Flowers used in Pushpayagam
27 types of fragrant flowers are offered in this ritual. They are— the gold flower (champaka), jasmine (mallika), sacred basil (tulasi), white water lily (kumuda), oleander (karaveera), broad leaved rose bay (nandyavarta), Flame of the Forest (palasha karnika), hibiscus (mandara), common flax (atasi), screwpine (ketaki or mogili), Spanish cherry (vakularjuna or pogada), white flower like tube rose (punnaga), vine like plant with white and yellow flowers (madhavi), sweet marjoram (pinditaki or maruvam), Arabian jasmine (dvikarnika), a different variety of Arabian jasmine (bahukarnika), needle flower (kuruva), cobra saffron (nagavriksha), firecracker (kanakam), golden rain flower (karnikaram), orange-red midday flower (bandhooka), black basil (krishnatulasi), sunflower (suryananda), arjun (kakubhodumbaram), allamand (kankani), shankha pushpa or butterfly pea (agrakarnika), Roja (Rose of different colours) and other seasonal flowers like kaalananda etc.
Three or four coloured flowers are regarded as superior in quality; two-coloured flowers are medium and single-coloured flowers are inferior. Only fragrant flowers are to be used in this service. Agamas lay down that lotus flower is regarded as the best among all flowers. As per the Vaikhanasa Agama, worship with white flowers yields peace; yellow flowers strength; blue flowers victory over others; red flowers like palasha and pinditaki fearlessness. All these flowers are collected with ardent devotion. We are not supposed to use flowers which are dry, unclean and without fragrance or with over frangrance are not used.
Flowers are supplied by the devotees from Tamilnadu and Karnataka states. Priests, Jeeyarswamis, Temple officials, devotees and staff get these 27 types of flowers weighing about approximately two thousand kilograms in procession to the prescribed pavilion in the temple amidst auspicious music and recitation of veda mantras. The priest proclaims the sankalpa, purpose of sacrifice as the atonement of lapses known and unknown committed in the process of Brahmotsavas besides welfare of the world. Amidst the recitation of Vedas. The priests offer different types of flowers one after the other at the holy feet of the Lord. Huge heaps of flowers are arranged decoratively around Malayappa Swami along with Sridevi and Bhudevi at Tirumala. The Lord is worshipped as He is surrounded by heaps of variegated flowers right from feet to neck. After placing each kind of flowers, holy water is given to his hands (arghya), feet (paadya) and mouth (achamana) and special Naivedyams are offered to the Lord. Auspicious camphor light is waved to the Lord.
