu, celebrate this day. The temples and houses are decorated. Devotees observe fast, devote their time in reciting Bhagavata Purana and Gita and singing devotional songs in praise of the Lord.1 After mid-night, prasad is distributed among pilgrims.
Vrischikavilakku Festival
Vrischikavilakku, the lamp festival in the month of Vrischika (November) is another popular festival. The solar month of Vrischika is almost the same as Karthika a month specially sacred for burning hundreds of lamps in house and temples. Chikavilaku is considered to be a favourite festival for Sri Krishna. Padmasamhita, a medieval sanskrit text-book states that this festival of Krishna is celebrated on the full-moon day in the month of Kartika. On the festival day lamps are lit in hundred and thousands on walls and porches and towers.2 This festival also can be traced back to the early part of the Sangam age. An Akam song describes how people observed it. In the song, the heroine comforts herself that her lover will join her in the festival celebrated by many, after the days of cultivation are over in the ancient victorious city, hanging up garlands and lighting lamps in the streets on a bright mid-night when the moon, fully waxed so as to reveal the rabbit (the shadow of the moon) in a clear sky is in conjuction with the constellation of Kartika3. From the Jataka literature, understand that Kartika Festival, which was popular all over India, was held on the full-moon day, when the king went round the city in procession.4 That not only Hindu, but other sects also celebrated the Kartika festival is clear from Karnataka inscription which mentions the festival to be observed in Jain temples.5 In ancient times, people celebrated the occasion by drinking, eating and merry-making.
Onam
Onam is one of the most important festivals in Kanyakumari District. Even though, it is a national festival today, the people of Kanyakumari are more involved in this festival due to their long connection with Kerala. It is observed as the birth asterism of Tirumal Vishnu. The Vaishnavas celebrate Onam with feast and special worship to Vishnu. Onam falls in the month of Chingam (August-September) i.e. in the harvest season. Hence, probably this must be a harvest festival, at least in the beginning. Madurai Kanchi describes the celebrations of Onam.6 From Periyalvartirumoli we learn that the festival began with a rite called Mulaiyaddal. The rite of Mulaiyaddal as the commencing of the Onam ceremony and the festival which are referred to Periyalvartirumoli as parts of the festival points to its relation with agriculture. At the present state of our knowledge we do not know when and how this festival was confined to a particular region.7 It must be at a later stage that it was accepted by Brahmins, fabricating the myth of Mahabali.
On the day of Onam sacred lamps are lit in the temples. Special quantity of camphor, sandal, akil and garlands are to be supplied on that day. Large measures of rice is cooked which is offered to the pilgrims. All the temple functionaries who are engaged in discourses’in Sanskrit puranas and epics, those who attend hand lamps and gave arecanut for the festival and drummers and musicians of the temple get special remuneration on the day.8
Adhyanatsavam
Another most important festival in the Vaishnava temples is the Adhyanantsavam that takes place in the month of Markali (December-January).9 The Adhyanantsavam is considered as the very soul of a Sri Vaishnava temple because it is a solemn occasion when the intimate relationship between God and His Devotees is fully brought out. During this time, devotional songs are recited in the presence of the chief deity.
Sradha festival
Another rare festival conducted in the Vishnu temples of Kanyakumari District is “sradha”10 ceremony. Though a simple function, sradha involves some prerequisites to be done carefully. The persons who want to perform sradha, should refrain from taking rice three times, the previous day. He can take it once. Whatever he takes, should be taken only after the morning bath. The person who comes for sradha has to take a purificatory bath after which he enters the temple wearing the newly washed cloth dipped in water. He has to wear it in the style of Panchakatcham11 (the style in which the Brahmins wear). The person sits on an altar inside the temple facing the deity Parasurama. Women also come for the observance of Sradha.12
Vaikunda Ekadasi
Generally, Ekadasi is a sacred day to Vishnu.13 Devotees observe complete fast on all Ekadasi days of the year. It is celebrated both in the dark and bright fort-night in every month of the year14.
The Ekadasi of Markali month, known as Vaikunda Ekadasi, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion. Many legends such as those of Durvasa and Murasaura, are associated with this sacred festival. It is said to be equivalent to three crores of Ekadasis, and hence called ‘Mukkoti Ekadasi’.
This is principally a day of fasting and keeping awake at mid-night. Devotees of Lord Vishnu observe fasting and non-sleeping. In the early morning of the next day, the devotees go to the temple and offer worship. There, is a special entrance to the Lord’s presence in all important Vaishnava temples. It is called Swarga Vaasal (Gateway to heaven) and is generally kept closed all through the year, it is opened for the devotees for darshan on the morning of Ekadasi. The entry of devotees through that gateway, signifies, entry into Vaikunda itself. 15
Thirumanjanam
The festivals and ceremonies conducted in Vishnu temples are many. Among them a picturesque ceremony called Thirumanjanam or abisekam or the holy bath is conducted-in all the Vishnu temples.16 It forms an essential daily item in the worship, but it is performed only for six days in a month. They are the first day of the month, the full-moon day, the new-moon day and the day following, and on the days of the Hasta and sravana stars. On all these days, the processional deity is taken to the abiseka mandapam where the holy bath is performed to the accompaniment of chanting of Sanskrit and Tamil verses and the periodical display of the trumpets and drums. In the evening, there would be a procession of the deity in the streets. Besides these, on all festive occasions like the Deepavali and Pongal special Thirumanjanams are performed17.
