The Brahmotsavam ceremony in a temple is usually performed during a particular month, and this varies with the locality. For example the Brahmotsavam at Conjeeveram and Lakshmipuram (near Kuppam) is celebrated on the same day. It is performed during the month of Vaikasi every year. In this month the festival days are fixed with reference to the avabhrtasnanam or Tirtavāri day.
At Conjeeveram and Lakshmipuram the tīrtavari day is the “Sravanam”, i.e., the day on which this star is predominant. This day is usually the ninth day of the festival.
In other words the festival is begun nine days prior to the Śravanam.
Utsavams are performed to God occasionally and also periodically.
The avabhṛtasnānam day may be fixed according to the nakshatra It may be fixed Oft “Śravanam,” “Rohini” or “Punarvasu” It may be on the day on which pratishtha was done, or on the birthday of the Raja, It is also done on the Maha sankramaṇam day.
[[२०]] [[१५५]] [[१५०]]
Utsavams may last any number of days from one to thirty days. If it lasts one to five days no dhvajārōhaṇam ceremony is performed. If the utsavam lasts longer and is from five days to thirty days then dhvajarohaṇam ceremony is performed.
Vishnu’s Brahmotsavam should not run concurrently with that of any other deity. If the utsavam of any other deity has already commenced, the Vishnu utsavam may be begun subsequently. The utsavam of any other deity should not be begun after the beginning of the Vishnu utsavam and before its close.
The utsavam begins with the ankurarpaṇam ceremony. According to strict rules the ankurārpanam ceremony should be done at least a week before the beginning of the Brahmotsavam. But in practice, at the present time, the ankurarpaṇam ceremony is performed on the day just previous to the beginning of the utsavam. In fact the utsavam is begun with the performance of this ceremony.
The details of the ankurarpanam ceremony are the same as are described under the Diksha and Pratishtha ceremonies.
On the ankurārpaṇam day kaṅkanams are tied on to the berams (utsava Vigrahas)
and the Acharyas who take part in the worship of God The wrist thread has to be prepared by twisting five or seven threads. After twisting it it is placed along with a coconut, betel leaves, nuts on a settle of rice. Usually one thread is used for a person, and the coconuts should be equal in number to the number of threads or kankaṇams.
Then flowers, coconuts, plantains and betel with nuts are carried in procession round the prakāram once and these things are placed in front of the deity. During the procession, chatram and chamaram should be taken and “Śakunasūtra” is chanted. Vadyams are also sounded. Towards the close of the procession the wrist threads, coconuts and other things carried are kept down. The wrist threads are usually deposited on coconuts, one thread on each coconut and these coconuts are placed by the side of a settle of paddy or rice. The wrist threads and other articles should be placed by the side of God.
Punyāham is done and with this holy punyaham water the kankaṇams are sprinkled repeating the astramantra. The lower end of the thread is held down by the thumb and its neighbour of the left hand and with the fingers of the right hand the thread is smeared with sandal paste. Then placing the thread on the cocoanut, Ananta is avahanamed and upacharams are done to him.
The wrist threads or rakshais are purified by chanting the astramantra eight times.
The first śloka of the Jitante stotra is also repeated. Then the wrist thread is taken and it is tied to the wrist of the right hand of the male God (Vigraha). Then repeating the “Śrī sūktam” the wrist thread is tied to the left wrist of the Goddess. After tying the kankaṇams to God and Goddess the Archaka ties it on his right hand to the wrist.
Then the Archaka does nivedanam and upacharams to God. Lastly he offers śayanam to God. This offering of sayanam is usually done as in Pratishtha.
The selection of the Rtviks or persons to help the Acharya in the worship of God is done on the ankurārpaṇam day, during the night, [[१५६]] १९३०.
[[१५१]] The preparation of dhvajam (flag) for hoisting up on the pole (dhvajastambham) is usually done on the ankurārpaṇam day only. The dhvajam or the flag to be hoisted should be strictly speaking, ten yards long and five yards broad. The least is the length of the mūla beram (fixed idol in the temple) and the door way near the mūlavar.
The dhvajam should never be less than the height of the door way near the mūla vigraha.
