Part 1 - Puja or Worship

The ceremonial worship in this temple takes place five times during the day: First early in the morning, the second at twelve in the noon, the third in the evening at six, the fourth at eight in the night and the fifth and the last at nine in the night, after which the temple is closed. Of these, the most important and elaborately done is the early morning service. The others are all practically abridged versions of the same. The morning worship consists of six asanas or stages. The temple priest or the archaka conducts the worship. The first asana is known as the mantra-asana by which the presence of the Almighty is invoked; the second is the snana-asana during which time the tirumanjanam or holy bath is performed to the deity; the third is the Alankara-asana when the deity is clothed and adorned with jewels. The fourth is the Bhoga-asana when food is offered to the deity. The fifth is the mantra-asana when a ceremony called mantra-pushpam is performed. Archana is done by offering tulasi (basil) leaves and chanting the mantras. This is done for about ten or fifteen minutes. Then comes the last stage known as sayana-asana when the deity is believed to go to sleep. The Puja ceremony is closed with this. This last mentioned service is reserved for the night.

Another important item in the nitya-puja is what is known as the Sevakalam or the congregational recitation of the portions of the Prabhandams which takes place during the entire duration of the puja. This ritual reaches its climax, with sathumurai after which the consecrated water (tirtham) and food (prasadam) are distributed to the reciters and other devotees.

The puja-ceremonies, at other times of the day, are not done so elaborately. In the evening service, mantrapushpam and sevakalam are again done. The last service in the night is called popularly in this temple as Tirugusadam, when sweet rice pudding is offered to God before He goes to sleep^[1]. A portion of the consecrated food is taken and offered to the Alvars and acharyas in their respective shrines. There are archakas or priests in all the attendant or ancillary shrines who attend to the daily puja, holy bath, etc.

Elaborate qualifications and training are stipulated in the agamas and Sastras for the temple-priests. The interpolated section of the Jayakhya-samhita, which deals exclusively with the system of worship prevailing at Sri Sarangapanisvami Temple, lays down certain basic qualifications. It states that they should be well-versed in the Kanvas aka and the prapatti-sastras and should be clean in their personal life. Preferably, those born in the Kausika and Aupakayan-gotras should be selected and given initiation into the Jayakya-Tentra^[2].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

This 'Tiruvusadam' offering is mentionedin a record datable to A.D. 1530, (South Indian Temple Inscriptions, I, No. 357, p. 333).

[2]:

Interpolated chapter of the Jayakya-Samhita, verses 90-120.