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Rewind; when the English directed the fest!

March 21, 2015, 5:47 am
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Lots of local histories are associated with the Panguni festival. 

In his weekly column in The Hindu this Saturday, writer-historian V. Sriram refers to the involvement of the English in the fest when controversies arose.

Here is the web link - http://t.co/cwfMrLCWze
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Work apace across temple campus

March 22, 2015, 10:47 pm
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Work is getting into overdrive at the temple. Work going on all over the place.

Monday morning saw a lot of buzz. Even as a group of monks from Thailand toured the temple campus led by a local guide, workers were seen working on the colorful screens which are used to cover the gods at aradhana time.

Another set of painters gave a new coat of paint to a set of palanquins of the gods and goddesses. Another group of workers were busy creating a raise floor, a temporary incline at the gate on the eastern side for easy movement of all the chariots.

The giant metallic roof over Sannidhi Square is almost in place.

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Idea; dances at 16-pillar mantap

March 22, 2015, 10:51 pm
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A few dancers are tossing the idea of hosting  one-hour long recitals at the 16-pillared mantapam in Sannidhi Square on key days of the festival.

The idea is to add to the color of this celebration and to use of the spaces around the temple.

The temple organizes music and dances as part of the vidaiyarti, once the religious days are over.

Would you welcome the idea?
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Taste of illumination and some creativity

March 23, 2015, 10:48 am
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On Monday, as dusk fell the decorative lights and illumination were tested. The last picture here gives you a feel of the nature of illumination. Look at some small and deft creative touches - at the lights on top of the tall gopuram on the east side.

The pandal-s on all the mada streets have been illuminated too - they look imaginative at night as you look up.
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Collector's item!

March 23, 2015, 10:54 am
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These are the front and back pages of the formal invite to Panguni Fest 2015.
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Devotion on display at Amman shrine

March 24, 2015, 10:55 pm
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Less than one hundred people gathered at the Kolavizhi Amman temple this morning to take part in the rituals that flag off the Panguni fest at Sri Kapali Temple.
The protector of the neighborhood is given her rightful place in the celebrations - the first place to pray for goodness and blessings for the fest that ends with the kalyanam.

But those who had gathered were close devotees.

Seetha from Ponnambala Vadyar Street, Mylapore was here with her family members. The fifty-year-old told us that she keeps this date here and has been doing so for 20 years. The family sat around to cook ven-pongal and sakkarai-pongal to be given to the priest for the rituals. Some for the Kolavizhi Amman and some for the Bhadrakali Amman.

A pot-ful of each variety was prepared this morning and brought here as offering.

There was also a man from Teynampet, preferring to remain anonymous who brought about 8 to 10kilos of pongal and made an offering. He said a prayer and left the place, saying he would do this henceforth every year for this occasion.

The fest has its devout followers.

- Report and photo by R. Saravanan
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Blessings of the goddess . . .

March 25, 2015, 3:04 am
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It was well past noon when temple priest Sekar, in a symbolic gesture handed over fruits and flowers to the officer of the Sri Kapali Temple, Kaveri to flag off the annual Panguni Festival at Mylapore.

About 100 devotees, mainly women took part in this ceremony at Kolavizhi Amman Temple, located north of Kutchery Road. It was a time to pray and receive the blessings of the grama devathai for the big fest.

Later tonight, Lord Vinayaka will be taken in procession after rituals to be performed inside the Kapali Temple.

- Report, photo by Madan
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Seer, nagaswaram and blessings . . .

March 25, 2015, 3:10 am
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The blessings of grama devatha of Mylapore town, namely the Kolavizhi Amman, are invoked before the start of the grand Panguni Peruvuizha of Lord Kapaleeswara Temple every year.

Today at 11.30 a.m. the ‘seer’ from Kapali Temple arrived at Kolavizhi Amman Temple. The seer contained, one Red, Brown & Yellow checked saree with blouse piece, manjal, kumkum, fruits, flowers, garlands, coconuts and neivedyam of swwet pongal prepared by devotees. 

These were taken out in a procession round the temple and then into the sanctum.  (The nagaswaram played “Bhavamulona” song during parikrama)

The Jt Commissioner of Kapali Temple came by 11.45.  

