Sasthapreethi 2015 concluded

This year's Sasthapreethi was conducted on 03rd January 2015, Saturday. Here is the brief of the proceedings on the day.

Here are some photos taken during the occasion. Photos credit to +Lakshmi Narayanan

Lord Ayyappa in Go-Ratham during Sasthepreethi

Lord Ayyappa in Go-Ratham during Sasthepreethi

Lord Ayyappa in Go-Ratham during Sasthepreethi

The tradition in Nutshell

Sasthapreethi is conducted every year in Margazhi/Dhanu Month's 3rd Saturday. Kuttikal Kanakku will be Wednesday before this Saturday. Earlier children in the village used to conduct the festivities. But with passage of time, this has been taken over by adults in the village. Chatha Chatayam Payasam will be distributed to each house from temple on Kuttikal Kanakku day. Lord will be taken on procession on that day also.

Sasthapreethi is conducted by villagers to get blessings from the lord. This rituals conducted increases 'chaithanya' of lord, thereby villagers benefiting from it.

The festivities starts with 'Sankalpam' and 'Punyaham' in Vathilmadam. Then Rudram & Chamakam (Avarthi) will be recited for 12 times. After each Avarthi, Poornabhishekam will be done.

The Poornabhishekam consists of the following:

• Milk
• Curd
• Ghee
• Honey
• Panchamrutham
• Sesame Oil (Nallenna)
• Tender Coconut
• Lemon
• Sugarcane Juice
• Sandalwood Paste
• Vibhoothi
• Panineer

After each Poornabhishekam, Nivedyam will be done along with Karpooram. 

During Maha nivedyam three payasam will be offered to Poorna Pushkala Sametha Hariharaputhra Swamy, Chatha chathayam, Neipayasam and Palpayasam. After this Deeparadhana will be done. The offering will be also given to Lord in Mantha kovil  (West End) at the same time.

Devotees may offer Thulabharam after deeparadhana.

Devotees might get 'arul' from swamy at the time of deeparadhana, they will be cooled down with vibhoothi on their forehead. Then they will be given banana leaf bundle thereby asking permission to start the feast/sadhya.

The priests will be offered oottu in Vadhilmadam. After the priests oottu is completed, sadhya will be given to devotees inside temple. In earlier days the sadhya used to be given in houses in temple street. After the shelters were put up on the temple compound this has changed. Also it has to be noted that in earlier days Rs.6 was collected as vari (tax) for performing Sasthapreethi.

Bhajan will be conducted at evening in temple, near kodimaram. At night the lord will be taken in procession in Go-Ratham (Bull driven chariot).