Table of Contents
Panchami Theertham
The final and most important event of the nine-day Kartika Brahmotsavams in Tiruchanoor is Panchami Theertham. During this festival, Sudarshana Chakrattalwar is given a holy bath in the sacred water of Padma Sarovaram.
Story Of Panchami Theertham
One of the 18 Puranas written by Sage Vedavyasa is the Padma Purana. In this, the appearance of Goddess Padmavathi is described. While Lord Venkateswara was resting in Vaikunta, the seven sages came searching for a deity to bless their yajna. But Lord Venkateswara, being in a deep meditative sleep, did not notice Sage Bhrigu. Angered, Sage Bhrigu kicked the chest of the Lord. Goddess Padmavathi, residing in His chest, got angry and left for the netherworld.
The Lord also went to the netherworld searching for the Goddess. With the help of Mother Earth, He traveled through 56 countries looking for her. He worshipped Goddess Padmavathi, who was installed by Sage Agastya in Kolhapur. At that time, a divine voice from the sky instructed Him to go to the banks of the Swarnamukhi River, collect golden flowers, and perform penance to please the Goddess. The Lord reached the banks of Swarnamukhi, dug a pond with a weapon called ‘Kuntalamu’, and instructed Vayu Deva to bring golden flowers from heaven with Indra’s permission. To make the golden lotuses bloom, He installed Lord Suryanarayana as per the instructions of the Vaikhanasa tradition.
Lord Venkateswara ate only milk for 12 years while performing penance and reciting holy mantras. In the 13th year, during the month of Kartika, under the star Uttarashada on a Friday, the atmosphere became divine. Goddess Padmavathi appeared from a thousand-petaled golden lotus, with four hands, eyes like lotuses, and adorned with divine jewelry, clothes, and flowers. Brahma arrived on a swan from Satyaloka, Parvati and Parameswara arrived on a bull from Kailasa, Indra and the eight guardians of the directions, sages like Sanaka, the seven sages, and devotees like Prahlada, along with celestial beings like Yakshas, Garuda, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Kimpurushas, came from the sky. As divine music played, Goddess Padmavathi adorned Lord Srinivasa with a garland of lotus flowers, and He also adorned her with a lotus flower. According to the Bhavishyottara Purana, the Goddess performed penance in 108 divine places for the Lord. Interestingly, the Padma Purana says that Lord Srinivasa performed penance for Goddess Padmavathi in Tiruchanoor.
Panchami Theertham Festival Procedure
Churnabhishekam
On the day of Panchami Theertham, Churnabhishekam is performed in the morning at the Dwaja Arohana Mandapam. Since it is the Goddess’s birthday, she is given a ceremonial bath. The deity is anointed with sesame oil and churnam powder. The goddess is invoked with the recitation of sacred mantras and Sree Suktam. After the ceremonial bath, the deity is taken to the Panchami Theertham Mandapam.
At the Panchami Theertham Mandapam
The deity of Goddess Padmavathi and Sri Sudarsana Chakrathalwar are placed on the platform at Panchami Theertham Mandapam. They perform rituals with nine kalashas (sacred pots). Prayers, offerings, and mantras are conducted. Items such as turmeric, vermilion, sandalwood paste, clothes, divine garlands, jewelry, laddus, vadas, and appams are offered to the Goddess.
The offerings sent from the Tirumala Srivari Temple first reaches to the Sri Kodandarama Temple and Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple in Tirupati. Then they reach the Pasupu Mandapam in Tiruchanoor. Officials of Tiruchanoor welcome them and take them to the pond with a procession accompanied by music.
Sri Rama Stupa
The Sri Rama Stupa is located at the edge of the pond near the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanoor. In the 1970s, Sri Mannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar (Pedda Jeeyar) Swami constructed this stupa. During this time, they conducted 27 days of Ramayana recitation and homam rituals. Afterwards, they placed and enshrined Sri Rama Koti books in the stupa.
Listen to Lakshmi Mantras