After the hustle and bustle amidst the loud beating of the drums that marked the Panguni Utsavam, it is time for Sri Kapaleeswarar to cool himself.
The Vasantha utsavam is one where he beats the summer heat staying around the beautifully decorated Vasantha mandapam and listening to soft music every evening over the ten days of the fest.
People gathered in good numbers at 8pm for the start of the procession that saw Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal going around the temple . As usual, the priests had decorated Kapaleeswarar with large colourful garlands.
In line with the mild nature of this utsavam, he presented himself in a beautiful light green silk vastram.
After providing darshan for half an hour, Kapaleeswarar went around the Vasantha Mandapam on four rounds listening to the Vedic recital of Sri Venkata Ganapathy Ganapadigal, Othuvar Vageesan’s recital of Thiru Gnana Sambandar’s sacred verses from the first Thirumurai, the soft Mukha Veena presentation by Ilayaraja and finally dancing to the presentation of asthana mathala vidwan Balasubramaniam.
After the deeparathanai, it was time for the devotee’s favourite – the Sripatham personnel presented a voyali performance followed by Kapaleeswarar dancing to Kavadi presentation to the tunes of the nagaswaram artistes as he made his way back to the Thiru Kalyana Mandapam just after 9pm.
The 10 day utsavam for Kapaleeswarar will conclude with a pancha moorthy street procession on Chitra Pournami day that falls on May 5.
- Story, photos by S Prabhu
