Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Ornaments of the lord. (Some of them)

Among the precious unique jewellery of Lord Srinivasa are a 3inc in dia emerald  called Meru Paccha. it is the biggest emerald in the world. A gold crown  decked with precious gems is another gifted by Akasha Raja. He has a crown studded with Diamonds too. he has a Makara Kundalams i.e. gold earrings shaped like a crocodile. The Chakra and Conch which he holds in the upper two hands have gold covers studded with precious stones and diamonds too. He wears a necklace with a pair of tiger claws mounted on gold coverings, a makara kranti, two nagabhushanams cobra jewels worn round the upper arms. He has gots studded with diamonds too. He wears a Lakshmi garland a big necklace with images of Lakshmi carved out on each pathakam. He also wears a tulasi necklace, A saligrama necklace where the saligramas are encased in gold and the Sahasranama are engraved on it. He also wears a vani like gold ornaments, he wears a cobra jewel just below his chest. His varada and Katyavalmbitha hasta also have two coverings made of gold and another of studded diamonds, he is adorned with a sword called suryakatari, a yagno paveetham in gold and silver. he wears a exquisitely carved Dashavatara belt. On his chest he has two gold sculpted plaques one is of Sri Lakshmi the other of Sri Padmavathy. Goddess Lakshmi with four arms is seen seated on a lotus. the two upper arms are holding the lotus bud the lower right is in abhaya hasta and the left in varada hasta pose. Goddess padmavathy adorns the left chest of the Lord. she is Almelamangai.The Venkatesa Ithihasa mala states that Ramanujar made a gold necklace containing the image of Padmavathy and put it round the neck of Srinivasa. the Silk dothi that the lord wears is made of silk and is 12 yards in length and two by width. The anga vastram is also of silk and is 6 yards in length and 2 in width.
gifts received by royalty as recorded in the temple epigraphical records.
1.thirumudi crown kieeritam set with 23 diamonds, 16 big pearls, two large central rubies called  Tadavikki attina manikkam.
2. Ear ornaments consisting of gold maaram and coral koppu for each ear.
3. Necklace / garland of four strands of gold set with 14 diamonds 3 rubies 11 large pearls several small red pearls.
4. One gold body belt or Udara Bandhanam.
5. One gold waist girdle (Tiruvaraippattikai) set with four rubies.
6. Gold bracelets round each of the upper arms set with two cut rubies called Bahu vallayam.
7. Gold bracelets four (Tiruchchandanam) each set with two rubies
8. Neclets of gold four.
9. anklets of gold with two sets of precious stones corals and pearls.
10 Silver Prabha set with one big ruby(Nayaka manikkam) and two anklets with belts (Padachayalam)
the total weight of gold in the above48 Kalanjus all gifted by the queen Samavai.
Donations by Krishna devaraya and his two queens. they visited the temple 7 times.
on his very first visit he presented a keereetam of gold set with 9 kinds of gems and 25 silver plates for offering camphor aarthi, His two queens presented each golden cups to offer milk to the lord (374 carats each) the second visit was three monts after when he again presented a number of ornaments in gold and three small keeretams for the processional images containing pearls rubies diamonds cats eye saphire etc.
one and a half monts later was his third visit he granted 5 villages to the temple to meet the needs of nitya naivedyams. His next visit was on his return after capturing udayagiri forests. this time he had the Kanakabhishekam performed for the lord with 30000 gold varahas. he presented some ornaments and some more villages. his two queens also gifted gold ornaments Padakkam and kanthamala and some villages. the king recorded his achievements in some of the inscriptions. He visited the temple for the fifth time after the Kalinga war he performed the tulapurusha maha danam he got the vimana gilded with gold by gifting 30000 varahas.  the sixth visit was within 5 weeks of the gilding of the vimana he again presented some lands for the merit of the new born son to offer his thanks.
the seventh visit he offered the Pitambaram set with 9kinds of gems a padakkam and 10000 varahas a cap with pearls, diamonds emeralds and saphires embeded 2 fly whisks set with gems. the Navarathna padakkam was given by his queen.
other donors include the queen of Parantaka presented a pattam or plate for the forehead set with precious stones.
Jatavarma Sundara Pandian placed gilded kalasam over the vimanam
The queen of Vira Narasimha yadavaraya initiated the Brahmotsavam in the tamil month of Ani inaddition to one being held in Vaikasi. she gifted the four faced car and some villages for the renovation of the temple.
Yadavaraya a subordinate of King Vira valla  in the 13 and 14 century granted 2 villages tax free so that food offerings could be offered to the deity.
Saluva maharaj covered the vimana with gilded copper plates and placing the gilded kalasam over it. this was an expensive under taking and this donation enthralled the minds of the pilgrims to the hill temple.
Devaraya II revived the Vedaparayanam in the Sri Venkateswara shrine.also gifted three villages.
suluva Narasimhaalso gifted villages.
Varadajidavi amman the queen of Achyutaraya granted six villages.
Anantarajaya gifted the vahanams peetams, rathna keeritams pleasure swing mantapam free feeding house.
these were major donations.
People made it a regular practice to donate to the temples.
The Bhoga Srinivasa murthy which is the exact replica of the moolavar except for the fact that the shanka and chakra are fixed and cannot be detached as in the case of Moolavar. This idol receives all the Bhoga and upacharams in the temple. this image made of silver was consecrated in the year 966 A.D. and was donated by a Pallava Queen called Samavai. The queen was a very devout lady and an epigraph on the northern wall of the first prakara relates that the queen founded this charity so as to last as long as the sun and moon endure, it further mentions the quantities of food to be cooked and other details the end inscription on this states verbatim "all these services, the managers of the Temple of Thiruvengadam shall have conducted and the sabhayar shall protect the land from being taxed. The feet of those who protect this charity shall be borne on my head. The protection of the Srivaishnavas is sought for this. This is the writing of Sattandai."
Abhishekam is performed to this murthy every day the Moolavar abhishekha is performed only on Fridays. During Ekantha sevai it is this idol which is put to sleep on a silver bed cradled in the shayana mantapam. Milk and fruits are offered to the accompaniments of music and songs composed by Talapakka Annamacharya. even today a member of the lineage is privaleged to sing to the Lord. this service is done for 11 months in the year but during Dhanur  masa  the idol of Krishna also found in the Garba griha gets the service of Ekanta sevai.

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