PAVITHROTSAVAM (08:00
AM AUGUST)
(COST
RS 2500/- PER PERSON, PRASADAM : 5 LADDUS, 2 VADAS, 1
PATTU
PAVITHRAM, 1 UTTARIYAM OR 1 BLOUSE PIECE)
Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams
(TTDs) celebrates
Srivari Pavithrotsavam every year on the important days of
Ekadasi, Dwadasi and
Trayodasi in the month of Sravana as per Hindu
calendar. This
festival is known as “Festival of Purification”.
This festival was
first instituted by Saluva Mallaiah Deva Raya in 1463 A.D. at
Tirumala during the
period of Saluva Narasimha as per the inscription 157 present
in Srivari Temple.
During these three days, Tirumanjanam and Homam are
performed to the main
deity and as well as primary idols of Lord Sri Venkateswar
Swamy. As a prelude
to this purification festival Ankurarpanam is performed a day
before where in nine
types of cereals are sowed in an earthen container which
marks the beginning
of the festival. The significance of the festival is that the
priests symbolically
seek the pardon of the Lord for their acts of all omissions and
commissions committed
either knowingly or unknowingly during the performance
of daily rituals to
the presiding deity inside the temple all through the year. On the
day of Ankurarpanam,
the processional deity of Lord Senadhipathi is taken out in
procession to the
Vasantha Mandapam. On the first day of
Pavithrotsavam, Homam
(Prayer to Sacrificial Fire) is performed at Yagasala
situated inside the
temple followed by Snapana Thirumanjanam(celestial bath) for
about two hours to
the processional deities with sandal, turmeric, milk, curd and
honey. In the evening
the processional deities are taken out for a pleasure ride
around four mada
streets, blessing pilgrims who converge to witness the grandeur
of Lord Malayappa
Swamy draped in dazzling Gold and Diamond jewels. On the
second day, after
Snapana Thirumanjanam(celestial bath) special puja is performed
to the silk woven
holy threads called “Pavithralu” which are the sanctified threads.
The unique feature
about this thread is that it has five colours which are Black,
Blue, Red, Yellow and
Green. “Pavitralu” will be tied around the head, neck, waist
etc of Lord before
taken for the procession. They are also tied to various deities
inside the temple as
well as deities of sub-temples located inside the prakaram
including Ananda
Nilaya Vimana Venkateswara Swamy, Yoga Narasimha Swamy
etc. and also to Lord
Sri Bhuvarhaswamy located adjacent to Swami Pushkarini.
These holy silk
threads are woven out of a special variety of high quality cotton
which is grown
exclusively in the land that is meant to grow Tulasi plant which is
considered to be
sacred for Hindus.
On the third the
sacred Homam is performed followed by Snapana Tirumanjanam,
followed by rituals
like Visesha Samarpana, procession along four mada streets
and concludes with
Purnahuthi which takes place inside the main temple.
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