Around 15 Vedic pundits have begun a 44-day Veda Parayanam referred to as “Krithigai Mandala Parayanam” starting last Wednesday (Karthigai 1) at Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple.
Sitting near the Bairavar Sannidhi at the temple, these Vedic scholars will recite the Krishna Yajur Veda that comprises 44 prashnams for an hour every evening till the 14th day of Margazhi.
Leader of the group, 53 year old Ramakrishna Ganapadigal ( featured in the photo here) told Mylapore Times on Tuesday evening that presenting the Veda Parayanam in a big group in Karthigai has been a practice at the Kapali Temple for at least the last 50years. “When I was a young boy, I have seen a group of 40 Vedic scholars presenting the parayanam every day sitting around the Swami sannidhi through the entire month of Karthigai.”
One entire section of the Vedas can be completed in one mandalam of 44 days by reciting each day for one hour. Hence, it has been a historical practice to recite every evening for one hour.
On Tuesday evening, devotees were seen standing near the Bairavar sannidhi and listening to the recital. Many of them presented sambhavanai to each of the Vedic pundits.
- Report by S. Prabhu