Festivals at Parakkai Madhusudhana Perumal Temple
The annual festival in the Parakkai Vishnu Temple is conducted during the month of Panguni for ten days. On the evening of the tenth, the deity is , taken in procession from the temple to the beach nearly three miles away.18 This is called ‘Arattu’.19 In the night Teppam Utsava is celebrated in the tank situated in front of the temple, on a grand scale.20 On the fifth day of the annual festival, a large number of coconuts are broken by the devotees in front of the Garuda in fulfilment of their vows. Then the Garuda Vahana is taken in procession along the main streets. Every Saturday of the Tamil month of Purattasi is considered to be most auspicious for worship in the temple21.
In the temple, Vaikunda Ekadasi is celebrated with great piety. Almost all the devotees who come to Suchindrum for the utsava make it a point to visit the Parakkai Vishnu temple for worship, as Vaikunda ekadasi falls on the 6th day of the Markali festival in the temple of Suchindrum.22
A unique feature of the temple is that it is so constructed that the rays of the sun fall on the feet of Lord Madhusudhana on every tenth of Chithirai until the installation of the golden Dhvajasthamba in the year 1956. A big size, Mothaka, locally called Amirtha Kalasam (Sweet ball of rice containing a mixture of split peas, molasses and coconut slices) is offered to the deity.23 Devotees throng here on every tenth of Chithirai and they believe that the worship of Madhusudana eradicates all ills, and it also produces beneficial results and brings about the fulfilment of one’s a desires.
Chithirai Festival at Krishnancoil
The annual festival conducted in the Vishnu Temple at Krishnancoil is considered by the Vaishnavites of KanyaKumari District as significant. The annual festival lasts for ten days in the month of Chithirai.24 The Car festival is conducted the ninth day and the Teppam festival is celebrated in a grand manner on the night of the last day. It is significant to note that the Teppam festival in this temple falls only on the full moon day of Chithirai. Apart from this, on all Saturdays, especially during the month of Purattasi, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Ashtmai and Thirukkarthigai are considered to be most auspicious for worship at the temple.25
Festivals in Thirupathisaram
Of the festivals connected with the temple of Thirupathisaram, the Adi Swathi celebration is the most significant. It is believed by the devotees of Vishnu that it was on that day the God appeared before King Kulasekhara Alwar and took bodily to heaven. In the month of Chithrai annual festival is conducted for ten days.26 Thirukarthikari and Ashtami Rohini are the other sacred festivals conducted in this temple.
Festivals in Adikesava Perumal Temple in Thiruvattar
In the temple of Thiruvattar, two festivals are conducted in a year, one in Aipasi and the other in Panguni. These festivals are observed as in the Trivandrum Padmanabhaswamy Temple.27 Thousands of pilgrims from all over Kanyakurnari District take part in these festivals.
Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing that all the Vishnu temples in the District bristle with festivals throughout the year. They have been arranged with great forethought and planning so that many of them are appropriate to the season and weather conditions. For instance, the Teppostavam or floating festival in Masi soon after the rainy season is over, when the tanks would be full to the brim. Festivals are prescribed to enable a person, to pursue his religious life and to concentrate on God at least on these occasions. To realize God, as manifested in the universe, is the essence of Hindu religion.
References
- Nandini Sharma, Temple Festivals of North India, Vivekanda Patrika, Vol.10, No.1, Madras, 1981.
- Travancore Archaeological Series, Vol.III, Part I, pp.44-45.
- Akananuru, 141, pp.8-9.
- E.B.Cowell, The Jataka, Vol.I, p.261.
- Ibid.
- Madurai Kanchi, pp.590-594.
- A.Sreedhara Menon, Social and Cultural History of Kerala, New Delhi, 1979.
- T.A.S. Vol.II, Part III, pp.195-6.
- K.K.Pillai, The Sucindrum Temple, Madras, 1953, p.232.
- M.Sasi, Temple Taboos in Travancore-A Study, Unpublished M.Phil dissertation, M.K.University 1987, p.29.
- A nine yard dhoti worn in the typical Brahmin style.
- Ibid.
- K.K. Pillai, Op.cit., p.250.
- B.N.Sharma, Festivals of India, Abhinav Publications, New Delhi, 1978, p.36.
- Ibid., p.37.
- K.K.Pillai, Op.Cit., p.164.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- T.A.S., Vol.VI, Part I, p.12.
- Ibid., p.214.
- T.K.Velu Pillai, Travancore State Manual, Vol.4, Travandrum, 1940, p.644.
- S.Padmanabhan, Temples in Kanyakumari District, Nagercoil, 1970 p.29.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- S.Padmanabhan, Op.Cit, p.43.