One of the regular ubhayakaras in the Chetty community asks us specifically to come for the morning utsavam, as it’s his ubhayam and he promises it will be like no other. You see Perumal now done with all his Brahmotsavam responsibilities apparently decides to go out for a night on the town, during which he marries (with Mahalakshmi’s permission) the Lady of Uraiyur. When he finally returns home and tries to sneak back indoors, Thayar shuts the door in his face, for she cannot take what she takes to be his philandering. Perumal faces a shut door, and what follows is a ritual enactment of a pranaya-kalaha, a lovers’ quarrel. When Thayar admits Perumal, He tries to justify his red eyes, scratch marks on his body and his tiredness by saying he was out hunting, but Thayar isn’t falling for his usual charms. Mattaiyadi (மட்டையடி) happens here: literally, a blow with a fibrous stalk or husk; here it refers to the ritual throwing of banana-stem strips at the Lord's palanquin. Some temple folks (us included) take sides. Those for Thayar are the Talattar, those for Perumal are the Tondukulattar. Finally, Nammalvar comes to the rescue with consolations and arguments that make Thayar’s heart melt…
All this is ritually enacted by the Bhattacharyas, via a recitation of the “Mattaiyadi puranam” .. but the priests need to be more active and youthful animators to make such an utsavam come to real life, while this one was more entertaining in concept than in execution. Nonetheless, it brought home to us the prospects of “ritual theatre” so to speak, and put us in mind of the various Laksmi Samvadams or sacred dialogues in which such themes as the natures of these divine husbands can be playfully, wittily, and philosophically tossed around.
This is followed by a dwadasa kalasa thirumanjanam (after all that haranguing, Perumal needs a bath!), and later in the evening a dwadasa thiruvaradhanam with twelve lamps. Finally, late in the evening, the Saptavarana Puranam Sevital–this refers to the seven square structural enclosures built one within the other around a temple's garbhagriha, the most famous example of which is the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam. Perumal circles the prakaram seven times to bless all tiers of creation that these enclosures represent. Devotees gather during this time to sing traditional texts (like the Thiruppanimolai). Sapta (seven), Avaranam (enclosure or layer), Puranam (sacred history/tradition), and Sevital/Seva (worshipful visitation or service).
The day’s schedule:
8AM: Vimana purappadu, Nachiyar, samvadam, Mattaiyadi Utsavam
11AM: Dwadasa Kalasa Thirumanjanam
7PM: Dwadasharadhanam, Chandra Prabhai Veethi purappadu
10PM: Saptavarana Puranam Sevital