Manavala Mamuni Utsavam Thiruvallikeni

Aipasi Moolam is the biggest day in the year at the Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam with a Grand Celebration of the birthday of Vaishnavite Acharya Manavala Mamunigal

18 Sacred Umbrellas signifying his 18 works during the street procession add a devotional flavour to the festivities on Friday morning 

Upadesa Ratna Malai and Tiruvoimozhi Nootranthathi presentations mark the sacred recitals by the large Prabhandham Ghosti on the final day of the ten day utsavam

     (Photo Credit: Shri. 'Insurance' Sampath)

It is just after 930am on Friday (Nov 1) morning. Over a 100 members of the Ghosti team have lined up on either side of the Namazhvaar Sannidhi at the eastern entrance of the Parthasarathy Perumal Koil at the Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam. With the traditionalists having moved away in the 1970s and 80s from their hereditary locations seeking greener pastures in bigger cities, the presence of a strong Prabhandham Ghosti is now more an exception than the norm at most Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu. Even considering the move of the Vaishnavites to cities and the consequent large presence in a city like Madras, this line up presented a rare sight for a Divya Desam, with a few 80+ Adyapakars standing alongside boys who were still not into their teens. The monsoon had set in and rain had played spoil sport the previous two evenings leaving everyone worried about the prospects of this big day. And this was a working day one that followed the long (Deepavali) festival weekend and the procession had been postponed by two hours from the originally scheduled 7.30am. But it seemed nothing would deter either the office goers or the school and college boys of Thiruvallikeni from a grand celebration of the birthday of the revered Vaishnavite Acharya, Manavala Mamunigal. And even the Sun seemed to support this celebration for it turned up on Friday morning in full vigour quite unlike the earlier days in the week.

For long, the Moolam day in Aipasi has been the biggest occasion in the year at this Divya Desam with the morning procession of Manavala Mamunigal along with Parthasarathy Perumal amidst 18 Grand large sized umbrellas being a sight to behold. This is the only day in the year and it is only during the celebration of  the Acharya's birthday when the entire range of Umbrellas is on display at the street procession in Thiruvallikeni.

The Periya Veethi Purapadu

The devotees would simply not take just the Siriya Mada Veethi procession on this day as had been murmured the previous evening following an untoward incident in one of the sacred streets. With the co-operation of the Prabhandham Ghosti members (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/07/thiruvallikeni-prabhandham-ghosti.html), it was decided to finish day 4 celebrations of the Pey Azhvaar Avathara Utsavam in the morning so as to give the temple an opportunity to decide on the Big Streets procession. And to the delight of everyone, the green signal was given for the 3 hour long procession around the Four Big Mada Streets and the temple tank.

By 6.30 am scores of young photographers had gathered at the temple entrance (this is a recent trend – of amateurs photographers picking up different festivals – both religious and cultural - in the city to capture images) excited at the challenging photo opportunity that was on offer - getting to shoot all the umbrellas along with the Lord and Acharya.

Upadesa Ratna Malai and the Grand Procession

While crackers have become part of celebrations of this Utsavam (it went on for almost 4 hours on Sunday night during the day 5 procession), the loud bursting noise to announce the beginning of the procession marred the opening verses of the Upadesa Ratna Malai in front of the Nam Azhvaar Sannidhi. And shortly after, as Manavala Mamunigal led the way into the South Mada Street, followed by Parthasarathy Perumal in a glittering Ratnaangi, barrage of photographers raised their hands to click the first photographs of the Lord and Acharya under the large sized umbrellas.

Upadesa Ratna Maalai describes the greatness of the Azhvaars and Acharyas providing details of their birth stars, dates and locations, the vyakyanam for Azhvaars’ verses and the greatness of these Vyakyanams. The verses end describing the greatness of Pillai Lokacharya and the greatness of his Sri Vachana Bhoosanam.

His 18 works and the 18 Kudais Procession

18 Umbrellas on this procession signifies the 18 works (including original works and commentaries) of Manavala Mamunigal through which he spread the Vaishnavite Sampradaya, says MA Venkatakrishnan, the leader of the Prabhandham Ghosti at this Divya Desam. He is also delighted at the support of the Prabhandham Ghosti members “Not only have they come in good numbers through the ten days of the festival but have also presented the verses, especially the Tiruvoimozhi presentation late at the end of long days through the Utsavam, in an unhurried manner.”

