The midday worship starts at 11:00 am with chanting of uchi-padippu (noon parayers) from Arul-Nool with sounding of bells and conch and Lord Vaikuntar is offered thavanai-pal which is then distributed to the devotees.
Festivals at Swamythoppu
Daily Worship
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Everyday at 3:00 am in the morning, the Guru's
and devotees staying in the temple go to Muthirikinaru and take a holy bath. They return to the temple to start
the worship. They chant the uga-padippu (morning/evening prayers) from Arul-Nool with the Gurus and the sanctum
sanctorum opens amidst the sounding of temple bells and conch. Lord Vaikuntar is offered nithiya-pal which was
the only food He ate when in human form. They carry Lord Vaikuntar around the four car streets on a vahana. Prasadams
are then distributed to the devotees. The midday worship starts at 11:00 am with chanting of uchi-padippu (noon parayers) from Arul-Nool with sounding of bells and conch and Lord Vaikuntar is offered thavanai-pal which is then distributed to the devotees. |
| In the evening, the worship starts at 5:00 pm with
chanting of uga-padippu followed by carrying the Lord in a vahana around the four car streets. This is then followed
by anna-dhana (free food) to all those present. Devotees can worship the Lord any time of the day. |
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Three times in a year, special festivals are held in a grand scale each lasting for eleven days. Everyday, different vahanas are used to carry the Lord. During the first seven days, devotees go and collect alms from various places and they use it on the eigth day for anna-dhana (free food distribution). On the eleventh day, The Lord is carried in a huge car and pulled through all the four streets surrounding the temple.
Reading Scriptures (Edu-Vasippu)
Ayya Vaikuntar's books are read in devotion and rhythm by educated pundits for seventeen days. They read and offer explanations to what is read. These readings are very common in pathis, nizhal thangals and also in other Hindu temples. The last day is very special (patta-abhishekam).
Lord Vaikuntar's Birthday
Every year, Ayya Vaikuntar's birthday is observed on the 20th day of Tamil month Masi. This was the day when He came as Vaikuntar from the sea of Tiruchendur. This same date also coincides with the release of Ayya Vaikuntar from the King's arrest when He returned back to Swamythoppu. This day is an official holiday for the district.
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Grand processions are held during
this festival. Processions originate from Tiruchendur and also from Trivandrum on the 19th of Masi and walk towards
Swamythoppu. They all reach Swamythoppu around noon on the 20th of Masi. People carry the anbu-koti, the flag of
devine love and hand them over at Swamythoppu pathi. There are anna-dhanams, vahanas and many religious programmes
in the temple.
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