Veda Narayana Temple, Nagalapuram – Festivals

Veda Narayana Temple, Nagalapuram – Festivals

Surya Pooja Utsavam is one of the important festivals in the temple during which the rays of Sun directly fall on to the presiding deity in Garbhagriha Sun worship is an important aspect in this temple. Every year in the month of March, the rays of sun passes through the Gopuram entrance for three days and fall on the main deity. The festival attracts thousands of devotees from all over the State and Tamil Nadu. The unique feature of the festival is the falling of the sun’s rays on the presiding deity of Lord Sri Vedanarayana situated inside the sanctum sanctorum only on these three days.

Travelling a distance of 360 feet from the temple tower, the rays of the setting sun slowly enter the main threshold and further into the ‘Garbagriha’ and stops at the deity’s feet, navel and crown on the first, second and third day respectively. As it occurs never again in other parts of the year, it is considered an astronomical marvel. The event is also viewed as a form of the Sun paying obeisance to the Lord and hence is called ‘Surya Puja’. The priests said that this astronomical wonder was witnessed at this west-phased temple in the evenings, while the same will happen at the Konark temple in Odisha during the morning session.

Snapana Thirumanjanam (celestial bath) is performed to the deities of Sri Vedanarayana and his consort Vedavalli every day in the morning. After the ‘Surya Puja’ from 5.30 pm - 6.30 pm, a procession will be taken in the streets of the village (Thiruveethi Utsavam) in the evening. The deity will be adorned as Rama and taken on a procession on the first day, on ‘Muthyapu Pandiri Vahanam’ on the second day and ‘Sesha Vahanam’ on the third day. Special devotional programmes will be conducted daily under the auspices of Annamacharya Project. Large numbers of people throng this temple to witness this rare event.