Thirupullani.

On my return from Sethu I saw and heard a group of youths reciting the Veda's in the ashram that we had halted for a brief stay.

The very same boys who were lodged in that ashram,were later present in the Jaganadhar temple [ the temple at Thirupullani is dedicated to Jaganadhar], following the utsavar seated on a palanquin, in the 10 day Bramhostavam festival that culminates with the marriage ceremony of Vishnu with Lakshmi and Rama with Sita.They were reciting Yajur veda.They are students of a Veda patashala at Tirupathi and had come here on the occasion of theBramhostavam ,to chant the Veda's on all 10 days of the festival .Other priests were singing the Sama Veda and Thirumangai AAzhwaars pasurams[Tamil verses].

One of the lads,with a pleasant and smiling countenance, training to be a priest, in a pause in the recitation of Veda's approached me to enlighten me, of his own accord on the ritual unique only to this temple, the reflection of the utsavar in the mirror placed before the processional deity.

Thirupullani is a tiny village , with only two rows of houses.The temple and its tank are the only dominating features of this place tucked in this remote seashore that lies en route to the place of Darbha sayanam --sethu samudhram .It is frequented mainly by Vaishnavaites and those seeking off springs.

Peacocks called from a distance and sparrows that have become more or less extinct in Chennai were in the dozens,flying and chattering merrily in the corridors of the temple.

The presiding deity is said to have been worshiped by Dasarathar to grant him sons. The main prasad of this temple is Payasam ,to commemorate Dasaratha's yearning for children and its subsequent fulfilment by distributing the payasam he had gained through yagnas and worship of the deity to his queens ,who all conceived there after.The prasadam --payasam was delicious ,with the lingering flavour of, firewood smoke.

Rama also visited Jaganathar temple to worship , later. He has a separate Sannidhi . Here Vibeeshna is found seated with folded palms, near the idols of Rama , Sita and Lakshman.



In the ancient spacious hall in front of Ramar's sannidhi, that was empty and very quiet save for the chirps of a flock of sparrows and squeaks of bats the image of a despondent Rama lying on kusha grass on the white sands of the beach, beyond ,his head on Lakshmana's lap,praying for strength flashed through my mind.



Above image is of Ramar's separate sannidhi within the temple.It could do with a fresh coat of paint.