Point Pedro Vallipura Alvar Vishnu Temple annual festival

by Chelvatamby MANICCAVASAGAR

The annual festival of the historical Vallipura Alvar Vishnu temple at Point Pedro will commence with the hoisting of the flag on September 8, and will conclude with chariot festival on September 22 and the water cutting ceremony at the sea on September 23 and Sacred Tank (KERNI) September 24.

There is another historical temple dedicated to Lord Krishna situated at Dondra which is revered by the Buddhists.

Lord Krishna

According to historians 3,000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Sri Krishna had a Divine birth in the Indian city of Madurai.

The scriptures call him "Purna Avatara" , that is the full manifestation of God Lord Krishna was a teacher and lover of mankind. He is most accessible to the pure hearted who have cultivated true love for him.

Friend of the poor

Further, Sri Krishna is the greater Karmayogi of all time. He was the friend of the poor whom he protected from the oppressors. He was the embodiment of humanity.

His immemorial teachings and Karma Yoga, Bhakthi and Gnana have no paralled in the religious literature.

The Bhagavad Purana, the Vishnu Purana and the Mahabharatha proclaim that there was none to match Sri Krishna in beauty, Wisdom and perfection. His enchanting form with flute in one hand is worshipped by millions in India and Sri Lanka.

Sri Krishna was the towering genius of his age. He embodied in himself all the great qualities of the head, heart and hand. Every word of his teachings and every act of life was full of substance and meaning. In the Maha Bharatha Battle he was charioteer to Arjuna and when Arjuna saw his relations, and cousins Duryodanas in the battleground he was reluctant to fight.

At that time, Lord Krishna got rid of his doubts and taught him the immortal teachings of Bhagavad Geetha and enlightened him.

Save mankind

Lord Krishna was considered to be the preserver of the universe. He descended to earth to save mankind and establish Dharma. For this purpose he took 10 Avataras (incarnations), His first incarnation was in the form of "Gold Fish" (Machcha Avataram ), the second was as a tortoise (Kurma) the third as a wild boar (Varaha ), the fourth in the form of a human body and Lion's head (Narasimha ), the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu was Vamana a short statured man, in the six incarnations he was born as Parasurama, in the seventh incarnation he was born as Bala Roman in the eighth incarnation he was born as Rama and in the ninth Avataram he was born as Lord Vishnu and at the end of Kaliyuga he will be incarnated as Kalki to establish "Righteousness" (Dharma) when there is decline in spirituality and morality.

Chariot festival

During the Chariot Festival the statue of Lord Vishnu is decorated and illuminated and taken along the streets in a chariot followed by poojas, Bhajans and Archana.

The chariot carved out of pure silver and laden with gold deities studded with diamonds, rubies, amethysts, that moves slowly from the temple will symbolise peace, communal harmony and prosperity.

The Chariot symbolises the human body and the statue of Lord Vishnu is the soul.

In front of the Chariot are the wooden horses depicted as galloping and the reins attached to their mouths are held in the hands of the image of Lord Vishnu.

These horses represent human passion and the rains symbolise the necessity of guiding these passions.

The journey of the Chariot through the streets symbolises the progress of life. This shows that through out one's life a man must control himself and guide his passions.

These passions are the motive powers, the driving force of life, but unguided will wreck a man's life. This is the symbolic meaning of the Chariot Festival.