Puja performed at Padagaya

Pithapuram: According to Hindu traditions, eclipses, including the lunar eclipse, are considered to be bad omens. Mythological texts describe occurrence of the eclipses due to the planets Rahu and Ketu swallowing the Sun and Moon. Therefore, the priests close down the sanctum-sanctorum of various temples to save them from the hazardous radiation at the time of the eclipses.

But the Padagaya temple belongs to different genre. During the eclipse period all temples at the pilgrim centre, including that of Lord Kukkuteswara Swamy, have been kept opened.

Special pujas have been performed to deities at the beginning and end of the eclipse. Devotees took a holy dip in the temple pond and worshipped the deities. The temple priests reason that the eclipse would have no impact on Lord Kukkuteswara whom they described as self-manifested deity.

This was the practice for the past several centuries, they contend. Special pujas to the Goddess at the 10th Sakthi Peeth— Goddess Purhutika – and self-manifested Lord Dattatreya were performed on the occasion.

All rituals were followed as usual and devotees were allowed darshan of the deities. Temple priests and Vedic scholars performed Japa during the eclipse period and deserted their old sacred thread and sported new ones.

By Saride Nageswara Rao