After making their way to Pey Azhvaar Sannidhi, the two provided darshan to devotees for well over two hours on a surprisingly hot day with the ‘Kudai’ being the much talked about subject among the residents. Photographers went atop high rise buildings to capture the scores of Umbrellas along the sacred streets of Thiruvallikeni. 

A refreshing rejection 
As Parthasarathy Perumal reached the entrance of  Narasimha Raja Gopuram, an old lady handed her smart phone to a young lady devotee to capture a photograph of the Lord amidst the Grand Umbrellas. Quite refreshingly, the young lady refused to take the photo shot informing much to the disappointment of the old lady that she does not take photographs of the Lord on processions. If we had more of such youngsters, the procession will become a lot more devotional as against the current scenario of hands going up as one at all places during the street procession with devotees' focus on capturing the Lord with their phone forgetting the importance of the  'folding of hands' in front of the Lord.

Just after noon, the Prabhandham Ghosti presented the final verses of Upadesa Ratna Malai at the Eastern Entrance of the temple bringing the once in a year grand procession to an end.

      (Photo Credit: Shri. 'Insurance' Sampath)

Mangalasasanam Vs Kaithala Sevai

Earlier in the day, the proceedings had begun at 530 am with the Mangalasasanam - Manavala Mamunigal visiting each of the sannidhis within the temple complex. During the earlier 9 days of the Utsavam, this was an important occasion for the residents of Thiruvallikeni as they gathered in large numbers to listen to the stotrams by and on Manavala Mamunigal. 

But not so this morning, for one had to decide between the sacred Mangalasasanam and the once in a year ‘Kaithala Sevai’, that of the priests carrying Parthasarathy Perumal by hand to provide an early morning birthday gift to Manavala Mamunigal. And most of the residents of Thiruvallikeni opted for the latter as they took vantage positions inside the Moolavar Sannidhi ahead of the Kaithala Sevai from the Sanctum.

    (Photo Credit: Shri. 'Insurance' Sampath)

The mangalasasanam presentation is broken up into two parts – 20 slokas (Ethiraja Vimsathi) of Manavala Mamunigal on Ramanuja and then a few of the important ones from the 100 slokas of Manavala Mamunigal’s disciple Erumbi Appa’s Vara Vara Muni Shatakam. In his praise, Manavala Mamunigal refers to the process of saving oneself from the sins committed.

During the Mangalasasanam, Ameena Seshadri, the time keeper of the Utsavam, showcases to a Bhagavatha Kainkaryapaka on the way to present the two Cymbals - a service that he had learnt four decades ago from his Acharya at Sriperambudur.

By the time Manavala Mamunigal positioned himself in front of the Parthasarathy Perumal Sannidhi, he found much to his surprise 100s of people already there. Those few that accompanied Manavala Mamunigal on the mangalasasanam were left behind at the Kaithala Sevai as they could not wade their way through the packed Maha Mandapam.

While this is one of the only two Acharya utsavams in the year when the 4000 sacred verses are presented in full at the Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam, the other being the Ramanuja Utsavam, the Kaithala Sevai of Parthasarathy Perumal on Aipasi Moolam is the only one in the year presented to an Acharya or Azhvaar.

Adyapakars' contribution to the Utsavam

For well over a Century, the Manavala Mamunigal Kainkarya Sabha has been contributing to the celebration of the ten day utsavam at Thiruvallikeni, with the Adyapakars allocating a specific sum from their  round the year Seva Kaalam Sambhavanai for this Utsavam. Last year, the adyapakars contributed close to Rs. 20000 to the Sabha for this Utsavam.

Venkatakrishnan says that historically it was contribution from this Sabha that helped conduct the Manavala Mamunigal utsavam (times have changed now and devotees pour in with contributions for this festival). It has also been a historical practice for the Madapalli to present a separate “Ishta Vinaiyogam” exclusively to the Adyapakars as part of the Tiruvoimozhi Seva Kalam. Venkatakrishnan says that during the debate in the Madras High Court that handed them the rights for Prabhandham presentation, this Ishta Vinaiyogam was brought to the notice of the Judge as a historical practice at the temple.

