Sri Parthasarathi Theppothsavam 2020 - day 1 - Neeratta Mandapam
Like Thiruther, theppam
(float) is a thiruvizha. Could recall that in my younger days, shops selling
sweets, dolls, would spring up around the tank square. There would be rangarattinams (carousel /
merry go round) – the man who would carry a big figurine and sell a type of
sweet that would be formed in the shape of a watch around our wrists was a big
attraction. For sure, you would have
stopped wondering the big thiruther at Thiruvallikkeni – some of you may not
have noticed this small mantap just in front of the temple and thiruther. This is known as Andal Neeratta mantap as
during the 9 days of Neeratta uthsavam, Andal has thirumanjanam here.
English reference of
float need not be a floatilla. A float
is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle like a truck or towed behind
one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as the many carnivals
held in Western World. At a carnival
procession in Spain, participants dressed like Nazis and Jewish concentration
camp prisoners while dancing next to a float evoking crematoria. The Israeli Embassy in Madrid on Tuesday
protested the display this weekend at the annual carnival procession in Campo
de Criptana, a town situated about 80 miles southeast of the capital. Last year, UNESCO dropped the Aalst Carnival
from its list of world heritage events over the depiction of Jews in the 2019
procession. It featured a float with effigies of grinning Haredim holding bags
of money and one with a rat on its shoulders.
The group that created the float said it was meant to protest the rising
cost of living.
In Kerala, there is float
as also our Parthasarathi Emperuman at Thiruvaranvilai divyadesam, popularly
Aramula. Palliyodams are Aranmula's
unique snake boats ("Chundan Vallam") which devotees hold in
reverence, considering it as the divine vessel of the presiding deity in Sree
Parthasarathy temple. On each boat, there
will be a flag and two or three ornamental umbrellas. Locating a suitable tree
preferably Anjili, cutting it down and bringing to the location for
construction is the first step. These boats are about 100 to 138 ft in length,
with the rear portion towering to a height of about 20 ft. and a long tapering
front portion. When completed it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Its
hull is built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide. The Vallamkali is a perfect blend of native
craft, devotion, and sports. The event is rich with religious meaning and symbolism.
When a village builds a Palliyodam, all
its people, followers of various faiths, come together. Palliyodam signifies the boat of Lord
Parthasarathy, presiding deity of the Sree Parthasarathy Temple, and there are
51 of them in and around Aranmula. The Palliyoda Karayogams, representing the
villages along the Pampa, are the custodians of these boats.
At Thiruvallikkeni
divaydesam - there is a small Neeratta mandapam, exactly opposite to Periya
Thiruther. Sri Andal during the Neeratta Uthsavam in Margazhi has
thirumanjanam here Sri Parthasarathi Perumal too visits this
mantap immediately after the first day ‘theppam’[float] festival.
The annual float festival
[Theppothsavam] is being celebrated at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam and I have
posted about the day 1 festivity along with photos. On 23.2.2020,
after 5 rounds in the Theppam, Sri Parthasarathi had mandagappadi at the
neeratta mandapam. After the very short halt, Perumal has purappadu in siriya
thiruther.
Adjacent to this mantap
was the ‘yanai kottai’ housing the Temple elephant and a cluster of shops
including some selling eversilverware. During the samprokshanam in
2015, all these shops and other structures including the public convenience
maintained by SYMA, which functioned at the ‘yanai kottai’ were also cleaned
up, providing a direct view to the Temple façade and the
gopuram. Here are some photos taken when Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman
halted at this mantap.
adiyen Srinivasa Dhasan
23.2.2020
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