EDITORIAL Welcome to the March 2013 issue of Vaastuyogam.

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1 Vaastuyogam NEWSLETTER st C o n n e c t i n g V a a s t u t o t h e 21 C e n t u r y March Volume 55 Pages 16 jyotisha - Jyotisha Nava Graha - Corporate Logos Parle-G Biscuits - Vedic India Kumbh Mela EDITORIAL Welcome to the March 2013 issue of Vaastuyogam. In response to regular and repeated requests from readers, to explain India s age old festivals, pilgrimages and customs in pictures and in text. Vaastuyogam, this month, carries in-depth articles on Kumbh and Navagrahashas. The problem is that Hindu ways and means have stayed undocumented or lost in arcane texts known only to reticent individuals praying silently in the carved corridors of ancient temples. The cut-andthrust of modern lifestyles has pushed our scant knowledge of our ancient customs even further into the shadows. It is our mission at Vaastuyogam to research this deeply interesting and useful knowledge and make it accessible in English to the public at large. Our two articles one on The Kumbh Mela and the other Belief is Relief on the grahas and their propitiation at the Navagraha Stallams around Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, hope to achieve these very objectives. The Kumbh is the world s single largest religious congregation and in the words of Mark Tully is an awe-inspiring demonstration of simple piety. Those lucky enough to visit the Mela know this to be true. Happy reading. Introduction This article is part one of a two-part full-length feature on the Navagraha Sthallas - unique temples around Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, that are dedicated to the worship of the Navagrahas (nine planets). Each one of these Navagrahas temples is dedicated to individual graha. This article provides information about the Navagrahas and these one-of-a-kind nine temples. It contains details of each Navagraha and the astrological, mythological and historical angles associated with its temple. What are the Navagrahas? The Navagrahas, nine grahas or celestial bodies are :- Surya (Sun) Chandra (Moon) Mangal (Mars) Budha (Mercury) Guru (Jupiter) Shukra (Venus) Shani (Saturn) Rahu & Ketu (The two nodes of the Solar and Lunar eclipses) Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not included in the Navagrahas either because they were probably not known to exist or were thought to be too far away to exert any influence. For the believer Navagrahas permeate all aspects of life. The Navagrahas occupy a unique niche in the Hindu pantheon. The Navagrahas are neither a part of the triumvirate of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and nor a part of other major deities of Hinduism like the goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati or other deities such as Hanuman, Ganesh and Kartikeya. jyotisha continued on page 2

2 March 2013 The Navagrahas and The Nine Unique Temples in Tamil Nadu Dedicated to Their Worship. - Part One 1 BELIEF IS RELIEF jyotisha The Navagrahas move in the celestial sphere with reference to the stellar constellations known as Nakshatra. There are twenty-seven Nakshatras which are repeated in the Hindu calendar every month. The movement of the Navagrahas in respect Nakshatras are said to control a person s destiny including his/her thoughts and deeds, status and prosperity. The Navagrahas are considered to be intermediaries between the principal deity in the temple almost always Shiva and the worshipper. Each of the Navagrahas is in charge of specific areas that concern the devotee. It could be health, wealth, knowledge, marital bliss and just about anything about everything else. The Navagrahas are said to affect the physical and mental condition of human beings. They are considered to have malevolent as well as benevolent influences on the day-to-day activities of the individual. It is deemed to be in one s best interest to be in the good books of the Navagrahs and never ever to provoke them. It could be solving a petty problem or a major encumbrance it is believed that worshipping a specific graha for a specific need will get the devotee what he craves. Each graha is assigned a specific day of the week to ensure remembrance and worship. For Surya it is Sunday; for Chandra it is Monday; for Mangal it is Tuesday; for Budha its Wednesday; for Guru it is Thursday; for Shukra it is Friday and for Shani it is Saturday. No day of the week is specifically associated with Rahu and Ketu because Rahu and Ketu do not have any physical presence. Each graha has assigned to itself a specific color, grain, metal, vehicle and gem-stone. For instance, the colour for Surya is red; the grain for Chandra is paddy; the vehicle for Budha is a horse; the metal for Shukra is silver and the gem for Shani is sapphire. Of the Navagrahas Mangal (Mars), Shani (Saturn) plus Rahu and Ketu are said to be malefic. Navaratna Nine Gems in Hindu Astrology Navaratna is a Sanskrit word which means nine gems and is related to the nine planets or Navagraha in Hindu Vedic astrology. The word Nava means nine and Ratna means gem. Each gemstone is related to one Graha among the Navgrahas. Navaratna gemstones are considered auspicious and believed to give good health, prosperity, happiness and peace of mind to those who wear it. It protects against negative energies or malefic effects of planets and strengthens the positive influences of the gems. Diamond, ruby, emerald, blue sapphire and pearl are named as Maharatnas as they are considered to be superior to other gem. Usually people wear Navaratnas in the form of rings. The positions of planets keep on changing, accordingly the dasa and mahadasas of the planets. Astrology says that the malefic effects of Planets can be balanced by the effect of beneficial planets when one wears the Navaratna Jewellery. Navaratna Gemstones and their Planetary Representations 1) Ruby Manikkam or Manek Lord Surya or Sun 2) Pearl Moti Lord Chandra or Moon 3) Red Coral Moonga Lord Kuja or Planet Mars 4) Emerald Marakatam or Panna Lord Budh or Mercury 5) Yellow Sapphire Pukharaj Jupiter or Lord Guru 6) Diamond Heera or Vairam Venus or Lord Shukra 7) Blue Sapphire Neelam Saturn or Lord Shani 8) Hessonite Gomedh Lord Rahu 9) Cat s Eye Vaiduryam Lord Ketu Worship of the Navagrahas The Navagraha pujas are mostly performed at home by engaging a knowledgeable and senior priest. It is also a tradition especially in the southern India to install Nava Grahams on a platform in a separate continued on page 3 Navagraha, British Museum originally from Konark, Orissa. From left: Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, Ketu

