Shivaratri at Shree Rameshwar temple

Maha Shivaratri is an annual Hindu festival commemorating the god Shiva. The name also alludes to the night when Shiva performs the divine dance known as Tandava. 

On the day before the new moon in each month of the luni-solar Hindu calendar, there is a Shivaratri, or "night of Shiva." But once a year, this night is referred to as "Maha Shivaratri" or "the Great Night of Shiva" and occurs in late winter or early spring (February or March). 

According to the South Indian Hindu calendar, this day is in the month of Magha. 13th day- Trayodasi of māgha māsa (amānta)  Krishna Paksha. Parane on 14th day- Chaturdasi of Magha masa.

                

It is a significant Hindu festival, and this festival is solemn and commemorates "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, charity, forgiveness, and Shiva's discovery. Dedicated devotees stay awake all night. They call it as "Jagarani", Others go on pilgrimage to Jyotirlingas or to Shiva temples. 

Shree Uma-Rameshwara Temple is situated in Killa Galli of Bilgi. Lot of people call it as Eshwar temple also. It's known place to all the people of Bilgi. Mahashivaratri is celebrated here with lot of devotion.

            

Same rituals celebrated in Rameshwar Temple of Bilgi. The celebration starts on the Shivaratri day that's on Trayodasi of Magha maas.  Prayers and Pooja starts on the early morning of the Shivarati.  Main archaka's of the Rameshwar Temple, Shree Shankaracharya Dixit and Vinod Dixit perform the Yam Poojas , Panchamruta abhisheka and Alankar to Shree Rameshwar.

Lot of volunteers- Yuvaka mandali of Bilgi make sandal paste to put on the Shivalingam of Rameshwar. 

                                

Panchamruta Abhisheka to Shree Rameshwar happens:

After Abhisheka and Rudra chamaka chanting starts: 

After Abhisheka and Rudra chamaka chanting, they put alankara to Shree Rameshwar. 

    

                    

On this whole day,  all do fasting and do jagaran- i.e no sleep on that shivaratri night. They all pray to Rameshwara and sing the songs of lord shiva whole night. They chant Rudra, and do abhisheka in the night too.

Next day, they do the Pooja and naividya to Lord shiva. On this day also they do alankara to Rameshwar before the naivedya. All the people have the lunch with lot of sweets etc at Shree Rameshwar temple.

 

Butti Pooje to Shree Rameshwar:

Shree Madhwanavami

In Bilgi, Shree Raghavendra Swamy Math known as Rayar Matha is a auspicious place. The following are only a handful of the many festivals that are observed in Rayar Math:

    1. Rayar Aradhane.

    2. Purandar Dasar Punya tithi.

    3. MadhwaNavami.

    4. Rayar Pattabhisheka.

    5. Rayar Vardanti Ustav.

    6. Akshay Tritiya.

    7. Ramanavami.

    8. Hanama Jayanti.

    9. Teekarayar(Jayateertharu) Aradhane.

In this blog, I'll describe how Madhvanavami is celebrated in Bilagi Rayar Mutt. 

Dwaita philosophy was created by Shri Madhwacharya, who also spread it through his sishyaas. Because of his extensive understanding of the Vedas, Upanishads, and other sacred texts, he was known as Poornaprajnya and Anandatheertha. According to popular belief, God Vayu took incarnation as Hanuman first, then Bhima and then as Purnaprajnya, the Madhwacharya.

Though Acharya Sri Madhwa is to be revered and worshipped everyday, two specific days are earmarked in Hindu Lunar calendar for his specific worship. They are, Sri Madhwa Jayanthi falling on Vijayadasami- Dasara day that is  his birthday. The other day is Sri Madhva Navami falling on the 9th day (Navami) of Lunar month of Magha Masa during the bright fortnight That is Magha Shudda Navami. It is said that it was on this day in the year 1317 AD, Sri Madhvacharya while teaching his disciples at Udupi Sri Anantheshwara Temple, had suddenly a heap of flowers  showered on him and he disappeared from that heap of flowers not to be seen later.

Many of us- his devotees firmly believe that Sri Madhwacharya is still alive and well today in the Greater Badari region of the Northern Himalayas, where he continues to pursue his study- spirituality with Sage Sri Vedavyasa. So on this day all the people(Dwaita Followers) remember and worship Sri Madhwacharya on this Madhwanavami in their home and in all matha's.

In most of the mutt's and Bilgi mutt, the Madhwanavami starts with Vayustuti Punascharna in the morning followed by Rayara astottar 

Panchamruta abhisheka to Rayar Vrundavana

Then follows the procession where the Sarvamoola Grantha's written by Shree Madhwachrya are brought to mutt from Shree Venkateshwar temple Bilgi

There will be bhajane with Sri dasar padagalu by Mahila Mandali of Bilgi and Pravachana on Shree Madhwacharyaru by Scholars is arranged. People sit and listen about Shree Madhwacharyaru.

Then Pushpa Vrusti to Sarvamoola Granthagalu. 

Naivedya and Maha-mangalarathi to Shree Madhwachryaru, Rayaru happens, then after that there will be lunch to all the people.

The programs for the day are:

08:30 am - Sri Harivayu Stuti Punashcharan

10:30 am – Sarvamula Granth Procession from Venkateswara Temple to Rayara Mutt.

11:30 am- Pravachana on Shree Madhwacharya Life history from scholars

12:30 pm- Bhajane from Bilgi Mahila mandali.

01:00 pm - Tirtha-prasada

Some more photos and videos are as below: