Purisai Garden Ceremony
On the day of Tiruvaadipuram Shaattumurai itself, Lord Venkateswara goes to Purisai Garden. On the evening of the day of Poorvaphalguni star in Kataka month, Sri Malayappa Swamy goes to Purisai Garden in a wooden Tiruchi in a wider circumambulation. There, different preparations are distributed to the devotees after offering them to the Lord. Later, the Lord is taken to Pogada tree and is offered camphor light.
The remnants of camphor light, flower garland and sathari are given to the Pogada tree. The priests get the Sathari without keeping it in the tiruchi. As the Lord enters the street crossing the Gajendra Moksha pavilion, He is offered camphor light followed by anointing of Lord’s sathagopa for sanctification. After another offering of camphor light, the sathari is placed in the Tiruchi. Then, the Lord goes back to His original abode. This is the ceremony at Purisai Garden.
Background to Tiruvaadippooram
108th chapter of Sri Venkataachala Mahaatmyam episode of Varaha Purana mentions: “Govindaaya Namastubhyam Srinivaasaayate Namaha,” indicating the non-duality of Lord of Venkatachala and Govindaraja. Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja lived during the rule of Kattiyam Yadava kings.
Once, Chidambaram Govindaraja Swamy had to leave the sacred legendary shrine of Chitrakoot on the banks of the Kaveri river and reach Tirupati in the footsteps of Tirumala. He was hailed as another form of Lord Venkateswara and worshipped here. At that time, Sri Ramanuja wanted Govindaraja should enjoy all rituals and riches on par with Lord Venkateswara.
Towards this end, he laid a lotus flower in the hand of Andal and got the sacred throne engraved with the yantra and mantra required for the wealth-yielding Vyooha Lakshmi. He erected Govindaraja Swamy on the left side as per the Vaikhanasa tradition and proposed for the conduct of all ceremonies.
During the month of her birth star Poorvaphalguni, Goda Devi was added to Govindaraja Swamy and erected in the sacred lotus feet of self-manifest Lord of Venkatachala in Adipuli (Alipiri) pavilion on the footsteps of Tirumala.
Some inscriptions reveal the details of this ceremony. Let us go into the details.
Purisai Garden Ceremony in the Inscriptions
Purisai Garden ceremony was restored in Tirumala on September 23, 1983. Though it was in vogue in the past, it was discontinued in the middle. It was called Tota Tirunal or Topu Tirunal. It figures for the first time in the February 17, 1494 Inscription (113th Inscription, Volume 2) during the regime of Saluva Narasimha. It belongs to Niyogi Timmana Danda Nayaka of Haaritha Gotra and Aswalayana Sutra, a resident of Chandragiri.
It refers to the Purisai Garden ceremony held for twenty days. It also mentions that Timmana Dandanayaka offered services to the Lord on the eleventh day of the ceremony. The September 15, 1542 Inscription (28th Inscription, Vol. 3) during the rule of Srikrishna Devaraya is the second one to mention this ceremony.
Pappushetty Ayyan
Pappushetty Ayyan, son of Pandayar Shennam Shettiyar, resident of Narasingapuram near Tirupati, distinctly described the order of rituals to be offered to Govindaraja Swamy and Lord Venkateswara during their visit to his gardens at Tirumala and Tirupati.
The March 6, 1536 Inscription (73rd Inscription, Vol. 4) during the rule of Achyuta Devaraya proclaims that Raamayyan, son of Mattamallayan and disciple of Parashara Bhattacharya, donated for the conduct of Garden Ceremonies of Ramabhatta, Ramachandra Deekshita and Appa Pillai.
Inscription 18 of Vol. 4 mentions the Garden Ceremony of Jayyapu Nayakar. 19th Inscription mentions the Garden Ceremony of Moorthi Nayakar, son of Katlakonda Nayakar, resident of Kumarapalli. August 7, 1554 Inscription is the only complete inscription that we find in this regard.
It mentions the order of this Garden Ceremony in detail including the services, donations, offerings of food and other items, etc. for Malayappa Swamy, His twin consorts (Sridevi and Bhudevi), Lord Krishna, Vishvaksena and Bhashyakara. To meet this expenditure, Moorthi Nayakar purchased land worth 75 rekhaipans including Rajendrasinga Nalloor land worth 50 rekhaipans and Pudipatla Lake canal land worth 25 rekhaipans, and offered it to the treasury of Tirumala.
