Srirangam Thai Bhoopathi Thirunaal 2025

Namperumal enjoyed Prabhandham Ghoshti's Ramanuja Nootranthathi presentation sans musical instruments around Srirangam's Uthira Streets 

On Tuesday evening, he made a rare entry via Periya Vachan Pillai Sannidhi and strode alongside the 1000 pillared mandapam to reach the Ramanuja Sannidhi

Its Thai Poosam, a day when Samayapuram Mariamman (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/12/samayapuram-mariamman-temple.html) made her way to the banks of Kollidam and received gifts from her brother Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. Its also the final day of the Thai Bhoopathi Thirunaal utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. It’s a day marked by a street procession sans the nadaswaram and all other musical instruments with Namperumal listening to the presentation of Ramanuja Nootranthathi by Prabhandham Ghoshti members led by Kapisthalam Sampath Ramanujam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-prabhandham-adyapaka-leader.html) around the four Uthira streets.

Four trips to Thayar Sannidhi

Its an utsavam when Namperumal had already made it to the Thayar Sannidhi on three days staying through the day at Navarathri Mandapam on day 2, the Karuthurai Mandapam directly opposite Ranganayaki Thayar on day 3 and almost through the night at the Panguni Uthiram Mandapam on the 7th day of the utsavam after he confirmed the measurement of Paddy earlier in the evening.

On this 10th and final day of the utsavam, shortly after 6pm, the Prabhandham Ghoshti members began presentation of the Ramanuja Nootranthathi verses in front of the Ranga Ranga Gopuram. Unlike the previous days of the street processions, there were no elephants or horses in this evening's procession. Neither were there the Nadaswaram artistes. It was an exclusive evening for the Prabhandham members rendering the sacred verses of Thiruvarangath Amudanar much to the delight of Namperumal. 

பூ மன்னு  மாது பொருந்திய மார்பன் 

புகழ் மமலிந்த பாமன்னு  மாறன் அடிபணிந்து உய்ந்தவன்

பல்கலையோர் தாம்மன்ன வந்த ராமானுஜன் 

சரணாரவிந்தம் நாம்மன்னி  வாழ 

நெஞ்சே சொல்லுவோம் அவன் நாமங்களே 

Maniam Sridhar loses his voice

The chilly early morning weather over the last ten days (on most days the procession from Kannadi Arai to Vahana Mandapam was at around 4am) combined with non stop shouting during the utsavam procession, both morning and evening meant that Maniam Sridhar had lost his voice by the start of this procession on the tenth day. And he used his hand to direct the Sripatham to stop and restart the procession at various stop overs on this Tuesday evening.

Ramanuja welcomes Namperumal

Following the procession around the Uthira streets, Namperumal, for the fourth time during the utsavam made his way to the Thayar Sannidhi, this time to the Kambar Mandapam, where he was presented with a Thiruvanthikaappu. 

For a few decades, like that Azhvaan Thiruchutru, the pathway from the Thayar Sannnidhi to the 1000 pillared mandapam had lay defunct, until the restoration exercise last decade by Venu Srinivasan revived this historical route (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html). The beautification of this path led to a lot of greenery but since the restoration this has remained locked most of the time.  On this Tuesday evening, following the Thiruvanthikaappu, the gates in front of Periya Vachan Pillai Sannidhi opened as Namperumal made a majestic walk alongside the 1000 pillared mandapam to be welcomed by Ramanuja in front of his sannidhi just after 7.30pm.

With hundreds of devotees witnessing this grand spectacle, Namperumal was presented with coconut water, to quench his thirst after having provided darshan over the previous ten days around the streets of Srirangam. Soon after, Ramanuja waited back to see Namperumal off till he reached the Karthigai Gopuram Vaasal.

Prabhandham Members' devotional presentation 

It was there that the prabhandham ghoshti presented the final verses of Ramanuja Nootranthi bringing to end the sacred recital at the Thai Brahmotsavam. It had been a commendable effort over the ten days of the utsavam by the Prabhandham Ghoshti with the members reciting the Iyarpa verses even while Namperumal was behind the screen at the Vahana Mandapam after the evening street procession. And they presented the sacred verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar through the Chariot procession on Monday morning. 

Padippu - A Thanking Gesture to Namperumal

The Padippu, a thanking gesture for the smooth conduct of the utsavam, too was revived after decades as part of Venu Srinvasan’s restoration and revival exercise. A HR & CE staffer was identified and assigned the task of presenting the Padippu on the final day of the Brahmotsavams. Sridhar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/02/srirangam-brahmotsavam-padippu-sridhar.html) has now become synonymous with Padippu and he began reading out the greatness of Lord Ranganatha and this historical temple and the utsavams with Namperumal enjoying his praise standing in front of the Dwajasthambam.

After 9 days at the Kannadi Arai, Namperumal finally made his way back to his abode just before 9pm on Tuesday bringing to end the Thai Bhoopathi Thirunaal utsavam.