Instructions to Visitors of a Temple

[Ganesh Warrier]

Instructions to Visitors of a Temple

1. Visiting a temple must be with devoted mind, clean body and clean dresses.

2. Avoid disturbance to other devotees by chanting and praying in utmost low sound.

3. Talk temple related matters only inside the temple.

4. Always give way to Temple Poojaris and Thanthri.

5. Ladies on the left and gents on the right sides of the deity is the rule while worshipping, without crossing the central thread line from the deity.

6. 10 days after the death and birth of relatives and 7 days after menstrual periods for ladies are forbidden for temple visit.

7. If unknowingly touched the balikkallu by foot while going round, pray to forgive mentally but touch not by hand because touching by hand also is forbidden.

8. Receive the thirtha by right hand, supported by left hand and sip a drop of it and sprinkle the rest over your head. This is to purify the mind and body.

9. Always keep left while going round in the temple leaving the balikkals on the right side.

10. Going round the temple must be done along with chanting prayers of the concerned deity step by step without moving hands.

11. The numbers for going round the deities are : One for Ganapathi, Two for Surya, Three for Siva and Four for Vishnu and Devi, Five for Sastha, Six for Subrahmanian and Seven for Peepal Tree.

12. Bow down in front of Ganapathi is important. It is done for attaining special desires. For this purpose stand on the left leg and touch the floor by the toe of the right leg near the left side of the right leg and hold the left ear by the middle and index fingers of the right hand and hold the right ear by the middle and index fingers of the left hand and bow down to touch the floor by the elbow. Repeat it for 12 times for best results.

13. Going round in the temple in the morning is for curing diseases, mid-day for fulfilling desires, evening for washing sins, mid-night for Moksha.

HOW TO ENTER IN SIVA TEMPLE

Touch the doorstep of the towergate by hand with worship and enter from the east. Coming to the flagpost worship the eight dikpals seated at the foot of the post, anantha beneath the post, and Brahma atop of the post. After completing the rounding enter the temple through the southern side of the flag post and big balikkal and worship the homakunda, then enter through eastern door and prostrate before Siva by the left side, touch and worship the Nandikeswara on his rear side . Then go round keeping the balikkals on the right side coming to the south door of the Sreekoil worship the Ganapathi and Dakshinamoorthy seated in meditating posture and chinmudra there and move to worship the Sastha and Ganapathi, Parvathi, Subrahmanian and Chamundeswari, all by keeping left and reach the somasoothra (drain from the sreekoil) to worship the Thazhikakudam, and unnibhootham beneath the thirtha outlet and return without crossing the drain and keeping the balikkals on your right side, keeping left by the sreekoil up to the drain in and worship the sun and return keeping left through the side of the well. Coming to the front of the deity worship and go by back and go round the big balikkal and go to the homa pura and go round the temple keeping balikkals and temple on the right side. Worship Parvathi at the western door and move similarly to worship the Nagaraja and Brahmarakshas and go to the Peepal Tree. Go round it for seven times by chanting the manthra:

Moolatho Brahma roopaya
Madhyatho Vishnu roopine
Agrathah sivaroopaya
Vriksha rajaya they namah.

Completing the pradakshina go home mentally chanting the Lords names.