Paadha yaathirai - Episode 7
Of all padhayaathirai troups to pazhani the highlight is the troup with VEL.
Vel? Yes, its the holy spade of Lord Murugan, popularly known as "vaira vel" because of its artistically bejeweled outfit. In pazhani hill, on the thai poosam day there will be special pooja performed to this Vel which is brought on foot by a pious devotee from Chettinad area (karaikkudi, devakottai, pudhuvayal, chettinad, kunnakkudi). That is the tradition, its being going on for time-immemorial. Infact people say that this vel procession would have started the paadhayaathirai culture.
This Vel is pazhani malai murugan for all the people enroute. No other outside items will get the equal treatment in the pazhani hill sanctum sanctorium except this vel.
In chettinad area the vel will be taken into procession by one devotee who this time is elected for carrying it. That devotee must have followed strict austerity measures. The vel will be taken in procession back and forth in the towns of chettinad area by that devotee and at every place groups of people join the vel party and walk along with it.
Walking with vel will be a thrilling one. Surely only those who have had enough practice of paadhayaathra can dream to walk with Vel.
In all its procession, the vel would have covered about 100 miles (because of back-and-forth movement within the chettinad area) in just, hold your breath, 2 days time. Yeah, almost an inhuman task. But this happens even now.
The vel has designated stops only. The devotee who carries the vel cannot transfer it to someone, cannot sit or take rest at will. That devotee would be walking even during noon.
Thoroughout the route people revere that devotee as God himself. They pour litres of water, smear sandal paste on the foot of the devotee. The entire sight, would be electrific and spectacular. People who walk with vel do not just walk with their belongings. Many would be carrying pazha kaavadi, paNNeer kaavadi, sEval kaavadi, theerththakkaavadi, pushpakkaavadi. Some would have piereced their body with alahu (small spears), some would be pulling small cart of lord murugan with their back. All will be equal to task with the devotee who is carrying the vel. One should be blessed enough to listen to the kaavadichchindhu songs on murugan sung by those devotees who accompany vel.
One more important point is, the devotee who carries the vel has to walk not only from the chettinad to pazhani but also during the return, as that person would be carrying vel back to chettinad area.
During vel procession time, the entire state high way stretch, from dindugul to pazhani (the stretch is the route for dindugul to coimbatore) will be closed for vehicular traffic. Such will be the crowd.
Laxmi mills, TVS, Annamalai chettiyar group, SPIC, BHEL etc all industrial houses from coimbatore, madurai, tiruchi area. they will have stalls, distributing things, from water to food, setting the rest areas for the devotees during the poosam time.
All the route one would hear only about murugan. Even a dappanguththu song for a remote village's cone speaker will be invariable on murugan like the one in mohana raagam "Vel muruganukku motta onnu pOda pOrEn dOi".
Aengengu kaaNinum muruganadaa; edhai edhaikkEtkinum andha azhaganadaa
...to be concluded
Vel? Yes, its the holy spade of Lord Murugan, popularly known as "vaira vel" because of its artistically bejeweled outfit. In pazhani hill, on the thai poosam day there will be special pooja performed to this Vel which is brought on foot by a pious devotee from Chettinad area (karaikkudi, devakottai, pudhuvayal, chettinad, kunnakkudi). That is the tradition, its being going on for time-immemorial. Infact people say that this vel procession would have started the paadhayaathirai culture.
This Vel is pazhani malai murugan for all the people enroute. No other outside items will get the equal treatment in the pazhani hill sanctum sanctorium except this vel.
In chettinad area the vel will be taken into procession by one devotee who this time is elected for carrying it. That devotee must have followed strict austerity measures. The vel will be taken in procession back and forth in the towns of chettinad area by that devotee and at every place groups of people join the vel party and walk along with it.
Walking with vel will be a thrilling one. Surely only those who have had enough practice of paadhayaathra can dream to walk with Vel.
In all its procession, the vel would have covered about 100 miles (because of back-and-forth movement within the chettinad area) in just, hold your breath, 2 days time. Yeah, almost an inhuman task. But this happens even now.
The vel has designated stops only. The devotee who carries the vel cannot transfer it to someone, cannot sit or take rest at will. That devotee would be walking even during noon.
Thoroughout the route people revere that devotee as God himself. They pour litres of water, smear sandal paste on the foot of the devotee. The entire sight, would be electrific and spectacular. People who walk with vel do not just walk with their belongings. Many would be carrying pazha kaavadi, paNNeer kaavadi, sEval kaavadi, theerththakkaavadi, pushpakkaavadi. Some would have piereced their body with alahu (small spears), some would be pulling small cart of lord murugan with their back. All will be equal to task with the devotee who is carrying the vel. One should be blessed enough to listen to the kaavadichchindhu songs on murugan sung by those devotees who accompany vel.
One more important point is, the devotee who carries the vel has to walk not only from the chettinad to pazhani but also during the return, as that person would be carrying vel back to chettinad area.
During vel procession time, the entire state high way stretch, from dindugul to pazhani (the stretch is the route for dindugul to coimbatore) will be closed for vehicular traffic. Such will be the crowd.
Laxmi mills, TVS, Annamalai chettiyar group, SPIC, BHEL etc all industrial houses from coimbatore, madurai, tiruchi area. they will have stalls, distributing things, from water to food, setting the rest areas for the devotees during the poosam time.
All the route one would hear only about murugan. Even a dappanguththu song for a remote village's cone speaker will be invariable on murugan like the one in mohana raagam "Vel muruganukku motta onnu pOda pOrEn dOi".
Aengengu kaaNinum muruganadaa; edhai edhaikkEtkinum andha azhaganadaa
...to be concluded
posted by Kupps at 3:38 PM
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