What is Nirmalya Darsanam and Vaka chathu in Guruvayur?

What is  Nirmalya Darsanam  and Vaka chathu  in Guruvayur?

Translated from Malayalam by

P.R.Ramachander

Normally   we take “NIrmalya  Darsanam”,

AS  that   which remove  sins(dirts)  in our mind,

And some how   every one   thinks  it is seeing God ,

Without his  garland  or decorations.

But as soon  as the doors   are  opened  ,

What we see  is the God  decorated ,

With all  the previous   day decorations ,

And this is not NIrmalya darsanam.

This  darsanam   should be done   with  chanting,

Of Vedic Sukthas  and the  devotees  ,

Should put   the flowers  in their hand,

Towards the steps  of the sanctum.

Then the priest   wakes up the lord ,

And removes   the dress  sandal  paste  ,

And flowers   from the lord   and what we see,

Is the bare  statue of God  without decorations  and this  is Nirmalyam

Since devotees  believe   that  by seeing  the God,

Glistening without  any decorations  is more  beneficial,

They think  Nirmalya darsanam   grants  ,

More   blessing   than any  other darsanam.

Then the God   is given a   bath  and,

Gingelly  oil  is applied  on the lord,

And powder called Vaka   is put  on the statue,

So that    oil can be removed-This is called  Vaka Charthu,

Normally the powder of dried  leaves  ,

Of the Nenmeni vaka  (siris   tree ) is used ,

To remove   the oil   applied  to the God,

And the  God appears  very pretty  with sprinkled Vaka

Then the  Vaka   as well oil is removed from  the body,

And the God is dried  and he is   dressed  up,

For all of us   to see  after in various,

Forms mainly using flowers   and sandal-Chandana Charthu