3 March jyotisha enclosure in Shiva and Devi temples. In most of the Shiva temples, particularly in south India, one can see the Navagraha shrines worshipped as secondary deities enshrined in a corner of the temple. However, in the state of Tamil Nadu there are nine unique temples to be found in a radius of 70 kilometers around the temple town Kumbakonam that are dedicated to the worship of each individual of the Navagrahas. The nine planets are invariably found in every Saiva temple in South India. In many North Indian temples they are depicted on the lintels of doors, to protect the temple and all those who enter it. They may also be housed in a separate Mandapa (a small pavilion) or at least a platform where the images of these nine Grahas are installed in such a way that no two of them will face each other. It is sometimes stated that the images of the planets are set up in the temples in the order in which they are in the zodiacal circle at the time of the construction of the temple. located near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. Each of these Navagraha shrines is situated in a different village, and is dedicated to one of the 9 Navagrahas. That is, the first temple Sooriyanar Kovil is dedicated to Lord Surya, while the second temple Thingaloor Chandra Navagrahastalam is dedicated to Lord Chandra likewise. However, an interesting aspect is that majority of the temples enshrine Lord Shiva and his consort goddess Parvati are the primary deities though they both have different names at the different temples. The Navagraha Temples of Tamil Nadu are located in Nagapattinam, Tiruvaru and Thanjavur Districts. This lush green district, through which the Cauvery flows, has these nine Shiva temples. Each of these temple enshrines a Navagraha. Six of the Navagraha temples are situated on the northern bank of Cauvery and three on the southern bank. Age of the temples There is unfortunately no way of dating these temples (except Suriyanar Koil which was built in 1100 AD) due to lack of concrete written evidence. We can only go by circumstantial evidence, one method being the compositions of the Nayanmars who composed and sang hymns about the Navagraha temples around 7th Century AD. There the assumption is that all these temples were in existence around 7th Century AD. Navagraha Temples and Their Location 1) Suriyanar Koil of Sun God : Suriyanar Temple is dedicated to Hindu Sun God and is situated 3 km from Aduthurai, which is on the Kumbakonam - Mayiladuthurai Road in Tamil Nadu. 2) Thingaloor Temple : Thingaloor Kailasanathar Temple is dedicated to Lord Chandra or Moon God and is situated 1.5 km from Thirupayhanam, on the Kumbakonam - Thiruvayyaru Road. 3) Vaitheeswaran Kovil: Vaitheeswaran Temple is dedicated to Angaraka (Sewai or Chowa) and is situated 4 km from Mayiladuthurai, on the Chidambaram Road. 4) Thiruvenkadu Temple: Thiruvenkadu Swetharanyeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Budha and is situated 10 km southeast of Sirkali. 5 ) A l a n g u d i Te m p l e : A l a n g u d i continued on page 4 Navagraha temples In Indian Astrology, movement o f t h e N a v a g r a h a s i s considered to have a major role in influencing the fortunes of any individual. In order to mitigate the negative effects of a planet which is debilated in the birth chart or to provide more potency to a planet that is in an exalted state, believers undertake pilgrimage to d e s i g n a t e d N a v a g r a h a temples. N a v a g r a h a Te m p l e s i n Tamilnadu are the 9 temples dedicated to Navagrahas the nine celestial planets of Hindu astronomy. These nine Navagraha temples are Route map of Navagraha Temples near Kumbakonam

4 4 Vaastuyogam March jyotisha Abathsahayeswarar Temple is dedicated to Brihaspati (Guru or Vyazhan or Planet Jupiter) and is about 15 km from K u m b a k o n a m o n t h e w a y t o Needamangalam. 6) Kanjanoor Te mple: Kanjanoor Agneeswarar Temple is dedicated to Sukran (Velli or Planet Venus) and is located at an interior village on the Mayiladuthurai - Kathiramangalam Road. 7) Thirunallar Temple: Thirunallar Darbaranyeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shani (Sani or Saturn) and is located 5 km on the way to Peralam - Karaikkal. 8 ) T h i r u n a g e s w a r a m Te m p l e : Thirunageswaram Naganathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Rahu and is situated about 7 km from Kumbakonam - Karaikkal Road. 9 ) K e e z h p e r u m p a l l a m Te m p l e : Keezhperumpallam Temple is dedicated to Lord Kethu and is situated near Poompuhar on the Mayiladuthurai - Poompuhar Road. SURYA My salutations to Surya, creator of the splendorous day, son of the sage Kashyapa and destroyer of ignorance and all sins - Navagraha Stotram In the Hindu Mythology, the Navagrahas have an exalted position in a persons life as they exert a great influence and it is said that the proper worship of these 9 planets can greatly tone down their malefic influence and thus grant peace and prosperity in a persons life. The entire place where the Navagraha is installed in a temple is a black granite stand and the Navagrahas are also black granite with the facial features not so well formed, but they are well decorated with the most favored colored cloth of the particular planet. Entire pedestal that they are placed on has small channels that lead the water, milk, curd, yoghurt and oil abhisheka that the idols are regularly done to a clean place. The oil from shani puja / abhishek is collected to light the lamps in the temple. So on and so forth. As per Hindu customs, the Navagraha are typically placed in a single square with the Sun (Surya) in the center and the other deities surrounding Surya; no two of them are made to face each other. In South India, their images are generally found in all important Saiva temples. They are invariably placed in a separate hall, on a pedestal of about three feet in height, usually to the north-east of the sanctum sanctorum. He ensures victory over ill-wishers. Valmiki writes in the Ramayana that when Lord Rama had to go to war against Ravana, Rishi Agasatya taught him the Aditya Hrudaya Stotra in order to invoke Surya to aid his campaign. Surya is portrayed as seated in a singlewheeled chariot drawn by seven horses denoting the seven days of the week. A halo usually emanates from the image, signifying Surya s power as also the light he emits. The charioteer is Aruna, the dawn. Lord Surya or the Sun God occupies the central place amongst the Navagrahas facing the east. Also known as Ravi, Surya is the Lord of Simha Rashi or Leo sign in Zodiac. Surya s vahana is a chariot drawn by seven horses. The seven horses represent the seven colors of the white light and seven days of a week. He presides over Raviwar or Sunday, his color is red and gemstone is ruby. Surya is, by himself, a very powerful deity. He bestows health, success and prosperity. The Mahabharata says that Surya is the son of the sage Kashyapa and Aditi, daughter of Daksha. Hence, he is also known as Aditya. The Aditya Hrudaya Stotra details Surya s other names: Savita, Bhanu, Pushan, Divakara, Haridasuvan, Sahasrachis, Saptasapti, Marthanda, Bhaskara, Ravi, Mahatejas and Lokasakshi. Prayers to Surya are believed to be effacious in the curing of ailments such as problems with the eyes, weak bones, fevers of long duration and skin problems. He is believed to control the well-being of one s father. Suryanar Temple - Navagraha Temple of Sun God Suryanar Koil, Suryanar Temple or Sooriyanaar Koil, is the first of the 9 Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu, located about 1 km from Tirumangalakkudi which l i e s b e t w e e n K u m b a k o n a m a n d Mayavaram, near Thanjavur, in Tamilnadu. Popular known as Surya Sthalam, Suryanaar Kovil is dedicated to the Sun God or Lord Surya, the first of Navagrahas. This is the only temple in South India dedicated continued on page 5

