It is a full moon (pournami) tonight, so the Chetty Koyil does its Brahmotsavam-associated Theerthavari tody. Not sure why they do it in the sea rather than at kenikulam, or what the specific association of Nataraja is with this culminating cleanse. At any rate, Deepa was in Lawspet, so Arun went for this intense but fulfilling morning.
7am - Procession preparations. Chandrasekara and Uma murtis are in a palanquin, still inside the utsava murti chambers.
728am - The palanquin is brought and placed outside, while preparations are being made all around. Soon the curtain of Natarajar Sannadhi opens and I witness the magic of a Nataraja aradhanai for the first time.
738am - Nataraja and Sivakama Sundari are brought out on shoulders. They process around the temple prakaram, stopping in front of the dhvajastambha to face the sanctum. Completing the ul-purappadu, the divine pair exit the temple towards the temple chariot standing at the entrance, facing north. I was convinced Nataraja would be made to board the ther, because the rite is called the ‘Nataraja Theerthavari after all – I was about to be surprised. Nataraja and Sivakami merely went round the chariot three times, and stood still facing it awhile as though blessing it. The priest dropped incense ash at every wheel and tossed flowers at the chariot, and Nataraja-Sivakami returned to the temple, processing once again around the prakara to get back to their mandapam. Turns out Nataraja only oversees the Nataraja Theerthavari, and does not do the immersion himself as I thought.
Meanwhile Chandrasekara and Uma are ready and waiting, with a full sized mirror in front of them in the palanquin. A small figure on a small palki has been prepared as well - this is the astramurti/ astradeva.
755am - The astramurti is brought for bali offering at the peethams in front of the dhvajastambha and then taken for an ul-purappadu.
The small astramurti is a very beautiful bronze figure. With all the alankaram on him, his little right hand sticking out makes him look like a Veenadhara Dakshinamurti – though I’d soon enough find out that he is the form of Siva leaning adoringly on Rishabha. He is taken to the yagasala where another priest performs a yajna. Everything else comes to a standstill. This ends quickly, with an aradhanai for the divine couple within the palanquin, followed by a sprinkling of yaga kalasa water.
810am - The palanquin proceeds to an ul-purappadu, swaying as it follows a dallying zigzag path around the temple. Back in front of the yagasala the astramurti is placed inside the main palanquin, and another small series of rites follows: aradhanai, yajna ash to the murtis’ foreheads, two priests going around them with puffed rice in hand and one more with a basket of sprouts at the back, ending with the tossing of the puffed rice onto the deities.
838am - The procession leaves for the sea after another small aradhanai. The chariot graced by Nataraja though is left behind, which comes as a shocking surprise. Not everybody follows the procession to the sea immediately since prasadam is served within the temple.
I go after the procession which has the simplest of courses – once on the Ambalathadayar Street, it is a straight path directly to the sea-front, from where it is a short southward to the landmark Gandhi statue where the palanquin gets parked.
917am - After a short tea break followed by a few preparations, the abhishekam is ready to begin. The devotees and ubhayakaras from the temple have joined after their prasadam. The astramurti has been made to wear the bare cloth which is when I realised that it was Siva leaning on Rishabha.
After a beautiful abhishekam, carried by the priest, the astramurti moves to the sea! Balancing on the submerged, mossy rocks, the priest takes a full dip with no firm footing as the waves crash against the jagged shoreline behind him. The basket of sprouts from earlier is also here, and gets a rinse in the sea too.
The astramurti is decorated upon returning and presented another deeparadhanai, which is followed by prasadam.
1011am - There is one final aradhanai as the deities prepare to return to their abode. Fin!
The Dhvajavarohanam apparently happened later today. But neither of us could be there to see it.