Attukal Pongala

Every Hindu woman looks forward to the annual festival of Attukal Pongala. In 2011 it falls on Saturday, February 19^th.

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is in the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is believed to be Kannaki, in her divine form the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal, the Tamil Poet. Kannaki is supposed to be the incarnation of Parvathy, the consort of Paramasiva.

It is a ten-day festival commencing on the Karthika nakshatram [star] of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthi -tharpanam at night. On the ninth day of the festival the world famous Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam takes place, that is on Pooram nakshatram.

Millions of women gather around the temple for Pongala. They do the rituals religiously. The whole city is cleaned and every road and houses are crowded. The offering for the Goddess is cooked on new earthen pots. Most of the women observe fasting during these days.

Rice,ghee,jiggery and coconut are used to make Naivedyam. Everyone lights the fire for the pongala at the auspicious time announced by the temple priests.

This is a women’s festival. The faith in Attukalamma is obviously seen on every face while they perform the rituals. One who offers pongala once, comes here every following year as if pulled by a divine force. Such is the Greatness of Attukalamma, the mother of all.

Devi Sthuthi

Sarva Mangala Mangalye
Sive Sarvardha Sadhike
Saranye Threyambake Gowri
Narayani Namo Sthuthe

Ettumanoor Temple

The small state Kerala in India has the majority of population, the Hindus. Kerala is famous with its colourful temple festivals. These annual festivals of every temple are elaborate and exotic. The main attraction at these festivals is the elephants. Each temple with its own legends & myths conduct an annual festival as a tribute to the presiding deity.

The ten day long festival called “Utsavam” is conducted almost with same rituals in most of the temples. The main idol of the temple is taken out of the sanctum sanctorum only during these days. On elaborately decorated elephants, with processions & music the idol is taken around. On the ninth day the idol is taken for an imaginary hunting called Pallivetta, in which people dress themselves as wild animals & give the surroundings a forest atmosphere. The next day is the famous “Aarattu” festival.

Ettumanoor is an important pilgrim Centre of Hindus. Ettumanoor is a small town famous with the Shiva temple, “Ettumanoor Mahadeva temple”. The temple building, with its gopuram and the fortress around it, have Dravidian mural paintings on the walls inside and outside of the main entrance. Myths have it that the Pandavas and the sage Vyasa had worshipped at this temple. Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple is one of the oldest Kerala temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Araattu festival falls in February-March. This Arattu festival is popularly known as Ettumanoor Ezharapponnana. This temple is rich with its treasures. Seven elephants of the same size with 13 kilos of pure gold and one smaller in size forms the Ezharaponnana. There is a golden umbrella too in this temple which is also taken out for the procession during the festival.

Ezharaponnana or the seven and a half golden elephants represent the Ashtadwigjam - which are Airavatham, Pundareekam, Kanmudam, Ajnana, Pushpadantham, Supradeekam, Sarvabhauman, and Vamana. As Vamana is a short one, the eighth elephant is a short one of one foot while others are two feet high. The spectacular event of the Arattu festival with the Ezharapponnana is beyond any description.

Aarattu is the Holy dip given to the deity as the ten day long utsavam concludes. This is symbolic of purification and rejuvenation of the body and spirit after the festivities. After the previous day’s Pallivetta, the deity Sri Mahadeva at Ettumanoor is taken out in procession, with elephants & panchavadyam, and thalappoli, where the ezharaponnaana or the golden elephants representing the eight dik paalakas or the guardians of the cardinal directions wait at the specially decorated site in the north east corner of the temple. This makes the Ettumanoor aarattu festival unique.

Krishna

Krishna is God himself, the Absolute, the Brahman, the Supreme being, the complete incarnation of Vishnu, and the great exponent of the Bhagavat Gita. To his devotees, Krishna is the favourite philosopher, teacher and friend. In fact, Lord Krishna and the Lord who dwells in the heart of all beings is one and the same.
The Vedic “uttama sidhanta” which is Srimad Bhagavatham confirms Krishna as the “source of all Avtars and the cause of all causes.” Lord Krishna is the deliverer of the Bhagavat Gita. Krishna when he was on earth as an avatara protected the virtuous, redeemed the wicked by ending their worldly existence and established righteousness on earth.
According to the sentiment and faith of the worshipper the form of God- realization varies. Realization of Krishna by his Grace helps one come out of his ignorance. Doubts and confusion are dispelled, and one’s Karma is exhausted.
Bhagavat Gita, the words of Krishna discuss at length the paths of devotion, knowledge and action.The Lord advices to follow the path of action with special emphasis on devotion.
He who worships Krishna as his own self, becomes one with Brahma or the Absolute. Bhagavatam describes Him as this—“To those who regard him as absolute or formless, he is devoid of attributes or form (XII.3). To those who look upon him as qualified and formless, he is possessed of attributes though devoid of form. (VIII.9). To those who view him as almighty, all-supporting, all-pervading, all-surpassing, i.e, adorned with all excellent virtues, he is endowed with all noble virtues(XV.15) To those who hold him as embracing everything, he embraces all.(VII.7-12). To those who recognize him as possessed of form and attributes both, he reveals himself as such. (IV.8)”
Bhagavatham says- “ He who looks upon well-wishers and neutrals as well as mediators, friends and foes, relatives and objects of hatred, the virtuous and the sinful, with the same eye, stands Supreme” …That’s Krishna.
Krishna was born in the Dwarpara Yuga. He is embodiment of love and divine joy. Krishna is an instigator of all forms of knowledge and born to establish the religion of love. He came as the messenger of peace.
Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita mentions the merits of Knowledge with realization. The Sanskrit verse can be translated as; “This knowledge with realization, is the sovereign of sciences, and mysterious, and is, supremely holy, most excellent, directly realizable, very easy to practice and is imperishable.

