At This Tamil Nadu Temple, Sunlight Falls Directly On The Deity During Chithirai

In the village of Sennakkalpudur within the Mohanur Union of Namakkal District in Tamil Nadu, there exists a modest shrine devoted to Sabarishthanathan Ayyappa Swamy. During the Tamil month of Chithirai, specifically on April 15, 16, 17, 18, and several other days within this period, there’s a unique phenomenon where sunlight directly illuminates the deity’s idol from 6:18 AM to 6:24 AM. Every morning, devotees gather to witness and offer their respects during this occurrence. The event where sunlight shines upon the idol of Ayyappa Swamy is celebrated in a grand manner in the village as it is considered a divine intervention. Following this, a special ritualistic bath (abhishekam) is performed, followed by ornate decorations, including the lighting of lamps and the display of the Maha Deepam. Numerous devotees actively participate in these rituals. This year, the Tamil month of Chithirai has fallen between April 14 and May 13 and the event has already taken place several times last month.

Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is revered as the Hindu deity symbolising truth and righteousness, with his worship predominantly observed in South India. Though devotion to Ayyappan traces back to earlier times, his popularity surged notably in the late 20th century. According to Hindu beliefs, he is the offspring of Vishnu in the guise of Mohini and Shiva, thus embodying a connection between Shaivism and Vaishnavism. Ayyappan is typically portrayed as a youthful figure, often depicted riding or standing close to a Bengal tiger, while holding a bow and arrow. Most representations show him in a yogapattasana, a seated posture.

Sunlight shining on the Ayappa Swamy idol is a natural phenomenon, recently the Ayodhya temple recreated the process through a complex mechanism and diverted sunlight to the Lord Rama idol’s forehead, which is being called Surya Tilak. The Surya tilak of the deity was made possible by an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses.

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