‘Sani Pradoshgam’ falling on 24th April (Saturday) was observed at the Thiruvannamalai Lord Arunachaleswarar temple. Special adornments were gicen to the ‘Sara Vilakku’ Nandhi located at the 2nd Corridor of the Lord Arunachaleswarar Temple and a special ‘Deepaaradhanai’ was performed!
On the 10th days of the grand Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam festival (Special grand Spring festivals celebrated during the full moon period in the Tamil Calendar month of Chithirai), due to the raging resurgent coronavirus pandemic spreading fast and wide across the country and the state, the deities of the Lord Periyanakar and His Consort Parasakthi Amman were taken to the ‘Rudraksha Mandapam’ located near the ‘Periya Nandhi’ in the 5th Corridor of the temple and ‘Theertha vari’ was performed!
Subsequently, the deities of the Lord Periyanayakar and His Consort Parasakthi Amman’ were take for a procession in side the temple complex in the 5th Corridor!
On the 8th day of the ongoing ‘Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam’ (Spring festival falling in the Tamil Calendar month of Chithirai), on Saturday, 24th April, ‘The Doll Flowers Shower’ ceremony (when doll flowers are sprayed on the main deities with special poojas) was performed in the night and ‘Olivu Utsavam’ (the mythical event of Lord Siva searching for the God of Love, ‘Manmadha’) was also performed!
On the 7th day of the grandly ongoing Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam (Spring Festival during the Tamil Calendar months of Chithirai with which the Tamil New Year commences) the divine event of ‘Doll Flower Shower’ (Showering of the deities of the Lord and His Consort with doll flowers) was performed on Friday, 23rd April (7th Day of the Spring festival).
On the 6th Day of the Grand Occasion of the Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam (Spring Festival celebrated in the Tamil Calendar Month of Chithirai), Thursday, 22nd April – the famous event of ‘Flower-dolls shower’ (in Tamil – ‘Bommai Poo Kottum Vizha’) was celebrated with great verve and devotion!
On the 5th Day of the Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam (Spring festival in the Tamil Calendar month of Chithirai) on Wednesday, 21st April, the deity of the Lord Periyanayakar was taken in a procession to the 3rd corridor of the temple and the 1st event of ‘Olivu’ – as per the Puranas (mythological epics), Lord Siva being in a search of the God of Love, known as Manmadha – was performed.
On the 3rd day of the ‘Chithirai Vasantha Utsavam’ (spring festival in the Tamil calendar month of Chithirai) celebrated in the famous Thiruvannamalai Lord Arunachaleswarar Temple, the idol of Lord Periyanayakar was taken out in a procession on the 3rd corridor of the temple and the event of ‘Bommai Poocchoridhal’ ( Spraying of flowers’) were performed.
On the occasions of the Vasantha Utsavam (Spring Festival) being celebrated at the famous Thiruvannamalai temple of Lord Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, the deity of the Lord Periyanayakar was taken in a procession on 17th April from the 2nd Corridor of the temple and taken to the ‘Panneer Mandapam’ located in the 3rd corridor.
The deity of Lord Periyanayakar was taken round the ‘Sthala Viruksham’ (the sacred temple tree) 10 times!
Subsequently, the Spring festival (Vasantha Utsavam) is scheduled to be celebrated for 10 days.
One of the main events of the spring festival, the event of the ‘Manmadhan Dhaganam’ (The God of Love Manmadha being burnt to death) is set to be performed on the 10th Day!
Usually, the ‘Chithirai Vasantha Vizha’ Spring Festival in the Tamil Calendar month of Chithirai, is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm in a grand manner every year in the famous Lord Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Thiruvannamalai.
However, this year’s Spring Festival, scheduled to be celebrated from 17th April until 26th April, will be celebrated with no participation from the devotees who have not been allowed due to the prevalent raging resurgent coronavirus pandemic giving due consideration to the safety and health of the devotees as well as the guidelines given by the central government in this regard, the important ceremonies as per the timetable and the adornment of the deities and the Deeparadhanai will be performed within the ‘temple Yadhasthaanam’ itself!
