The Temple Announcement
Aruḷappāḍu (Tamil: aruḷ = grace/command + appāḍu = to call/announce; 'the gracious call') is the formal, melodic public announcement made inside major Śrī Vaiṣṇava temples during worship and festivals. An oduvar (temple singer) or designated official makes this announcement — calling specific hereditary servant-lineages (paricārakas) forward by name to receive their prescribed honors (maryādai) during the deity's procession or worship service.
The Maryādai System
In major Divya Deśam temples like Śrī Raṅgam, each act of worship — every offering, every service — is assigned to a specific hereditary family whose maryādai (honor/privilege) it is to perform that service. The aruḷappāḍu announces these honors in sequence: 'The honor of carrying the Śaṅkha belongs to such-and-such family; let them step forward.' This is both a liturgical command and a recognition of each family's sacred inheritance.
Sound as Grace
The word aruḷ (grace) in the term is significant — the announcement is itself an act of divine grace being channeled through the human voice, summoning the devotee into the Lord's direct service. The aruḷappāḍu is not merely logistical announcement but a divine calling.