Tag: Tiruchanur

Tiruchanur (also known as Alamelu Mangapuram) is a suburb and neighborhood of Tirupati and is located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh

Panchami Theertham Mahotsav

Panchami Theertham Mahotsav

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Panchami Theertham

Tiruchanur is the sacred place where Lord Srinivasa did penance for 12 years to get back Padmavati Devi, who always remains in his heart. Sri Mahalakshmi left Vaikuntam angrily with the misdeed of sage Brighu.

Sri Maha Vishnu himself dug the tank. He brought golden lotus flowers and planted them in the tank. The Devi was born on Karthika masa Sukla paksha Panchami tithi, Uttarashada star, Friday from Padma Sarovaram to benefit the devotees. She stayed back in the heart of Lord Srinivasa.

Teertham, Kshetram, and Devata places are called Sacred places. Suka Maharshi did penance in Tiruchanur. The role of Suka Maharshi was cited in Sri Venkatachala Mahatmyam.

Vrischika Masam on Panchami day

Every year in Vrischika Masam on Panchami day, Avabrudham will be performed, and earlier on the previous day, the ninth day of Brahmotsavam Dvajavarohanam will be organized in this sacred kshetra.

Performance of all glorious and earlier delighted Vahana sevas will be completed for the benefit of devotees as per Pancharatra Agama tradition. Srimannarayana himself gave upades (way of telling) to Lakshmi, Brahma, Ananta, Garuda, and Vishvaksena about this Archana procedure.

Gaja Vahanam - Tiruchanur 2023
Gaja Vahanam – Tiruchanur

Procession on elephants

The pundits recite about 108 pancharatrasamhitas. Special poojas are performed on this festival day. Sri Varu sends Tulasi, turmeric, vermillion, Silk Sarees, Panyarams in a procession of elephants to his consort from Tirumala to Tiruchanur and hands over them with temple tradition.

No Poojas will be performed until the completion of Chakra Snanam

Sri Padmavati Devi along with Sudarsana Swami reaches Padma Sarovaram for Avabrithasnanam to get relief from Brahmotsava tiredness and travails. The poojas will not be performed in Tirumala temple till the completion of Chakra snanam on Karthik Panchami day.

Panchami Theertham - Tiruchanur
Panchami Theertham – Tiruchanur

After the completion of Chakra Snanam, Bhoodevi reaches the temple in a procession, and the devotees in large numbers take a bath in the Padma Sarovar.

Lotus Flower

Lotus Flower

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Padmavathi was born in Lotus

Goddess Padmavati Devi emerged from Padmasarovar in the Lotus. This is why the Pushkarini (temple tank) is known as ‘Padmasarovar’ and the Goddess Sri Padmavati Devi is seated in the Padmasana or Lotus pose named ‘Padmavati‘. In Tiruchanur holding Lotus.

Lotus stands high among flowers

Among the flowers, the Lotus stands high for its growth and immaculate beauty from the mire environment. The Gita exhorts us to be like the Lotus function without attachment and stand above the mud & water of mundane mortifications.

In Hatha Yoga, the Lotus position, Padmasana, is adopted by those who desire to reach the highest level of consciousness, which ipso facto is found in the thousand–plated Lotus Chakra at the top of the head.

Gods & Lotus

  • Brahma attends to his work sitting on a Lotus evolving from the navel of Lord Vishnu,
  • Lakshmi Devi Sits on a Red Lotus,
  • Saraswati holds a White Lotus and
  • Durga was presented with a Lotus by (Aruna) Sun God’s favorite flower.

There are also theories of the life forms evolving from a Golden Lotus.

Lakshmi in Red Lotus
Lakshmi Devi on Red Lotus

In the Gita

The Lotus has been referred to in three places.

  • In 5.10 it is mentioned as a plant that lives & grows in a pond or a lake, which is unwetted or sullied by the surrounding water.
  • In 11.2 it is presented as a plant with graceful leaves which are reminiscent of Lord Krishna’s beautiful eyes.
  • In 11.15 projected as Brahma’s favorite seat. Significantly, the Lotus plant remains unaffected by the surrounding water, in the sense that if the water is sprinkled on its leaf, it immediately rolls down that leaf, leaving it completely dry and unaffected.

Eventually, it is pointed out that, the philosophy of the Gita is about attachment and not detachment. The central message of the Gita in 18.66 is that we must surrender to Lord Krishna and prepare ourselves in that spirit of surrender of the highest order to get His refuge and grace.

