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Maha Sivarathri Celebrations at Tirumala Temple
Today in Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple, Maha Siva Rathri is celebrated officially and Puja is done to Lord Siva.
There's a 'KshetraPalaka Sila'(A holy big stone which is believed to be Lord Shiva) near Gogarbham Dam and TTD have consecrated a small Shiva Temple here. Lord Shiva is the Kshetra Palaka of Tirumala Divya Kshetram. Means He is the Protector here and in the daily temple rituals also he has a place as the god os Eesanyam(North-East) direction and the daily bali, Lord Shiva receives the Puja and offerings. Bali is a ritual in which the Astadikpalakas and the adhi devathas of all doors(7), and in the end the big Bali Peetam and Dvajasthambam will receive the Sesham(the remaining rice). This Bali is carried out after every Food Offering i.e. I Bell, II Bell and Night Bell.
You can find this Kshetra Palaka Sila (a part of it in the from of Bali Peetam) to the North East Corner in the Dvajasthambam enclosure). There's a legend behind this Kshetra Pala, Lord Shiva. In the Olden days this big Kshetra Palaka Sila is residing at the Mada Streets North-East corner or Eesaanyam. And it is said to be a live stone. The Archakas after closing the doors of Temple, including the Main Door, while coming to their residence in the North Mada Street, will hit this big rock with the 'Kunche Kola' or the divine Temple Keys, three times and then this rock will start rotating like a ball and wander around four mada streets there by protecting the temple safely that means this big rock of Lord Shiva will never allow any person to enter in to the four mada streets once the doors were closed and Archakas intimate this to this rock by hitting. And when the time for Suprabhatham reaches, again the Archakas come from their residence and hit this rock three times informing the commencement of Suprabhatham, then it rests in Eesanyam. Once while it was rotating (Protecting) around four mada streets killed a man who come that way and the then administers of the Temple, decided to consecrate this fixedly at the Gogarbham Dam, avoiding any mishaps near the temple surroundings. And to continue the usage they have taken a part of that rock and made it in the form of a Bali Peetham and consecrated the same near the north-east corner of the Dvajasthambam enclosure.
Every Year during Maha SivaRathri, After Srivaru is offered with I Bell and II Bell, the temple staff consisting the Archakas, Veda Parayanadars, Staff, with all the temple honors like elephants, Melam, umbrellas, divitees etc., will go to the Gogarbham Dam to the Kshetra Palaka Sila. And there the Archakas will perform sacred Rudrabhishekam with 'Namaka, Chamaka' Mantras and after that Alankaram is performed. Then the food offerings like ChakraPongal, Vada Pappu, Panakam, is offered and Harathi is given. And then the Prasadam is distributed to all the devotees assembled there. This Utsavam can be watched by all the devotees.
It is rather strange for a world renowned Sri Vaishnava Temple to celebrate Maha SivaRathri with all the temple honors officially, but HE is conveying the meaning like 'Sivaya Vishnu roopaya , Vishnu roopaya Sive'.
Jai Srimannaryana !
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