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Reg. Ratha saptami

From the Bhakti List Archives

vaidehi • June 1, 1997 


Dear Bhakti members,

This is in rference to a post on the importance of Ratha saptami and
whether it takes more precedence to Pongal function at the Parthasarathy
Temple in Triplicane, Madras. The importance of Ratha saptami is due to
the fact that after a long wait on the Ambhu padukkai (bed of arrows
made at his request by Arjuna) Beeshmachariar attained paramapadam on
this day. This boon was granted to him by the Lord Himself. It is said
he waited for the Uththarayan kala to begin. It is also on this day that
the earth's inclination towards the sun is steepest. At the
Parthasarathy temple it is said that at noon the sun's rays are directly
incident on the karbha griham (which is a phenomenal because the path of
the sun to this spot is not that open and would have to pass through
several mandaps). On this day every year, Lord Parthasarathy (utsavar)
gives darshan on "Surya Prabhai"- a vahana depicting the Lord riding a
chariot drawn by seven horses and driven by "surya" (if I am not
mistaken) with a huge semi circular golden painted sun ray depiction at
the background.

It is quite possible both ratha sapthami and Pongal might have fallen on
the same day some year.

As far as temple functions go, Pongal gains importance only on the day
of Kanu- as if Thaayar is observing the day. In this temple, Sri
Vedavallith Thaayar is called " padi thaandap paththini" - a chaste wife
who does not step outside the living quarters doorstep and in accordance
with that this function and all puRappadu for Thaayaar are within the
temple premises. (Normally in temples Thaayar would be taken on a grand
procession to the temple tank or nearest river and kanu would be
performed on Her behalf).

eRRaikkum ezezh piRavikkum ungthannOdu 
uRROmE yaavOm umakkEnaam aatci ceivOm..

Vaidehi VR