Mahākumbhābhiṣeka at Thillai (Chidambaram)

[तत्त्वप्रह्व]

Recently received the invitation to Śri Cidvilāsa Ānanda Naṭarājarājamūrthy Mahākumbhābhiṣeka scheduled from 22 Apr, 2015 to 04 May, 2015.

The Dīkṣitār informed me that this is being conducted after 24 years - the previous one in 1981.

Contact details:
Śri Śankara Dīkṣidhar,
PH:04144-221299
M: +91-9042916424

श्रीशिवकामसुन्दरीसमेतसदाशिवरुद्रान्तर्गतश्रीलक्ष्मीनृसिंहार्पणमस्तु ।

 

[Vinayaka]

You are attending?

 

[तत्त्वप्रह्व]

Yes, most likely from 01 May, or earlier, if time permits.

श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ।

 

[Vinayaka]

I have a friend who lives about a mile away. He was here in Canada for 10-15 years, and graduated from Annamalai University there. He told me a few years back, because of government control and some in-fighting, they didn't have the money to or organisational skills to do the last one, sadly. (Every twelve years is the norm) So this one will have double the whammy, so to speak. You're a very lucky person.

Now that it's correctly back in the hands of the Deek****ars, it should go well.

That is a hot time of year. My Canadian blood would boil. It was April when we were there. Not as hot as further inland, but still hot.

My favorite video. My spine tingles anew every time I view it.

 

[तत्त्वप्रह्व]

Thats correct, as you perhaps know, Subramanian Swamy fought for the administration to be transferred back to Dīkṣitars in the SC and they won the case couple of years ago. Yeah, the problem is that many temples went under Govt control in 1947 itself (rather the control continued as it was under the brits), that too under the brit-made law. Those that were famous and wealthy and were run thru' trusts eventually did too; in many an artificial rift was created to wrest control from the locals who used to manage it, though the ones that generate not much income are still in the state of apathy and no Govt is willing to take charge and resuscitate those. The Dīkṣitārs are personally inviting people and their enthusiasm is commendable.
Indeed lucky to have the grace of Sadāśiva to be able to attend it.
I'm from the west coast, where the climate is quite similar, so though i can bear the heat to some extent, this time around summer is expected to be really harsh. So fully dependent on Cidvilāsa

Also, one of the few temples where the practices are entirely vedic as opposed to mixture of veda, āgama, and tantra in most others.

श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ।

 

[Aupmanyav]

Good to know of the celebrations.

 

[Aupmanyav]

And Tattva, you would know. The British agent to the principality of Travancore usurped temple lands and gave it to Christians. I wish all such temples in Kerala and at other places in India should be compensated.

 

[Vinayaka]

You should go, Aup. A bit of a train ride, but hey, this is a great opportunity for you. Could be your last chance this lifetime. How long is the Delhi-Chennai Express?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Family responsibilities, schools for grandsons will be open. Air travel will be free for me (my son being a most frequent traveler). Less than three hours to Chennai. Moreover, I will like to visit any temple when it is not crowded when I can have a private pow-wow with the God, not during a Mahakumbhabhishekam. The rest upto Chidvilāsananda.

 

[Vinayaka]

Family responsibilities, schools for grandsons will be open. Air travel will be free for me (my son being a most frequent traveler). Less than three hours to Chennai. Moreover, I will like to visit any temple when it is not crowded when I can have a private pow-wow with the God, not during a Mahakumbhabhishekam. The rest upto Chidvilāsananda.

I'm like that too, Aup, although crowded temples are an experience on their own. I had the grace of God all by myself at Tanjore one morning. Quite unbelievable actually ... 15 minutes of me, Siva, and a priest. Palani, OTOH, was a queue of a couple hours, and probably no more than 3 seconds of pow-wow. So both are great ... for me.

 

[तत्त्वप्रह्व]

And Tattva, you would know. The British agent to the principality of Travancore usurped temple lands and gave it to Christians. I wish all such temples in Kerala and at other places in India should be compensated.

I think this has happened in almost all erstwhile presidencies, and now the churches have been there for generations and are much bigger. An average church along the west coast has more assets than a temple. In many places of the west coast, as well as a few other temples of the south, all land used to belong to the temple, administered by local king, and sub-owners of land would contribute a portion proportionate to to their land towards temple maintenance and festivities. The brits took control of the temples mainly for the income so generated; the democratic govt. post-1947 only continued it, though the system collapsed mainly because of Land Reforms Act by Indira. There is a need to come up with a system that can make functioning of temples sustainable, else it will only be a matter of time before they disappear in to the jungle or their properties usurped by others.

I will like to visit any temple when it is not crowded

Chidambaram is so huge, you will not find it crowded, though the magnitude of festivity planned this time may have so many people participating that the internal premises may become quite crowded; also after 6 May, there may be not much crowd, and perhaps will be able to get a glimpse of chidambara rahasya too which may not be possible during the festivities.

नारायणायेतिसमर्पयामि ।