As the day for ‘Koil Alwar Thirumanjanam’ at the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara is nearing, M. Subramanyam alias Mani, a tailor from the temple town, is growing excited. The ritual is performed every year ahead of the annual Brahmotsavams to ‘cleanse’ the sanctum sanctorum in which a rich mixture of aromatic substances is smeared on the inner walls of the shrine. Though Mr. Mani has nothing to do with these priestly affairs, he has an important role to play, though indirectly.
After the ritual, the temple portals—Dwarapalaka, Ramulavari Meda and Kulasekhara Padi points, the last being the closest to the deity—are adorned with glittering ‘Pardas’ (curtain or veil), and Mr. Mani is the one who has been stitching the veils for the last decade.
Apart from this occasion, these entrance arches are adorned with the veils prepared by Mr. Mani and team on three occasions annually such Ugadi (in March/April), Anivara Asthanam that marks the closure of Lord’s accounting year (in June-July) and Vaikunta Ekadasi (in December/January). Every time, Mr. Mani carries the curtains and treks to the hill shrine to hand them over to the temple authorities.
This year, he has prepared three curtains in eye-catching purple, deep blue and dark green colours. With aesthetic colour combination, use of laces and glittering ‘chamkis’, the veils depicting mythological themes has brought laurels to the tailor from one and all. “This time, I have used the image of the Lord riding his carrier Garuda, Ananda Nilaya Vimanam, the golden canopy over the sanctum sanctorum, Kolhapur Maha Lakshmi and Goddess Padmavathi, the Lord’s two consorts on the veils,” he says, visibly proud of his service to the Lord.
This year, one of the curtains depicts an image of Lord Venkateswara, with his lieutenants Garuda and Anjaneya offering obeisance. At the top of the curtain sits Goddess Lakshmi, flanked by two elephants offering her garlands.
