The Historical Manjal Kuli Utsavam of Srirangam is played out every year in Thai at Thiru Nangur Divya Desam
The Thai Amavasya festival expanded to a three day festival in the late 19th Century to include the congregation of the 11 Lords of Thiru Nangur at Thiru Narayana Perumal temple and the presentation of Garuda Sevai
On
the final weekend of January, several thousands of devotees were taken back in
time to the days of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as the otherwise quiet town of Thiru
Nangur that is home to 11 Divya Desams, near Sirkazhi, reverberated with chants
of Divya Prabhandham on the occasion of the three day annual utsavam in Thai.
The entire street leading to the Narayana Perumal temple was lined up with
stalls. There was some play stuff in the corner of the street for the children.
There was even a ‘Patti Mandram’ organized in the evening on Sunday (Jan 29)
near the temple tank, one that reminded the devotees of the famous debate
between Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Thiru Gnana Sambanthar in Sirkazhi.
On completion of
the Adyayana Utsavam in Srirangam, there was a celebration on the banks of the Cauvery
with the Lord being anointed with a special Manjal Kuli utsavam. In recognition
of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s contribution to the temple and after having listened
to his devotional presentation of Thiru Nedunthandagam, Lord Ranganathaswamy of
Srirangam felt that he should present a gift to take care of his throat and
decided to bless him with the anointment of the sacred Turmeric that was so
special to the Lord. He suggested to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar that he celebrate
this Manjal Kuli Utsavam in his home town so the devotees too could enjoy the
occasion.
As a reminder of
this ancient event, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar makes a trip to the banks of the
Cauvery in Thiru Nangur for the ‘Manjal Kuli’ utsavam on the Amavasya day in
Thai. On the occasion, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is presented with a
Choornabhishekam and honoured with a beautiful flower garland and a Parivattam
from the Lords of Srirangam and Nachiyar Koil (where he was initiated with the
Pancha Samaskaram).
The 11 Garuda Sevai
Utsavam at Thiru Nangur was introduced as an event in the later part of the 19th
century similar to the grand festival recognizing NamAzhvaar in Nava Tirupathi.
Thus the historical annual ‘Thai Amavasya’ festival expanded into a large and
the now popular 11 Garuda Seva festival over the last 120 years.
Consistently
across all the verses of praise on temples in and around Thiru Nangur, Thiru
Mangai Azhvaar records the presence of learned and knowledgeable vedic seers
living in large numbers. These seers were tolerant and generous in their
conduct and outlook and everyone there were seen as having a helpful tendency
towards the other.
உண்மை மிகு மறையொடு நல் கலைகள்
நிறை பொறைகள் உதவு கொடை என்று
இவற்றின் ஒழிவு இல்லாப் பெரிய வண்மை மிகு மறையவர்கள்
மலிவு எய்து நாங்கூர்
வைகுண்ட விண்ணகரம் வணங்கு மட நெஞ்சே
Warmth of the
Nangur residents
This
scenario dating back over a 1000 years was seen in its full vibrancy with
Prabhandham experts from across the state turning up to chant Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s
Periya Thirumozhi verses on the Lords of Thiru Nangur. The residents of Thiru
Nangur in line with the ‘helpful attitude’ spoken about in Azhvaar’s verses extended
a warm welcome to thousands of devotees who had even come in from Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh playing the role of true hosts over that final January weekend
including serving them varied delicacies through the day and night.
Thiru
Mangai Azhvaar is the only Azhvaar who visited Divya Desams across the country and
sung praise describing the features of the Lord and the scenario that existed
in and around the temple during his times. In the Periya Thirumozhi, he has
dedicated an exclusive decad for each of the 11 Lords of Thiru Nangur and three
decads for Thiruvali/Thirunagari.
Thiru Kuraiyalur
and Thiru Mangai Madam
Thiru
Mangai Azhvaar began this year’s trip on Friday night just after mid night
making his way first to his birth place in Thiru Kuraiyalur where his praise on ‘Singavel Kundram’ (Ahobilam
Narasimha) was presented at 3.30am. This historical place is now a remote
hamlet with very minimal facilities.
Thiru Mangai Mannan had ruled from this
region but today the main road leading to the Ugra Narasimha temple is without even
a light in the night. The Utsava deities of Lord Narasimha and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar
went missing from the temple a few years ago and have still not been found.
Once a year, this temple wears a festive look on the arrival of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar
from Thirunagari for the annual trip on the occasion of Thai Amavasya.
A
couple of hours later, he was off South East to Thiru Mangai Madam and to the
Veera Narasimha temple, the second among the Pancha Narasimha temples in this
region.
It was at Thiru Mangai Madam that Thiru Mangai Mannan presented food to
1008 Vaishnavites every day for a year as directed by his beloved Kumudavalli.
At this place is now a beautiful temple dedicated to Veera Narasimha Perumal.
One also finds a handsome idol of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar seen with Kumudavalli
Nachiyar.
Given
its remote location, this temple had earlier been in a dilapidated state at the
end of the previous century. About 15 years ago, this temple, with big walls on
all four sides, a Raja Gopuram and a big Nandavanam, was completely renovated
and today Lord Veera Narasimha sports a majestic princely look with a
transformation that has been largely credited to the devoted service of the
young Balaji Bhattar. It is a remote temple but is now buzzing with devotees from across the state willing to contribute in large measure to the Utsavams and to the development of the temple. Balaji Bhattar's initiatives at Mangai Madam is also a testimony to the fact that enthusiastic, sincere and devote Bhattars can actually create a vibrant atmosphere at the temple.
After
a trip to Mani Mada Koil, Van Purushottaman, Vaikunta Vinnagaram, Sempon Sei
Koil, Thiru Thetriyambalam and Arimeya Vinnagaram temples, he rested at the Mani
Mada Koil for a few hours ahead of another long festive day. In each of these
temples, the respective decad of praise from the Periya Thirumozhi was presented
before the Lord.
Congregation of the
11 Lords - Mangalasasanam
By
Sunday afternoon, the crowd swelled in even larger numbers and gathered in
front of the Mani Mada Koil where the 11 Utsava deities congregated having made
their way through the day from their respective abodes. Each of the Lords decked
with glittering necklaces was seen in a grand alankaram. Sincere devotees stood
in front of them admiring the handsome features of the Lord that seemed to
remind them of the description in Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s verses well over a
1000years ago.
Starting
at 3pm, for over three hours, each of the 11 Lords positioned themselves one
after another in front of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and listened to a verse of
praise from the Periya Thirumozhi that was so devotionally rendered by a large
group of Prabhandham experts.
Choice of the Best
Decorated Lord
Following
a quick Thirumanjanam, the priests worked as a team to showcase their
respective Lords in the best possible alankaram atop the Garuda Vahana. When
the screen was opened at around 9pm, the devotees just could not take their
eyes away from the Lords as they moved from one to another. For almost three
hours, one saw devotional fervor at its peak inside the Narayana Perumal temple
with devotees rejoicing and expressing aloud their description of the beauty of
the Lord.
One
Lord was seen with a long Kaasu Malai, while another sported a large set of
Pathakams on his chest. The huge and colourful garlands on the shoulders of the
Lords and their sheer variety attracted the attention of the devotees as they
went about praising the speciality of these flowers. The silk vastrams on the
each of the Garuda idols were colourful and the draping on the Lord’s vehicle
had a distinctive feel about it.
Just
when one set of devotees found a particular Lord as the best decorated, they
had a change of heart on seeing the next one. On the night, one simply could
not make that exclusive choice, for the years of artistic alankaram experience
of each of the priests came to the fore and they presented the Lords of Thiru
Nangur with a grandeur that left a number of the devotees in tears of joy.
Streets dotted with
Traditional Kolams on the night
Finally
just around mid night on Sunday, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Kumudavalli Nachiyar in
a Hamsa Vahana made their way out of the Mani Mada Koil to the loud cheer of
the devotees.
As they stood in front of the tank, each of the Lords made their
way out on to the streets for the long four hour procession on the majestic
Garuda Vahana. Late into the night, devotees lined up the four big streets of
Thiru Nangur with beautifully drawn traditional white pulli kolams welcoming
the 11 Lords and the Azhvaar to their homes and seeking their blessings. All
around one could hear the sweet sound of the anklets and bangles of girls
moving around eagerly awaiting the Lords into their street.
இளைய மங்கையர்
இணை அடிச்
சிலம்பினோடு எழில்
கொள் பந்து
அடிப்போர்
கை வளையின்
நின்று ஒளி
மல்கிய நாங்கூர்
வண்புருடோத்தமமே
On
the final day of the three day Utsavam, after each of the Lords had made their
way back to the respective temples, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar started on his return
trip enjoying the presentation of the respective decads of praise at Thiruvellakulam
and Thiru Thevanar Thogai on the way.
The
grand Thai festival of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar culminated with Garuda Sevai both
in Thiruvali and at his abode at Thirunagari late on Monday (Jan 30) night
leaving the devotees with a fulfilling devotional experience.
As referred to
in the Periya Thirumozhi, over a 1000 years ago, the devotees seemed to have gone back with an elevated spirit after having seen and experienced the 11 Lords on the night.
சீர் அணி
மாட நாங்கை
நல் நடுவுள்
செம்பொன் செய்
கோயிலினுள்ளே
கார் அணி
மேகம் நின்றது
ஒப்பானை
கண்டுகொண்டு உய்ந்தொழிந்தேனே
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