5 March jyotisha exclusively to Surya (Sun God). In the sanctum, Brihaspati is depicted as worshipping Lord Shiva Suryanarayana. The other planets are enshrined separately. The presiding deity, Sri Suryanarayana swamy, is found in a lying posture inside the sanctum sanctorum with his consorts Sri Usha Devi and Sri Pratyusha Devi. The other eight Navagrahas are seen facing the Sun God. Besides, Suriyanar Temple also embodies the shrines of Kasi Vishwanath, Visalakshi and Brihaspati (Guru) within the sanctum. The Kol Theertha Vinayakar (Ganesha or Pillayar) shrine is a prominent sculpture here. Lord Surya Bhagawan is known as the giver of health, success and prosperity. It is believed that those who are affected by 'Graha Dhosham' and negative influence of The Navagrahas are considered to be intermediaries between the principal deity in the temple almost always Shiva and the worshipper. Each of the Navagrahas is in charge of specific areas that concern the devotee. It could be health, wealth, knowledge, marital bliss and just about anything about everything else. Lord Shani (Planet Saturn), Ashtama Shani (Shani in 8th house) and Janma Shani (Shani in 1st house) can visit Suryanar Koil to get relieved of their sufferings. Wheat, Red Lotus, Erukku (Madar Plant) and Sakkarai Pongal are some of the offerings to worship the Lord. Sooriyanar Temple History and Architecture Sooriyanar Kovil faces west and is built in such a way to receive maximum beneficial rays from the planets. Built by Chola King, Kulothunga Chola I in the year 1100 AD, the temple features a huge tower with three tiers and five domes at the top. The sanctum and the ardhamandapam are built of stone. This is the only Navagraha temple where all the nine grahas (nine planets) can be found in separate sannadhis (Sanctums). There is a tank called Surya Pushkarni, which lies to the north of the Rajagopuram. This is considered as a sacred bathing ghat. There are around 15 theerthams in the Suryanar Temple. The one which is located inside the temple is called as Jnana Koopam. The inscriptions from the period of Krishna Deva Raya speak about the endowments made to this temple. Nearby the temple is the Poolaivala River. A sacrificial platform (bali peetam) is seen at the entrance and to its east lies a mandap. An idol of a horse, the Sun God s vaahanam (vehicle), is seen here. The steps in front of Guru Bhagwan lead to the idols of other grahas. Suryanar Temple Festivals The annual Ratha Saptami festival (Rathasapthami) during the Tamil month of Thai (January February) is one of the main festival celebrated here. The first Sundays in the months of Aavani (Leo) and Kartikai (Scorpio) is also considered very auspicious. Vijaya Dashami and annual Brahmotsavam festival (Bhrammotsavam) are also held with much devotion. Temple Timings Suryanar Temple is opened from 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM How to reach Suryanar Temple Suryanar Koil is about 21 km from Swamimalai and 15 km from Kumbakonam. It is about 20 km from Mayiladuthurai on the Kumbakonam - Aduthurai Mayiladuthurai Road. Aduthurai Railway Station is the nearest railway station. Note: According to prescribed procedure one must visit the Thirumangalakudi temple before worshiping at Suryanar Temple. The visit to Thirumangalakudi is necessary and without it the entire trip to the Navagraha temples especially Suryanar Temple will remain incomplete. CHANDRA I bow to the Moon god who adorns the crest of Shiva, white like snow who emerged out of the Ocean of Milk. - Navagraha Stotram Chandra is a lunar deity and is also known as Soma. The Moon represents the mind, feminine nature, beauty and happiness. He is believed to ride his chariot across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope. He is also called Nishadipati and Kshuparaka. Lord Chandra is also one of the Gods of Fertility. Chandra is the god of Karka rashi or cancer zodiac sign. The mental stability and well-being of a person largely depends on the placement of the moon in his horoscope. As Soma he presides over Somavar or Monday and gemstone is pearl. When the celestial of Ocean of milk was being churned, Chandra was one of the first to emerge from it. He has pride of place in Lord Shiva s matted hair. This powerful Graham is next only to Surya in his strength and power to bestow favors on his worshippers. He is Lord Shiva s left eye while Surya is the right eye. Chandra grants a comfortable long life and fame. He cures eye ailments (especially those of the left eye) and skin diseases. Most importantly, Chandra is the graha who helps remove stress and sorrow. People suffering from mental ailments seek a cure from him. Chandra is believed to control the well-being of one s mother. Those with strained family relations pray to him to remove frictions within the family. Thingaloor Kailasanathar Temple Navagraha Temple of Lord Chandra Kailasanathar Temple, the second of the 9 continued on page 6

