Thanjavur Chariot festival explained

Thanjavur Chariot festival (தஞ்சாவூர் தேர்த்திருவிழா) [1] is a historical event associated with the Big Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.

Background

In 2015, the chariot festival was held in the Big Temple, after a gap of more than one hundred years. Since then every year the festival is held in Thanjavur. During the 18th and 19th centuries festival was held. According to a document in 1776 C.E., 20,200 pulled the chariot during the festival in Thanjavur. Serfoji during the chariot festival held 1813 C.E., have brought out 27,394 persons from various taluks such as Thiruvaiyaru (1900), Papanasam (2800), Kumbakonam (3494), Mayuram (3484), Thiruvarur (2920), Mannargudi (4200), Kilvelur (4500), Nannilam (3200), including 900 persons from Thiruvaiyaru for carrying out the vahanas for the festival.[2] In 1801 C.E. the king has donated 500 chakras for renewing the wheels of the chariot. As per the Modi document, 150 chakras was spent, as expenses, for pulling the chariot in 1801 C.E. and 1811 C.E.[2] He set up five big chariots and also built four parking places in four main streets of Thanjavur.[3] [4]

Specialities

The chariot was constructed by more than 30 artisans and sculptors, with 25 tonnes of Iluppai and teakwood. It consisted of three tiers, atop with throne. On the throne, known as simhasana the processional deity was kept. Based on the agamas, the sculptures for the chariot was made of iluppai tree.[5] In the first stage, up to one and half a feet, 40 sculptures were set up. In the second stage up to two and quarter feet, 56 sculptures were set up.[6] After completion of two stages, the final stage took place and trial run was held.[7] [8] It had 360 wooden sculptures including the sculptures of Periyanayaki, the consort of Shiva, Vinayaka, Subramania, Dvarapala, Boomadevi, Agasthiar, Sarabamurti, Gnanasambandar, Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavacakar, Veerabadrar, Bhikshatanar, Rishabarudar, Ekabathamoorthy. On four side of the chariot horses and yalis were found. In the front side of the chariot the Kailash, the abode of Siva and in the rear side Nandhi Mandapa and the Vimana of the Big Temple is sculpted in the same size. It had a height of 16 and half feet and 13 and half feet breadth.[9]

Trial run

After construction of the chariot with the setting up of sculptures in it, the trial run chariot festival was held on 20 April 2015.[10] [11] [3] Before the trial run at 6.30 a.m. special pujas were done to the throne where the processional deity was to be kept.[12] More devotees pulled the chariot.[13] [14]

Chariot festival

On the previous day of the festival, on 28 April 2015, from the Nataraja shrine of the Big Temple procession took place to the accompaniment of melas and nadasvarams. On the festival day, on 29 April 2015 [15] the chariot started.[16] At 5.15 a.m. Panchamurtis, the five processional deities such as Vinayaka, Subramania, Thyagaraja with consort, Devi and Chandikesvarar came from the temple premises through Sivagangai Park and reached where the chariot was kept. At 6.15 a.m. all the deities were kept in their respective places. After the conduct of special pujas, thousands of devotees pulled the chaript. Followed by caparisoned elephant the chariots moved. To the front of the main chariot of the presiding deity Thyagaraja and Kamalambal, the small chariots of Vinayaka and Subramania went. Amman chariot and Chandikesvara chariot followed the main chariot. Folk dancers of Thappattam, Kolattam, Mayil Attam and Silambattam and Oduvars singing Devaram accompanied the chariot. In many places the chariots were stopped for the easier view and worship of the devotees and conduct of pujas and cracking of coconuts.[17] [18] [19] Every year this festival is being held.

