The Shortest Garuda Sevai Procession
Purushottamar made his way around the four small mada veethis on a 30minute procession atop the Garuda Vahana on Monday evening
Uthamar Koil is a one of its kind Divya Desam for it is home to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahmma. As per the Vaishnavism legend, Shiva came here as a beggar to get liberated from his curse, while as per the Saivaite belief, Shiva was born here as a beggar to get rid of the arrogance of the rishis.
On Monday (May 5) evening, the Vethal Sripatham Thangis arrived early from the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, where too it was the fourth day of the Kodai Poochatru Utsavam. The Nadaswaram artistes too had made their way from Srirangam. Shortly after 7pm, Prabhandham members from Srirangam too had arrived ahead of the procession.
Octogenarian Priest continues his Kainkaryam
Varadaraja Bhattar is well past 80 and is all excited about the Garuda Sevai procession recalling the utsavams from his younger days. He told this writer in a long chat in 2019 as to how he made his way here from Thiru Meiyam as a school boy and began performing Kainkaryam here from the time he was in his early teens (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/06/uthamar-koil-varadaraja-bhattar.html).
He has repeated many times to this writer in the past and did so on this Garuda Sevai evening as well that he always saw this as a great opportunity to perform service at the feet of Purushottamar unmindful of the low income that he received for a major part of his life. That is the only way one should conduct himself as a Divya Desam archaka, Varadaraja Bhattar told this writer.
On Monday evening, he is all smiles as he sees a sizeable crowd for the Garuda Sevai after thunderstorms and heavy rains of the previous evening when Purushottamar was slated to go atop the Hanumantha Vahana. He recalls the highs and lows at this temple where he has been performing service here for several decades and is happy that devotees are now thronging the temple in good numbers as he walks along with Purushottamar through the procession. Devotees of all ages greet and wish him as he makes his way from the Vahana Mandapa north of the temple complex. The Ubayadarar of the evening too is happy to see the Octogenarian priest walking around energetically. He is also happy that his sons are on carrying on the archaka service at this Divya Desam.
Rockets go up informing the devotees that it is time for the start of the procession. Hundreds of them gather in front of the temple complex as Purushottamar makes his way out of the Vahana Mandapa. Devotees talked about the beautiful rose silk vastram that Garuda has adorned on the evening while a few others expressed their views on the grandeur of Purushottamar with glittering pathakams on this chest.
As Purushottamar made his way to the entrance of the temple, the Prabhandham members began the recital of the Naangam Thiruvanthathi. The Kainkaryaparas carried the ghee lit theevatti in front of the Lord as he made his way around the four small mada veethis.
பேரானை குருங்குடி எம் பெருமானை,
திருத்தங்கள் ஊரானை
கரம்பனூர் உத்தமனை
முத்திலங்கு தின் கடல் ஏழும் மலை ஏழ்
இவ் உலகு ஏழ் உண்டு
ஆறாது என்று இருந்தாளைக் கண்டது
தென் அரங்கதே - Thiru Mangai Azhvaar
Shortest Garuda Sevai Procession
Devotees walked along with the Lord through probably the shortest Garuda Vahana Procession for a Divya Desam as he made his way back to the entrance of the temple within half hour after a couple of Thattu presentations by devotees on the North street. The prabhandham members present the satru murai at the entrance of the temple and shortly after 8pm, Purushottamar made his way back into the temple for the Deeparathanai.
The sons of Varadaraja Bhattar are continuing their appa’s monumental Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam and they were all present on the evening playing their individual roles on this big day at Uthamar Koil.
Devotees were all smiles as they headed back home having had darshan of Lord Purushottamar atop the simple looking Garuda Vahana recalling to their family members their moments from the Garuda Sevai evening.
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