Ganesh, the Vighneswar

Ganesha is the most widely worshipped deity of the Hindus. Ganesha is known by many attributes. He is easily identified by his elephant head. The other name by which he is known is Vighneswara, which means, the’ Lord of Obstacles’. He can remove as well as create obstacles in ones’ life. Today before any venture is undertaken, it is Ganesh who is invoked and whose blessings are sought

Ganesha is the Lord of intellect and wisdom. At the start of every puja, ritual and ceremony Ganesh vandan is done to honour him so that the functions go well without any obstacles.

Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He has a brother, Skanda. A competition between Ganesha and his brother was held as to see who could circumambulate the three worlds faster and hence win the fruit of knowledge. Skanda went off on a journey to cover the three worlds while Ganesha circumambulated his parents. When asked why he did so, he explained that his parents Shiva and Parvati constituted the three worlds and thus he won the fruit of knowledge.

Ganesha is also known as Ekadanta, referring to His one whole tusk and the other broken. Devotees say that his single tusk indicates his ability to overcome all forms of dualism. They also believe the single tusk is a symbolism to retain the good and throw away the bad. Devotees interpret his elephant head as indicating intelligence, discriminative power, and think big. The large elephant ears are said to denote wisdom and listen more. It is easy to please Ganesha. A handful of roasted rice would satiate Ganesha, if it were offered with humility and love.

The scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Ganesha is often shown riding on a mouse, it symbolizes Tamoguna, as well as desire.Desire unless it is controlled can cause havoc. ‘You ride the desire and keep it under control, and don’t allow it to take you for a ride’ is the message. Ganesha is considered to be the Lord of letters and learning. Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra Aum. Omkaraswaroopa is Ganesha which refers he personifies the primal sound ‘AUM’

Hinduism believes the kundalini shakti, the great spiritual potential, waiting to be aroused and brought back up to the source from which it originated, Brahman. Muladhar is a subtle abode of Ganapati. In Ganapati Atharvashirsha, it is mentioned that “one who worships Lord Ganapati would easily grasp the concept and realize Brahman.”

Janaki Amma

Janaki Amma, my Ammoomma was the soul of the family. If she was not there who would have managed the household things? I cannot imagine anyone else in her place. She always wore white. A simple cotton typical kerala dress of a two piece Mundu and Neriyathu. There was no colour in her life. She became a widow at the age of 30. I don't know whether she wore jewellery or colourful dress before that. But she was very particular that all the young girls in the family adorned herself with everything which made a girl pretty. Her hair was as white as her dress and shining and fluffy too. She never wore a chappal on her feet.

Ammoomma was an ocean of knowledge. She knew everything about Hinduism and followed all the rituals a Hindu was expected to do. She was well versed with Hindu Puranas. She had a good knowledge of English too. In her old age she wrote Ramayan in simple words as can be read and understood by small children.

Gopala Pillai was Ammoomma's eldest brother and the Karanavar of the family. Gopalachettan ammavan was an advocate who never felt it necessary to go to the court or do any kind of work. Though their needs were very less both Ammavan and Pappachettan didn't find it necessary to contribute anything for the welfare of the family. So one could see them on their respective easy chairs all day and night. I don't know whether the women in the family tried to keep away from them out of respect, or fear. But I was very much afraid of them. As I grew older I felt they had an affection for all children, but they didn't know how to show it.
Gowrivalliamma was so helpless as she lost her eyesight. She needed help even to eat her food. Sometimes I would hold her plate while she had food, and help her to go to the bathroom. She was very silent and didn't trouble anyone. I had so much sympathy for her. Even now I can feel the touch of her wrinkled hands.
Ammoomma's two other brothers and one sister stayed with their family in other places where they were employed. Everyone used to visit the house some time or other, so the house was always filled with people. I got familiar with all my cousins too. There were always children playing, but I stayed aloof from them with my own reasons of insecurity. I would watch them playing. Ammoomma would compel me to go and play with them, but I knew I would be more safe with her.
The main thing that disturbed me in those days was my mother's attitude towards me. I would try to get some attention from her but she never cared. She always had an infant to look after. So from the day I can remember, I was a "Big Girl". She would never allow me to sleep with her on the cot, which hurt me a lot. Now I can understand the reasons but in those days I was too young to know all that. I felt my mother didn't love me. I tried to get her attention in many ways but nothing I did could please her. Instead I got more scolding than ever. Ammoomma would come to save me and she would ask her daughter to keep quiet. This brought me more closer to Ammoomma.