6 6 Vaastuyogam March jyotisha Navagraham Temples in Tamilnadu, dedicated to Lord Chandra (Moon God), the second graha of the Navagrahas. This Chandra Navagraha Stalam is located at Thingaloor which is about 8 km from Tiruvaiyaru near Thanjavur in Tamilnadu. Thingaloor is named after the Tamil word, Thingal, which means Chandra or Moon. As most of the other Navagraha Temples of Tamilnadu, Kailasanathar Temple is also a Shiva Stalam and the main deities worshipped here are Kailasanathar and Goddess Periyanakiamman. Legend says that the Lord Chandra worshipped Lord Shiva here to save him from a curse and gained his blessings. Hence it is believed that those who have any Chandra Dosha in their horoscopes can get relief from suffering by offering prayers and perfoming pujas to Lord Kailasanathar, Goddess Periyanayaki and Chandra Bhagwan. Devotees who worship Lord Chandra are blessed with good health, mother s welfare, and get rid of the stress and sorrow in daily life. Temple Architecture Thingaloor Kailasanathar Temple is about 1500 years old. Built in the 7th century by Pallava King Rajasimha, this ancient Shaivite shrine reflects the early Dravidian architecture. A huge Nandi is seen in the front, facing the temple. The 16-sided Shiva lingam at the main shrine is made out of black granite. A unique feature of Thingaloor Temple is that during the months of Puratasi (September - October) and Panguni (March - April), the rays of the moon fall on the Shiva Lingam. Thingaloor Temple History This Chandra Sthalam is associated with the life of Tirunavukkarasar, one of the 63 Nayanmars (Saivite saints). Legend says that there lived a merchant, Appoodi Adikal, at Thingaloor, who was a devotee of Tirunavukkarasar. Appoodi Adigal had an opportunity to host the saint, when he visited Thingaloor. At the same time, his son was bitten by a venomous snake. However, the merchant continued to serve the saint without revealing the tragedy. The saint was inspired by his devotion and restored the boy s life by singing songs in praise of Lord Shiva at this temple. This collection of ten s o n g s c a m e t o b e k n o w n a s Thirupathikam. Temple Offerings As Lord Chandran s color is white, he is offered with raw rice mixed with jaggery, white Arali (a flower), and white clothing. It is believed that this pooja removes obstacles in life. Besides, special pujas are performed on all full moon days. Thingaloor is the shrine where one prays for the health and prosperity of one s mother. Kailasnatha bestows fame on the devotee and cures skin and eye problems. Temple Timings The temple is opened from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00PM to 8:00 PM on all days. How to reach Thingaloor Kailasanathar Temple Thingaloor Temple is about 36 km from Kumbakonam, on the way to Tiruvaiyaru. It is about 1 km from Thirupayhanam which is on the Kumbakonam - Thiruvayyaru Road. Kumbakonam Railway Station is the nearest railway station. Frequent buses are a l s o a v a i l a b l e. S e t h u E x p r e s s (Rameswaram to Tambaram) and Tirupati Express (Tiruchirapalli - Tirupati) passes through Kumbakonam Railway Station. BUDHA PLANET MERCURY I bow to Budha who is dark of hue, of unparalleled beauty and of composed countenance. - Navagraha Stotram Budha is generally represented with four hands, three of his hands holding a sword, a shield and a mace respectively while the fourth one is held in usual varada mudra. He rides a carpet or an eagle or a chariot drawn by lions. Mercury represents one s intelligence and communication. The planet governs the nervous system. His color is green his day is Wednesday or Budhwar and his gemstone is Emerald. Budha is the God of Mithuna Rashi and Kanya Rashi in Astrology. In Hindu mythology, Buddha is Buddhi Nathan ( he who imparts wisdom) or Graha Peeda Hara ( He who destroys the malefic influence of other planets) Budha s controlling deity being Maha Vishnu or Narayana, praying either to Budha or reciting the Vishnu Sahasra Namam ( The Thousand names of Vishnu) bestows wisdom, intellect and excellence in education both technical and the fine arts promotion of the place of work and success in business ventures. Budha confers the art of communication well and also a sense of humor! He controls the lungs, intestines and the nervous system and is the one to be prayed for a solution any problems with these organs. He is in charge of the well-being of maternal uncles. He is a gentle planet, peaceful in nature and grants wealth and vehicles. He is light green in color and I attired in green robes. Wearing an emerald or worshiping him on Wednesdays is considered auspicious. Budha, is the son of Chandra. Swetharanyeswarar Temple Thiruvenkadu Navagraha Sthalam Tamilnadu S w e t h a r a n y e s w a r a r Te m p l e a t Thiruvenkadu, the fourth Navagraha sthalam of the 9 Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu, is the abode for Bhudhan or Bhuda (planet Mercury). Thiruvenkadu Bhudha Sthalam is located near Poompuhar, around 10 km from Sirkazhi, 24 km east of Mayuram and 59 km from Kumbakonam. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva as Swedharanyeshwarar and Goddess Parvati as Brahma Vidya Nayaki A m b a l ( B r a h m a v i d y a n a y a k i ). Swetharanyeswarar Temple enshrines a separate sanctum sanctorum for Bhudhan or Bhudan, one the nine Navagrahas. Temple History The name Thiruvenkadu, also spelled Thiruvengadu, means sacred white forest (Ven means white and Kadu means forest). It is said that this place was surrounded by thick forests on all sides and when seen from a distance, it looked white, and hence continued on page 7