Tiruvoimozhi Nootranthathi – A unique Composition

 After the 18 Kudai procession, a few of the Adyapakars continued their devotional engagement on the day with the Thirumanjanam proceedings that lasted an hour. The Prabhandham Ghosti in real good numbers for a Friday afternoon presented the final Cantos of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s verses followed by Manavala Mamunigal’s Tiruvoimozhi Nootranthathi, a very unique composition presenting in Quintessence every 10 verses of Tiruvoimozhi in a single verse with some complex ingredients in it such as the naming of Nam Azhvaar being a pre requisite, the first and last words to start and end in the same way as in Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi and at the same time to be in Venpa.

(During the Thirumanjanam on each of the previous 9 days, the adyapakas present Vadivazhagiya Kattiyam describing the personality of the Acharya from top to bottom. Among the Azhvaars and Acharyas, only Ramanuja and Manavala Maamunigal are presented with the Kattiyam during the Thirumanjanam).

Manavala Maamunigal
Vaishnavite Acharya Manavala Mamuni spent his early childhood days in Sikkil Kidaram (his mother hailed from here - now referred to as Kotham Kulam) before moving to Azhvaar Tirunagari. He took it upon him to propogate Ramanuja’s philosophy. At Srirangam, Lord Ranganatha listened to his Bhagavad Vishaya Kalakshepa explaining the meaning of and providing insights into the Tiruvoimozhi verses. As Guru Dakshina to Manavala Mamuni, the Lord is said to have presented the Dhaniyan ‘Srisailesa Dayapatram…’ which to this day is recited at prominent Divya Desams ahead of the Prabhandham recital. His contribution includes Vyakyanam, in Manapravalam, for Pillai Loka Charya’s Sutras

ஸ்ரீசைலேச தயா பாத்ரம்

தீபக்த்யாதி குணார்ணவம்

யதீந்த்ரப்ரவணம் வந்தே

ரம்ய ஜமாதரம் முநிம்

Tireless Prabhandham members
Soon after the Thirumozhi Satrumurai, the ghosti members were back in front of the Nam Azhvaar Sannidhi for the final procession of the 10 day Utsavam. Manavala Mamunigal and Parthasarathy Perumal made their way through the four big streets and the temple tank listening to the recital of Ramanuja Nootranthathi. 

Around 10pm, they began the presentation of the final Canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi inside the temple. The devotional commitment of the Prabhandham Ghosti members towards their Acharya is truly commendable for on almost all of the ten days of the Utsavam, they were present in large numbers.

Concluding Events
While the gift from the Lord in the morning was a special 'Kaithala Sevai', Parthasarathy Perumal presented his own garland to  Manavala Mamunigal just after 11pm marking the conclusion of the 10 day utsavam.

It was past midnight when the two made their way back from the Tiruvoimozhi Mandapam bringing to end the grandest day of the year at the Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam.

It was invigorating to find Octagenarian Adyapakarsen  who have been presenting the  verses here at this Divya Desam for over six decades present on the final morning the Upadesa Ratna Maalai verses alongside young boys  who have just begun their initiation. The devotional  commitment0 of the Prabhandham members of Thiruvallikeni towards the recital of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam as well as the stotras of Manavala Mamunigal will be hard to beat.

While the commitment from the Ghosti members was highly commendable, the Manavala Mamuni Utsavam has historically been one of the toughest for the Bhattars at this Divya Desam. While the two Brahmotsavams are challenging, this one puts to test their physical and mental commitment to the fullest for unlike the Brahmotsavam, there is a Thirumanjanam and Prabhandham recitial in the afternoon and a Tiruvoimozhi presentation much after the evening street procession. So while most of the devotees return after the sacred verses (around 11pm), the Bhattars have at least an additional hour of service late into the night ( the historical practice also is to shut each of the sannidhis at the temple only after return of the Lord/Acharya after the Tiruvoimozhi presentation in the night). And then the next morning, they have to return early for Vishwaroopam Sevai. For many, there has been very little sleep during the ten days of the Utsavam in the decades gone by. However, in the last year or so, with the increased devotee crowd at the temple, a few additional Bhattars have been posted and thus the work amongst the Bhattars have been split between the routine daily service and the specific utsavam service making it a little more relaxed for them.

PS: A paragraph has been subsequently removed from the story after the original posting