Padutirupathi - Rites and Rituals

Rites and Rituals

Since this temple is related to Tirumala it follows the same rituals as in Tirupathi Temple. In the morning at 6:00 (in some cases it is 5:30 am during Ashwija month) the temple doors are opened with Dwara Pooja and Suprabhatam. Dwara Pooja is performed for the door keepers Jaya-Vijaya (in Vishnu Loka they represent DwaraPaalakaas).

Suprabhatam is a special slokha recited to wake up the Lord from his sleeps. Then after the end of Suprabhata Nirmala Visarjana (removal of old flowers and decoration of new ones to deities) is performed with Ganji Naivedyam (serving of rice and rice item foods, including Navaneetham mixture of butter, til and sugar) at about 6:30 am. At 10:00 am Panchaamrutha abhishekha is performed for the Saligrama. This abhishekha is a typical one as performed in Tirupathi. In Tirumala this is performed on Lord Venkateshwara's stone statue and to honour the same here it is performed on the Saligrama.

At noon Naivedyam is performed wherein several items are served for the Lord in a huge plate and utensil made out of copper. Once the Naivedya is over little bit of rice is served in small utensils and is kept in front of Parivar Devas while one is offered to Sree Veeramaruthi Temple. After this Maha Puja is performed at 1:00 pm, this is called Raajopchaara Puja. The temple doors are closed after this for Vishrama Seva.

In the evening at about 6:00, temple doors are again opened with lighting of oil lamps. A special shlokha is sung called as "Deevtige Salaam Shlokham." Cassettes of bhajans are played on loudspeakers at this divine time of sunset. At 6:30 people from all over the town come to temple to sing the hymns of Lord Almighties, and this goes on until 8:00 pm.

At 8:00 again Naivedyam is offered with Mangalaarthi. Once Mangalaaarthi finishes, night Utsava is offered. This is usually an outing to the town except on Amavasya and Ekadashi. Once Utsava returns to temple there are five rounds inside; the first one is Vaadya Sutthu (instrumental), second and third is Rigveda and Yajurveda Sutthu, fourth is Sangeetha Sutthu (Yakshagana's Thaala Maddhale) and last one is Sarva Vaadya Sutthu. After the utsav ends with Vasantha Puja (Lord is given Uyaala Seva with recitals of shlokhas) deities are put to sleep which is known as Ekaantha Seva (11:30pm or on festive days depends on time taken).