POOJA - 18 STEPS PADI POOJA

Padi Pooja for the Holy 18  Steps

     

       This will be conducted only after the Deepaaraadhana (around 6.30 P.M.) in the night.  The Saanthies (Assistants) will clean all the 18 Steps and arrange traditional Lights on each Step and on both the sides.  They will cover the center of the Steps with a Silk Saree (9 Gajam – 27 ft.) very cleanly as an internal lining and it should be a new piece.  Different colors of blouse bits (new piece) were spread out very neatly on each Step and little Nellmani (Flora) also will be placed over it.  They will keep one Plantain leaf over it each on every Step.  Over it some Raw Rice will be kept and Coconut also will be kept over it. One garland will be put to the coconut.  The same will be done in all the 18 Steps.  Now they will decorate the 18 Steps with many garlands.  After decorating, it will be a pleasant look at the 18 Steps. All the required Pooja items were kept at the bottom side of the Steps.

The referred Santhies, Thanthri & Melsaanthi will be wearing only new dresses for this.   It is must that all the said people should wear only new dresses.  If every thing is ready the Main (Chief) Thanthri and the Melsaanthi will come down.  The Devotee who is conducting the Padi Pooja will be waiting readily at the bottom.  At the bottom also they will keep 18 Silver Pots meant for 18 Steps.  Cotton thread would be tied around neck of the Pots.  The Saanthies will keep the Silver Pots over a Padma Kolam (traditional Art) and filled them up with pure medicated water (Aayurvedic medicines making water sacred).  New towels will be kept over that over the said Pots duly tied around each of them.   Then they will start the Vinayaka Pooja followed by Kalasa Pooja as per their customs.  After this the main Padi Pooja will be performed.  Only the Thanthri will be doing the Pooja.  The said Devotee would be asked to sit by the side of Thantri.  The main Padi Pooja will be performed only as per the customary procedure.  After the Padi Pooja, the Sacred Water in all the Kalasams will be poured on the Holy 18 Steps.  For each & everything there is a Manthram. 

After Deepaaraadhana to the Holy18 Steps, the Thanthri will take the coconuts from each Step and break it while climbing one by one and they will ask the particular Devotee also to break a separate coconut at the bottom of the 18 Steps and climb the Holy 18 Steps.  The said Devotees relatives or his group people will also do the same and follow him.  It will take about 2 hours to complete such Pooja.  Lot of Ayyappa Devotees would be seated outside to have a glimpse on this.  Generally very good silence would be kept all over the place. 

In olden days, they were performing Padippooja very rarely and that too during the Season.  Since the devotees are rising in the recent days they are compelled to perform Padippooja.  Now the Sabarimala Devaaswom is charging for this.  They have shifted conducting of Padippooja to 1^st or 2^nd of every Malayalam month (when the temple reopens) to avoid rush.  Sometimes, they are performing Padippooja even after Makara Vilakku.  There is a good demand for this.   I understand that so many have booked for this and are waiting for years together.

For the convenience of the Devotees same type of Padi Pooja is conducted in the Temple of Ayyappan at Madipakkam of Madras also.  This is conducted during Brahmotsavam, which is conducted from the 1^st day of Tamil month Kaarthikai (November-December).  The same procedure only is followed here also.  Only Thanthri Sri Srinarayanan and his assistants would be invited here to do this.   This Padi Pooja will be started by 9.00 P.M.  The temple authorities are conducting this for years together.