The abhishekam started with devotees singing special songs on Kolavizhi Amman.  The main deity was decked with the checked saree and the garland.  The utsava murthis of Kolvizhi Amman/ Badrakali Amman also were decked with red sarees brought from Kapali Temple. (While abhisekam was going on for utsava murthis the Nagaswaram played ‘Devi Neeya Thunai’ in Keeravani). 

After the main harathi, the prasadams in form of flowers, fruits, coconuts and manjal/kungumam were brought in a big tray. (The hagaswaram played Bhagyada Laksmi Baramma).   

At around 12.40, this was handed over to the officer from Kapali Temple - Kaveri in the presence of the Uthsava Murthi of Badrakali Amman as a gesture of having bestowed the blessings to start the 10 days’ Panguni Festival with ‘Kodiyetram’ tomorrow (26.3.15)

- Report and photo by V Vasantha
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Time for lord Vinayaka

March 25, 2015, 7:29 pm
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Late evening at Sri Kapali Temple, Wednesday. A time for lord Ganesha. The first procession around the mada veedhis of the temple zone.
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Schedules of discourses, nagaswaram and Carnatic music concerts

March 25, 2015, 7:31 pm
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The flag goes up . .

March 26, 2015, 9:26 pm
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The flag hoisting function started at 5 in the morning and the kodiyetram completed on the dot at 5.40

Women devotees were in colourful semi silk sarees and men in dhotis. 

After the main arathi, simultaneously to the kodi and the Kapali in the Navarathri mantapam, people started disbursing. Those who had come from far exclusively for this event greeted their friends and relatives whom they meet only on occasions like this.

Women of the area who were in madisars, took a break - sitting on the steps of the mantapam and making light talk.
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Procession on March 26 evening

March 26, 2015, 9:41 pm
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The pavazhakaal vimanam procession on March 26 evening.
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Gas lights, flower decor and a Kerala log . . .

March 26, 2015, 10:18 pm
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Lots of people get involved in the Panguni fest - and their stories lie in the background. They though are not looking for the stories to be told and shared.

Take G. Babu the gas light supplier from Ponnambala Vadyar Street, alongside the temple. He has been supplying gas lights for all processions for close to two decades. He still does - that practice of having gas lights light up the gods continues though fewer lights are used.

S, Baskar, sells flowers and puja stuff also in this zone. For many years he and his team create the flower decked space for the gods to reside in while watching the kodiyetram.

This year a new thandu was donated by well-wishers via a supplier in Kerala. This is made from the side root-trunk of banyan tree. The photo here shows volunteers holding it up.

- Photos and report by R. Saravanan
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Green theme and colorful rangolis . .

March 27, 2015, 5:26 pm
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Photos shot on March 26 late evening, when the rituals were around the punnai, karpaga and vengai trees. The procession of the gods took place after 10 p.m. and people drew kolams and rangolis on the mada streets to welcome the procession.

This woman contributed her creativity on behalf of the famed Mami's Mess on Pitchu Pillai Street.
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Suryan and kili; day 2 of the fest

March 27, 2015, 5:30 pm
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Photos shot on March 27. In the morning, it was time for Surya vattam and later that night, for chandran vat tam and for killi and aanai vahanams, processions that went around the mada streets.
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Dancing before the nandi . . .

March 30, 2015, 10:19 pm
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Sugathan Mohandass, Secretary of Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation and fostered by “The Mylapore Trio” – S. Amarnath, S. Surendranath, S. Aparna, performed in front of “Adhikaara Nandhi Vahanam” on [27-3-2015] for the famous song “Kaana Kankodi Vendum… Adhikaara Nandhi Sevaithanai” (a Tamizh Keertanam composed by Papanasam Sivan, specifically on this “Adhikaara Nandhi Utsavam” on the 3rd day of Panguni Brahmotsavam of Lord Kapaleeswara - Mylapore).

A special Pooja is organized on the previous night of the “Adhikaara Nandhi” Festival every year by the “Thandarai Vaidhyar” Family – donors of the silver kavacham of the Adhikaara Nandhi Vahanam (1917).

 This family has been closely associated with The Mylapore Trio’s foster parents Late Sumukhi, Rajasekharan and their grand mom, Nagammal for many generations. All the girls of the donor’s family were the students of Sumukhi, who was the Headmistress of the Lady Sivaswami Aiyar Girls High School, Mylapore. 

