The Sivan Koyil was abuzz–as usual. I ran up to Arasoo Mama and told him I was going to catch him again when things were more free to sing that Abhirami padhigam I love so much. He said we could take golu photos, so we did. Durga puja ends tomorrow (Monday, Navami) we were told. Visalakshi alankaram was Ardhanariswara, quite well done. Homam going on, with the main kalasam in a beautiful new blue sari with a green border–very mayil-like. The group of women from the Durga puja were at the yagasala entrance, doing one more parayanam.
This morning there would have been an abhishekam and aradhanai for Swami-Ambal, and in the evening Ambal Herself was in Chandana Kaappu. The usual 430pm Durga abhishekam, aradhanai and parayanam was over, too–probably why the group was free to sit now by the yagasala.
Following a quick stop at Varadaraja Perumal (where the shodadasha upacharam was still going on) we headed to Angalamman. Today’s alankaram was most certainly Santana Lakshmi, Arun said – money, child on lap and all. The usual fairly large group of women doing their kunkuma puja while the priest chanted. It was drizzling outside when we left.
Missed Mutthumariamman this evening, will have to go again tomorrow for her Saraswati swaroopam final day.
Kannika Parameswari utsavar alankaram today was “Veda Saraswati”: she holds a scroll & jasmine maala & rudraksha in her right hand. Tomorrow will be Saraswati proper, says the priest. Moolamurti Vasavi Kannika has chandana kaappu today. Lamps and other items for the Sodasha deeparadhanai are all washed and looking bright and shiny. The Iyer places white chrysanthemums on each, which make them look brighter still and even lovelier. When we enter, he is doing his usual Sahasranama reading, and there’s a group of women there reading along – but independently, none of them seem to be in sync with any other.