It also details the different heads of expenditure. In the auspicious hour of shravana star during ankurarpana of Aani Brahmotsava arranged by Sri Ramanuja and Tallapaka Tirumalayyangar (June- July), Lord Venkateswara with His twin consorts, Srikrishna and His Commander-in-Chief (Vishvaksena) are seated in the pavilion of Murthy Nayakar Garden. These deities are anointed with musk, sandal powder, etc. Decoration, offering of food, camphor light offerings, sathari rituals are continued even now.
The last Garden Ceremony conducted like this was mentioned in the 6th Inscription of Volume 13 of March 31, 1606. Vijayanagara treasurer Bokkasam Krishnaiah conducted this in the flower garden named after his father Bokkasam Narasaiah. But, there is no evidence of its continuance later during the rule of Nawabs or Company, or Mahants. It was held in 1983 after about 400 years.
Though the nomenclature of Tototsava was not used, this ceremony could be seen in the Lord’s visit to some important places in Tirumala and Vanabhojana (Dining in the Forest). Purisai Garden Ceremony also comes under this category. It is being conducted in the Tirumala rock garden of 1527. The birthday of Goda Devi happens to be Anantaalvan’s breathing his last. Hence, this festival marks both of these occasions.
Andal’s Tiruvaadippooram festival is also held. In this context, let us try to know about the flower garden of Anantaalvan.
Anantaalvan’s Garden
Anantaalvan and his wife grew flowers of variegated plants in the Ramanuja Pushpa Vaatika erected with great labour. He used to collect those flowers, braid them into garlands and offer them to the Lord of Tirumala every day. Adorned with these garlands from top to bottom, the Lord used to give His darshan to the devotees exceedingly bright.
Fascinated by the beauty of these garlands, the Lord, it appears, was once inquisitive to see Anantaalvan’s garden. He went to the garden along with Alamelmanga at night after the doors of Ananda Nilayam were closed. Overjoyed by the beauty of the garden, they took a walking tour through it plucking the flowers throughout the night and went back to the Ananda Nilayam in the early hours. Anantaalvan was disappointed to see his garden spoiled the next day.
It became a routine every day for the divine pair to visit the garden and spoil it. Anantaalvan prayed to the Lord with great anguish. Feeling sorry, the Lord appeared to Alvan along with His consort at midnight the next day. Anantaalvan wanted to catch hold of them. But, the Lord escaped somehow, while the Lady was caught.
The Alvan tied her to the Sampangi tree with creepers. She appealed to him for release in vain. He was on the prowl for her husband. At last, he saw the man running away from the garden and running north to the temple from the south street. He ran after him, but could not catch him. He returned in disappointment.
In the meanwhile, it dawned. The temple priests woke the Lord up and could not find the golden image of Alamelmanga on His chest. The Lord then pacified the anxious priests and directed them to go to Anantaalvan’s garden where she was confined and take her back with all honours. Awe-struck, they all went to Anantaalvan and praised him as the most fortunate devotee for confining no less a lady than the consort of the Lord Himself. Anantaalvan deeply regretted his ignorance.
He prostrated before and seated her in a flower basket and took her to the temple. Lord Srinivasa was quite happy and called him his father-in-law for offering Alamelmanga like a daughter in a basket as in marriage to Him. The Lady flew to the Lord to occupy His chest as usual. The Lord felicitated Alvan with new clothes, sandal powder and betel leaves.
Significance as the birthday of Goda Devi
Thus, in the Kataka month (Aani maasa) on the day of Poorvaphalguni star during the Tiruvayi(di)pooram ceremony, the Lord goes to Anantaalvan’s garden every year in procession in the circumambulatory direction to receive worship and then felicitate the Pogada tree in the Anantaalvan Brindavan with His sathari.
He would go back to the temple in procession later. So, this day is regarded as the day of Anantaalvan’s breathing his last. Anantaalvan, it is believed, was transformed into a Pogada tree in his Brindavan. This day is significant as the birthday of Goda Devi, i.e. Tiruavaadippooram as well.
