Aruna Mami has wanted us to take her over to the Chetty Koyil for the usual Bhairavar abhishekam that happens there on Sunday evenings. Kodiswarar Sivacharya is there performing the puja to Bhairava.
Most other temples’ Bhairava pujas happen only on Bhairavashtami, but here he cites some relation (how?) to Sharabeshwara (or Sharabha) pujas done on Sundays in the Thirukanji temple (Villianur) and how that practice came here as a result. A woman reciting the Bhairavashtakam nearby asks why he needs to go as far as Thirukanji when Sharabeshwara pujas happen at a temple in Morattandi – a place which is a Siddhar jeevasamadhi. The connection between that and the Chetty koyil practice isn’t clear. The lady says it’s a time when any Ugra Murti (bhairava, Sarabheswara, Durga/Kali) can be propitiated.
The 4th kaalam siva abhishekam is going on. We leave for a glass of coconut milk sharbat at the stall outside, next to the one in which that lady makes those excellent paniyaarams.