Tiruvannamalai Temple Daily Life and activities:

Temple Daily Life and activities:

This big temple symbolises a religious locality of a city inside. People keep moving on their work from here to there within the courtyards and buildings inside the temple. The people inside the temple performing Godly, work and duties are always a "Hindu a Brahmin” who has the right to nomad anywhere, anyhow, anytime. These people are mainly at the work of performing duties to God, cooking food, cleaning Singing for God, decorating the God etc. many things wordless to say indeed. Others are the devotees who go to pray, meditate or even rest for peace and even abide themselves to the service of God.

We can also see an "Elephant" which is sacred stays within his mahout under the pavilion supported by columns near the hundred pillared hall. He gives his blessings by placing its trunk over the heads of the devotees who, in turn given him an offering as a coin or some eatables to eat.

The people associated to the temple are all Brahmins. The men are of high caste with a dhoti and a "Sacred thread" across their chest over left shoulder. Only they have the rights to perform the rites. These men pass on the knowledge and responsibilities to their sons as they are married.

The daily evenings the mahout washes the elephant with the help of other temple servants near a well in the fifth courtyard. The people who come to pray can also can also rest and have meal in the third courtyard or anywhere else after this courtyard. There is a Brahma tank after the Long chain of steps which leads to this purifying tank where devotees perform their ablutions. The shaving of men's and women’s head is done by barber in the fifth courtyard. The shaving of head is said to be an offering to God. There is regular worship, pooja four times a day. Food and flame offering are made through the priest, who is well known of the mantras and officiates at the statue. The ceremonies are numerous which takes place according the lunar calendar and even performed at the request of devotees. The devotees who pay special offering or offer absishekams, pujas are always accompanied with music called 'Maryadham" by the temple musicians and also is blessed by the priest with vibuti and a big garland of "Lord Shiva" after the darshanam. A Complete Information Website about Tiruvannamalai. for more details Pictures, Videos Visit http://www.tiruvannamalai.co.in