The cloth is folded into four folds and the upper and the lower folds are left free and a figure of Garuda should be drawn in the middle (२nd and ३rd parts). A margin on each side about one-eighth part of the breadth of the cloth is left all round. The figure of Garuda has to be drawn in the manner described below.
The Garuda that is to be drawn on the flag or dhvajam should have its hands in the anjali form with flowers in his hand his right leg should be in the front and his left leg behind. His wings are spread out on both sides. In the left foot Anantan is shown.
The serpent Vasuki is to be represented on the breast as the sacred thread; the Kārkōtaka is to be represented on the chest; in the waist Takshaka is drawn; Padma nagam is to be shown as a kundalam in his right ear; Mahapadmanagam is to be represented in his left ear; on the head the Sankhanaga and in the upper arms Kuligai nagas are to be represented. The colours in which the figure of Garuda is to be written is as follows:-spaṭikam, śonitam, pitam, dhūmram, raktambujiyam, pingalam, dhuhinam and brahmaraletam are the colours. An umbrella is to be drawn over the head, two chamaras on the two side and a lotus flower below the feet have to be drawn.
Below the lotus is to be drawn the pūrṇakumbham. By the sides of the kumbham paligais with seedlings should be drawn. Two lamps also are drawn, one on each side. The figure of Garuda has to be ready on the ankurarpaṇam dav.
The following are the ceremonies through which the flag or dhvaja has to be taken through:- (१) Unmanonmana pramāṇa santi homam.
(२) Jalādhivāsam (mirror reflection).
(३) Netronmtlanam (mirror reflection).
(४) Dhanyadhivāsam.
(५) Sayyadhivāsam.
(६) Tatvahomam.
(७) Kumbhaprokshaṇam.
All the above ceremonies have to be done on the ankurārpaṇam day only.
The flag is to be kept in the yaga sala. Garuda is invoked, aradhana is done and prayers are offerred. Nivedanam is performed. Garuda stotram is chanted in honour of Garuda.
The commencement of the utsavam.-God is roused from sleep by repeating the mantras “Uttishṭeti” and Sakuna Sūktam. God is then put on a palanquin or any seat repeating the mantra “Idam Vishnur vichakrame” and is taken round the prakaram in procession. Then God is seated in the mandapam. In the mandapam nine kalaśams are placed and tirumanjanam or snapanam is carried out in the usual way. Sometimes २०-A [[१५७]] [[१५२]]
a kūrcha is made to represent God and then it is bathed instead of the image of God.
This is done often to save time, trouble and expense.
The Garuda dhvajam is taken out this day. It is placed near the dhvajastambham and then nivedanams and upacharams are done to the flag of Garuda. Repeating the mantra “Suparnositi " the flag is hoisted on the top of the flag staff in front of the door of the temple. After hoisting the flag the mantra “Khagēśa mala” is repeated Prayers are offered to Garuda that he should be present throughout the period of the utsavam. To Indra and the eight devatās of the eight cardinal points bali of pongal is offered. Every day during the festival Aradhanam is done to the flag-staff and the digdevatās.
The flag-staff should be between one hundred talams and the height a little more than that of the temple. It may be seventy talans or manāngulas. On the day on which the utsavam begins this flag-staff is sprinkled with punyaham water and water from the other kalaśams established and kept at the base of the flag-staff. Usually the flag-staff has some structure round it at the base, and also some structures near it.
Towards the close of the day arrangements are done for going through the bheritadanam ceremony (drum beating ceremony). When it is dark in the evening the utsava bēram is seated close to the flag-staff and to the south of it. Chakrat Azhvār is placed just in front of the dhvajastambham. Then Aradhanam and nivedanam to God are performed. Afterwards close to the dhvajam and in front of the God (the utsava bēram) paddy is spread on the ground. On this spread of paddy an ashţadaļa padmam or chakram is drawn by the Archaka. Then on this spread of paddy the drum used by the barber musicians or meļakkarans is deposited. This drum is covered over with a new cloth. Punyaham water is sprinkled over the drum now covered with the new cloth.