The third reference to the Lotus plant is given in Gita 11.15, wherein Arjuna says that with divine eyes he could behold Brahma seated on a Lotus – seat. This Lotus seat is the one that springs from the navel of Lord Vishnu.

It means that Arjuna saw the stalk of the Lotus and also the place, from where the Lotus spring up.

The word Abjabhava also refers to Brahma, as he was born out of a Lotus.

Saraswati on white Lotus
Saraswati Mata on White Lotus

Vision of Lotuses

Salutation to the one who is lotus-eyed and always decorated with garlands of Lotuses, whose feet are marked with the emblem of Lotuses.

Why Padmavathi is not in Tirumala

Why Padmavathi is not in Tirumala

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Why Padmavathi is not in Tirumala

Story Behind

The husband, Srinivasa lives up the Seven Hills in ‘Ananda Nilaya’! His wife Alamelu Manga lives in Tiruchanur, down the hills in ‘Shanti Nilaya’! Doesn’t it look queer? There seems to be a special reason for this.

Long ago, Padmavathi used to live in ‘Shanti Nilaya’, a golden palace, perched on a hill as high as the Seven Hills. But the mata in ‘Shanti Nilaya” used to bestow a little more benevolence than the Swami in ‘Ananda Nilayam’.

Because of the weight of her benevolence, the hill on which her palace was perched, sank into the ground. That was the reason for both being separate – one on the top of Seven Hills and another on the ground level in Tiruchanur. This is the story, some say.

Swami – Standing in Ananda Nilayam

Another point to note: Swami is in the standing posture in the temple on the hill, with all his weaponry as if he is ready to go somewhere. It’s difficult for the devotees to convey to him any of their problems. Due to this diffidence, we forget to seek from him all that we want.

Sri Venkateswara Swamy - 108 Divya Desams

Alamelu – Sitting on Lotus

But downhill! Alamelu Manga mata sits on a lotus very leisurely holding two lotuses in her hands in abhayamudra [assurance], as if saying, “Come on, tell me what you wish!” She listens to our pleadings and passes them on to her husband. She pressurizes Him and ensures that he grants them.

 

In case, Swami pretends not to have listened to her messages, She says, “Swami, it’s only because of keeping me on your chest as ‘Vyuha Laxmi’, you have been in existence as Srinivasa. It’s because of me you left Vaikunta and did penance on the bank of Lotus.

PushpaYagam - Tiruchanur - Padmavathi Ammavaru

Like that, she teases him and tactfully diverts His attention towards the devotees and their pleadings. Thus she is a mother of Mothers – Alamelu Mangamma.

Final result!!! Swami accedes to her pleadings and recommendations and grants them saying, “You have more benevolence on the devotees than I.” Like that Lord, Srinivasa has been granting the wishes of the devotees with a smile for ages. This is what happened because of Alamelu Manga Mata of Tiruchanur.

Padmavati Devi

Padmavati Devi

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GODDESS PADMAVATI DEVI

  • The sacred bath ‘ABHISHEKAM’ is performed to Goddess Padmavati Devi on Fridays.
  • All the rituals and pujas offered to Ammavaru are as per the procedures of ‘PANCHARATRA AGAMA’.
  • Goddess Mahalakshmi immersed herself in penance and emerged as ‘SRI PADMAVATI DEVI’ from a Lotus located at the center of Pushkarini (holy pond) on the auspicious ‘PANCHAMI’ day. Since then that day has been called ‘TIRUCHANUR PANCHAMI’.
  • It has been an age-old tradition to worship ‘GODDESS PADMAVATI DEVI’ before worshipping ‘LORD SRINIVASA’.
  • The Utsavas (festivities) at Tirumala are called ‘SRIVARI UTSAVAS’ and the Utsavas at Tiruchanur are called ‘SRI UTSAVS’.
  • Gaja Seva (Elephant Service) occupies a prominent place in Tiruchanur since Goddess Padmavati Devi is the incarnation of ‘GAJA LAKSHMI’.
  • The Sanctum Sanctorum of the Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanur is called ‘SHANTI NILAYAM’.
  • The laddu prasadam of Ammavaru in Tiruchanur is called ‘AMRUTHA KALASAM’.
  • The flagstaff hoisted to commemorate Dwajarohanam has an ‘ELEPHANT’ symbol as it is dear to Ammavaru.
  • The very mention of Tiruchanur will bring to our mind the sacred manifestation of Goddess Alarmelmanga in the Lotus Tank ‘PADMA SAROVAR’.

Gaja Vahana Seva - Padmavati Devi Ammavaru