Goddess Padmavathi rides the Sun and the Moon in Tiruchanur

The Bejewelled deity becomes the cynosure of all eyes

Reiterating Her supremacy over the celestial bodies, Goddess Padmavathi symbolically rode the Sun and the Moon on the seventh day of the ongoing Karthika Brahmotsavams at Tiruchanur temple here on Friday.

The day broke with sudden rain, which subsided and the sun’s rays touched the ground when the Surya Prabha came out of the ‘Vahana Mandapam.’ Mounted on the gold-plated ‘Surya Prabha Vahanam’ dazzling under the glare of sun, the bejewelled deity of Sri Padmavathi became the cynosure of all eyes. The bright red garlands made of ixora flowers adorned to the deity added exuberance to the procession.

Dressed as ‘Govardhana Giridhari’ (Krishna), the deity was decorated in such a way to look like lifting the ‘Govardhana Giri’ hillock on Her little finger. As the Vahanam enacted the Vrindavan scene when all the cattle rushed under the hillock save themselves from the flash floods, the small idols of a cow and a calf placed at Her holy feet gave a touch of realism.

‘Snapana Tirumanjanam’

‘Snapana Tirumanjanam’ (celestial bath) was performed in the afternoon when a garland made of gooseberries (Amla) was adorned to the deity. Amla is considered auspicious in the Karthika month of Hindu calendar. Similar garlands made of blackberries, white betel leaves and holy basil were also decorated during the ongoing festival.

In the evening, the deity was taken on silver-plated ‘Chandra Prabha Vahanam’ on the Mada streets around the temple. The silvery carrier resembling a white halo around the deity signifies moonlight.