Then Vishnu is avahanamed on the southern side and on the northern or left side Śrī is made to be present by avahanam. The centre of the drum, which is really a mixture of satva, rajas and tamas, prakṛti is āvāhanamed. Then the bheritadana stick is sprinkled with punyaham water. Some upacharam also is done to it afterwards. Next the “Saptatanmātra mantram is chanted over the bhērt and it is beaten and sounded three times with the stick. While striking the drum with this stick the trimūrti mantram is chanted. The beating of the bheri is began on the right side. The drummer is then called over and as soon as he comes punyaham water is sprinkled over him He is then allowed to take on his bhert and he is then expected to play on the bherr to the accompaniment of nagaswarams.
Just in front of the utsava vigraha a settle of rice is made on the floor. Over it a kumbham (pot) is placed. This pot or kumbham is filled with water and decorated in the usual way. The following devatās are invoked and they are requestd to be present:- Indrādis, divyayudhās, vaikunthanityas, parivārams of Vishnu, kumudadis, marichyadi rshis, Brahma, dwellers in the fourteen lokas, vidyas and vedas. This pot is placed in the yaga śala afterwards.
Nityōtsavam. Brahma is requested to be present in the centre of the village, and upacharams are shown to him there. He is requested to remain till the close of the [[१५८]]
[[१५३]] utsavam. For Indradis bali is offered round the village as detailed below:-Brahma, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirgti, Varuna, Vayu, Kuberan and Isanan (Brahma in the centre of the village and the others their places round-eight corners). These devatas are avahanamed in their proper places and bali is given to each of them in order. The music (ragam and talam) should be the ones appropriate to each, but in practice this is ignored and only the ordinary drum is sounded. The giving of bali is done only after the homam and before the procession of God.
The various items gone through in the yaga salai are as follows :- I. The Dwaras are worshipped as in the Dikshai ceremony.
(१) Then a kumbham is set up on the vedikai. Vishnu is invited and is requested to be present in the kumbham. Usually a settle of paddy is made on the vedikai and on it the kumbham decorated with kurcham, vastram, ratnam, leaves and flowers are deposited. The invitation to Vishnu is made only after placing the kumbham on the settle of paddy.
(२) On the right side of the kumbham a karagam (a smaller pot) is placed and Sudarsanar is requested to be present in the karagam.
(३) On the vedikai eight small kalasams for the eight directions are placed as detailed below :- East (Vasudeva); south (Sankara); west (Pradyumna); north (Aniruddha); south-east (Agneya-satyar); south-west (Nirrti); north-west (Purusha Vayu); northeast (Isanam-Anantar). These devatas are invoked and upacharams are done to them.
II. Mandalardhanam (Chakrabjamandalam).-Aradhanam is performed and it is similar to that done on pratishtha ceremonies.
beram.)
III Bimbardhanam.-Puja is done to chakratazhvar or other idol used. (Yaga IV. Homam is done in the yagakundam. The Acharya sits to the west of the kundam facing east He does sankalpam for the homam Vasudeva is avahanamed and he is requested to be present, all the nine days.
The following things- Ghee, flowers, incense, samit, milk, curds, sesamum, paddy and yavam (wheat) are sacrificed, eight times each, repeating the mula mantra.
Finally jaggery, rice and payasam are offered. During these offerings purusha sukta is repeated. Then ghee offerings are made in the kundam for the following devatas :- Prajapati, Rudra, Sarvadevas, Chandas, Vedas, Rishis, Gandharvas, Yakshakas, Apsaras, year, month, rivers, oceans, mountains, bhutas, cows, trees, plants, herbs found in the forest, svedajams, andajams, udbhidhas, jarayujas, bhuradi seven worlds and the chandadi parivara devatas.
Finally Purnahuti is made repeating “Idam Vishnur vichakrame.” During these nine days of the utsavam, homam is done every day once in the morning and once in the evening.
[[१५९]] [[१५४]]
The utsavams are usually done as detailed below on nine days at Lakshmipuram :- Ist day-During the night—the utsavam was sūryaprabha. During the day time dhvajarohaṇam is usually performed.
२nd day-Ordinary utsavam without any vahanam during the day time. (See Pl.
VII-B). During the night God was seated on simha vahanam.
