Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Stage set for the 'thirukalyanam'
Tonight will be grand. A celebration that befits a wedding. And this will be a wedding of the Lord.
The stage is now set for the Thirukalyanam which will officially begin at 10 p.m. on March 27, Wednesday.
Through the day, flower decorators were at work on all fronts in the north eastern section of Sri Kapali Temple where the kalyanam is performed.
Barricades are in place to allow the early devotees to squat on the floor and have a good, close view of this spectacle. A stage has been set for the nadaswaram artistes to perform.
This will be the crowning glory of the panguni celebration.
The stage is now set for the Thirukalyanam which will officially begin at 10 p.m. on March 27, Wednesday.
Through the day, flower decorators were at work on all fronts in the north eastern section of Sri Kapali Temple where the kalyanam is performed.
Barricades are in place to allow the early devotees to squat on the floor and have a good, close view of this spectacle. A stage has been set for the nadaswaram artistes to perform.
This will be the crowning glory of the panguni celebration.
Monday, March 25, 2013
The nayanmars in procession on a hot, sticky afternoon
Roads and streets choked in central Mylapore and the neighbourhood prepared to celebrate the colourful arabathumoovar procession.
Food and buttermilk stalls were in business from 11 a.m. sharing food and drink with people around them and those headed to the Sri Kapali Temple.
The fascinating part of the arabathumoovar is in the morning when the nayanmars are prepared for the procession. There is a simple saintliness about this morning session. While hundreds of people flood the temple and go around, the images reflect what the saints were - yogis.
The summer heat made this a sticky morning but it did not discourage hundreds of people from heading for the procession this afternoon.
Food and buttermilk stalls were in business from 11 a.m. sharing food and drink with people around them and those headed to the Sri Kapali Temple.
The fascinating part of the arabathumoovar is in the morning when the nayanmars are prepared for the procession. There is a simple saintliness about this morning session. While hundreds of people flood the temple and go around, the images reflect what the saints were - yogis.
The summer heat made this a sticky morning but it did not discourage hundreds of people from heading for the procession this afternoon.
Video of 'ther' procession
Our photographer R Saravanan braved the crowds to shoot his video on Sunday of the there procession and all that goes with it. Colleague Parameswararn edited it today and posted it. Do comment.
Here is the web link -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUCtp2Y1xk&feature=player_embedded
Here is the web link -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUCtp2Y1xk&feature=player_embedded
Sunday evening; Mylapore turns into a mela zone
We went back to the mada veedhis on Sunday evening.
Mylapore had changed in 8 hours ; it was now a village festival zone.
The local Nadar sangham had erected a pandal alongside the Chitrakulam on its north side for its free food distribution on Monday. On its edge, two men circulated printed post cards - they were on a campaign to ask the chief minister to shut down liquor shops.
Tired, sweaty policemen and women chatted in small groups, contended that though East Mada Veedhi was packed with bodies, life flowed smoothly.
By now, hawkers had created another row of stalls on both sides of the road - snacks, toys, pottus, plastic, merry-go-rounds. . .Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan had shut its gates and even the watchman had gone home.
Finding a spot to stay put was difficult - the street sides were littered with leftover food, paper plates and cups and promo handbills and a putrid smell spread around us.
We took a position at the Vanniyar Sangham hall opposite the Rasi store and stared at the scenes at the base of the there that was now parked in its shed, now open.
Hundreds of people elbowed others, raised their plate of flowers and coconuts and inched forward to the ther to get the little boys on top to make their offering to the Lord. This was pure chaos but the little boys did a great job swiftly.
A couple raised their baby with both their hands, and inched towards the chariot, hoping the boys would pick it up and take it closer to the Lord. It coudn't happen in that swaying mass of bodies.
Behind the chariot, three queues of people climbed up from the western side to make offerings. A team of nadaswaram artistes snaked its way into the temple for the evening concert.
As dusk fell, the crowds increased. But there was a certain order all around the temple zone.
And for children this was a different Sunday - out on the veedhis.
Mylapore had changed in 8 hours ; it was now a village festival zone.
The local Nadar sangham had erected a pandal alongside the Chitrakulam on its north side for its free food distribution on Monday. On its edge, two men circulated printed post cards - they were on a campaign to ask the chief minister to shut down liquor shops.
Tired, sweaty policemen and women chatted in small groups, contended that though East Mada Veedhi was packed with bodies, life flowed smoothly.
By now, hawkers had created another row of stalls on both sides of the road - snacks, toys, pottus, plastic, merry-go-rounds. . .Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan had shut its gates and even the watchman had gone home.
