Tavanur, Kerala, India February 14 – The grand Maghamakam Mahotsavam, an iconic festival of Bharathapuzha, concluded with the sacred Nila Aarti, marking a vibrant and spiritually significant event at Tavanur. Organized under the auspices of the Tavanur Organizing Committee, the festival saw the participation of eminent spiritual leaders, scholars, and cultural luminaries.
For the first time in Bharathapuzha’s history, the Sri Chakra Yagam was organized in Tavanur on the Makam day of the Magha month. The festival also featured ritualistic floral offerings and Aarti, paying homage to the river in a spectacle of devotion and reverence. The event was presided over by Sadguru Mata Amritanandamayi, with patronage from Swami Chidanandapuri, Swami Paramanandapuri, Acharya M.R. Rajesh, Padma Vibhushan Dr. E. Sreedharan, and P.T. Usha, MP.
The Maghamakam Mahotsavam was spearheaded by the Trimurti Snanaghat Heritage Conservation Committee, under the leadership of Swamini Athulyamritaprana, the festival’s general convener. The rituals, including the Sri Chakra Yagam, were officiated by Dr. Nityananda Adiga, the Thantri of Kollur Mookambika Temple, alongside Mookambika Saji Potty and other esteemed Acharyas.
Reviving a Historic Legacy
The Bharathapuzha festival, one of South India’s oldest and Kerala’s only river festival, holds deep historical and spiritual significance. According to legend, Brahma conducted a 28-day-long yajna at Tavanur during the Magha month at the request of Parashurama to ensure Kerala’s prosperity. It is believed that during this period, seven rivers, including the Ganga, flowed into Bharathapuzha, making it a uniquely sacred confluence. Parashurama is said to have decreed that these auspicious days should be celebrated as a river festival. This event also marks the historical transition of the river’s name from Perar to Bharathapuzha.
Originally known as Mamangam, the Bharathapuzha festival dates back to the Treta Yuga but was discontinued after the British rule in 1766 CE. In 2016, historian Tirur Dinesh, head of the Oral History Research Foundation, conducted an extensive study based on Sangam-era writings, British records, and oral traditions. His research uncovered a forgotten legacy—linking the Mamangam warriors’ sacrifices to a larger river festival tradition, akin to the Kumbh Mela. Inspired by these findings, Tirur Dinesh led the revival of the Maghamakam Mahotsavam, aiming to restore the festival while promoting the holistic development of the heritage villages of Tavanur and Thirunavaya.
Ceremonial Highlights
The festival commenced with a Ganapati Homa at 5 AM at the Yagabhumi near Tavanur Brahma Temple. At 9:30 AM, India’s youngest female Tantri, Rudra Gayathri, lit the ceremonial lamp for the Sri Chakra Yagam, followed by the Family Aishwarya Puja and Lakshmi Narayana Puja.
A spiritual assembly, presided over by Mookambika Saji Potty, featured a discourse on Sri Chakra Aradhana by Dr. Nityananda Adiga. Notable figures, including Dr. Nityananda Adiga, Rudra Gayathri, Ayurvedic scholar Dr. Sreekrishnan, V.G.S., and T.M. Ramani, were honored for their contributions.
The event also featured addresses by Shanku T. Das and T.K. Sudhakaran, followed by a keynote lecture on “Faith and Society” by Swamini Athulyamritaprana, chaired by K. Raman Bhattathiri. A special Lalitha Sahasranama recital, with the participation of 1,008 women, was held at 3:30 PM, reinforcing the festival’s spiritual ethos.
As the festival reached its grand finale, Brahmakshetram Melshanthi Manoj Embranthiri performed the concluding Nila Puja at 6 PM, followed by the Nila Aarti, bringing the Maghamakam Mahotsavam 2024 to a resplendent close.
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