KoorathAzhwan's Sattrumurai

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Dear Sri.Arvind,

 

thanks for your posting on alwan sathumarai.

 

i have infact witnessed sathumarai of alwan at kooram many times.

after reading your posting i started regretting why i missed this

year.

 

dear bagavathas, as a person who knows kooram well(my aunt was married

to ex-darmakartha of the temple) i should share with you that people of

kooram have very high reverence on Koorathalwan.

 

he is a sort of demi-god for most of the commoners there.

irrespective of caste distinctions, even shivaites there respect him)

 

similarly srivaishnavaas there, especially the present dharmakarthas and

other natives of kooram particularly yongsters who come from chennai etc

stay there for 10 or more days, irrespective of their official

commitments(luvkikam), they shave of their otherwise cropped hair,

have tuff , get granthanviyam from their acharyan or elders, to do

service to the temple.

 

sometimes i envy there capacity witnessing all this.

 

i would like to mention some names like, SriBashyam(retd port trust,

chennai), his sons Ranagarajan,Govindarajan their uncles brothers, Sri

Kannapa bhattar etcc who are totally commited to this temple.

 

even one swamy comes as far from bhadrachalam of Andhra pradesh(a pancha

sthavam specialist)if i am not wrong his name was sri Madavachar

 

to add beauty to the whole thing, Sri.K.K.V.A.Mudaliyantan Swamy Of

kAnchipuram (till last year) used to be at kooram for all the days and

do srama and arulicheyal kaimkaryam. HIS ATTACHMENT TO KOORATHALWAN WAS

BOUNDLESS.

 

the sathumari will be witnessed by many srivaishnavas from kanchi area

irrespective of kalai differences.

 

Sri.Anand's posting prompted me write all this.

 

it was the kadasham of this Alwan, our acharyan and young sri vaiShnavas

of this kooram(who were my friends during my triplicane days) which

really made me get interested in our Great sampradayam

for otherwise i am really worthless.

 

i suggest to our members , whenever you get opprunity to go over to

kanchi, please do visit kooram which is just 8-10 KM away.

 

best regards

 

K.M.Narayanan

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Sri Mathe Ramanujaya NAmah

Sri Mathe BAla Dhanvhi MAhaKuruvae NAmah

 

 

Whether it is adiyen's fortune to be blessed with the sampandham of the of

the blessed elders who knew nothing other than kainkaryam for Azhwan of the

blessed Kooram

 

Whether it is misfortune of those blessed elders to have a grandson, like

adiyen who even having witnessed the sattrumarai of the Azhwan, hailed by

elders as "the blessed One who rules" is finding it the most difficult task

to say a few words about the Sathrumurai held at Kooram held on 5th Feb 99.

 

However commanded by the brother of adiyen's achariyan to share his

experience, adiyen is compelled to write these few words.

 

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Adiyen's father(also younger brother of adiyen's achariyan) and adiyen left

for Kooram taking with us some garlands for Azhwan. En routem we took the

blessings of Sri Valmiki maharishi, LAva, Kusa, Anjeneyar and Sri

Kannakavalli thAyar sametha Sri Vaikunthanathar Permul at Koyambedu( near

Arumbakkam, Chennai). We reached Kooram at about 9pm( 5th night).

 

Thirumanjanam was performed for Azhwan on 5th morning and Azhwan was getting

ready for Veethi Poorapadu. So many bhagwathars had come from villages in

and around, that even at 9:30 one had to wait atleast for 15mts in queue to

have darshan of Azhwan(mOOlavar). Bhagavathars were performing bhajans all

over the Kooram village, going parikrama singing the glories of Sri

PankajaValli Thayar sametha Sri Adikesavaperumal, the presiding deity of

Kooram.

 

Finally, at about 10pm Azhwan gracefully proceeded from his sannidhi fully

decorated with garlands and ornaments. The distance from Azhwan's sannidhi

to the nearby NaalukAAl mandapam is only a few feets. But Azhwan takes not

less than 1 and half hours to gently come to this mandapam. Arulicheyal was

recited with Azhwan witnessing the Arulicheyal goshti standing in the Naalu

kaal mandapam. About 12 midnight Azhwan proceeded with his Veedi Ula,

strolling thru every nook and corner of Kooram village. It appears to adiyen

that Azhwan goes personnally in and around Kooram only to strengthen his

relationship with us and to keep alive our faith and conviction in our

sampradayam.

