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SRI VENKATESWARA VAIBHAVOTSAVAM 2016 aka ONE DAY IN THIRUMALA

The - Temple, Livermore has been conducting regular Venkateshwara Nitya pujas and utsavams since inception, along the same lines as the temple. Daily sevas start with , Karmarchana, Salagrama , Sahasranama archana, Havirnivedanam, Bali, Sattumurai and Tirmanam. Similar to Tirupathi worship practices, we perform Moola moorthy Abhishekam every weekend and for Alamkaram and Archana, we rotate through Swarna Pushpa, Thomala, Tirupaavadai, Poolangi and Astottara Kalasa Abhisheka (5th Saturday) Sevas. Kalyanotsava is organized on weekend evenings and Brahmotsavam, Pavitrotsavam and Pushpa Yagam are performed annually.

The Temple is organizing an offsite event “Venkateshwara Vaibhavotsavam” aka “One Day in Tirumala” on a grand scale on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, CA. The sequence of the dayʼs events are as follows. Please join us.

Suprabhatham Venkateshwara Suprabhatam, containing 70 stanzas, composed by Prativadi Bhayankara Annan, is the crown jewel of early morning awakening/ invocatory verse. It starts with Suprabhatam - awakening Lord Srinivasa from his divine sleep, followed by Stotram - hymns in praise of the Lord - and Prapatti – total surrender to the Lord - and concludes with Mangalasasanam - prayer extolling the glory of Lord. Immediately after recitation, the sanctum sanctorum doors are thrown open and Tirtham, satari, and prasadam are distributed to devotees.

Thomala Seva The awakened Moola murthy is worshipped with Pada Abhisheka – washing the Lordʼs feet. The Lord is decorated with flower garlands and worshipped with thulasi leaves while hymns such as Purusha Sukta, and Tiruppavai are chanted.

Koluvu is the Darbar of the Lord Emperor. The purohit reads the Panchangam - almanac of the day, including , Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana of the day and provides a status report on upcoming events and ends on a benediction from priest to the Lord.

Sahasra Nama Archana Sri Venkateswara Sahasranama, the thousand names of Lord Venkateshwara, is chanted by the priests, adhering to the custom practice at Thirumala.

Naivedyam Varieties of food offerings and other sweets and savories (Panyarams) like Laddu, Vada etc. are offered to the Lord during Naivedyam time. After Naivedyam, Bali is offered around the Temple. There are four Upacharas in Bali Offerings: Toyam (water), Pushpam (flower), Bali (food) and Toyam (Again Water), as specified in our agamas. Kalyanotsavam King Askasha Raja, belonging to the Lunar race, finds a female child in a lotus flower while ploughing a field. Being childless, he accepts the child as divine intervention and adopts it and names it Padmavati. Legend has it that Lord Sri , incarnates as Srinivasa, Lord of the Seven Hills, and vows to marry Padmavati, representing Maha or Sri . Likewise, Lord , presiding deity of the other great Vishnu shrine in Srirangam, directs Vishnu Chitta, a Brahmin priest who adopted Goda, a female child, under similar circumstances under a tulasi plant, to bring his daughter to the sanctum sanctorum at the Srirangam temple so that he may marry her. Goda represents , or Bhoodevi. Kaylanaotsavam re-enacts the wedding of Lord Srinivasa with the two consorts, Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, signifying global well-being.

Devotees become bridesʼparents sponsoring this celestial wedding. Utsava moorthies of Lord Srinivasa, along with the Divine Consorts - Sri Devi and Bhu Devi - are brought to the Kalyana Vedika. The Learned vedic and agamic Priests recite the family pedigree of the brides and bridegroom. The idols of the Lord and his brides face each other with a screen in between. After the priests perform homas, the brides are allowed to see each other, followed by Mangala sutra dharana, Talambralu and then Lord and his consorts are garlanded. Kalyanotsavam brings welfare and prosperity to all participating devotees

Brahmotsavam , the Creator God, initiated this form of celebration of Maha Vishnu, hence it is called “Brahmotsavam.” Lord Vishnu leaves Vaikunta for Bhu Lokam to be accessible to his devotees. The main aspect of this function is Seva, the Lord seated on Sesha, , and Hanumantha . Veda are chanted. Naivedyam and Harati are offered. The devotees are invited to go around the Lord, seated on the Vahana. Satari and prasdam are given the devotees.

Vasantotsavam After the Brahmotsavam procession, the Lord is given a ritual bath or Abhishekam with special dravyas such as milk, honey, yoghurt, coconut water, turmeric powder, saffron, gambura and special parimalam. The pancha suktas from the are chanted. Religious fervor is at a peak and devotee feels transported to Vaikunta.

Dolotsavam After abhishekam, the Lord and his consorts are adorned in silk and decorated with jewelry and floral garlands. They are brought to the swing for Unjal seva. Veda parayana, music and dance recitals are highlights of this event.

Aarthi & Ekanta Seva To conclude the dayʼs program, Aarthi is performed to the Lord accompanied by the singing of Jai Jagadeesh Hare, followed by Ekantha Seva - Lord is put to sleep, accompanied by a lullaby. Devotees may utilize the ensuing quiet time to contemplate the dayʼs events prior to returning home. Om santih santih santih.