Bhajanamadom Memoir

Me and Amma used to regularly take part in the yearly festival held at Amma' s family temple, Bhajanamadom Sree Ardhanareeswara Kshetram. This was also an occasion of our annual family get together. Interestingly, the utsavam mostly takes place in December during the Christmas vacation. So, all my dear cousins would be there. Thiruvathira of Malayalam calendar marks the beginning date of the festival which lasts for ten days, usually up until New Year' s eve.

Kodiyettam, the grandiose flag hoisting function kicks off the events in the presence of the whole neighbourhood. Special poojas such as kalasa pooja, sivasakthi pooja and laksharchana will be performed from the day onwards. Afternoon meal is also offered at the temple each day. There will be various entertainment programmes organised by the devotees in the evening. The debut performances of many native budding artists also happen in this stage. It is known as Arangettam. Indian classical dance and music are the sought after art forms. Other programmes include music shows, dramas, comedy skits, mimicry and cinematic dance. Two of my cousins regularly performed and I used to provide them backstage assistance. Renowned film and TV artists will also be booked for the performances. They will either arrive late or don't arrive at all. This leads to an affair of ruckus everytime.

The deity of the temple is Ardanarishvara. Ardhanarishvara is popular in most Shiva temples throughout India, though very few temples are dedicated to this deity. It is a composite form of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati, depicted as half-male and half-female. The auspicious Pallivetta ceremony is on the second last day of the festival. It commemorates how Ardhanarishvara triumphed over evil. Khoshayatra, the procession to the nearby Dharmashasta temple in Nilaykamukku on the final day of the festival was the most exciting experience as a child. With toys bought from the vendors at the temple, we ran around the elephants lined up for the procession. The path will also be beautifully decorated with lamps and illuminated structures. The Aarattu ceremony, the holy bath of the idol concludes the festival. I always stayed up late to witness the big fireworks let off in the sky by midnight.

The next day, all the relatives will be rushing back to their homes far away. By evening, we also pack and get ready. The thought of school reopening will start annoying my head. The sight of Ammama and Appapa left alone in Amma' s house also crushed me.

Now, we don't gather for the Utsavam since Ammama also left us two years ago. The temple has also been reconstructed by the new committee. So, when I now visit the place, it's no more special to me.