३rd day-During the day time Garudotsavain. This is generally done on a larger scale and attendance of people this day is very large. In fact this is considered to be an important utsavam. (See Pl. VII-A.) In the night Hanumanta vahanam is used.
४th day-During the day time ordinary utsavam without any vahanam. During the evening marriage ceremonies are commenced. In the night God is taken on śēsha vāhana in utsavam.
५th day-Ordinary utsavam during the day time is carried on. In the night Hamsa vāhana utsavam is carried on.
६th day-Ordinary utsavam in the day and in the evening gajendra moksham is celebrated. In the night elephant is used as the vahanam during the procession.
७th day-During the day time the car festival (rathotsavam, See PI. VIII-B). In the night pallakku utsavam is done. (See Pl. XI-B.)
८th day-Alankara tirumanjanam is done during the day time and dōlōtsavam is performed in the evening. In the night topputsavam is done and the vahanam used is the horse.
९th day-day time-tIrthavari or tirthotsavam is done. In the night ordinary utsavam.
१०th day-day time–maha manjanam is performed and in the night saptābharaṇam is performed.
Ith day-During the night ēkāntasēvai and śayanōtsavam are performed.
The vahanams may be varied a little in other temples. For example at Budugur the vahanams were used as follows:– Ist dayhamsam; २nd daysimham; ३rd day-Hanuman; ४th day-chandraprabha (sesha); ५th day-Garuda; ६th day-elephant: ७th day-car festival; ८th day–horse; ९th day-yaļi or pallakku.
During the utsavam every day a flag of Garuda, if one is available, is carried.
Behind God Vishvaksēna is taken in a palanquin.
Every day bali is offered. According to the Sastras it should be offered as follows:- Ist day-cooked rice dyed with turmeric powder and mixed with sesamum seeds powdered is offered.
[[१६०]]
[[१५५]] २nd day-cooked rice mixed with sesamum.
३rd day-cooked rice with nine dhanyams and bhakshyams.
४th day-cooked rice with tender coconut, avil and kunukku are offered ५th day-cooked rice with padma bijam, pāyāsam and tandulam.
६th day-cooked rice with sojjiappam (a prepared cake with jaggery).
७th to ९th day: - Milk food mixed with sesamum, jaggery, and mudga. On eight days bali is offered both in the morning and in the evening before the utsavam and on the ninth day it is offered only during the day time.
On the ninth day tIrthavāri or avabhṛtasnāanam is performed. Near the dhvajastambham a small space is cleared and afterwards on this space on a spread of rice a mortar and a pestle are placed. Then Lakshmi is invoked and she is requested to be present. Along with these in front of the dhvajastambham turmeric powder is placed. In the mortar a small quantity of turmeric is powdered and this powder is put in a small kumbham and it is placed on a settle of paddy. The mula mantra is repeated and Śrī or Lakshmi is requested to be in the pot. This kumbham contains water coloured with turmeric powder and this water is used later to do abhishekam to God. Then turmeric is distributed to all present in the temple at that time.
Then God is taken in procession to the lake (or tank) close to the water. An abhishekabēram if one is available, or the chakratāzhvār when the abhishekabēram is not available, is taken close to the water. These five or nine kalaśams are established in the usual way for tirumanjanam. The water for tirumanjanam is sprinkled over the utsavabēram and over the chakratazhvār. Then the chakratāzhvar (or snānabēram) is bathed in water Just when the chakratāzhvār is bathed all people bathe in water.
After the tirthavāri utsavam they come to the Yagaśālai and purnahuti is to be done.
At first the purnahuti is done and then one after the other the Acharya does Santihomam. prāyaśchittahomam and prānāhutihōmam.
Towards the evening the Archakas proceed with the dhvajavarohanam. The flag is lowered and all the devatās are requested to go to their places, after doing upacharams to them. Then the Acharya does samhara nyasam to the flag. Then it is folded and placed at the feet of God.
Mukabali is done afterwards. For this music is played only at places where bali is actually offered. On the ninth day all the persons occupying the corners are given bali and are requested to leave the place and proceed to their own places Lastly the Acharya should do japam repeating the ashtakshara mantram.
[[१६१]] [[१५६]]