THE PURUSHAMRIGA AS A VEHICLE
Utsavas or processional festivals are celebrated by Hindu
temples in southern India at least once in a year. Depending on the doctrine
and tradition of the temple, as preserved and explained by agama or doctrine
and the sthalapurana or temple Mythology, the festival can take between one
day to several weeks. The festival commences with the hoisting of the banner
of the presiding deity. Every day the murti of the deity is taken in
procession around the main streets of the town seated on another vehicle or
vahana. This is done according to a specific order, and reflects
cosmological, philosophical principles, as well as yoga and Mythology. Each
temple has its own order and regulations. But depending on the deity to
which the temple belongs there are certain principles and patterns that are
the same or very similar for all temples.
For instance for Lord Shiva the most common vahanas or
vehicles are the Sun and the Moon, the Bull, the Elephant, and Mount
Kailasha. The Goddess is seated on the lion or the swan. Lord Visnu is
seated on Garuda or Shesha, the Cosmic Cobra. On the penultimate day the
deity will be placed on the great temple chariot for the procession. This is
always the most important day of the festival.
I have so far found six Shiva temples where the
processional deity is seated on the purushamriga on one of the festival
days.
Tiruvannamalai, Shri Arunachala, 9th day.
Kanchipuram,
Shri Ekambara Natha, 12th day.
Chennai, Shri Kapalishvara, 6th day.
Tirumangalakudi, Shri Prananateshvarar.
Tirunallar, Darbaranyeshvarar
Bangalore (Ulsoor), Someshvara temple
These purushamriga are all of the half lion, half human
type. They are depicted as lions from the waist down, and as rishis or
seers, with moustaches, long beards, matted hair knotted on top of their
head from the waist up. Sometimes they wear a crown. The purushamriga vahana
of the Arunachallar temple holds a bell and a ritual lamp. They are somewhat
larger than life-size and make an impressive sight when the deity is mounted
on them for the procession.
