Came in to all 3 priests performing homam, recitations broadcast on microphone. Then off Mic, they each go to their respective agni kundams & chanting continues with the koorcham. Hard to make this out. Curtain closes presumably for prasadam which prasanna brought in long before & bells ringing, more chanting then there is a dhoopam deeparadhanai
Once the homam is done, the head scarf/turban is tied for the main pavitra priest, then coloured pavitram is taken and chaattrified for the main murti, then Narasimha, Kodanda Rama, then Panduranga, Thayar, all the kalasas in the Yagasala, Andal, Alvar sannadhi, Garuda, finally Hanuman. After this the plainer yellow pavitram is tied to all the main temple stucco figures, gopuram, vimanam, dhvajastambha etc. Naresh bhattacharya did a surprising amount of climbing. Arun noted his dancer-like feet. (The priests were joking about putting the pavitra maala for the “Thamarai”--an oblique reference to the BJP).
At some point before the colourful pavitram is tied, the thin yellow pavitram is taken to the main shrine and tied as a maala and esp on the hands of the main deity and utsava figures. With all the bells and whistles. I think this happens before the priest wears the green turban and not after.
Then, swami purappadu, and the murtis are brought into the yagasala to witness the next homam
One more homam kaalam follows – pancha suktams – Purusha suktam, Narayana Suktam, Vishnu Suktam, Sri Suktam, Bhu Suktam/Durga Suktam + whatever other chants.
This is followed by the poorna ahuti, 3 poornam baskets circle the yagasala and then their contents are dropped into the central fire.
Archanai for the ubhayakaras, small deeparadhanai, prasadam (sweet pongal, puli saadam, thair saadam).
Thathacharya tells me Namakam Chamakam is part of the daily homam routine, but Ramanan Bhattacharya. says not a chance. So it appears the next homam kaalams simply follow the same routine. . Why is Durga suktam chanted?
The tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam reveals the connection between the Supreme Lord Krishna and Goddess Durga, while narrating the divine advent of Krishna.
Durga (Yogamaya is the Lord’s internal energy, and Durga devi is her expansion) is born to Yashoda, and exchanged for Krisna when he’s born to Devaki and Vasudeva. So she is Yashoda’s daughter, Krishna’s sister, to be known and honoured in many forms: Durga, Bhadrakali, Vijaya, Vaishnavi, Kumuda, Chandika, Krishna, Madhavi, Kanyaka, Maya, Narayani, Ishani, Sharada and Ambika
If Durga is Krishna’s sister – and Andal is Krishna’s wife, then Durga is Andal’s Nathanaar (!!!!)
And she is the one to give clothes to her sister in law at the time of her wedding. So says Andal in Nachiyar Thirumozhi (aaru patthu-la moonam paattu) 6.3:
இந்திரன் உள்ளிட்ட தேவர்-குழாம் எல்லாம்
வந்திருந்து என்னை மகட் பேசி மந்திரித்து
மந்திரக் கோடி உடுத்தி மண-மாலை
அந்தரி சூட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழீ நான்
Indra and the entire clan of gods arrived,
approved me as his bride and chanted sacred verses.
Antari* draped me in the bridal garment
and placed the bridal garland about my neck.
Such a vision I dreamed, my friend (trans. Archana Vencatesan, p163)
*Antari is Durga. More detail on this song
Later, Thathacharya remarks on the 143 verses – asks us what 143 means, ஒரு எழுத்து, ரெண்டு எழுத்து, மூணு எழுத்து – and I’m stumped, and he says “I LOVE YOU” because there’s a 143 pattern there also and the நாச்சியார் திருமொழி is a love letter to Perumal (first one is an entreaty to Kama to unite her with Perumal).
I burst out laughing when I heard this. You told it in a modern way, I said. It needs to be told in a modern way, he replied.
Today’s published schedule:
8:00 AM — Kalasa Sthapanam, commencement of Homam; Tiruppavitram Pratishtha; Sri Devi–Bhu Devi sameta Periya Perumal Moolavar; Pavitram-related rituals for the Vimana and Raja Gopuram; Tattva Homam; Purnahuti; Saattrumurai
7:00 PM — Homam and Purnahuti; Saattrumurai