Forwarded from net

[Guest guest]

Dr. Srinivasan wrote a nice article about Vaikuntha Ekadasi

celebrations in Srirangam, which, unfortunately, I was not

able to attend on my last trip. It think the people on this

list may find it interesting.

 

---

 

Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil,alt.culture.karnataka

srini (K.Srinivasan)

vaikunTa Ekaadhasi in Sri Rangam

Organization: Institute de Recherche, Hydro-Quebec

Tue, 24 Jan 1995 15:38:55 GMT

 

The fifth day of vaikunTa Ekaadhasi in Sri Rangam.

 

The special celebrations start at around 12 Noon, The uthsavar is

taken in a procession from the main altar to the thousand pillar

aayirakkaal mandapam, which takes a good two hours.

 

There are various protocols all along the route and is supposed to be

exactly as defined by Sri Ramanuja in 11-th century.A.D. All

protocols are in archaic Tamil. I saw many who did not wear sacred

thread, in duties closest to the idol. (They are called saaththaadha

Sri Vaishnavas. Their ancestors were installed by Sri Ramanuja

himself. I spoke to one myself. They speak Iyengar dialect, call

themselves as Iyengars and have same customs, like Iyengar Madisar

for women. Except those who have gone for modern education, they

appear quite poor. They do not consider themselves as Brahmin or

Vaishya or Kshatriya or Sudra. Their main acharya was Kandhaadai

Ramanuja Iyengar, who also did not wear Sacred thread. Now a days

many of them particularly in Srivillipuththoor area have started

wearing Sacred thread also, to merge with the "saaththina" Iyengars,

more easily. They appear to be the original casteless followers, of Sri

Ramanuja.)

 

For example, a group behind the curtain calls for the bearers of the

chariot and lamp bearers, as follows.

"aruL paadi sree paadham thookkuvO......r!".

A group outside replies, "naan indhE......n!" (=naan irukkirEn(Tamil)

or naan idhEn(Kannada)). It seems these words are exactly as instructed by

Sri Ramanuja himself 950 year ago. He also instituted a fine for being

late for the job. Hopefully he provided for inflation adjustment.

(Please do correct if some one is surer of the exact words, and know other

calls. Most replies were "naan indhE.....n".)

 

{ aidhu(Kannada)=aindhu(Tamil); By the same logic,

idhEn(Kannada)=indhEn(Tamil), though nobody says so in Tamil today. }

 

There are several points where the procession stops and

special recitations take place. In one, all the four vedics are

called. Each representative comes, recites the vedas for a few

minutes. Then "theertham" (holy water) is given.

First priority is to men without shirts. Then to other men with

shirts. Women are not given holy water. I saw some men getting the

theertham and sharing it with their female family members.

 

In all the other stops, no such discrimination exists.

At times, even special individuals wearing no sacred thread

were given first priority.

 

In one of the stops, the aazvaars are brought for the honour.

The first call was for nammaazhvaar, next thirumangai aazhvaar, then

it was Sri Ramanuja. Then all the other aazhvaars

were called by the chariot bearers. They came in the order called.

The men recited and enacted some Tamil aazhvaar paasurams with abhinayam

(dance). They are called "araiyar". They wear red and blue colourful

head topis, very much like the moslem cap. It is however decorated with

jewels and carries the Sri Vaishnava emblems.

 

A 12 year old boy welcomed the procession at the entering steps

of the aayirakkaal (thousand pillar) mandapam, reciting Tamil

verses, like, "EzhaikkiLaiyaanE!, EzhumalaiaanaanE!...Ezh...".

 

I understood that all temple positions, temple duties are transferred

generation to generation by succession. The common successor is the

son, (unless there was not one or he has decided to quit the

profession, in which case, some other person might get named.) It

looks like that the higher authorities can not appoint their own

people in.

 

The last sErvai of the day called Ekaantha sEvai starts at 10:00 PM and

ends at 11:30. Five people sing and play veena in pin drop silence at

the "thaayaar" (mother) sannadhi. (Number five has special significance

for Sri Vaishnavism hence the term ai(ndhu)-angaar.). They wear turbans

(Mysore Maharaja style). The veenas are attached by ropes to their

bodies. It seems it is also as per Sri Ramanuja's instructions of 950

years ago. They are the 43-rd successors. They sang a few Azvaar Tamil

compositions in carnatic style. They also included two tyagaraja

kritis. (probably to get official recognition from music experts.) I

wondered how the 250 year old compositions got into Ramanuja's 950 year

old instructions. I suppose he left some room for future innovations.

Compared to the commotion and tension of the day activities this was a

peaceful and relaxing experience.

------------------------

Compared to the mEla atmosphere of the Sri Rangam Temple, the

mariamman Temple at samaya puram offers a calm setting. The

temple is closely associated with Sri Rangam. It seems at one

time it was financed by funds from Ranganathar temple of Sri Rangam.

Even today the madapaLLi (kitchen) appears to be

managed by Sri Vaishnavas, and one can see a lot of "thirumaN"

wearing people among the devotees of this Saivite temple.

This temple does not carry the sign "Hindus only allowed".

I myself saw a Moslem family in burkha right inside the temple,

in December 1994.

----------------

ks