 

Hey, why fear the seperation of Emperuman?? the blessed Ramanujar has

promised us just that. Just remain loyal to our Yathirajar's teachings and

find that Sri Vaikuntam is ours. Nay to Azhwan himself because of whose

relation Shri Ramanuja himself considered he was blessed!!.

 

There was a great display of fire works. Bhagwathas bursted into sweet

carols in praise of Azhwan, having all their fears dispelled with Azhwan's

promise.

 

Finally Azhwan returned back to the temple after Veedhi uLa. It was morning

3:30am when Azhwan was returned to Gopura vAsal. A great crowd of

SriVaishnavas, had already assembled at the Gopura vAsal to welcome Azhwan(

or rather to be welcomed by Azhwan ???). Quickly Azhwan enters the sannidhi

vasal where Parkusa Parakala Yathivarathighal(Namalzhwar Kaliyan and

Udaiyavar sannidhi's) are waitings eagerly to welcome Azhwan who has

brought( rather bought ??) lot of presents for them.

 

What presents ? We jivas, who have faithfully accepted Azhwan as our only

refuge. Indeed it is this present that our Poorvachariyars, Azhwars and

Emperuman Sriman Narayanan want. After this Azhwan circumlates the sannidhis

of our achariyas dancing in escatasy. A special team of Sri Padam Thangigal

had volunteered to perform Oyyari nadai of Azhwan. Atleast 5 to 6 different

types of dances, were displayed by Azhwan in repeated sucession for about 1

and half hours. This is what adiyen enjoyed the most.

 

(Adiyen anubhavan, why AZhwan who came walking to Azhwan Achariyar sannidhi

has suddenly starting dancing ??)

 

1. Till now Azhwan was burdened by the weight of OUR sins and apacharams.

Azhwan is shouldering our sins because, we have taken refuge in Azhwan.

 

2. He had withdrawn all fears from our hearts and is having it in his heart.

So he is rushed to Emperumnar's sannidhi to rid our( now his) fears.

 

3. Till reaching the sannidhi of Bhagvath Ramanujar, Azhwan is afraid

whether Emperumanar will embrace us( the presents of Azhwan) as much as he

would embrace Azhwan himself.

 

Now seeing the pleasant smile of Bhaghawat Ramanujar, Azhwan is assured that

He has indeed presented the very presents which Emperumanar wanted. Moreover

it appears that Yathirajar has accepted these presents, for the very reason

than they were brought by Azhwan). Thus having got rid of his burden he

dances away to his sannidhi

 

Its morning 4:30am. Azhwan in now seated in front of his sannidhi. The last

decad of Thivaimozhi was recited with great fervour by the 50 to 60 Sri

Vaishnavas. This was followed by UpadesaRathnaMalai recital of Periya Jiyar.

The goshti was conclued with Varadharajastavam and VazhiThirunaman of the

Emperumanar, Azhwan and other achariyars.

 

It is an experience which is beyound words to describe, beyound just 2 eyes

given to us to see, beyond just 2 hands given to serve, beyond just one

tougue given to serve, beyond just the meagre memory given to remember,

beyond just one heart to cherish.

 

I really pity myself for having not tasted this nectar(though I had every

opportunity to take it under the wings of my maternal grandfather), full of

special mercy of Azhwan for so many years, nay, should i say so many births

.....?(

 

Adiyen would conclude by saying if at all we could express our respect for

Azhwan who has taught us how to pay respect to our Poorvachariyars in Guru

Paramparai, it is only by being AZHWANS presents to Emperumanar by our

presence at the auspicious Kooram on Jan 26, 2000 AD. This being a national

holiday in India, we should take this as a very special mercy of Azhwan to

present ourself to Azhwan's grace and be presented to Emperumanar by Azhwan.

 

Adiyen

Aravinda Lochana Ramanuja dasan.

 

 

Azhwar Emperumanar JIyer Thiruvadighalae charanam

 

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