Rama Navami and Rama Pattabhisheka Vizha, Day 11. Sri Sita Rama Pattabhishekam & Iravu kaalam Veethi ula Street festival (we missed the latter, a very silly thing as this temple does not do too many such.)
The event is 10-about 1pm (though we get there at 9 and Arun leaves at 930 or so). The routine pujas to the main deity have been performed and people are having breakfast when we reach–buttermilk, panagam, pongal, sundal.
Two bhattars are there to perform, the main priest acts as helper. The whole attending crowd knows each other, so I stand out very visibly. Nobody seems to mind, but I get asked about my camera, whether I’m Iyer, whether I’m with the media etc. all the time. The ubhayakara are the owner of Ram Silks – he and his brother of Ram Thangamaligai, but I cannot tell who latter is.
The ladies present decorate the crown, and I also see them being asked to prepare flowers or help break up the wood pieces used for the homa along the way–these tasks are not reserved for the priests. Nor are they outsourced to teams of professionals, as we’ll see in other temples.
There is a homa performed and a long period in between when the priest indicates to the nadaswaram players to play specific ragas, as with the Dhvajarohanam at the Chetty temple. Mahalakshmi Aunty (the one who teaches Annamayya kirtanas, she shows me her book in Tamil) and a few other ladies also sing. The event has the feel of a simple bhajanai mandapam.
I’ve to rush home, get my half-prepped lunch together for the family, and return. When I come back, Rama’s crown is being carried in a pradakshina around the temple, just in time. Finally the pattabhishekam happens, followed by various pujas and blessings of the crowd assembled. Ram Silks owner gives dakshina to the 2 priests.
There is a veethi ula in the evening which we do not attend, and that is a stupid lapse, in retrospect as Kannika Parameswari does not have so many street processions. Will have to rectify this in the coming year.