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There is
an exacting but remarkably well-executed schedule of daily pujas at the
Natarajar shrine, at what are called six kalams (specified points of time). The
credit for the strict adherence to and smooth execution of this tight schedule
goes entirely to the Dikshitar fraternity and the kattalais (committed
contributions to workship) -- of course by the will and commnd of the Lord! Of
the six kalams, three are in the morning and three in the evening. The schedule
on the festival days and on Mahasivaratri is, of course, even more demanding.
The
temple opens at 6 A.M. In the palli-arai (decorated bed-room), in the first
prakara, where the holy sandals of the Lord are ceremonially lodged for the
night, offerings of milk, fruits and parched rice are made as naivedyam;
diparadhana (workship by waving of lighted camphor and lamps) follows. The
Lord's holy sandals are then carried in a tiny, beautiful palanquin to the
Kanaka Sabha and then placed in the Cit Sabha close to Nataraja; then, milk,
fruit and parched rice are cereonially offered to Natarajar and Consort. This
morning ritual is called pal naivedyam (offering of milk to the Lord).
At
each kalam, abhishekam of the sphatika linga (Candramaulisvara) in the Kanaka
Sabha is followed by offering of naivedyam thereto, followed by a diparadhana
to Natarajar and Consort, in two phases, the first from the Kanaka Sabha and the
second within the Cit Sabha itself, the time-gap between the two being filled
by propitiatory chants (mantras) addressed to the Lord in chorus by the
Dikshitars and the recitation of Devaram hymns by the oduvars and by some of
the Dikshitars as well.
We now briefly describe the six epochs.
1. Kala Sandhi:-
At 7.30 A.M., a
kumbha-puja and a homam are performed, followed by abhishekam with pancagavyam,
offering of naivedyam and diparadhana to Natarajar and Consort at 9 A.M.
2. Second kalam:-
At 10 A.M., the
full abhishekam for the sphatika linga is performed. At 10.30 A.M., the ruby
image of Ratnasabhapati (or Manikka Nataraja) is offered an abhishekam with
milk, honey and sandal-paste. A beautiful feature of the ritual is that when
lighted camphor is waved from in front, the image appears dark with an overtone
of a golden hue, while the contour magnificent; and when the lighted camphor is
waved from the rear, the jyoti of Natarajar radiates a sense of incomparable awe
and beuty. SUch a puja and darsan of the Ratnasabhapati icon is offered only at
this time period. These rituals are all performed in the Kanaka Sabha. The
diparashana to Natarajar at 11 A.M. rounds off this kalam.
3. Ucci kalam:-
This puja
comprises an abhishekam to the sphatika linga and a naivedyam, followed by a
diparadhana to the Lord and Consort at noon.
The temple is closed after this kalam, the third of the day, to
re-open only at 5 P.M.
4. Saya-rakshal:-
Undoubtedly the
most elaborate and colorful of the six kalams, this is a thrilling experience
for the eye, ear and heart. After the abhishekam to the sphatika linga, we have
at 6 P.M. the shodasa upacara: sixteen kinds of offerings, including waving of
lighted lamps and camphor and (metallic) flag, fan, umbrelia etc, from the
Kanaka Sabha, followed by the chanting of mantras and singing of the Devaram
hymns by oduvars, and again by another elaborate round of lighted camphor
offerings from inside the Cit Sabha. A display three times of the 'Chidambara
Rahasyam' rounds off this kalam.
5. Second kalam:-
At 7 P.M., an
abhishekam is performed for the sphatika linga, followed by a puja to 'Sri
Chidambaram Rahasyam'. The door and windows of the Cit Sabha are completely
closed and all entries barred. Only the Dikshitar assigned for the day and his
assistant in performing the puja to the 'Rahasyam are permitted inside the Cit
Sabha. It is understood that an elaborate puja of Navavarana or a laghu-puja (a
light one) of Pancavarana is performed to 'Sri Rahasyam'. This routine is
followed throughout the year. During the festival days, however, this puja is
performed in the morining, before the second kalam, as the panca-murtis, the
processional deities, would have gone out of the temple premises during the
other hours.
The diparadhana finale of the second kalam of the evening takes
place at 8 P.M.
6. Ardha-jamam:-
This puja round off the
day's schedule of workship to Natarajar and Consort. At 9 P.M., an abhishekam of
the sphatika linga and a naivedyam take place, followed by a diparadhana to
Natarajar at 10 P.M. The Lord's holy sandals (Sri Siva-padukas) are
ceremonially taken out of the Cit Sabha, placed in a palanquin and carried to
the nearby palli-arai. Naivedyam and diparadhana are again offered there,
followed by similar rituals to Brahma Candesvara, Bhairava and Ardha-jama
Aragar, bringing this puja to a close.
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