Thiruvallikkeni Ratha
Sapthami - Surya Prabai Purappadu 17th Feb 2013
Today – 17th Feb
2013(5th day of Masi masam in Tamil calendar) is a very
auspicious day – Ratha Sapthami. Ratha means chariot.
Sapthami is a thithi in a lunar month falling on the 7th day
of both sukla and Krishna paksha. Ratha Sapthami also
Surya Jayanthi is celebrated on 7th day after Thai Amavasai-
Shukla paksha (waxing phase of moon) dedicated to God Surya. It
is believed that earth’s inclination towards the sun is the steepest on the
day. Special bathing rituals are observed in some regions today. Surya
(Sun) worship is deep rooted in the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures.
Today celebrated as the birth of Surya to Sage Kashyapa and his wife
Aditi and celebrated as Surya Jayanthi in many parts. Legend has it that the
greatest warrior Bhishma breathed last the day after the Ratha Sapthami
day. The Pithamaha is one the greatest characters in the Epic Mahabaratha
and the asthami is revered as “Bhishmaashtami”.
The
charioteer of Surya is Aruna, who is also personified as the redness that accompanies the sunlight
in dawn and dusk. The sun god is driven by a seven-horsed Chariot depicting the
seven days of the week. Going by Upanishad, their names are :
Gayatri, Brhati, Usnik, Jagati, Tristup, Anustup and Pankti.
Uttarayana is the six month period between Makara sankranti (Jan 14) and July 14 when Sun travels towards North in the celestial sphere. Ratha saptami marks the seventh day following the Sun’s northerly movement of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). A journey from makara rekai to kadaka rekai – Capricorn to Cancer. Today symbolically represents the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (chariot) drawn by seven horses towards northern hemisphere in a north-easterly direction.
Traditionally in villages, Rangoli kolam is drawn with coloured rice powder depicting Chariot drawn by horses. From today, the days would get warmer, especially in South India. This is an important annual festival at Vaishnavaite temples. Today, it was celebrated grandly in Thiruvallikkeni also. Early morning, Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman had purappadu on Surya prabhai with 7 horses drawing it. .
In Greek mythology, Helios
is the personification of Sun, imagined to be handsome god crowned with the
shining aureole of the Sun.
It has been
raining in Chennai, quite unusual in the month of February. Though Purappadu started in the usual way, it
had to be curtailed due to downpour. Here
are some photos of today morning purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi Perumal in
Thiruvallikkeni.
Ratha Sapathami is a grand occasion at many other divyadesams and here are couple of photos of Lord Devathirajar [Varadarajar] at Perumal Kovil, Thirukachi... [courtesy my friend Sri VN Kesava Bashyam]
Ratha Sapathami is a grand occasion at many other divyadesams and here are couple of photos of Lord Devathirajar [Varadarajar] at Perumal Kovil, Thirukachi... [courtesy my friend Sri VN Kesava Bashyam]
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar.
***********************
At Kanchipuram - Sri Varadharajar
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar.
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