The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : `Dhanurmasam' from December 16

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 01, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

`Dhanurmasam' from December 16

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, NOV. 30. With the onset of `Dhanurmasam' from December 16, Lord Venkateswara would miss his favourite "Suprabhatham," for a month, with which the Tirumala temple reverberates daily in the early hours, as a battery of Veda pundits recite it in chorus to symbolically wake the Lord from his `Yoga Nidra' (sleep).

The `Suprabhatham,' which is synonymous with the temple of Lord Venkateswara all over the world, would be replaced during the Dhanurmasam with an equally sacred compendium of verses— `Tiruppavai' composed in Tamil by Goda Devi (Andal), celestial daughter of Periyalwar (Vishnu Chiththa). This has been the practice from time immemorial in the Venkateswara temple and in other Vishnu temples as well as a mark of reverence to Goda Devi. With the Suprabhatham going off the air in the temple during the one-month period, there would be no sale of tickets for the most sought-after seva till January 14 when its recitation would be resumed from Sankranthi.

Barring the Suprabhatha Seva, all other arjitha sevas (paid sevas) would be performed and tickets sold as usual during the Dharnurmasam period.

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