7 March jyotisha the name. In Sanskrit it is known as Swetaranyam (Swetam means white and Aranyam means forest). The place also bears various names such as Jnanaaranya, (forest of wisdom), Patala Kailas and Aadi Chidambaram. Temple Architecture Thiruvenkadu Temple is surrounded by five prakarams known as pancha prakarams. Here the Lord is consecrated in His forms as Aghoramurthi (manifestation of His wild and angry form) and Nataraja (a manifestation of Shiva, assumed as the Lord of Dance). The Nataraja image holds seven instruments and weapons, namely, Vetalam, Khadgam, Udukku, Mani, Kedayam, Kapalam and Trisulam. A unique feature about Swetharanyeswarar Temple is that the image of Lord Shiva has five faces, Easanam, Tatpurusham, Aghoram, Vamadevam and Sadyojatam. The posture of Nandi at the entrance is another unique feature here. It bears nine scars on its body and is seated at the entrance of Devi s shrine. The face is turned towards the Lord s shrine and ears cocked towards that of Devi, signifying that it is ready to receive orders from the Divine Couple. Devi in Her divine form of Bhadrakali has a separate shrine. Besides, there are separate shrines for Ashta Lakhsmis and the Navagrahas. Swetharanyeswarar Temple has three theerthams (holy tanks) called as Agni Theertham, Surya Theertham and Chandra Theertham which are said to have been created out of the three drops which fell from Lord Shiva's eyes when he was dancing. The sthala vrikshams are also three in number - Vilvam, Vadaval and Konrai. The stone inscriptions on the walls of the temples depict important historical information on the Chola Dynasty and about several kings of Vijayanagar. The rivers, Kaveri and Manikarnika, run near the holy shrine. Worship Worship to Lord Shiva's fiery form Aghoramurthy is considered to be of great importance especially on Sunday nights. Budhan is the planetary ruler for knowledge, music, astrology, Maths, sculpting, medicine and language skills. Wednesdays are very auspicious to Budha and offering pooja on this day is believed to rectify any Budhan Dhosham in horoscope. Budha is attired in green and can be offered with green moong dhal, white kanthal flower and green cloth. The temple has three water tanks The Surya (Sun) kulam, the Soma (Moon) kulam and the Agni (Fire) kulam named after Shiva s three eyes. (Kulam means water tank) Bathing in these tanks and worshiping Shiva here for 45 days is believed to be particularly efficacious for couples praying for a child. Thiruvenkadu Temple Festivals The most important festival is the float The Navagrahas festival which is celebrated on the last day of 12 day celebrations in the Tamil month of Maasi (February - March). Temple Timings The temple is opened from 6 AM to PM and 4 PM to 9 PM How to reach Swetharanyeswarar Temple at Thiruvenkadu Swetharanyeswarar Temple is situated 23 kilometers away from Mayiladuthurai, on the Sirkali Poompuhar linking road. The temple is 10 km from Sirkazhi and 59 km from Kumbakonam. Shiyali Railway Station, Thanjavur is the nearest railway station, about 9 km from the temple. Thiruvenkadu is accessible by road from Vaitheeswaran Koil railway station and Semponnar Koil railway station as well. To be continued...

8 8 Vaastuyogam March 2013 Parle - G Biscuits Packaging Is The Key CORPORATE LOGOS RaoSpeak Any packaged snack/food that contains sweet taste and is retailed in packets comes under the sway of the planet Venus whose colour is yellow. Retail business comes under the influence of the planet Mars which is colour red. In the Parle-G biscuit packaging there is ample presence of the two colours Yellow and Red. This has ensured the longevity of the product and the profitability of the company. Parle-G or Parle Glucose is a brand of biscuits manufactured by Parle Products in India. As of 2011, it is the largest selling brand of biscuits in the world according to Nielsen. In 2013, Parle-G became India's first domestic FMCG brand to cross Rs. 5,000 crore in retail sales. Parle Products was established in the Vile Parle suburb of Mumbai, in It began manufacturing biscuits in In 1947, when India became independent, the company launched an ad campaign, showcasing its Parle-G or Parle Glucose is a brand of biscuits manufactured by Parle Products in India. As of 2011, it is the largest selling brand of biscuits in the world according to Nielsen. In 2013, Parle- G became India's first domestic FMCG brand to cross Rs. 5,000 crore in retail sales. Gluco brand of biscuits as an Indian alternative to the British biscuits. Parle-G biscuits were earlier called 'Parle Gluco' Biscuits until 1980s. The "G" in the name Parle-G originally stood for "Glucose", though a later brand slogan also stated "G means Genius". Very surprisingly expatriate Indians still choose Parle G instead of the many established brands available abroad. Parle-G is sold in US in most of the Indian stores in packc of 20 for about 2$. Marketing Primarily eaten as a tea-time snack, Parle-G is one of the oldest brand names in India. In fact doctors distribute Parle G biscuits after blood donation as well. For decades, the product has been instantly recognized by its iconic white and yellow wax Parle Group paper wrapper with the depiction of a young girl on the front. That boy/girl on the packet hasn't changed for ages, and many Indians remember it from their very early childhood memories. The only thing that has changed is the packing material; the plastic packaging today used to be in some kind of butter-paper (type) wrap until about late 90s. Parle G is ranked 7th in the most Trusted Brands Survey conducted last year. One of the reasons behind the popularity of this brand is its strong distribution network. It is distributed over 6 million retail stores in the country and is even available in villages with a population of 500. Parle gets over 90% of its revenue from popular biscuit brands such as Parle-G, Hide & Seek and Krackjack. Compared with rivals such as Britannia Industries Ltd and ITC Foods, the maker of Parle Products was founded in 1929 in British India. It was owned by the Chauhan family of Vile Parle, Mumbai. The Parle brand became well known in India following the success of products such as the Parle-G biscuits and Thums Up soft drink. The original Parle company was amicably split into three separate companies owned by the different factions of the original Chauhan family: Parle Products, led by Vijay, Sharad and Anup Chauhan (owner of the brands Parle-G, Melody, Mango Bite, Poppins, Monaco and KrackJack) Parle Agro, led by Prakash Chauhan and his daughters Schauna, Alisha and Nadia (owner of the brands such as Frooti and Appy) Parle Bisleri, led by Ramesh Chauhan All three companies continue to use the family trademark name "Parle". 9

