Saturday, January 9, 2016

Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur – Worship & Festivals

Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur – Worship & Festivals
Worship & Rituals:
The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Saivite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 6:00 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 9:00 p.m.
Each ritual comprises four steps: Abhisheka (sacred bath), Alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Mahalingeswarar and Pirguchuntaragujambigai. The worship is held amidst music with Nadaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast.
Festivals:
There are weekly rituals like Somavaram and Sukravaram, fortnightly rituals like Pradosham and monthly festivals like Amavasai (new moon day), Kiruthigai, Pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. The most prominent festival of the temple, Thaipoosam, is celebrated for ten days during the Tamil month of Thai. The festival deity of Mahalingeswarar and his consorts circumambulate the temple and the streets in the village in different vehicles. The festival ends with Theerthavari on the last day. During the Tamil month of Vaikasi, Thirukalyanam (sacred marriage), Ambal Tapasu (penance of Ambal), Ambal Thannai Thaane festivals are celebrated.
Thiruvadhirai, Aadippooram and Karthigai are celebrated in a significant manner. Skanda Sashti, Vasantha Utsavam, 1,008 Sanghu abishekam (during Karthigai Somavaram) and Shivarathri are the other festivals celebrated here. During Skanda Sashti, unlike in other temples, here Lord Muruga receives the `vel' (lance) from Siva. On the important festivity days like Deepavali, Pongal, Tamil / English New Year Days, special poojas and Abhishekam are performed.