Finding a spot to stay put was difficult - the street sides were littered with leftover food, paper plates and cups and promo handbills and a putrid smell spread around us.
We took a position at the Vanniyar Sangham hall opposite the Rasi store and stared at the scenes at the base of the there that was now parked in its shed, now open.
Hundreds of people elbowed others, raised their plate of flowers and coconuts and inched forward to the ther to get the little boys on top to make their offering to the Lord. This was pure chaos but the little boys did a great job swiftly.
A couple raised their baby with both their hands, and inched towards the chariot, hoping the boys would pick it up and take it closer to the Lord. It coudn't happen in that swaying mass of bodies.
Behind the chariot, three queues of people climbed up from the western side to make offerings. A team of nadaswaram artistes snaked its way into the temple for the evening concert.
As dusk fell, the crowds increased. But there was a certain order all around the temple zone.
And for children this was a different Sunday - out on the veedhis.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Share your memories of this fest!!
While you enjoy our reportage of the festival, take some time off to share your wistful memories of the fest. Times in the 60s and 70s when you soaked in this event.
Childhood memories.
Family memories.
Mail us 4/6 lines that we can post on this blog.
And if you have some wow pictures to share, do mail them too - with captions.
Mail to - mytimesedit@gmail.com
Childhood memories.
Family memories.
Mail us 4/6 lines that we can post on this blog.
And if you have some wow pictures to share, do mail them too - with captions.
Mail to - mytimesedit@gmail.com
Kapali! Kapaleee!! The day of the ther
Kapali! Kapalee!!
Kapali! Kapalee!!
The people roared. And the roar rolled as the 'ther' rolled out of its permanent shed on East Mada Street and headed south.
It was a shade after 9 a.m. and a young man standing on top of the ther, waved the green flag to tell his team of volunteers below that it was time to roll the chariot.
What was a mere wooden shell now looked colorful and decorated, with the Lord in his seat, scarcely seen by the crowds below. This is not the biggest and most impressive ther in this part of the world but when it is decorated, it catches everybody's eyes.
This being Sunday, the crowd was large but mainly crowded around the ther. The mada veedis, shut from traffic of all kinds and a huge posse of policemen made it easy for people to double down to Sannidhi Square.
The hawkers were here early - men and women selling sweetmeats like cumaracut, kolam designers and shiny bow and arrows . . .
A earth digger of the city's civic body moved behind the ther - it looked out of place. The driver then told us that it would be around to help if the wheels of the ther got stuck in loose tar on the veedhis
Excited women chose to push the ther carrying the ambal; some took turns to place their kids on the ther.
A loud commentary ran on the public address system but it jarred the solemnity of this occasion.
Families and friends of residents who live on the veedhis had picked sweet spots on their balconies and terraces. As the ther rolled down to the junction of Pitchu Pillai Street and Sundareswarar Street, we moved out to the pavement - people from terrace tops usually throw bucketsful of water on the processionists - to keep them cool!
Yes, Chennai's temperature at 9.30 a.m. would have been closer to 30 degrees. The diehard followers of the ther wouldn't mind the shower at every stop!
Families who live closeby stepped out to make their offerings when the chariot stopped. On their faces, real devotion and eyes closed in prayer.
It will be late evening when the procession returns to the temple today. But through the day, people will head to various spots on the veedhis to offer prayers and watch what is Mylapore's biggest religious fest.
In the by-streets - Mathala Narayana Street - groups had put out tables and receptacles - to serve buttermilk to people returning from the there. Further down, a huge vessel with hot kesari got hauled up on a table. And the spicy flavours of sambar sadam cooking inside a house wafted in the air.
Traffic jammed on Kutchery Road - AIADMK Member of Parliament Maithreyan jumped into his car and sped away. Justice Prabha Sridevan got out of her car and walked down to the temple side.
And at Luz Circle, we saw Catholic families who had attended the Palm Sunday Holy Mass at the start of the Holy Week that leads to Good Friday and Easter. They were going home after Mass at Our Lady of Light Church, popularly called Luz Church, some 100 metres west of the Circle.
Kapali! Kapalee!!
The people roared. And the roar rolled as the 'ther' rolled out of its permanent shed on East Mada Street and headed south.
It was a shade after 9 a.m. and a young man standing on top of the ther, waved the green flag to tell his team of volunteers below that it was time to roll the chariot.
What was a mere wooden shell now looked colorful and decorated, with the Lord in his seat, scarcely seen by the crowds below. This is not the biggest and most impressive ther in this part of the world but when it is decorated, it catches everybody's eyes.