9 March continued from page 8 CORPORATE LOGOS Major Indian Biscuit Brands For decades, the product has been instantly recognized by its iconic white and yellow wax paper wrapper with the depiction of a young girl on the front. That boy/girl on the packet hasn't changed for ages, and many Indians remember it from their very early childhood memories. The only thing that has changed is the packing material; the plastic packaging today used to be in some kind of butterpaper (type) wrap until about late 90s. Sunfeast biscuits, Parle has been slow in expanding into new product categories. Over the past few years, Parle s main focus was growing its biscuit sales through increased distribution and new products as demand for biscuits was particularly strong from 2007 to Parle-G has consolidated its position as the world's largest selling biscuit brand, says a new report by market researcher Nielsen. The study, for last year, says Parle-G has topped brands like Kraft's Oreo, Wal-Mart's private labels and Mexico's Gamesa in voulme sales to lead the Rs 11,295-crore Indian biscuits category. Parle-G facts If a month's production of Parle-G biscuits are stacked side-by-side, the distance between Earth to Moon of 7.25 lakh kms can be covered. 400 million Parle-G is produced daily. 1 billion packs of Parle-G are produced monthly. Parle-G biscuits are sold in more than 5 million retail stores. 4,551 Parle-G biscuits are consumed per second. If all Parle-G biscuits consumed annually are put end to-end, they would cover the Earth's circumference 192 times. Parle-G sells more than all the biscuit brands sold in China which is the fourth largest biscuit market in the world. From mid-90s to mid-2000 the price of Parle-G remained unchanged.

10 10 March 2013 Kumbh Mela Special And those who were seen dancing were thought to be mad by those who could not hear the music. - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche This article is a researched article and borrows heavily from printed and electronic encyclopedias as well as material provided by our panel of research scholars, astrologers, academics and pundits. The Kumbh Mela is the world's largest religious gathering, with 80 million people expected to attend in It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag), Nashik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges at Haridwar, the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the Godawari at Nashik, and the Shipra at Ujjain. The last "Kumbh Mela" held in 2001 in Prayag (Allahabad, U.P) was estimated by the authorities to have attracted between 30 and 70 million people. The current Kumbh Mela began on 14 January 2013 at Prayag (Allahabad, U.P). According to expectations more than 100 million people will attend the 2013 Kumbhamela. The next Kumbh Mela will be held at Nashikin Maharashtra on the bank of the river Godavari in 2015 (15 August to 13 September). History The first written evidence of the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese monk Xuanzang (formerly romanised as Hsuan Tsang) who visited India in CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana. However, similar observances date back many centuries, where the river festivals first started getting organised. According to medieval Hindu theology, its origin is found in one of the most popular medieval puranas, the Bhagavata Purana. The Samudramanthan episode (Churning of the ocean of milk), is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. The account goes that the Devas had lost their strength by the curse of Durväsä Muni, and to regain it, they approached Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. They directed all the demigods to Lord Vishnu who instructed them to churn the ocean of milk Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk) to receive amrita (the nectar of immortality). This required them to make a temporary agreement with their arch enemies, the Asuras, to work together with a promise of sharing the wealth equally thereafter. However, when the Kumbha (urn) containing the amrita appeared, a fight continued on page 11

11 March Kumbh Mela Special continued from page10 ensued. For twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the Devas and Asuras fought in the sky for the pot of amrita. It is believed that during the battle, Lord Vishnu (incarnated as Mohini- Mürti) flew away with the Kumbha of elixir spilling drops of amrita at four places: Allahabad (Prayag), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. Kumbh Mela is celebrated at these different locations depending on the position of the planet of B?haspati (Jupiter) and the sun. When Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi) it is held in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik; when the sun is in Aquarius (Kumbh Rashi) it is celebrated at Haridwar; when Jupiter is in Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi) and the sun is in Capricorn (Makar Rashi) Kumbha Mela is celebrated at Prayag; and Jupiter and the sun are in Scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi) the Mela is celebrated at Ujjain. Each site's celebration dates are calculated in advance according to a special combination of zodiacal positions of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter. The major event of the festival is ritual bathing at the banks of the river in whichever town Kumbh Mela is being held. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardised. Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in saffron sheets with Vibhuti ashes dabbed on their skin as per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some, called nagasanyasis, may not wear any clothes even in severe winter. The order of entering the water is fixed, with the Juna, the Niranjani and Mahanirvani akharas preceding. David Yeadon, author and illustrator of more than twenty booksand a regular travel correspondent for National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and other publications visited the last Kumbh Mela held in Prayag (Allahabad) in 2001:- Given below are excerpts from his very moving account of the visit which is published as A Bath for Fifteen Million People in the Traveller Tales India:- You should see the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad. I d been advised by a friend in Kathmandu. It s an incredible festival of cleansing. Fifteen million people all coming to the Ganges once every twelve years. Incredible. You might just make it. It s worth a try! From a distance the Kumbh Mela looks like a vast military encampment: thousands of continued on page12

12 12 March 2013 Kumbh continued from page 11 square white tents with four sided pyramidal roofs lined up in endless rows fill the dusty flats around the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the three rivers (you can actually see only two, but in India nothing is what it seems and everyone insists that it is the third, invisible river Saraswati that endows the place with unique significance.) It is very hot. A white dust hangs in a cloud over the site, giving a haloed mystic feeling. I ve been walking for almost an hour from the cordoned-off entrance to the Sangam. Actually, walking is not quite the word, more like half-carried, half-trampled by a thick mélange of humanity filling the hundredfoot-wide corridors between the tents and the fenced encampments of the sadhus, the gurus, the sanyasins and the swamis. In this Feb. 6, 2013 file photo, a Naga Sadhu, center, watches as other Hindu holy men of the Juna Akhara sect participate in a ritual that is believed to rid them of all ties in this life and dedicate themselves to serving God as a Naga or naked holy men, at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna River during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad, India. The significance of nakedness is that they will not have any worldly ties to material belongings, even something as simple as clothes. This ritual that transforms selected holy men to Naga can only be done at the Kumbh festival. Each encampment has its own ceremonial entrance made up of rickety scaf foldings and tied bamboo poles topped with painted symbols, logos and depiction of Hindu deities. A vast supermarket of salvation specialists. Hundreds of them from all over India, each surrounded by his own faithful disciples and followers. The women in their bright saris feverishly cook and clean outside the square tents, while men, bearded, ascetic, and clad in dhotis or dark robes, gather in hunched groups around their chosen wise men to listen and debate and nod and sleep and listen again. I sat overlooking the merger of the two rivers. The sun sank, an enormous orange globe squashing into the horizon, purpling the dust haze, gilding the bodies of the bathers. The moon rose, big, fat and silver in the evening sky. There were thousands of people by the river now. The bathing increased but everything seemed to be in slow motion. I watched one old man, almost naked, progress through the careful rituals of washing. He was hardly visible through the throng and yet he acted as if he were the only person thereby the river, unaware of everything but the slow steady rhythms of his cleansing. After washing every part of his continued on page13

