Maha Sivarathri falls on February 13 this year. Here is a look at the religious / cultural events planned in the neighbourhood.AT TEMPLES
At Sri Karaneeswarar Temple, Mylapore, a naalu kalam pooja will take place at the temple from 9 p.m. on Feb 13 to 6 a.m. on Feb 14. The deity will adorn an alankaram in four colours, red, yellow, green and white during that period. On Feb 13 evening, as part of the pradosham festivities, the deity will be taken on a purappadu inside the temple on the rishaba vahanam.
For maha sivarathri, a different theme-display is put up at Sri Malleeswarar Temple, Bazaar Road, Mylapore every year. This year, the theme will be ‘Navagraha Kshetra (Navadanya lingams)’. The naalu kalam pooja will start at 9 p.m. on Feb 13 and will end at 6 a.m. the next morning. At the third kalam pooja at 2 a.m., the deity will adorn silk vastrams and will be decorated with the Thazhampoo (screw pine) flower.
This is done only once a year at this temple. Music concerts, bhajans, bharatanatyam recitals and upanyasams will be held all through the night.
At Virupaksheeswarar Temple, Bazaar Road, Mylapore a 15 ft high and 15 ft wide mountain prop with a shiva lingam on top of it will be set up inside the temple. 108 lingams will be placed around the mountain. The deities (utsava murthis) will adorn a special alangaram on Feb 13 and will be placed next to the mountain. The temple will be open all through the night. An ul purappadu will be held for pradosham.
At Sri Kapali Temple, Mylapore, a naalu kalam pooja with abhishekam and deepa aradhanai will be held all throughout the night. For pradosham, the deity will be taken on an ul purappadu on the small silver rishaba vahanam.
At Sri Velleeswarar Temple, Mylapore, a naalu kalam pooja will be held with special abhishekams and deepa aradhanai. The temple will be open all throughout the night. On Feb 13 evening, pradosham festivities will include an ul purappadu on the rishaba vahanam.
At Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Shiva pooja and bhajan will be held from 8 p.m. on Feb 14 till early morning the next day. Prasad will be distributed on Feb 15 morning after a homam. At R. K. Mutt Road, Mylapore.
MUSIC & DANCE FESTIVALS
A cultural programme has been organised by the Mylapore unit of Thamizhnadu Brahmin Association (Regd.) at Sri Velleeswarar Temple, Mylapore from Feb. 13, 7 p.m. to Feb. 14, 7 a.m. Highlights include vocal and instrumental performances, bharatanatyam recitals, upanyasams, bhajans and more. For details contact 9600128212.
Ramana Sunritya Aalaya Trust (RASA), headed by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar, will be conducting the ‘Maha Sivarathri Nritya Sruti’ dance festival at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore from Feb 13 to 15 and at Sri Apparswamy Temple, Mylapore from Feb 16 -18. 6 p.m. onwards. Ph: 24957607.
A dusk to dawn Carnatic music concert series has been organised at Bharatitya Vidya Bhavan on Sivaratri eve. Artistes like T. M. Krishna are performing here.
