Upakarma is the day when the annual rite of renewal of the sacred “yagnyopaveetam” worn by every adherent of “vaideeka dharma” and “saastra” is performed with utmost “shraddha” or faith. This day of August 30 is the auspicious anniversary of such a day when all “VAIDEEKAS” after completing daily due ritual ablutions or “anushtaanams”, then ceremonially go to a nearby riverbank or temple-pond to perform the rite.
Ordinarily, the rite which includes change of “poonool” or “yagnyopaveetam”, and silent chanting/meditation or “japam” of certain mantras (like “kaamokaarsheeth manyurakaasheeth” etc.), does not take more than 20-odd minutes. Thereafter, the “VAIDEEKAS” formally observe the commencement of what is known as “vedaarambam” —- the annual solemnly observed day of resumption of “vedaadhyayanam” i.e. the traditional vocation of Vedic chanting and studies. Thus, the day actually marks the re-reaffirmation — by a kind of oath-taking by “VAIDEEKAS” — that they will —- through the commencement-anniversary ceremony — re-dedicate themselves to their Vedic vocation. Upakarma day is thus a very solemn and sacred day of ritual observance for all Brahmins who steadfastly adhere to the Vedic path.
In the temple of Sri Govindaraja Swamy at Tirupati , there is an ancient customary ritual conducted on Upakarma day wherein the Deity himself participates in the same “vaideeka” ritual except that it is performed far more elaborately as ordained by “saastra” and takes much longer than otherwise normally.
A sacred fire ritual called “adhyaayana homam” is conducted over which the Deity presides ceremonially. This “ homa” is performed by Vedic priests with sacred fire oblations.
Early in the morning , the idols of Sri Govindaraja and Sri Kannan (unaccompanied by their Divine Consorts, Sri and Bhu Devi) are taken out on grand palanquins held aloft by temple-servitors on their shoulders in a religious procession (“purappaadu”) through the streets of Tirupati city, all the way to a shrine called “Azhwaar Theertham” at the foothills of the great Tirumala Hills , about 5 kms away.
The Deity then duly bedecked with all ceremonial finery, presides over the “adhyaayana homa”. Vedic mantras are chanted by an assembly of priests. Fire oblations are reverentially made. The Deity himself is then initiated into the rite of renewal of the sacred “yagnyopaveetam”!
In the Vedic faith, the Supreme Deity Lord Narayana is himself worshipped as Veda Purusha or Veda svarupi. The Vedas are themselves regarded as being the sacred sound of the Almighty’s breath (“nigama svaasam”). Thus, there is really no need for any “Vedaarambam” or any duty of resumption of Vedaadhyayanam for the Lord Govindaraja of Tirupati. For He whose very breath is the Veda where is the need for commencement or resumption of Vedic endeavour?
Yet, in Tirupati, at the sacred spot of “Azhwar theertham” besides a small temple pond into which fresh, clear and gushing waters of a mountain -stream or natural-spring flowing down the peaks of the Tirumala Hills cascade and fall, the “adhyaayana homam” is conducted for the Almighty only to honour Him. And to reaffirm human faith and loyalty to the Vedic way of life. It is re-affirmation and re-validation of the ageless Vedic path as the surest path to enlightenment for mankind as shown by Bhagavan himself.
Normally, any festive ritual or sacrament in which the Deity as Sri Govindaraja’s idol is consecrated — as in the “adhyaayana homa”— that is conducted under the aegis of the Temple establishment is performed only by the Agama-designated priestly orders resident at Tirupati. But an exception is made in the case of this particular annual ritual at Azhwaar Theertam. Here it is not the Agama priests who conduct the ritual over which Sri Govindaraja Swamy presides but it is a descendent of one of the resident families of the Tirumala Kumara Thozhappachaarya Sri Tirumala Nambi “vamsham” who alone are endowed with the privilege and entitlement to officiate at the “homa”.
For countless years now in Tirupati, countless successive generations of the Thozhappachaarya family descendants have been faithfully conducting this ceremonial festival on Upakarma Day at Azhwar Theertham. It is indeed a glorious testimony to the total dedication of these priestly families of Tirupati that they continue to preserve a time-honoured tradition celebrating the Vedic path and way of life.
After the “homam” is concluded, the Deity is then carried back in ceremonial procession to the Temple at Tirupati. The Thozhappachaarya who performed the role of “ubaya karta” (principal donor) on the occasion is bestowed due temple honours (“Visesha bhagavath anugraham”) and is respectfully conveyed to his home accompanied by all due temple paraphernalia.
This year the priest who functioned as “ubaya karta” was Sri .Tirumala Kumara Mukanda Chariar of Tirupati, an Acharya Purusha at the Tirumala Temple, who is a descendent of the family lineage that gets traced back to Sri Tirumala Nambi (10th Century CE) the Acharya who was Sri Ramanuja’s uncle and guru.
To conclude, I am proud to say that Sri TK Mukunda Chariar also happens to be my cousin.
Below are a few photos and videos of the “adhyaayana homa” festivities held today at Azhwaar Theertham for Sri Govindaraja Swamy on sacred Upakarma day.
Sudarshan Madabushi
Wonderful to see such an event