SRIVARI SALAKATLA BRAHMOTSAVAMS COMMENCE WITH THE “SEED SOWING FESTIVAL”-ANKURARPANAM

Tirumala, 2 October 2016: Ankurarpanam or Beejavapanam is one of the most important rituals of the Vaikhanasa Agama. Ankuararpanam means “sowing the seed”. The essence of this ritual is to make a Sankalpa(Wish) to celebrate a utsavam (Festival) and get the grace of the Lord. Ankurarpanam was performed with religious fervour in Tirumala temple on Sunday as per the tenets of Agama.

IMPORTANCE: Sastras prescribe doing Ankurarpana 9, 7, 5, 3 or atleast one day before the festival. This ritual is performed in the evenings as the dictum has its basis in astrological principles. As Chandra – the Moon God is said to be the “Sasyakaraka” – the controller of plants, the seed sowing ceremony is performed in nights only before every festival.

EMERGENCE OF SPROUTS PLAY KEY ROLE

Agamas also mention that the sprouts that emanate from the seeds imply the successful celebration of the fete. The signs about the sprouts have an astrological significance. These sprouts were sowed in mud vessels known as “palikas” for performing ankurarpanam.

DEITIES WORSHIPED

The palikas were filled with mud while worshipping the Goddess Earth and with seeds and water while worshipping Moon. Seeds were sowed amidst the accompaniment of Managala vadya and the palikas were decorated by wrapping a new cloth around them and Punyahavachanam performed. Different deities inlcuding Brahma, Garuda, Sesha, Sudarsana, Vakratunda, Soma, Santa, Indra and others have been invited and worshipped through fire in Yagashala chanting the respective mantras.

PROCESSION OF SENAPATHIVARU

Earlier, the commander-in-chief of Lord, Vishwaksena, was taken on a procession around four mada streets to the Vasantha Mandapam and later brought to the temple.

IMPORTANCE

According to Agamas, Vishwaksena being the Supreme commander supervises the arrangements for his Lord’s mega festival. Vishvaksena occupies an important place in the Vaikhanasa Agama of Sri Vaishnavism. Any ritual or function begins with the worship of Vishvaksena .He is believed to protect the ritual or function from obstacles and evil powers. So he takes a ride, supervising the arrangements before the commencement of any festival.

TTD Chairman Dr Ch Krishnamurthy, TTD EO Dr D Sambasiva Rao, Tirumala JEO Sri KS Sreenivasa Raju, CVSO Sri G Srinivas, Board Members Sri AV Ramana, Sri Bhanuprakash Reddy, Temple DyEO Sri Rama Rao, Peishkar Sri Selvam, Temple Staff and devotees took part.


ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER TTDs, TIRUPATI