Temple EO Prabhakaran and Former TN Ranji Cricketer K Balaji help revive the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Thirumanjanam on his Karthigai star day every month
Among the 80 plus temples that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar visited and praised with songs, he seemed to have held Nachiyar Koil in Thiru Naraiyur at the top alongside Thiru Kannapuram and Thiru Kudanthai for he dedicated a century of verses in praise of Srinivasa Perumal of Nachiyar Koil and Sowri Raja Perumal of Thiru Kannapuram, not far from here while also dedicating an entire prabhandham to Aravamudhan Perumal of Thiru Kudanthai.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar received the Pancha Samskaaram from the Lord of Thiru Naraiyur who he praised as Nambi. He also praised Thiru Naraiyur Nambi as the Lord he had seen at Thiru Venkatam.
மான் கொண்ட தோல் மார்வின் மாணிஆய்
மாவலி மண் தான் கொண்டு தாளால் அளந்த பெருமானை
தேன் கொண்ட சாரல் திருவேங்கடத்தானை
நான் சென்று நாடி நறையூரில் கண்டேனே
While Thiru Mangai Azhvaar held a special place at Nachiyar Koil for these reasons, two disturbing events happened in the second half of the previous century. His Sannidhi located a the eastern entrance of the temple was relegated to the background with the office of the HRCE coming up right in front of the exclusive Sannidhi dedicated to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. And with this, the monthly Thirumanjanam that had been performed on this Saint Poet’s star on Karthigai and the presentation of Thaligai came to a halt.
For several decades this had been the scenario at Thiru Naraiyur. And then things changed when a top notch straight forward EO took charge at the temple a few years ago. When the mega repairs work began leading to the consecration, Prabhakar directed for the HRCE office to be shifted away from Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Sannidhi so the great Saint Poet could be accorded the respect due to him for having sung a 100 verses in praise of Thiru Naraiyur. On the consecration day, just over two years ago, the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Sannidhi wore a fresh bright look for the first time in several decades.
And soon after the consecration, there was a revival of the monthly Thirumanjanam and Thaligai for Thiru Mangai Azhvaar but alas with Gopinathan Bhattar’s focus shifting to external events outside this Divya Desam, the monthly sacred event came to an abrupt halt.
EO Prabhakaran went through the historical records to find that indeed Thirumanjanam had been performed and Thaligai presented to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar every Karthigai. Soon after the completion of the 20day Adyayana Utsavam that had started at this Divya Desam a day after Thai Amavasai, he called upon the priests of the temple to his office and presented the historical records and asked if right from this Maasi Karthigai they could revive the monthly Thirumanjanam Thaligai.
At around the same time, former TN Ranji Cricketer and The Hindu's K Balaji (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html), came forward as a devotee to commit his support for the revival process to ensure that the event does not come to a halt for lack of devotee support. He told this writer on this Tuesday that he was happy to have been part of this revival of the celebration of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on this Karthigai day in Maasi.
And thus on this Tuesday (Feb 24) morning, soon after the Vishroopam sevai, a Thirumanjanam was performed for Thirumangai Azhvaar with the moolavar being draped with a new Vastram marking the long-term revival of this event that had historically taken place at this Divya Desam. This was followed by a Thirumanjanam for the utsavar idol as well. Flower Garlands was also draped on the moolavar and utsavar idols of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as part of the celebration. The madapalli Paricharakar had by this time prepared Kesari and handed the sacred Thaligai to the priest for him to present to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. This was presented to all the devotees who visited the temple this morning.
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
EO Prabhakaran told this writer later in the morning that he would ensure that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s great contribution to this temple, one built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan and praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as the first Vaishnavite Mada Koil built by this Chozha King, will be celebrated appropriately every month in his Sannidhi and that he would ensure that this event takes place on Karthigai day over the next 12 months.
The legendary contribution of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, who presented the then existing scenario at Thiru Naraiyur well over a 1000 years through his verses of praise, will now be remembered every month on his star day through this ‘Karthigai’ celebration with the revival of Thirumanjanam.
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