Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Puducherry – Religious Significance & Festivals

Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Puducherry – Religious Significance & Festivals

The temple does not differentiate between Thenkalai and Vadakalai sects of Vaishnavite tradition and follows Pancharathra Aagama. In modern times, the temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day: Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., and Sayarakshai at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: Alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and Deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Varadaraja Perumal and Perundevi.

There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the ten-day annual Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April - May) and five-day Pavitrotsavam during Avani (August - September) and 25-day Ramar festival during Chittirai being the most prominent.

Also, 10-day Adi Pooram and Gajendra Moksha in Adi month (July-August) Vaikunda Ekadasi in Margazhi (December-January), Thai Poosam in January-February) Kothandaramar festival in Masi month (February-March) and a festival for the Mother – Thayar in the month of Panguni (March-April) are the festivals grandly celebrated in the temple. Also, the Saturdays and Navarathri in Purattasi month (September-October) are celebrated.

During the Ramanavami festival, the festive images of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman are taken around the streets of the temple in the temple chariot drawn by thousands of devotees. The temple will wear a festive look on Deepavali, Pongal, New year days of both Tamil and English Calendars and Karthika Light festival in November-December.

Annaprasanam, a practice of making the infants write their first alphabet in a plate of rice, is a ritual practiced in the temple by devotees. The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument.