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Thiruvaiyaru Sapthasthanam Festival 2025 Date

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Sapthasthanam festival is held every year at Thiruvaiyar in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April - May). Sapthasthanam Festival that takes place in Chithirai when Nandikeswarar, on a horse Vahana, along with his wife Swayambirakaasai, on a palanquin go on a seven temple procession around Thiruvaiyaru along with Aiyarappar and Aram Valartha Nayaki. Thiruvaiyaru Sapthasthanam festival 2025 date is May 3.

The festival is held on the Punarpoosam nakshatra day in Chithirai Masam.

The festival begins from the Pancha Natheeswarar temple (Thiruvaiyaru Aiyarappar Temple).

On this day, Lord Panchanadeeswarar starts on a procession with his consort Goddess Parvati. Shiva ganas like Nandi and Bhringi, devotees and others visit six pilgrim centers around Thiruvaiyaru.

These holy places are Thirupazhanam, known as Kaushika Ashrama, Tiruccorruturai (Gautama Ashrama), Thiruvedhikudi (Vyasa Ashram), Thirukandiyur, Tirupuntturutti and Tiruneittanam.

At these centers, Lord Panchanadeeswarar  is received by the local deities like Apatasahayeshwara, Odavaneshwara, Vedanayakeshwara, Virateshwara, Pusphavaneshwara and Ghrtasthaneshwara.

The Lord returns to Thiruvaiyaru  at the conclusion of the tour. These places along with Thiruvaiyaru  are called sapthasthanams.

Thousands of devotees join the procession and march, singing devotional songs and visiting all the seven shrines.

They are welcomed at each of the temples with flowers, ghee, sacred food accompanied with the Vedic Chants and joined by the respective Lords and Ambal at Thirupazhanam, Thiruchotruthurai, Thiru Vethikudi, Thiru Kandiyur, Thiru Bhoonthuruththi and Thiru Neithaanam. It is quite a sight to see the deities go around and finally congregate at Pancha Natheeswarar temple in Thiruvaiyaru on the Vishaka nakshatra day in Chithirai.

According to tradition, great music composers like Tyagaraja and Muttuswami Dikshitar used to accompany the sapthasthanam procession, singing their compositions along with their disciples.

In recent years, the well known composer papanasham Shiva accompanied this procession for many years, singing devotional songs.

Bibliography
History of Srivaishnavism (1923) T A Gopinath Madra University Chennai
Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume IX page 256 - IHRF

Additional Information On The Festival:

  • Festival Deity Procession:

    • The festival deity of the Aiyarappar temple in Thiruvaiyaru is carried in a decorated glass palanquin. 
    • The palanquin carrying Sri Panchanadheewarar, Nandhikeswarar, and Suyasayambikai is also decorated with vetiver (cuscus grass root). 
    • Along with Aiyarappar, the images of Nandikeswara and Suyasayambikai are also transported in palanquins.

  • Route of the Palanquin Procession:

    • The glass palanquin with the deities travels to several temples in surrounding villages:
      • Thirupazhanam
      • Thiruchottruthurai
      • Thiruvedhikudi
      • Thirukandiyur
      • Thirupoonthurthi
    • The palanquin is taken to Thillaisthanam, which is the final destination of the procession.

  • Seven Palanquins and Their Role:

    • Seven glass palanquins are used to carry the principal deities from the respective temples along with Aiyarappar.
    • As the procession moves through the villages, the deities of the respective temples mounted in glass palanquins accompany Aiyarappar on the way to Thillaisthanam.

  • Poochorithal (Flower Festival):

    • Devotees perform a special ritual called Poochorithal (flower festival), where a doll offers flowers to the principal deities in the palanquins.
    • This ritual is an important part of the festivities before the deities continue their journey.

  • Return Procession:

    • After the Poochorithal ritual, the palanquins leave for their respective temples.

  • Grand Fireworks Display:

    • A spectacular display of fireworks takes place at the Cauvery riverbed near the Thillaisthanam temple.

  • Final Procession:

    • The idol of Thillaisthanam temple, mounted in a palanquin, joins the procession of Sri Panchanadheeswarar heading to Thiruvaiyaru Aiyarappar Temple
    • After this, the other six idols are taken back to their respective temples, marking the conclusion of the Sapthasthanam festival.

This festival is a significant event involving the display of devotion, community participation, and cultural rituals, with the seven palanquins representing the unity and significance of the connected temples.