Blanket worship

Dr.R.Nagaswamy

A special worship conducted in Siva temples of Tamilnad in the month of M¡gha (Feb-March) goes by the name Ghrita-kambala (Ghee-Blanket). The worship is offered on the day when the star makha joins the moon. Ghee prepared with cow's milk is mixed with sandal paste, agaru, karpura and turmeric powders, rolled into a ball and kept in a golden bowl covered with a lid. A new blanket without hairs etc is also kept ready. These are placed in a specially prepared spread of grains over which this bowl with fragrant paste is placed. Special invocations like the Panca-brahman and shad-angas are made.

A special sacrificial homa in the fire is performed 108 times, with the twigs of pal¡sa tree, samit, ghee, sesame seeds, and corn-flakes. Then a special sacrificial bath is given to the deity. The bronze image of the temple is taken out in procession around the temple. The specially prepared paste of ghee kept in the golden bowl is now applied to the Linga and all its p¢¶ha which should cover all the Linga and its pedestal. The Linga and the p¢¶ha should be covered with the blanket. Special food should be offered . The blanket is removed, and the ghee-paste wiped out. either on the evening of the same day or the next morning. The Linga and the deity are given ritual bathing and worship continued as usual.

This Ghrita-kambala worship is detailed in the Kamika-agama, second part (uttara-bh¡ga) under the heading " the ghrita kambala pooja in the month of m¡gha. ( Kamika-agama-uttara bhaga, Ed. C.Swaminatha sivacarya, South Indian Arcaka Association, Madras, 1988, p.44).

The festival makha in the month of M¡gha is a very ancient one referred to by the Saiva saint Thiru-Jnana-sambandar in his Tev¡ram hymns of Mylapore (Madras). Thiru-jnana-sambandar lived around 650 CE) He calls it Masi-ka·al¡¶¶u i.e. Oceanic bath in the month of Masi. The bronze image is taken to the shores of nearby ocean and the festival conducted. There are six festivals conducted for Lord Nataraja of Chidambaram annually, among which one is in the month of Masi when the star is makha Tamilnad never experience cold climate that calls for a woolen blanket. The festival in which the blanket plays an important part is obviously connected with cold winters as in Northern India.. However the festival was conducted from the 7^th cent in Tamilnad would show the integration of Northern tradition with the South. The question is what is the symbolic meaning of this blanket festival? That requires further study.