13 March Mela Special Dr. Ravi Rao at Kumbh Mela 2013 continued from page12 body he began to clean his small brass pitcher, slowly rubbing it with sand, polishing the battered metal with a flattened twig, buffing its rough surface with a wet cloth, until it gleamed in the moonlight. Then he disappeared and other bodies took his place by the river. I sensed timelessness and began to feel the power of this strange gathering. Each person performed the rituals in his or her own way and yet from a distance there seemed to be a mystical unity among all of them, all these souls as one soul, cleansing, reviving, touching eternity in the flow of the wide river, linking with infinity, becoming part of the whole of which we all are a part. I made my way slowly to the river and knelt down. For a moment there was no me left in me. The river, the people, the movements, the night breeze, the moon, life, death, all became as one continuum. A smooth, seamless totality. An experience beyond experience. A knowingness beyond knowledge. I washed my face and arms and let the water fall back to the flowing river where it was carried away into the night. Allahabad Medical Students Input Medical Records From Clinic 4 Into The Custom Ipad App.

14 14 March 2013 Write Choice Write Choice features excerpts direct from the important books of distinguished writers. It is hoped that readers will be enthused to broaden their perspectives by reading the original works from which the excerpts have been gleaned. The Kumbh Mela is an awe-inspiring demonstration of simple piety - Sir Mark Tully Sir Mark Tully Sir Mark Tully KBE, (born William Mark Tully in 1935) is "best-loved Englishman." The former Bureau Chief of BBC, New Delhi. He worked for BBC for a period of 30 years before resigning in July He held the position of Chief of Bureau, BBC, Delhi for 20 years. Tully was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1985 and was awarded the Padma Shree in The Kumbh Mela Excerpts from The Kumbh Mela by Mark Tully Published by Viking, New Delhi 1991 and by Penguin Books Ltd, London in 1992 as Chapter 3 of the book No Full Stops In India. It narrates his experiences of the Kumbh Mela 1989 held at Allahabad. Where the Ganges and the Yamuna meet people from many, many, different traditions of Hinduism come together. It is a religion so diverse that scholars often deny it can be classified as one faith, and yet in Hinduism you don t find the hostility between different schools of theology, different sects, which has been such a feature of religions of the Semitic traditions. This is because the Indian tradition has always been profoundly suspicious of certainty, has accepted that God is indefinable, and that many roads lead to salvation, so no one can claim a monopoly of the truth The Kumbh Mela also brings together people of very different backgrounds. There will be well-educated and prosperous pilgrims, and those who have come to ply their trade barbers and boat men will be in big demand. Politicians will come to do their business too. There will be many genuinely holy men, some charlatans, and some obscurantists. But the majority of those who will come to bathe in the Sangam will be villagers. Many will have travelled long distances in overcrowded trains; they will have nothing but the barest necessities with them and may have nowhere to sleep except the banks of the rivers. Their faith is based on custom and tradition, and at the last Kumbh Mela they were dismissed by many journalists and commentators as superstitious. But one person s superstition is another person s faith. Throughout the ages it has been the simple piety of faithful people who have not had the chance to be educated, or the to reflect deeply, which has been the bedrock of all religions. Of course the Kumbh Mela is a magnificent spectacle too. Millions of people gathered in one place, colorful holy men, naked sadhus, wondrous feats of asceticism, piety on a scale unparalleled anywhere else From the jetty I could see the Sangam, where the blue waters of the Yamuna mixed with the muddy brown Ganges and then flowed away, sadly more brown than blue, towards Varanasi When I got talking to D.I.G Mishra I found that he had been a senior officer at the last Kumbh Mela. His predecessors had left inadequate notes about their arrangements and the problems they faced and so he set out to make a close study of the Mela and to record his findings meticulously. That had led to a book on the Kumbh Mela which was on sale this time. D.I.G Mishra helped me to find my way through the maze of religious organizations attending the Kumbh Mela more than 800. The akharas he told me, are the focal point of the Kumbh Mela the big draw, with their naked sadhus. They are the gymnosophists, the warriors of the faith. They have the right to march in procession to the central point of the Sangam to bathe on the big days, and they guard that right jealously. That is not surprising because the Kumbh Mela is the most important gathering of Hindu holy men. The akharas are monastic orders of militant sadhus. Historians are not entirely clear about their origins, but they are related to the ascetic orders founded by the great Hindu reformer AdiShankaracharya. He lived in the eighth or ninth century and is often credited with the final defeat of Buddhism in India, although some scholars argue that Buddhism was already on the way out. Adi Shankaracharya learnt from his enemies and introduced the Buddhist continued on page15

