Reg. Ratha saptami

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhakti members,

 

This is in rference to a post on the importance of Ratha saptami and

whether it takes more precedence to Pongal function at the Parthasarathy

Temple in Triplicane, Madras. The importance of Ratha saptami is due to

the fact that after a long wait on the Ambhu padukkai (bed of arrows

made at his request by Arjuna) Beeshmachariar attained paramapadam on

this day. This boon was granted to him by the Lord Himself. It is said

he waited for the Uththarayan kala to begin. It is also on this day that

the earth's inclination towards the sun is steepest. At the

Parthasarathy temple it is said that at noon the sun's rays are directly

incident on the karbha griham (which is a phenomenal because the path of

the sun to this spot is not that open and would have to pass through

several mandaps). On this day every year, Lord Parthasarathy (utsavar)

gives darshan on "Surya Prabhai"- a vahana depicting the Lord riding a

chariot drawn by seven horses and driven by "surya" (if I am not

mistaken) with a huge semi circular golden painted sun ray depiction at

the background.

 

It is quite possible both ratha sapthami and Pongal might have fallen on

the same day some year.

 

As far as temple functions go, Pongal gains importance only on the day

of Kanu- as if Thaayar is observing the day. In this temple, Sri

Vedavallith Thaayar is called " padi thaandap paththini" - a chaste wife

who does not step outside the living quarters doorstep and in accordance

with that this function and all puRappadu for Thaayaar are within the

temple premises. (Normally in temples Thaayar would be taken on a grand

procession to the temple tank or nearest river and kanu would be

performed on Her behalf).

 

eRRaikkum ezezh piRavikkum ungthannOdu

uRROmE yaavOm umakkEnaam aatci ceivOm..

 

Vaidehi VR