For Centuries, every year, during Puratasi month and set of 10 Umbrella start from our ancestral house (Suncoovari’s House), newly prepared and brought by trustees of Tirupati Umbrella Charities perform puja to Lord Sree Venkateswara and to the Umbrella with all serenity and holiness and then taken in procession. Governor of Madras, Ministers and High Court Judges presided over the inaugural function, and led the procession for some distance.
These ten Umbrellas, fine pieces of art, are massive. The handle is made of teak wood and collapsible parts of cane. The wooden and silk-lace work is done in Chennai and the cane work at Kanchipuram. Brocade silk is used for Umbrella cover. These are done traditionally, each work is entrusted to a particular family, which they do as their hereditary right.
Two of the Umbrellas are offered to Sri Padmavathi Ammavaru (The Consort of Lord Venkateswara) at Tiruchanoor. On arrival at Tirumalai, these Umbrellas are received by the Temple authorities with Temple Honour and these are taken in a procession along the four streets around the Temple and hoist these Umbrella to Lord Sree Venkateswara on Garudotsavam and then the procession start.
The successor of Seelam family is conducting the same with regard and devotion. Till now our family (Suncoovar) is being honoured by them at the beginning of puja.
By Suncoo Brothers
(S.Gnanasekar, S.Ravindra & S.V. Srinivasulu)