External links

Notes and References

  1. [:ta:தஞ்சைப் பெரிய கோயில் தேரோட்டம்]
  2. எஸ்.பாபாஜி ராஜா பான்சலே சத்ரபதி, மாமன்னர் சரபோஜியின் மகத்தான கொடை, தஞ்சை இராஜராஜேச்சரம் திருக்குட நன்னீராட்டுப் பெருவிழா மலர், 1997
  3. http://www.dailythanthi.com/News/Districts/2015/04/16221955/231-Toys-245-beads-40-tons-Chariot-periyako-20-trial.vpf 231 பொம்மைகள், 245 மணிகளுடன் 40 டன் எடை கொண்ட பெரியகோவில் தேர் 20–ந்தேதி வெள்ளோட்டம் விடப்படுகிறது, தினத்தந்தி, 17.4.2015
  4. நூறாண்டுகளுக்குப் பிறகு இன்று தேரோட்டம், தஞ்சாவூர் பெருவுடையார் கோயில் சித்திரைத் தேர்த்திருவிழா சிறப்பு மலர், விளம்பரச் சிறப்பிதழ், தினமணி, 29.4.2015
  5. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sculpture-works-apace-for-big-temple-car/article5287518.ece Sculpture works apace for Big Temple car, The Hindu, 30 October 2013
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20160308174846/http://m.dinamalar.com/temple_detail.php?id=25502 தஞ்சாவூர் பெரிய கோவிலுக்கு ரூ.50 லட்சத்தில் புதிய தேர் அமைப்பு! தினமலர், டிசம்பர் 13, 2013
  7. https://www.dinamalar.com/news/tamil-nadu-news/news/1031368 தஞ்சை பிரகதீஸ்வரர் கோவிலுக்காக உருவாகும் பிரமாண்டமான தேர் : இரண்டு மாதத்தில் வெள்ளோட்டம் விட ஏற்பாடு தினமலர், ஜுலை 27, 2014
  8. http://www.dinamani.com/edition_trichy/tanjore/2014/08/23/%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-/article2393343.eceபெருவுடையார் கோயில் தேரில் அச்சு பொருத்தம், தினமணி, ஆகஸ்டு 23, 2014
  9. https://temple.dinamalar.com/news_detail.php?id=18174 தஞ்சை கோயிலுக்கு ரூ.50 லட்சம் செலவில் புதிய தேர், தினமலர், ஏப்ரல் 6, 2013
  10. News: Big temple car set for a comeback . The Hindu . 9 April 2015 . L. . Renganathan . 16 August 2020 .
  11. http://tamil.thehindu.com/tamilnadu/100-%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D/article7119653.ece 100 ஆண்டுகளுக்குப் பிறகு தஞ்சாவூர் பெரிய கோயில் தேர் இன்று வெள்ளோட்டம், தி இந்து, 20.4.2015
  12. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/trial-run-of-big-temple-car/article7124357.ece?ref=tpnews Trial run of Big Temple car, Rolls; out after 100 years; maiden run on 29 April, The Hindu, 21.4.2015
  13. http://www.dinamani.com/tamilnadu/2015/04/21/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8B%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA/article2774997.ece தஞ்சை பெருவுடையார் கோயில்புதிய தேர் வெள்ளோட்டம், தினமணி, 21.4.2015
  14. http://www.dinakaran.com/News_Detail.asp?Nid=140656தஞ்சை பெரிய கோயிலில் 29ல் தேரோட்டம், 100ஆண்டு பழமையான சக்கரங்கள் கண்டுபிடிப்பு, தினகரன், 12.4.2015
  15. http://www.dinamani.com/tamilnadu/2015/04/07/100-%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%88/article2751039.ece 100 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பின்னர் தஞ்சை பெரியகோயிலில் ஏப். 29-ல் தேரோட்டம், 20இல் வெள்ளோட்டம், தினமணி,7.4.2015
  16. https://temple.dinamalar.com/news_detail.php?id=42674 தஞ்சை பெரிய கோயிலில் தேரோட்டம் கோலாகலம்!, தினமலர் கோயில்கள், 29.4.2015
  17. ஏப்ரல் 29இல் தஞ்சைப் பெருவுடையார் கோயில் தேரோட்டம், சுவாமி தரிசன நிறுத்துமிடங்கள் அறிவிப்பு, தினமணி,25.4.2015
  18. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/big-temple-chariot-festival-held-after-100-years/article7156283.ece?mstac=0 Big temple chariot festival held after 100 years, The Hindu, 30.4.2015
  19. http://www.dinamani.com/religion/2015/04/30/%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%9E/article2790033.ece தஞ்சாவூரில் நூறாண்டுகளுக்குப் பிறகு தேரோட்டம் ஆயிரக்கணக்கானோர் வடம் பிடித்தனர், தினமணி, 30.4.2015

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