15 March continued from page14 Write Choice tradition of monasticism to strengthen the sinews of Hinduism. The akharas are said to have defended ascetics against attacks from militant Muslim fakirs. Some of them also hired out their services as mercenaries. As with all good soldiers, there was considerable rivalry between the different regiments, which often lead to fights. The British administration put strict restrictions on the movement of the akharas naked sadhus, or nagas, but even Victorian prudery could not prevent them marching at Kumbh Mela. The administrator of the 1906 Kumbh Mela had had to order a cavalry charge to break up a battle between the nagas. D.I.G. Mishra was to have his own difficulties with these quick tempered ascetics, although he had taken the precaution of separating the camps of the akharas who followed Lord Shiva from those of their long-standing enemies who followed Lord Vishnu. The akharas were now changing, as Mishra explained to me. Most of the sadhus now wear clothes. They are also out to recruit a better class of person. For many years now there has been intense rivalry between them to attract good scholars, because they realize now that faith must be tempered with reason. They are also anxious to get older people with influence. Everyone has to deal with government even sadhus and for that you need influence. But do many influential people take sannyas [renounce all worldly ties] nowadays? Surely they don t want to give up their modern lifestyle. Oh yes, plenty do. I think I will take the robe when I have finished with the police. I think I will go for one of the modern organizations The great reformer Adi Shankaracharya formed four monasteries one in the north, one in the south, one in the east and one in the west to be bastions of the faith. Each is still headed by a Shankaracharya, and three of them had come with their followers to the Kumbh Mela. A fifth Shankaracharya, whose claim to enjoy the Hindu equivalent of apostolic succession is disputed, was also there. There were hundreds of other holy men and organizations whose pedigrees were not as good as the akharas and Shankaracharyas but who all had their disciples. Gurus known in the West, like Maharishi Yogi, were well represented, and so was the Hare Krishna movement. One thousand seven hundred other religious organizations applied for places at the Mela for the first time. Mishra said, We decided the best way to deal with them was to say we would charge for all the facilities they got. We didn t hear from them again. The Kumbh Mela is, of course, a wonderful opportunity for religious organizations to recruit and raise funds, but the competition is very stiff. Mishra also had to deal with the wandering sadhus, the mendicants who were not attached to any akharas or other religious group. They camped near the free kitchens set up by some of the organizations. Mishra was rather dismissive of the mendicants: They normally become viraktas or wandering sadhus, he said, because they have lost their families or are frustrated with life. But there are some genuinely spiritual people among them. According to Mishra most of the pilgrims came for only one of the big days, but he estimated there were also some 100,000 kalpvasis, pilgrims who came for a longer stay and who took a vow to bathe three times a day in the Ganges, to eat just one meal a day and that uncooked or coked by their own hands and to spend their time meditating and reflecting on the state of their soul. It is very hard not to be cynical about the Brahmin priests who attend to the immediate physical and spiritual needs of those who come to bathe in the Sangam. The lesser priests are known as ghatias. They set up stalls on the river edges, or ghats, where they look after the clothes of the bathers help them with their toilet when they come out of the river and say a brief mantra to complete the process of purification. Shri Ram Mishra was an elderly ghatia who said his family had been ghatias here for generations. He claimed to have looked after Mrs Gandhi when she bathed in the Sangam. He sat cross-legged on a low wooden platform. A piece of sacking draped behind him kept out some of the sand and the dust. He had small bowls of the powders and pastes necessary for replacing the tilkas and sindoor washed away in the river. There were mirrors and combs too. A woman bather put twenty-five paise into a basket in front of the ghatia and gave him a continued on page16

16 16 March 2013 continued from page15 Write Choice handful of potatoes. He gave her a piece of sacred grass to hold, poured a teaspoonful of Ganges water over her hand and mumbled a brief blessing. A hundred yards or so behind the ghatias were the pandas, who are big businessmen. Each panda was identified by a huge flag. These Brahmins act as family priests, maintain their clients genealogies, arrange for their stay at the Kumbh Mela and perform ceremonies for the souls of their dead. Rajesh Kumar Panda was writing up the latest developments in the family of a peasant from central India. The family trees are kept in long, thin notebooks whose yellow pages are bound in red. Ram Swarup had two sons, so what were their names? he asked brusquely. Omprakashand Shivram. The priest scribbled hurriedly. Have they married? Do they have any children? Hurry up. Can t you see how busy I am? When he had updated the genealogy, he turned to me and asked my business. After getting through the inevitable rigmarole, he demanded twenty-five rupees for explaining the role of the pandas. When I agreed, he told me that this was a family business of the ghatias. All pandas have a district of India in which they ply their trade. Rajesh Kumar s was Jabalpur, in central India. He visited his client s there, selling Ganges water to those who had not visited Allahabad recently and encouraging them to be more regular in their bathes. At the back of his stall was a capacious tin trunk full of his client s registers of birth, marriages and death, each one wrapped carefully in a cloth. Rajesh Kumar took me outside his stall to see his flag, which depicted Hanuman trampling on a demon. Many of the pandas had chosen one or another member of the Hindu pantheon for their flags, but there were secular emblems flying above the stalls too there was a steam engine, a train complete with a guard carrying a green glag, a fish, and a plough and oxen. Now you see how my clients will recognize me. He said. They ask where the Hanuman panda is, and they are directed to my flag. Now pay me my twenty-five rupees quickly I must get back to my clients. I made my way back to the press camp with the pilgrims who had bathed and were on their home. I had never been in such a peaceful crowd. There was no frenzy, just the calm certainty of faith: the knowledge that what had to be done had been done. The vast majority of the pilgrims were villagers. Their faith gave them the courage to ignore the ugly rumors and the fortitude to travel in overcrowded trains and busses, to walk for many miles and sleep in the open. The elite for the most part ignored the Kumbh Mela, but those who did come travelled in cars and slept in tents. No other country in the world could provide a spectacle like the Kumbh Mela. It was a triumph for the much maligned Indian administrators, but it was a greater triumph for the people of India. And how did the English language press react to this triumph? Inevitably, with scorn. The Times of India, the country s most influential paper, published a long article replete with phrases like, Obscurantism rules the roost in Kumbh, Religious dogma overwhelmed reason at the Kumbh, and The Kumbh after all remained a mere spectacle with its million hues but little substance. The Times of India criticized the Vishwa Hindu Parishad s politics, but made no attempt to analyze the piety of the millions who bathed at the Sangam.