TV Kovil Sankara Matam is my favorite place to go – it has its own vibration. Seeing Periyava there is double bonanza!
It was amazing to see the never-ending crowd to get Periyava darshan on all days at TVK – all through the day. I was talking to lots of known people there – Sri JRK, Sri BGS, Sri Chandrasekhar, Auditor Sri Jayaraman etc. Everyone has been telling how Periyava’s schedule looks in today’s world. He barely sleeps for 2-3 hours. Rest of the time is spent all on darshan for people, puja and working closely with people to implement various different plans that He has. Devotees are thronging at the Matam – requesting Periyava to visit their villages even if it is for just 10 minutes. Periyava spends lot of time with each devotee. All they want is His holy feet touch their villages. It brings us all a great deal of pride to see all these. We all are blessed to be devotees of this great Matam.
Here are few photos i captured…I am in India without my personal laptop and dealing with all sorts of issues in blogging regularly due to technical reasons.
Originally I was supposed to see Periyava on Thursday morning. Due to extreme heat in Trichy, I decided to go in the afternoon around 4. It so happened that Periyava finished His puja early in the morning and surprised everyone by going to Akilandeswari Kovil and did abishekam to Ambal!
Following are the details from Sri Matam FB page…
His Holiness performed Uchi Kala Abhisheka & Darshan at Sri Akhilandeswari Amman Sannidhi. His Holiness went along with the daily routine called as “Alavattam” ritual. This is a unique ritual performed daily only at Tiruvanaikaval. The “Morai Panditar”- officiating priest of the day adorns Ambal attire and walks from the Ambal Sannidhi to the Sannidhi of Sri Jambukeshwara Swamy and performs Ucchi Kala Puja. Two persons hold the royal insignia Umbrella & Alavattam, one drummer & the temple elephant accompany the Pandithar for this ritual. After the Pujas at Swamy Sannidhi, the Pandithar in Ambal attire returns to Akhilandeswari Sannidhi. Till such time the door is closed in the Sannidhi. Then, the Uchi Kala Deeparadhana is performed by the Pandithar. The alavattam ritual as its known was reminiscent of the Kshetra Mahatmyam of, the ancient Shiva Linga being worshipped by Ambal, elephant & Silandi (Spider).
His Holiness was present during this entire ritual creating lot of enthusiasm among the devotees.
