On Friday morning, Nam Azhvaar visited his avathara sthalam at Appan Koil before making his way to Erettai Tirupathi to meet his parents on Maasi Anusham
Devapiran
It is just past 5am on Friday (February 20) morning and the occasion is Maasi Anusham when Nam Azhvaar makes his annual trip to Erettai Tirupathi. A day earlier - Maasi Visakam - was the day when Madurakavi Azhvaar found the idol of Nam Azhvaar on the banks of Tamarai Barani and in memory of this episode, Nam Azhvaar had made a trip to the Tamarai Barani on Thursday morning for the Theerthavari utsavam.
Early on Friday morning, the Aathi Nathar temple in Azhvaar Tirunagari is abuzz with a large contingent of Sripatham Thangis at the entrance ready to carry Nam Azhvaar on their shoulder to Erettai Tirupathi on this final day of the Maasi Utsavam. Inside the temple, Bhagavathas and women devotees have lined up for Thiruppavai Ghoshti Theertham and Prasadam with Araiyar Nathan leading the Satru Murai verses. Soon, the Sripatham enter the temple to carry Nam Azhvaar on this long fast paced procession.
Recalling this day from the 1970s
Govindan Bhattar, who was joined by colleague Ramakrishnan Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/07/thiru-mogur-kalamegha-perumal.html), is present this morning from Thiru Mogur and walks all the way to Appan Koil. He recalls this trip from his childhood days in the 1970s “This was a big day in the year for me. I was keen to walk alongside Namzhvaar crossing the Tamaraibarani in knee deep water to reach the birth place of Nam Azhvaar at Appan Koil, one that was surrounded by big bushes.”
Govindan Bhattar, Thiru Mogur
“Those were glorious days with the presence of hundreds of Vaishnavas at Azhvaar Tirungari and the entire Divya Desam was vibrant during this utsavam but most of them have since left the hereditary location. And it is no more the same.”
Nam Azhvaar sees Devapiran as his parents
Legend has it that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar came to Azhvaar Tirunagari to invite Nam Azhvaar to witness the Adyayana Utsavam in Srirangam in Margazhi, one that had been created and organized by the former in recognition of the contribution of the latter. Having enjoyed the presentation of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham by the Araiyars at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, Nam Azhvaar is believed to have reached Tholai Villi Mangalam on the Anusham day in Maasi to invoke the blessings of his parents. As described in Tiruvoimozhi (6.5.10), Nam Azhvaar saw Lord Devapiran of Erettai Tirupathi at Tholai Villi Mangalam as his mother and father.
சிந்தையாலும் சொல்லாலும் செய்கையினாலும்
தேவ பிரானையே
தந்தை தாய் என் று அடைந்த
வன் குருகூர் அவர் சடகோபன் சொல்
முந்தை ஆயிரத்துள் இவை
தொலை வில்லி மங்கலத்தை சொன்ன
செந்தமிழ் பத்தும் வல்லார்
அடிமை செய்வார் திருமாலுக்கே
In the decades gone by, prior to Venu Srinivasan's transformation restoration of the twin temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html), this annual trip of Nam Azhvaar to Tholai Villi Mangalam was the only festival celebrated at Erettai Tirupathi and hence assumed great significance.
The first stop at Appan Koil
Thiruvenkata Mudayan of Appan Koil was the aradhana idol of Nam Azhvaar’s father. Hence on his way to Erettai Tirupathi, Nam Azhvaar made a halt at this temple evoking memories of his father's sincere devotion rendered to the Lord at this temple. There is a Nam Azhvaar avathara mandapam inside this temple.
Nam Azhvaar was welcomed at Appan Koil by Araiyar Sarangan, the 27 year old son of Nathan Araiyar who has taken over the performance of daily Thiru Aradhana at this temple. There are a couple of mandagapadis in this historic birth place of Nam Azhvaar and it is 8am when he entered the temple for his first stop over on the day.
It is a temple that has been restored to its historic glory and Govindan Bhattar says that it bears no resemblance to what it was in the 1970s “In addition to the restoration of Nava Tirupathi temples, TVS’ Venu Srinivasan has transformed this temple beyond recognition. From the dark, unlit days in the decades gone by, this is now beautifully maintained” Govindan Bhattar, who performed the role of Ekanki at Tirupathi for a decade and a half before his role as archaka at Thiru Mogur, recalled to this writer at the Appan Koil madapalli on Friday morning.
