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3 Trustees Take 'Chilli Abhishekam' to Keep Devotees in Pink of Health
02nd June 2015
VILLUPURAM: This temple is known for its distinctive prayers during the festival season. But what deserves the spotlight is the one-of-a-kind abhishekam, which gives ‘chills’ to the people. Three temple trustees are showered with 108 items, the most amazing one being the red chilli shower.
The eight-day festival, which began last Tuesday, is celebrated every year at Varnamuthu Mariamman temple in Edaiyanchavadi village near Auroville. Over 1,000 people, including foreigners from Auroville International Township, took part in the prayer organised for people’s health. The festival came to an end on Monday. On Sunday, the main day of celebration, the three trustees fasted during the day, after tying a holy bracelet on their hands. Following this, they got their heads tonsured and sat at the centre, as devotees gathered round.
Later, the temple priest performed abhishekam on the trio, considering them as Gods. The priest used 108 items such as different kinds of oils, fragrances, crushed fruit, vibhuti (sacred ash), sandal paste, vermillion (kumkum) and turmeric (manjal) paste. The most important of them all was the red chilli paste, which the trustees consumed first and later were showered with. Finally, neem leaf paste was dabbed on them and they were taken to the temple, where they started the procession and took part in a theemithi (fire-walk) event, in which they walked on charcoal burning in a pit.
“The abhishekam has been performed for the last 85 years. Legend has it that in 1930, Harisreenivasan of the village saw resin coming out of a neem tree and drank it. Then, God appeared before him and asked him to build a temple there and do the chilli abhishekam as part of the prayer, which the villagers believe can make them live without any disease,” said Veera of Edaiyanchavadi.
The abhishekam was performed on Harisreenivasan and the practice continued for 19 years before he passed away, he added. Since then, the abhishekam was done on the three main trustees of the temple considering them as Angalamman, Varnamuthu Mariamman and Ilangaliamman, currently Malyalathaar, Pavadai and Malayalathaan.
3 Trustees Take 'Chilli Abhishekam' to Keep Devotees in Pink of Health - The New Indian Express
02nd June 2015
VILLUPURAM: This temple is known for its distinctive prayers during the festival season. But what deserves the spotlight is the one-of-a-kind abhishekam, which gives ‘chills’ to the people. Three temple trustees are showered with 108 items, the most amazing one being the red chilli shower.
The eight-day festival, which began last Tuesday, is celebrated every year at Varnamuthu Mariamman temple in Edaiyanchavadi village near Auroville. Over 1,000 people, including foreigners from Auroville International Township, took part in the prayer organised for people’s health. The festival came to an end on Monday. On Sunday, the main day of celebration, the three trustees fasted during the day, after tying a holy bracelet on their hands. Following this, they got their heads tonsured and sat at the centre, as devotees gathered round.
Later, the temple priest performed abhishekam on the trio, considering them as Gods. The priest used 108 items such as different kinds of oils, fragrances, crushed fruit, vibhuti (sacred ash), sandal paste, vermillion (kumkum) and turmeric (manjal) paste. The most important of them all was the red chilli paste, which the trustees consumed first and later were showered with. Finally, neem leaf paste was dabbed on them and they were taken to the temple, where they started the procession and took part in a theemithi (fire-walk) event, in which they walked on charcoal burning in a pit.
“The abhishekam has been performed for the last 85 years. Legend has it that in 1930, Harisreenivasan of the village saw resin coming out of a neem tree and drank it. Then, God appeared before him and asked him to build a temple there and do the chilli abhishekam as part of the prayer, which the villagers believe can make them live without any disease,” said Veera of Edaiyanchavadi.
The abhishekam was performed on Harisreenivasan and the practice continued for 19 years before he passed away, he added. Since then, the abhishekam was done on the three main trustees of the temple considering them as Angalamman, Varnamuthu Mariamman and Ilangaliamman, currently Malyalathaar, Pavadai and Malayalathaan.
3 Trustees Take 'Chilli Abhishekam' to Keep Devotees in Pink of Health - The New Indian Express
