Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam – Day 6

March 22nd (Panguni Pooram) was the sixth day celebrations of Panguni Utthiram at Kanchi Varadaraja Perumal koil. Perumal, with ubhaya nachimars and Malayala Nachiyar went in purappadu on Sannidhi Street at about 6.00p.m. After returning there was ‘oonjal’ to the accompaniment of nadhaswaram and mukha veenai and it was a delight to watch the little boys of Kanchi in spotless white veshtis wave the chamarams and take part in kainkaryams. One should begin young, only then a taste for this kind of participation will come. In divyadesams kids play ‘Perumal ‘ games and it is said that Ramanujar even partook of the mud kids  offered as prasadam.

Kainkaryam is of different kinds – the women who clean-up and make kolams, the petromax lamp carriers, the stable-keeper leading the horse, the men burning crackers, the person doing ‘theevetti kainkaryam’ by carrying the torch to light camphor offerings and during Srisathari blessing, the person keeping the swing chains ready and fixing the swings quickly, the umbrella holders, the peshkar, and ofcourse the priests, the Vedaparayana and arulicheyal goshti, the sripadamthangis, the people who carry the huge brass vessels of prasadams for Perumal and distribute it systematically to the huge crowd and the Maniyakar swami who like Vishvaksena controls everything deserve our pranams. There are many more to be named and involvement and participation is of utmost importance.

As Perumal in His ‘Topa crown’ with pearls along with ubhaya nachimars in matching crowns and Malayala Nachiyar in a green silk garment with red border went behind the curtains of the kanadi-arai devotees were talking of tomorrow ‘Panguni Utthiram’  the celestial wedding.

To view the previous days Utsavam please visit:

• Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam Commences
• Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam – Day 2
• Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam – Day 3
• Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam – Day 4
• Kanchi Sri Devarajaswami Temple Panguni Uthiram Utsavam – Day 5

The following are the photos taken during the Utsavam:

Photos: Sri Elangadu Ranganatha Chakravarthy, Write – up: Smt Vyjayanthi Rajan