Vettiver Chapparam 2026 ~ Erinnerungen an die Zukunft

 

Erinnerungen an die Zukunft  -    what ??

Heard of ‘Chrysopogonzizanioides’ and wonder what is has to do with a Temple related post, especially one on the last day of Brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni - the  10th day – Sapthavaranam, dwadasa aradhanam  and siriyathiruther of Sri Parthasarathi  Perumal  Chithirai   brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam on 10.5.2026.   The  brahmothsavam is a grand 10 day affair with Emperuman having purappadu in many vahanams including Sesha, Simha, Garuda, Hamsa, Hanumantha, Yaanai, Kuthirai and more .. thiruther (juggernaut) captures the eye of everyone. . ..  the uthsavam concludes with siriya thiruther known as Vettiver ther as this coolant is fixed on all sides of the ther.  Chariots have important mention in history as also in Ithihasa puranas.

Chariots of the Gods (German: Erinnerungen an die Zukunft, lit. 'memories of the future') a  West German documentary film directed by Harald Reinl hit the screens in 1970. It was  based on Erich von Däniken's book Chariots of the Gods?, a pseudo-scientific book that theorized extraterrestrials impacted early human life and evolution. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. 

Cargo cult is a term used to denote various spiritual and political movements that arose among indigenous Melanesians following Western colonisation of the region in the late 19th century. Features common to most cargo cult groups include the presence of charismatic prophet figures foretelling an imminent cataclysm and/or a coming utopia for followers—a worldview known as millenarianism.  Claims made by these prophets varied greatly from movement to movement, with some predicting the return of the dead or an abundance of food.  Some movements sought to appease "ancestral spirits or other powerful beings" by either reviving ancestral traditions or adopting new rituals, such as ecstatic dancing or imitating the actions of colonists and military personnel. 

Chariots of the Gods?  Unsolved Mysteries of the Past -  is a book written in 1968 by Erich von Däniken and translated from the original German by Michael Heron. It involves the hypothesis that the technologies and religions of many ancient civilizations were given to them by ancient astronauts who were welcomed as gods. 

The main thesis of Chariots of the Gods is that extraterrestrial beings influenced ancient technology. Von Däniken suggests that some ancient structures and artifacts appear to reflect more sophisticated technological knowledge than is known or presumed to have existed at the times they were manufactured. Von Däniken maintains that these artefacts were produced either by extraterrestrial visitors or by humans who learned the necessary knowledge from extraterrestrials. Such artifacts include the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge, and the Moai of Easter Island.  Further examples include an early world map known as the Piri Reis map, which von Däniken describes as showing Earth as it is seen from space,  and the Nazca Lines in Peru, which he suggests may have been constructed by humans as crude replicas of previous alien structures, as a way to call the aliens back to Earth.  He uses this same explanation to argue that cart ruts in Malta may have had extraterrestrial purposes along with similar lines in Australia, Saudi Arabia, and the Aral Sea. 

The book also suggests that ancient artwork throughout the world can be interpreted as depicting astronauts, air and space vehicles, extraterrestrials, and complex technology. Von Däniken describes elements that he believes are similar in the art of unrelated cultures.  Among the artwork he describes are ancient Japanese Dogū figurines (which he believes to resemble astronauts in spacesuits) and 3,000-year-old carvings in an Egyptian New Kingdom Temple that appear to depict helicopter-like machines. The book further suggests that the origins of many religions, including interpretations of the Old Testament of the Bible, are reactions to contact with an alien race. According to von Däniken, humans considered the technology of the aliens to be supernatural and the aliens themselves to be gods. Von Däniken asks if the oral and literal traditions of most religions contain references to visitors from stars and vehicles traveling through air and space. These, he says, should be interpreted as literal descriptions which have changed during the passage of time and become more obscure. 

In our Puranas too there are references to Devas living outside the World as also to chariots, vimanas, flyers and more .. .. residents of vinnagaram are capable of performing much bigger deeds than humans, but our life revolves around Emperuman and the ultimate surrender unto Him.

On the  concluding day of Chithirai Brahmothsavam is ‘Sapthavaranam’ and  Sri Parthasarathi perumal has purappadu in Siriya Thiruther [known as vettiver chapparam].  On 10^th May 2026, around 0930pm there was siriya thiruther purappadu.     

Getting back to vettiver thiruther, it  is all about keeping the place cool .. .. both industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning are based on the same mechanism: a fluid, generally water or air, is cooled by evaporation of another fluid, called the refrigerant. The refrigerant circuit, comprising the compressor, evaporator, condenser and expansion device, is an integral part.  Air-conditioning is that process used to create and maintain certain temperature, relative humidity and air purity conditions in indoor spaces.  An air-conditioning system must be effective regardless of outside climatic conditions and involves control over four fundamental variables: air temperature, humidity, movement and quality. 

Vettiver is a great coolant as also spreading fragrance.   ‘Vettiver Chapparam’… is embellished with mats of vettiver. The scientific name of  vettiver is  - ‘Chrysopogonzizanioides’, a type of grass of Poaceae family, native to India.  Also known as ‘khus’ Vettiver can grow up to 1.5 metres high and form clumps as wide. This Ther is known as ‘VettiverChapparam’ – for there used to be so many sheets made of this grass placed on the temple car.  One could feel the divine fragrance from a distance itself.  

Here are some photos of Sri Parthasarathi   Emperuman sapthavarana thiruther purappadu. 

 ~ adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
10.5.2026