Presenting
Araiyar Sevai for seven decades
His most
memorable moment was when he presented Araiyar Sevai in the Himalayas in 1978
at 330am in shivering cold at Badrinath Divya Desam
Araiyar Sevai of Thirumangai Azhvaar's ‘Akkum Puliyum’ and NamAzhvaar’s
‘Enganeyo’ has been a regular during Kaisika Ekadesi at ThiruKurungudi while Thirumangai Azhvaar's ‘Thooviriya
Malar Uzhakki’ and Thiru Nedunthaandagam are his personal favourites at Srivilliputhur during Adhyayana Utsavam
one Araiyar is not ready to give up. 83year old Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami of Srivilliputhur is now into his 8th decade of selfless service to the Lord and still performs Araiyar Sevai with the same devotion with which he had started way back in 1943 when he was just 13years old.
The origins of Araiyar Sevai
Along with his nephews, Keezhaiyagath Azhvaar
and Melaiyagath Azhvaar, Nathamuni presented the Naalayira Divya Prabandham that
was until then only in a text form through a visual song and dance enactment creating
special Raagams and Thaalams for the paasurams.
His early days
Born in Srivilliputhur
on the Pooram day in Puratasi in 1930, Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami, a
descendent of Melaiyagath Azhvaar, was initiated into this special art of
presenting the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham by his father Araiyar Vadabadrasayee
at the young age of seven.
His
learning process over a long 18year period of mastering the art form included
singing the paasuram in a special tune with the relevant raagam, practising the
Abhinaya and presenting the Vyakyanam every morning at 4am and again in the
evening at 9pm. The entire process involved not just acquiring knowledge of the
4000 divine songs of the Azhvaars but also the monumental task of capturing the
meaning of each of these Paasurams and then reaching out the essence of these
verses to the audience. The Vyakyanam for the Thiru Pallandu verses alone run
into 70 long pages!!
Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami has fond memories of his Arangetram in 1943 “I really
felt honoured to be led by a music band with ‘melam and thaalam’ and the
temple elephant with an umbrella atop me and a sacred samaram (to fan me)
around the streets of Srivilliputhur and then into the Andal Sannidhi, Vadabadrasayee Sannidhi and the Peri Azhvaar Sannidhi. I was presented with the ‘Kreedam,
Parivattam and Peetambaram’. It was a divine moment for me.”
In the
same year, he presented his first ever Araiyar Sevai in front of Thirukurungudi
Nambi, his Kula Deivam Lord, performing the abhinaya of Thirumangai Azhvaar’s
Periya Thirumozhi verse ‘Akkum Puliyum’ and NamAzhvaar’s Thiruvoimozhi paasuram
‘Enganeyo’. Since then, for decades, he has been presenting these two verses at
the Thirukurungudi Divya Desam on the occasion of Kaisika Ekadesi.
Enactment of
legendary stories through Araiyar Sevai
He has had the
unique honour of being invited to present Araiyar Sevai in over 30Divya Desams
across Tamil Nadu including at Sarangapani Koil, Nachiyar Koil, Thiru Cherai,
Azhagar Koil and Thiru Nagai and also at ancient temples such as Mannargudi and Srimushnam. He particularly remembers his first such
presentation at the Parthasarathy Koil in Thiruvallikeni exactly fifty years
ago in 1963 in front of a big audience.
Cherishing
those special moments, Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami says, ‘It was a
privilege to travel to these to renowned Divya Desams and present Araiyar Sevai
for hours together. Devotees used to gather in thousands and would witness in
pin drop silence the presentation that would sometimes go late into the night.’
All
through this 70year period beginning 1943, he has continued to present Araiyar
Sevai at his home Divya Desam of Srivilliputhur on all festive occasions such
as Aadi Pooram, Panguni Uthiram and the 20day Adhyayana Utsavam.
Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami has taken many a devotee back in time with his
presentation of legendary tales such as Goddess Andal growing into a beautiful young
girl, Lord Vishnu demolishing the evil forces - Kamsa and Hiranya, Lord Naryana
securing the nectar and handing back to the Devas and Lord Raama’s victory over
the Lankan king Ravana, each of which form a part of the divine songs of the
Azhvaars.
Araiyar Sevai in the Himalayas
The most
memorable experience of his life was his trip in 1978 to the Himalayas, where
he presented Araiyar Sevai in shivering cold in front of Lord Badri Narayanan
at the Badrinath Divya Desam. His eyes light up as he recounts that trip “I was
sitting outside my house in Srivilliputhur when an astrologer passed that way.
I told him I wanted to go North. He suggested that I leave for my trip that same
day. I left immediately for Madras and from there I went to Hyderabad and met
Sriman Narayana Jeer. From Secunderabad, I went to Badrinath and stayed in the
Himalayas for 9days.”
As
joyful tears roll down his eyes, he continues to narrate that performance “It
was God’s grace that I was able to present Araiyar Sevai at 330am in the
morning in front of the Lord. Almost everyone was shivering as it was
unbearably cold. But I was out there without a shirt presenting the Araiyar
Sevai. My entire thought that morning centred on Badri Narayana Perumal and I
was unmindful of the temperature that must have been in several degrees minus.”
Stunned
at this wonderful Araiyar Sevai performance and his devotion to the Divya Desam
Lord, Sriman Narayana Jeer honoured him with the title of ‘Bhagavad Vishaya
Vidwan’.
Two Favourites
His two
favourite presentations which he savours to this day are Thirumangai Azhvaar’s ‘Thooviriya
Malar Uzhakki’ Periya Thirumozhi verse praising the Lord of Thiruvali Divya
Desam presented in Deva Mugari Ragam and the Thiru Nedunthaandagam verses –
both during the Pagal Pathu Utsavam in Margazhi.
Seen here with his son Bala Mukundan Araiyar and grandson Nathamuni Araiyar
Araiyar Srinivasa Ranga Chariyar Swami can be contacted on 94438 67345
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