The present Grand Old Lady of this family Parvathi Ammal is a nonagenarian. The family hosted Sugathan to perform on this auspicious occasion. This is the third consecutive year he is performing in front of this Adhikaara Nandi.

Sugathan holds a masters degree in communication from the University of Madras. He is Bharatanatyam dancer, also well versed in Mohiniyattam and Kathakali. He hails from a family of Mohiniyattam dancers and is also an alumnae of Kalakshetra.  

He felt that it was a divine experience to perform in front of “Adhikara Nandhi”, more so for that very apt song.
Jayanthi Swaminathan, another member of the Foundation sang this beautiful song with her mellifluous voice on this occasion.
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Buddhan vahanam

March 31, 2015, 12:36 am
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 Buddhan vahanam that was taken out in procession oN March 28 evening.
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Pink, flowery wheels for the chariot!

March 31, 2015, 12:40 am
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Numerous people offer their services free at festival time. It is their way of prayer and thanks. So if you walk into the campus you will find people deep in a variety of works. Like this man who ensures he and his men clean up all the vahanams.

In the past few hours, the chariot has been getting a new coat of paint. The wheels looked bright in pink and white. Now not everyone will appreciate this paint-paint-paint business especially on vintage pieces like the chariot whose images have been dented, corroded and chipped.

But then color and sound make a festival!
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Street shopping, silambam and Bharatanatyam, and a long night

March 31, 2015, 12:52 am
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Tuesday evening signaled that summer and stickiness was with us in Chennai - the gentle breeze made it good for hawking and window shopping in the mada streets. The stuff on sale may be utility - from water pumps and mosquito-swatters - to narikurava-made chains and wrist bands. But they found their buyers.

At about 7.30 p.m. two young drummers got into the act on Sannidhi Street, and as they belted out the trummm-trummmm-trum, young men got into the act of silambam and fire drills and soon gathered a small crowd to watch the sidelight.

Metres away, young dancer R Rukmani, a sishya of Himaja Ramsharan glided on the floor of the 16-pillared mantap to perform. A first in a three recital series of dances at penguin fest time ( the other two will be held here on April 1 and April 4, the former at about 5 pm and the latter at 6.30pm ).

The music clashed but each found its rhythm.

Inside the temple, volunteers, the big-made men in blue Tees took position near the vahanam and priests set in motion the rituals in the yagam hall on the north eastern side for the rishaba vahanam procession.

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Midnight musings; rishabha-vahanam

March 31, 2015, 1:01 am
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I walked from home in Alwarpet at 10.40 for the rishaba vahanam procession at Sri Kapali Temple. The roads were deserted save for an auto near Sai Baba Temple.

I saw women drawing kolams on the road in front of Vasantha Bhavan restaurant in South Mada Street. ’Kabali kaga kolam podaren’, one said. The other replied ‘Kabali nu summa sollade; Yaro rowdy ya sollara madiri irukku. Kabaleeswar vararu nu sollu’

Sri Veleeswaran Koil also had lighting decoration on the gopuram.

We reached the gopuravasal by 11.05 p.m. and could get only a glimpse from sideways.  So we walked through Piuchu Pillai Street and came to East Mada Street.  Petty shops lined Pichu Pillai junction.  Here too, people were drawing beautiful kolams on the road.  East Mada street looked as though the time was 6 p.m..

There were thousands of people -  from the theradi point, Sannidhi Street was jam packed.  It was suffocating because of the asbestos shed that has been raised.  We squeezed in and reached near 16 pillar-mantap where Lord Kapali was seated on silver rishabha vahanam.

Goddess Karpagambal joined the lord later.  (Karpagambal was on a golden Rishabha). Lord Muruga was on a ‘mayil’ vahanam.

The crowd got bigger as the procession began. We left the sannidhi square and got away - a cool drinks shop was busy.  Further down, we saw free distribution of hot bad am milk.

It was [ast midnight. People were coming in. Autos were available.
So getting back home was not a problem.

( The second photo was taken when the procession got back to the temple at about 6 a.m. on March 31, about six hours after it began)

- Report by V. Vasantha.
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