Starting with Valvil Ramar Divya Desam, the Prabhandham members present Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's verses of praise on Thiru Naraiyur on the 8th day of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam at Thiru Kudanthai
It is past noon. And it is no surprise that Sarangapani Koil Maniam and Desikar Sannidhi Archaka Sudarshan is running around. He is overseeing the procession of the Azhvaars from their Sannidhi to the Thirumaa Mani mandapam. He is also there to anchor the procession of Sarangapani Perumal from his Sannidhi to the Adyayana Utsavam mandapam. He also doubles up as the Sripatham for there is severe shortage of service personnel at this historic temple.
It is the third day of the Thirumozhi seva kalam and the 8th day of the Pagal Pathu utsavam. Unlike most other divya desams, here the adyayana utsavam starts every year on the first day of margazhi. And while in other perumal temples, it is the 3rd day of the Pagal Pathu utsavam, Sarangapani has already moved on to the 8th day.
There are some late comers who want to have darshan of the moolavar but this is margazhi and the temple that opens two hours earlier than the other months of the year shuts for moolavar darshan at noon. They satisfy themselves with a darshan of the dwajasthambam and leave the temple.
Close to 1.30pm, the Prabhandham members start arriving one by one. The Adyayana utsavam is a celebration of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Nam Azhvaar with the former having created the Era Pathu utsavam for Nam Azhvaar’s great contribution and the Pagal Pathu utsavam being a recognition of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and his sacred verses after having visited over 80 temples. Hence it is one of the most significant festive occasions for the Prabhandham members who recite the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham and Desikar Prabhandham over the 21 days of the Adyayana Utsavam.
About 10 kms West of Sarangapani temple is the Valvil Ramar Divya Desam at Pullam Bhoothangudi. As the clock ticks to 2pm on Tuesday (Dec 23), the prabhandham members begin this 8th day’s presentation with the verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on the Jatayu Moksha sthalam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/05/pullam-bhoothangudi-divya-desam.html).
அறிவது அறியான் அனைத்து உலகும் உடையான்
என்னை ஆள் உடையான்
கூறிய மாணி உரு ஆய கூத்தன் மன்னி அமரும் இடம்
நறிய மலர்மேல் சுரும்பு ஆர்க்க
எழில் ஆர் மஞ்சை நடம் ஆட
பொறி கொள் சிறை வண்டு இசை பாடும்
புள்ளம் பூதங்குடி தானே
Praising Thiru Naraiyur's greatness
It is the first day of the Margazhi Brahmotsavam at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Thiru Naraiyur, a Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar with a century of verses one of the only two temples to be praised by with 100 verses. A few hours ahead of the Surya Prabhai procession at Nachiyar Koil, the prabhandham members presented Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s verses on Thiru Naraiyur. It was the place where Thiru Mangai Mannan was initiated the ‘Pancha Samaskaaram’ by Thiru Naraiyur Nambi.
As the recital moved into the 6th decad and the reference to Ko Chenganan's construction of the first Mada Koil for Perumal, the prabhandham members slowed down the pace and went almost in a vyakyanam mode of description of these great verses of praise of a Mada Koil where an elephant cannot enter (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/ko-chenganan-and-nachiyar-koil-divya.html).
அம்பரமும் பெருநிலனும் திசைகள் எட்டும்
அலைக்கடலும் குலவரையும் உண்டகண்டன்
கொம்பமரும் வடமரத்தின் இலைமேல் பள்ளி கூடினான்
திருவடியே கூடாகிற்பீர்
வம்பவிழும் செண்பகத்தின் வாசம் உண்டு
மணி வண்டு வகுலத்தின் மலர் மேல் வைகு
செம்பியன் கோச் செங்கணன் சேர்ந்த கோயில்
திருநறையூர் மணிமாடம் சேர்மின்களே
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's liking for Thiru Kudanthai
Thiru Kudanthai held a special place for Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. While he went around temple towns praising the Lord and the location most with a decad or two and Thiru Kannapuram and Thiru Naraiyur with a century, he chose to dedicate an entire prabhandham to Thiru Kudanthai.
As the name suggests, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar created Thiru- Ezhu- Kootriru-Kai in a 7 tiered structure and is in the form of a chariot. One can arrange the contents of the composition in line with this structure. It is only a small 47line composition but is very significant for it is here that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar offers his absolute surrender to Lord Aravamudhan stating that he has had enough of worldly life and seeks refuge in the Lord.
In the last ten lines of this pictorial composition, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar specifically showers praise on Lord Aravamudhan of Thiru Kudanthai. He gives us a glimpse of what Kudanthai looked like during his time. Referring to the reclining posture of the Lord, he says that the temple was surrounded by huge flower groves that seemed to give out nectar. There were betel creepers that, seemed to produce a special fragrance, through the year, thanks largely to being watered by the sacred Cauvery.
செல்வம் மல்கு தென் திருக்குடந்தை
அந்தணர் மந்திர மொழியுடன் வணங்க
ஆடு அரவு அமளியில் அறிதுயில்
அமர்ந்த பரம
Also the lands in Thiru Kudanthai were fertile with greenery all around. The entire place was filled with Vedic Seers and recital of Vedas was a regular feature here. It seemed to have a reverberating positive effect on the people.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar also praises Thiru Kudanthai as a place that had high mansions and it looked as though they were touching the moon.
நின் ஆதி இணை பணிவன்
வரும் இடர் அகல மாற்றோ வினையே
In conclusion, he invokes the blessings of Lord Aravamuthan to get rid of his past karmas and to bring an end to his worldly life and praises the Lord as the only one who can do this. He asks for permission to perform daily service to the Lord here at Thiru Kudanthai.
Back at the Thiru Maa Mandapam, the recital of the sacred verses is slow paced with the prabhandham members taking over an hour for the presentation of the fifth canto of Periya Thirumozhi and so too the first 80 verses of the sixth canto.
An IT staffer graduates to an Adyapaka
An interesting addition this year at the Seva Kaalam is a youngster who has completed his formal learning of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham and Desikar Prabhandham. He is all excited to be presenting the 5th and 6th cantos without the help of a book. Working for an Aussie firm in a Work from Home IT model from Thiru Kudanthai, he is now an integral part of the Seva Kaalam team at this utsavam. At a time when most of the original inhabitants have moved away to larger cities, this is a positive development at the Sarangapani temple.
It is well past 4pm when 180 verses are presented. The Popular Soundar Bhattar pays a flying visit to the Thiru Maa Mani mandapam. His service at the Sarangapani temple runs through the first five days of the Tamizh month and he has moved on to the Ramaswamy temple this week. He has a divine connect with Sarangapani Perumal and he takes a close look at the alankaram (unfortunately the Sarangam is missing on Sarangapani Perumal!!!!)
For almost half hour, the archaka (Chakrapani Bhattar) waits for the Thaligai and other ‘essentials’ for the Thiru Aradhanam ahead of the Satru Murai verses. By 5pm there is a sizeable crowd when the Prabhandham members present the tenth decad of the sixth canto of Periya Thirumozhi. Maniyam Sudarshan is back for the distribution of prasadam after shatari presentation to the prabhandham members. It is close to 6pm when devotees have another close look at Sarangapani Perumal and the Azhvaars and Acharyas before they back to their abode for a well earned rest on this 8th day of the Pagal Pathu utsavam at Thiru Kudanthai.
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