This being Sunday, the crowd was large but mainly crowded around the ther. The mada veedis, shut from traffic of all kinds and a huge posse of policemen made it easy for people to double down to Sannidhi Square.
The hawkers were here early - men and women selling sweetmeats like cumaracut, kolam designers and shiny bow and arrows . . .
A earth digger of the city's civic body moved behind the ther - it looked out of place. The driver then told us that it would be around to help if the wheels of the ther got stuck in loose tar on the veedhis
Excited women chose to push the ther carrying the ambal; some took turns to place their kids on the ther.
A loud commentary ran on the public address system but it jarred the solemnity of this occasion.
Families and friends of residents who live on the veedhis had picked sweet spots on their balconies and terraces. As the ther rolled down to the junction of Pitchu Pillai Street and Sundareswarar Street, we moved out to the pavement - people from terrace tops usually throw bucketsful of water on the processionists - to keep them cool!
Yes, Chennai's temperature at 9.30 a.m. would have been closer to 30 degrees. The diehard followers of the ther wouldn't mind the shower at every stop!
Families who live closeby stepped out to make their offerings when the chariot stopped. On their faces, real devotion and eyes closed in prayer.
It will be late evening when the procession returns to the temple today. But through the day, people will head to various spots on the veedhis to offer prayers and watch what is Mylapore's biggest religious fest.
In the by-streets - Mathala Narayana Street - groups had put out tables and receptacles - to serve buttermilk to people returning from the there. Further down, a huge vessel with hot kesari got hauled up on a table. And the spicy flavours of sambar sadam cooking inside a house wafted in the air.
Traffic jammed on Kutchery Road - AIADMK Member of Parliament Maithreyan jumped into his car and sped away. Justice Prabha Sridevan got out of her car and walked down to the temple side.
And at Luz Circle, we saw Catholic families who had attended the Palm Sunday Holy Mass at the start of the Holy Week that leads to Good Friday and Easter. They were going home after Mass at Our Lady of Light Church, popularly called Luz Church, some 100 metres west of the Circle.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
The night of the rishaba vahanam
It was the night of the grand rishaba vahanam, a procession that many people may well be at to listen to the musicians - the bandwallahs and the nadaswaram artistes perform for the gods.
At 11 p.m. on Friday, hundreds of people were in slumber inside the temple and under the canopy outside, to rest before the procession was to begin close to midnight.
The vahanam sat in the eastern end of the temple campus, close to the main gate here while the gods took their place in the mantap that lines the north wall. Through the night, rituals went on and people filed past the gods. And close to midnight, the procession began.
By 5 a.m. the procession ended at Sannidhi Street - over 2,000 people filled the square as the gods rested under the 16-pillar mantap here. It was a quiet Saturday morning. And for all those who found space around the mantap and near the gate, there was a spectacle - the Lord enjoying the swings of a dance as his carriers swung to the music of the nadaswaram and the band - playing the English tune - For he is a jolly good fellow!.
A jolly way to go back to His abode in Mylapore.
Friday, March 22, 2013
These people are intimately involved . . .
Lots of people are intimately involved with the festival, in small and big ways, most voluntarily and some, over generations.
My team mate R Saravanan met a few of them and shared their profile -
A. Srikanth runs Thiruvasaga Thirusabai, manages a garden
on the Sri Kapali Temple tank's west side and offers all the flowers that grow
here to the temple.
For panguni, his team makes the fire torches taken out in
processions, blow the conches, offer incense and finally, serve payasam to
devotees every night of the fest.
S. Raji and son Dilli Babu flower sellers have for over
40 years supplied fresh flowers based on orders - they also donate garlands
daily during the fest. 15 people
work for the duo at festival time. They create special garlands 15 ft in height
for adhikara nandi.
The largest quantity of flowers are ordered for Thirukalyanam.
B Anandan and his brothers ( Satyamurthy, Dr Kumaraswamy,
Dr Chandru) of Ponnambala Vadyar Street carry on a tradition that their
grandfather K S Kumaraswamy, a vaithyar had started - getting the adhikara
nandi ready for the fest, He first donated a silver covering for the nandi and
over the years, this family has done all that is required for the rituals of
the adhikara nandi procession.
Saravanan heads Sripadam, a body of volunteers who work
day in and day out for the fest. He gets paid for providing the basic
infrastructure but his group also arranges freely special garlands for the
gods.
D. Jayaprakash Narayanan is the man who has enlivened a
show that goes with the Panguni fest. An exhibition of art, pictures, images and
collectibles donated by Vinayaka Mudaliar and managed by the Vysarpadi Vinayaga
Mudaliar Charities. The chatram on South Mada Street where the show is on now
looks smart and bright.
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