THRIKKARTHIKA AND CELEBRATIONS IN DEVITEMPLES- FORWARD Dear friends,
I found a very interestingarticle linking festival Karthika with Devi temples in Kerala. I have visitedand prayed in all the temples except kadampuzha during my official tours andKadampuzha at my own accord many times. Hope an interesting reading Gopalakrishnan dated27-5-2022 THRIKKARTHIKA Thrikkarthika or Karthikai Deepam Festival is a grand Festival of Lights.The festival is observed in most Hindu homes and every temple of Tamil Nadu andKerala, and falls in the month of Vrishchikam. This occurs on the day when the moon is in conjunctionwith the constellation Karthika(Pleiades) and Pournami. Thisconstellation appears as a group of six stars in the firmament in the shape ofa pendant from the ear. Keralites celebratethe festival of lights literally on 'Thrikkarthika day', rather than Deepavali.In the month of Vrichikam(Nov-Dec), Karthika day which mostly falls on the fullmoon day is celebrated as Thrikkarthika. As usual the celebration includes afeast with sweets, visiting nearby temples in morning and evening especiallyDevi Temples. Some people believes it is a celebration forthe killing of demon "Narakasura' but most of the people believes thisday as the birth day of Goddess 'Karthyayani Devi'. Usually onThrikkarthika day no crackers are lighted but the highlight is given fordevotion. In Many parts of Kerala people do not even make a feast on this daybut make rice soup(Kanji) with 'Karthika Puzhukku'(A vegetable preparation of amixture of several underground stems ). In the evening each and every Hinduhome is illuminated with small earthen oil lamps in the lawn,on the walls, on the terrace, in thepooja room, on the steps and in each and every corner and it will be abeautiful sight. Almost allDevi Temples in Kerala will also be decorated with thousands of lighted smalloil lamps. The lighting of thelamp is significant because in our visual experience, it is light which makesus see. It plays a significant role in our perception of the world around us.If there is no light, there is no experience of anything around us. Like Diwali, Thrikarthika’smessage is also the same – victory of dharma. So, people arelighting traditional lamps known as ‘Chirad’ made of clay in their homes andtemples at evening twilight. Actually children are more interested in lightinglamps than elders. Lamp is known as ‘Vilakk’ in both Malayalam and Tamil andhence lighting lamps on Karthika day of Vrischikam month is known as KarthikaVilakk. Many legends and lyrical poetry have grown aroundKarthika star. The six stars are considered in Indian mythology as the sixcelestial nymphs who reared the six babies in the saravana pond whichlater were joined together to form the six faced Muruga. He is therefore calledKarthikeya, and in Tamilnadu, this day is celebrated as Lord Muruga's birthday. As the six nymphs helped in growing the six child, lord shiva blessedimmortality to the six nymphs as ever living stars on the sky. Anyworship performed to this six stars is equal to worshiping lord Muruga himself.They are worshiped by lighting up rows of oil lamps (Deepam) in the evening ofthe festival day around the houses and streets. The Thrikkarthika day is the main festival day of severalDevi temples of Kerala. The most importance is givento the Devi at 'Kumaranallur' of Kottayam District. Some peopleeven refer to this day as 'Kumaranallur Thrikkarthika'. KUMARANALLOOR DEVI TEMPLE: The Kumaranalloortemple is situated in the Perumbaikad village of Kottayam Taluk. Located around5 kilometers away fromKottayam town, the Devi temple has an interesting legend behind. Thetemple was originally intended for Kumaran (God Subramanian) but was occupiedby Devi telling Kumaran-alla-ooru means the place is not for Kumaran and thus came tobe called Kumaranalloor. The KumaranalloorThrikkarthika festival is celebrated here in the month of Vrishchikam (November- December). The ten day festival starts with the hosting of holy flag(Kodiyettam) on the first day. Special poojas are conducted from second dayonwards. There will be 'Arattu' (holy bath) of the idol in the nearby Meenachil River. The ninth day or the day'Karthika' is the most important one. It is very special for Devi and theresplendent "deepakazcha" at the temple in the evening is a divineexperience. CHAKKULATHUKAVU DEVI TEMPLE: SreeChakkulathukavu Devi Temple, dating back to about 3000 years, is located at 'Neerattupuram' on the border ofPatthanamthitta and Alappuzha Districtsof Kerala. Here the Devi -goddess is in swayambhu - self- manifested in the shape of Lingam. ThrikkarthikaFestival' (the birthday of the goddess) in the Malayalam month of 'Vrichikam'is well celebrated on a grand scale in this temple. On this important day, themajor attractions are 'Laksha Deepam' ( 100,000 oil lamps are light on the temple premises)and 'Karthika Pillar. The former is symbolic of spread of wisdom, prosperityand goodwill and the latter refers to anevent in which Aricanut tree, decoratedwith plantain, straw, dry leaves, etc., is set on fire, symbolizing eradicationof evil thoughts, negative elements from our mind. On Thrikkarthika Day the 'Pongala Festival' here is performed by lots of women devoteeswho light up oil lamps at the temple and intheir houses. Women folks prepare Pongala (in Tamil Pongal) by cooking ricewith Jaggery (Naattu sakkarai or Vellam) and grated coconut in earthen pots setin the open places near the temple and offer it to the goddess. The make-shifthearth is made of bricks and one can see lines of Pongala pots on the pathsleading to the temple. VADAKKUNNATHAN TEMPLE: On theThrikkarthika day in Vrischikam(November-December) morning poojasfor Vadakkunnatha are conducted at the Southern compound wall. It isbelieved that on this day Lord Vadakkunnatha will sit on the compound wall looking Southwards to see his consort's (Kumaranalloor Kathyayani Devi)return procession after the Thrikkarthika Aarattu in Meenachil river. VilwamangalamSwamiyar once visited this temple in the morning on Thrikkarthika day. Herealized the absence of Vadakkunnatha inside the Sreekovil. So he went aroundand found the Lord on the compound wall. It was Vilwamangalam who started the pooja on Southerncompound wall on Thrikkarthika day. KADAMPUZHA DEVI TEMPLE: The Karthika day inVrischigam is celebrated as Pradishta day in Temple with Sudhi, Navakom,Panchagavyam, special kalasams etc on the auspices of the Thanthri of thetemple. The Poomoodaland all special poojas on this day are performed by Devaswom directly. Unlike othertemples, the Karthika deepam lightings are done in the early hours in the morning.There will be large scale Prasada Ootu to the devotees in specially put up vastpandal in temple compound from 10.30 am onwards which may extend to theevening. The number of devotees who attend this religious feast may well cross15000. There will be special poojas and vadhyams particularly in Sree Madambiyarkavu, a Kiratha Moorthy Temple situated 2 kmaway from here. Due to the ceremonial connections the Karthika daypoojas in this Temple are offered by Kadampuzha Devaswom. By Team Devaayanam at December 05, 2016 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1171936225.2763428.1653619840289%40mail.yahoo.com.
