Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple – Worship Practices & Festivals

Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple – Worship Practices & Festivals

Worship Practices:

There are close to 15 priests in the temple who perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like all other Shiva temples of Tamilakam, the priests belong to the Shaivite Adishaivas, a Brahmin sub-caste. The priests live in a closed area North-East of the temple. The temple has a six-time pooja schedule every day, each comprising four rituals namely abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), Naivedyam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Sri Nagapooshani (Bhuvaneswari) Amman and Sri Nayinar Swami.

The pooja(worship) ceremonies are held amidst music with Nadaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. The temple street plans form a giant mandala (holy circle pattern) whose sacred properties are believed to be activated during the mass clockwise circumambulations of the central temple.

Festivals:

The most important festival associated with the temple is the 16 days long Mahotsavam (Thiruvizha) that is celebrated in annually in the Tamil month of Aani (June/July). During this period, there are a number of events including the Swarna Radhotsavam (Manja Thiruvizha - golden chariot festival), Radhotsavam (Ther Thiruvizha - chariot festival) and Poongavanam (Theppa Thiruvizha - float festival). Major Hindu festivals like Navratri and Shivrathri attract thousands of devotees. Like most Shakti temples in Tamilakam, the Fridays during the Tamil months of Aadi (July–August) and Thai (January - February) are given special importance at this temple. Aadi Pooram, the day Parvati is said to have attained puberty and become a mother to all her devotees is marked in grand manner at this temple.