430pm. Narasimha Jayanti – Shukla Chaturdashi of Chithirai. We also read that Swati is Narasimha’s nakshatram, which falls on May 1 this year. So perhaps tithi takes precedence over nakshatram here. Cleaning and aradhanai of the Narasimha shrine were done yesterday by one bhaktar group for Pradosham (1 murai does it at 530pm, the other at 545pm). Narasimha’s association with Pradosham is interesting – that is the time he appeared to slay Hiranyakashipu which is why his thirumanjanam today is done at this hour. As for the cleaning and aradhanai that happened yesterday on Pradosham day, there seem to be stories connecting Siva and Narasimha – to be read.
The temple doors were closed when we stopped by earlier and we didn’t realise the side door was how everyone was getting in!
Thirumanjanam for Narasimha followed the pattern of all others – the Ubhayakara Sankalpam, followed by the various abhishekam stages — oil, water, milk, curd panchamrutam (fruits crushed & cut followed by honey), elaneer, then a slow application of sandal and turmeric paste which made the murti look like a small kathakali dancer — first sandal on the body, then turmeric + kunkuma used as an embellishment and to add details on the chest, face, and as an encirclement. The water used to dissolve the last of the sandal-turmeric poured on, then water used to wash again though the paste is collected and distributed as prasadam. At each stage, the deity is offered dhoopam, deepam from the ottru kaal vilakku & then the thattu vilakku — especially dhoopam in a specific set of triangular/ 3 point & back-forth movements.
The adhyapakas chanted purusha suktam & other verses & switched at a later stage to a prabandham exchange of sorts, alternating voices and styles. Many ladies in the audience chanted the suktam alongside, and a group gathered after the curtain was drawn to chant again, separately.
After this, the 1st kaalam of the Davanotsavam was to begin, Sekar Mama told us. We decided to come back for the next puja kaalams the next day.