For the sixteenth consecutive year, Lord Venkateswara will be getting new curtains to adorn the thresholds to His sanctum sanctorum at Tirumala, during the forthcoming Brahmotsavams.
Tailor M. Subramanyam is now more famous in the local circles as ‘Paradha Mani’ (meaning ‘Curtain Mani’) for having presented handmade curtains to Tirumala for 15 years, every time depicting novel themes. The strikingly-bright coloured curtains are exquisitely woven with heavy zari embellishment and thread work.
This year, the curtain is themed on ‘Ashta Lakshmi’, the eight forms of Goddess Maha Lakshmi. While an imposing image of Lord Venkateswara stands at the centre, the eight forms — Adilakshmi, Gajalakshmi, Vidyalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi, Dhanyalakshmi, Dhairyalakshmi, Santhanalakshmi, Dhanalakshmi — are depicted four each on either side of the Lord. In the past, Mr. Subramanyam prepared curtains depicting Ananda Nilayam (golden canopy), the Lord’s Moolavirat, His diamond crown, Sri Venkateswara during Netra Darshan, Malayappa Swami (processional deity), Kati Hastham (the Lord’s folded left palm placed on thigh), Annamayya singing in praise of His holy feet, Goda Devi, Kolhapur Mahalakshmi, golden chariot etc.
“As the Brahmotsavam coincides with Navaratri this year, we incorporated the images of Maha Lakshmi in her eight forms,” says Mani, who, as is the practice, carried the set of three curtains to Tirumala by foot on Sunday. The three are to be adorned to the first three thresholds in the temple, viz., Kulasekhara Padi, Ramulavari Meda and Bangaru Vakili.
He presents similar sets to the TTD on four annual occasions such as Brahmotsavam in September, Vaikuntha Ekadasi in Dec/Jan, Ugadi in March and Anivara Asthanam in Jun/July. The curtains will be adorned to the thresholds on Tuesday morning after the purification ritual ‘Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam’, which is mandatory ahead of all the four special occasions.
Meanwhile, TTD trust board member G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, who visited the tailor while the work was at its finishing stage, called it a ‘divine blessing for Mr. Mani to render the service for so many years without a break’.