Hot Pongal is served to the Sripatham Thangis for their early morning 90 minute effort. The Vaishnavas and Bhagavathas too are presented the sacred Thaligai from the madapalli, that too has seen a transformation.
A grand welcome by Aravinda Lochanan
The energised Sripatham are back to carry Nam Azhvaar to Erettai Tirupathi and first to Aravinda Lochana Sannidhi. The Prabhandham Ghoshti are present in good numbers and for 45minutes they present the tenth canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi led by Araiyars Nathan and Sarangan. For the first time, the entire pathway from Aravinda Lochana Sannidhi is decked with pushpa alankaram.
The garland of Aravinda Lochanan is presented to Nam Azhvaar and following the Theertham Prasadam, Nam Azhvaar went South to the Northern banks of Tamaraibarani where Devapiran himself, who Nam Azhvaar saw as his own father and mother, came out of the temple to welcome and receive him. After Nam Azhvaar went around the temple complex, both stationed themselves at the alankaram mandapam bringing to end the morning session.
திருந்து வேதமும் வேள்வியும்
திரு மா மகளிரும் தாம் மலிந்து
இருந்து வாழ் பொருநல் வடகரை
வண் தொலை வில்லி மங்கலம்
The TVS touch to Erettai Tirupathi
The devotees are treated to a sumptuous lunch at the Devapiran temple following which quite a few take rest at the office of the TVS. The entire Erettai Tirupathi, the biggest restoration of Venu Srinivasan, has been truly transformed. The cleanliness around the temple, the maintenance of the entire area around the temples, the sign boards at various locations make it a pleasant experience for the devotees.
It is past 3 pm and the devotees are back at the temple to have darshan of the Thirumanjanam for Nam Azhvaar. Araiyar Sarangan presented the sacred sandal wood paste and the Thirumanjanam oil to all the devotees who witnessed the sacred bath of Nam Azhvaar.
The Prabhandham Ghoshti are present in good numbers and they render the tenth canto of Tiruvoimozhi after the arrival of the Thaligai brought all the way by walk from Azhvaar Tirunagari. To this day, the traditions have been upheld and the sacred food is carried on the head to the beating of the drum all the way from Aathi Nathan temple in Thiru Kurugur (6 kms away) across the Tamarai Barani to the Devapiran temple. While easier options like bringing the food by modern means of transport are possible, it is great credit to the team at Aathi Nathan temple that short cut options to quicken the conduct of the evening utsavam have not been exercised to-date.
So touched was Devapiran with NamAzhvaar’s sacred verses that he presented his entire garlands to the Saint Poet. By now, Sundararajan Bhattar from Aravinda Lochana Sannidhi, a priest who quit a corporate job to take up archaka kainkaryam(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/01/erettai-tirupathi-sundara-rajan-bhattar.html), has arrived at the Devapiran temple to participate in the presentation of mariyathai to Nam Azhvaar with Araiyars presenting the sacred verses relating to Erettai Tirupathi.
The entire temple resonated with positive vibrancy following the Prabhandham presentation with all the devotees eagerly looking forward to the Theertham and Tulasi prasadam.
It is past 7pm when Nam Azhvaar after an entire day at Erettai Tirupathi bid goodbye for yet another year. In a final emotional move, Devapiran after providing darshan in a grand alankaram presents all his garlands to the ‘son’ and even as Nam Azhvaar makes his return to Azhvaar Tirunagari, Devapiran waits till as far as he can see the great Saint Poet at the western exit of Erettai Tirupathi. Late on Friday evening, Devapiran returned to his sanctum amidst the chanting of Ramanuja Nootranthathi by the Prabhandham Ghoshti members.
Devotees including Bhagavathas in big numbers enjoyed the experience of the enactment of the legendary episode of Nam Azhvaar making his way to the Northern banks of Tamarai Barani at Erettai Tirupathi after witnessing the Adyayana Utsavam in Srirangam to meet and invoke the blessings of his parents. The series of events on Maasi Anusham also signifies the conclusion of the Adyayana Utsavam in Erettai Tirupathi.
1 comment:
Wow, yet another article capturing the live moments of an Utsavam, keeping us engaged throughout. Our rich tradition and enactments of it, keeps it afresh for all generations to know, understand, appreciate! Capturing it in this form is very helpful 🙏
Post a Comment