Some more anbu thollai....... My dear Chithra, No hurry, do please answer leisurely. 1] In tamil calendars, alongwith rahukalam, yamakandam there is something called kuligai -- what it means ? we must have bathe only that time -- which is sometimes in mid-afternoon ...? 2] There is still confusion over whether we can do elumichai vilakku at home for rahu-kala pujai (tues. & fri.) or must we go to temple only & put that vilakku ? Can we simply light our daily/ regular swami deepam at that rahukala time and chant some durga slogams 3] Can ladies read the 'sankshepa sundara kandam' ; (as I cannot spare enough time to read the whole sundara kandam) ? My dad used to get up at 3:40 am, and read the whole one, with proper puja/naivedhyam etc. while I was in school. If ladies can do so, please tell me the 'parayana murai', like the time period, offerings, should sankalpam also be there or just like that can we chant daily , like any other slogam ? 4] Regarding eclipses -- away from India, we are totally clueless as to the 'catching' & 'leaving' time and only have a general time period . So, what rules regarding head-bath, food consumption to be followed ? I also have no reliable source/priests for which nakshathram is affected . Back home, everyone had head bath before it started, then those with certain 'stars' had to say the mandatory 4 line stothra " Yo sou vajra dharo devaha............ graha peetaam vyapohathu", then again have head bath when eclipse was finishing . Nowadays what to do ---- how many hrs. before / after eclipse we mustn't eat, go out etc. Any other important practices to be followed, kindly explain. With love,
As far as I know......... In daily life guligai is not taken into account at all. I do not want to mention here, when it is necessary to be considered. Just forget about it & have a bath at your convenient time ! Elumichai vilakku should not be done at home at all. It is to be lighted only in temples. There is no harm in lighting vilakku at rahu kalam & chanting Durga shlokams, particularly on tuesday & friday. Sundarakandam can be chanted one chapter a day minimum, comfortably without bothering about the parayana murai. But everyday just read the dhyan shlokams in the beginning & mangala shlokams at the end. I read it any time when I am free. Somedays it may be even 9 P M . This was mentioned by Kumudam Josier who is a learned authority. Don't bother too much about daily naivedyam etc. Eclipses should be followed only if the eclipse is visible in the place you live at that time. Otherwise do not bother about it. Usually eating before atleast 6 hrs is advised so that the digestion is complete & the stomach is empty.Have a head bath as soon as the eclipse starts. Do as much chanting at that time as possible. Even a simple Rama rama will do. Any chanting done at that period is very very powerful ! Just concentrate & do any japam. When the eclipse is over, have a headbath & start cooking. Usually the star details are all given in the panchangam. When you live outside our country, I do not know how to advise you exactly !Whatever I say should be practical for you to do there ! If the eclipse is visible in India & not where you live, you need not bother about it at all ! Again, please remember whatever I write is as far as I know....... Love & regards, Chithra.
Thanks . Thank you very much for such an instant reply Chithra. Happy to read that Sundara Kandam can be chanted without any 'murai' as such. For the past few months I've been chanting Saptarishi Ramayan [where each kaandam is told in just 4 lines, by each of the 7 holy sages] ,every morning {as impossible to read the whole epic everyday} ; though I know only the names of the ragas, I do not know to sing in the actual ragaas, so simply chant on my own. It feels satisfying. So, thought of including Sundara kandam also, will shortly take a print-out and commence. It is a blessing to have your guidance, to us youngsters who are unnerved of this selfish, materialistic, artificial world. Koti pranams to you, Loads of love.
my little knowledge to share.. Alongwith lighting lamp during raahu kaalam, while finishing every stanza, do a namaskaram and proceed like that till the end, which learnt from my friend's mom. Rgds.
Dear chitra madam, sorry for the late response.I already started doing puja by your puja format.It was so simple and easy to follow.thank you so much for your effort. love, mohana.
timely post Dear Mrs Chithra, Thank you for this timely post of Ganesha pooja. Tomorrow is the auspiscious day of Angarika- Tuesday + Chaturthi, and this pooja format will be very useful. I went thru all the three posts, you must have spent hours in this labour of love and devotion. I am sure Ganesha has made a special note of that and is sending lots of blessings your way. Your format is very well written and precise. I had no doubts on reading it once, will go thru it again. It shows the experience of an expert. With aneka namaskarams for this upadesham affectionately Vidya
doubt Dear Mrs Chithra? what can be used in place of vettilai pakku when not available? Looking for yr guidance regards Vidya
That is not a must at all ! Dear Vidya, It is not a " must " to keep vethalai pakku ! Just substitute with flowers or akshathai. Or oru udrani jalam ( 1 tsp water) will do, chanting thamboolam samarpayami. In fact you can plan to buy the same in silver ( available at Sukra jewellers) when you visit Chennai & use it for puja. In fact that is what I use in my daily puja. Vidya, I can't help mentioning, that your enthusiasm is unparalleled ! For the sake of just you, I can post any no: of puja formats ! It is worth all my labour. Next I plan Deepalakshmi - vilakku poojai in which both Bhuvaneshwari & Lakshmi are worshipped together in the lamp. You have no idea, how excitedly, I am working at these formats. Love & regards, Chithra.
Dear Mrs.Chithra You have drafted the format so well that every step was crystal clear to me.Like Vidya had you must have put a lot of effort into this and now after reading your response about how excited you are am simply amazed. For all that i have learnt from you i hope i do you justice. I do "vilakku pooja" every friday.So am really looking forward to to get the format from you. Regards Suba
