On the way to SriKalahasti - The Temple dedicated to Raagu-Kethu Parihara

The main intention and motivation to write this post is not to be personal instead to make awareness about the procedure for Raagu-kethu Pooja at SriKalahasti.

SriKalahasti temple is located 36 km away from Tirupathi in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradhesh, India. The inner temple is constructed around 5th century and the outer temple was constructed in the 12th Century.

I’m also the one as like you who had suffered with a damn prediction by the astrologer and the sequence of bad action lead me to explore the new world consists of signs and omens. Anyway I’m glad that I was exposed to feel the God internally in much better manner.

It is ideal and myth to halt in any divine place for at least one day to inhale the atmosphere of self belief in the form of God. We started from Chennai around 3:00 PM and travelled more than 3 hours to reach SriKalahasti. Once you reached Kalahasthi, I’m damn sure you will be confused by the dozens of people staring their own way of story and procedure to proceed. An auto rickshaw driver will develop a big story whereas Teishu(The person who prepares tea for business) will showcase an interesting thriller story. By the way, we are impressed with the auto rickshaw kaarar and preceded with him.

SriKalahasti is not only a historical devotional place but also a place of lodges. Every auto rickshaw driver has connection with some lodges. Be careful in selecting the lodge as per your budget. The rent is varying from 200 to 1500 INR. We checked in to Rs.500 rent single cot room with Television set. But we may get the same type of room even for 200 to 300 in other lodges. Best suggestion is to check the rent price with other lodges and try to negotiate with them.

The main cause to check in Sudha Residency is the story we are informed with. The story begins as they will explain all the procedures in sevas and poojas in temple and just replicate the verbatim of the notice board.  They may amaze you by saying they will arrange a guide who is directly from the temple and will get all the poojas material for Raagu-kethu and will lead us to the mandapam without waiting and wasting time in the queue, and the best part is these services is provided with free of cost. The family who is coming for the first time may easily fall for this type of offer but the fact is these can be achieved by own and it’s a normal procedure.

Next day, early morning. The room boy will try to become dressers and will try to sell the dhotis, He even say that dhotis is mandatory to be worned for poojas otherwise you won’t be allowed. It’s completely false. Don’t waste money and don’t believe his words.

Then comes a guide to show the way to the temple, I mean only the way- one left and one right, here the temple comes. He will bring it to the shop nearby the entrance of the temple and will try to sell three lamps each costs Rs.40 and flowers and some specific special flowers for Lord Siva. All together he will produce a bill of Rs.200 and will say even these are supposed to brought for a Pooja. Since we are going for a first time, not sure with the procedure and brought it. The guide brought us to the nearby neem tree and showed us Lord Vinayaga, Lord Raagu and Lord Kethu. We lighted the lamps there and moved towards to queue. After 2 minutes, our lamps were wiped out from the place by the house keeping peoples and came to know that these are not mandatory for Pooja.

Kethu

The guide shows the queue and his job was finished, asked for Rs.60 for his valuable service. Thank god we didn’t have a change on that time. The Coupon for doing Raagu-Kethu Pooja costs around Rs.300.

The Bag consists of

1. The sculpted idol of Raagu and Kethu made up by Silver. Five headed Snake represents Raagu and single headed snake represents Kethu.
2. Two cloths, one is in red color and another in black color.
3. Two cereals bag, one is in red colored cereals and another black colored cereals.
4. Two lemons.
5. Three fresh coconuts.
6. A bag of kunkumam and Turmeric powder.

All the above was consolidated into one big bag and selling for Rs.300. One bag can be shared by husband and wife, and for others, individual coupon is must.

Raagu

Adjacent to the counter, there comes the business magnets’ sitting in an order, trying to sell the flowers even blackmailing. Even if you say we brought enough flowers from outside, they would blackmail you that you will be sent back from the pooja to bring these flowers. Here we felt fear and just moved up with the procedure. Anyway this is our first time experience and there is no harm in learning. Each cost Rs. 40 and at the round we spent Rs.120 here. Then we entered into the mandapam allocated for this Pooja.

They will start the Pooja only if the mandapam gets filled up. At last, there comes the instructor to spell the divine word on behalf of us and starts the Pooja.

Here one man will appear all of the sudden and help us in arranging our elements in front of us. Be carefull he is not doing this for social service. He will ask for money for this.

Here goes the instruction how should we get prepared for this Pooja.

1. Take the black and red cloth from the bag and fold it into four layers.
2. Place the black cloth towards the God’s side. You will be sitting in a two lane way and respectively place the black cloth.
3. Cereals should be unpacked and spread the black and red cereals in black and red cloth respectively.
4. Place the Raagu and Kethu statue in Black and Red cloth respectively
5. Five headed Snake = Raagu in Black cloth
6. Single headed Snake = Kethu in Red Cloth
7. Separate the lotus and other flowers in to pieces in order to place each one during each mantra.
8. Then get the bag of kunkumam and Turmeric powder and mix it together.
9. Then get the coconut broken and place it in a way it facing towards the idols.
10. The instructor will ask for Rs.31 (Minimum) or above (our wish) to place it in the middle of Raagu-Kethu.  Then they will come and collect it.
11. Then follow the instruction of the instructor, it’s so simple.

With prayers:The former Samajwadi Party general secretary, Amar Singh, and Rajya Sabha member Jayaprada perform Rahu-Kethu pooja at the Srikalahasti temple near Tirupati, on the launch of their political party, the Rashtriya Lok Manch. Source - The Hindu

At last you will complete the Pooja and ask us to collect the two idols. These idols should be put into Hundiyal after the screening of Lord Shiva.

The best part of SriKalahasti is Lord Shiva is made up of Sarvam in Sanskrit and Tamil (Snakes). Hence it’s a traditional place for worshiping the stars in the universe.

I thought this post will be helpful for the person who is going for the first time to SriKalahasti and keeps them handy in performing the Pooja which leads to avoid unnecessary costs.

Hope you got a clear view of the procedure and enjoy your trip to SriKalahasti.

Lord Shiva blesses us all!!!