Few questions

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends : A respected Vaishnavite Scholar and

friend invited me to comment on the significance of

the BhOgi and Kanu Pandigais . I will try .

 

I thought number of you might have some insights

on the origin of these names for the two pandigais

that we celebrated in January .Please join in and

comment . My views are semi-speculative.

 

Here are my observations .The origianal inquiry

is attached below :

>I have just been perusing the bhakti archives to get an answer to a

>particular question. What are the exact meanings of the words bhogi and

>kanu for the pandigais? Is bhogi simply the Sanskrit word? i was wondering

>about the history of these terms. I have also not been able to understand

>the meaning of kanu and the significance of praying for one's brothers.

>Also Andal tirukkalyanam seems to be celebrated both on bhogi and later in

>the year? Is this common in all divya desams? (this is more than one

>particular question!)

 

1. Bhogi : This is indeed a Sanskrit word Bhogin

( Bhoga+ini). This word has a variety of meanings :

Rich, Opulent , One devoted to enjoyment . After the winter

harvest , the mood is for enjoyment of Bhagavaan's blessings

and take time to thank Him . It could also be viewed as

a Pandigai for the Seshan thanking the SarvasEshi , who is

the BhOgyan of the Jeevan .

 

2.Kanu Pandigai is the one , where colored rice balls are

offered to janthus on roof tops or at pushkarINi banks.

During the Margazhi month , the lady of the house cleanses

the front of the house , draws colorful kolams in honor

of the Dhanur Maasam and places the pumpkin flowers as decorations .

The rice flour is for the ants and the flowers are for cows .

The significance is that all creations of the Lord from

ants (six footed )to other four footed ones are offered

food in the spirit of LokA: SamasthA :SukhinO Bhavanthu .

The colored rice balls are for Crows .

 

In Thirukkudanthai ,PaDi ThANDA pathni , Sri KomaLavalli

ThAyAr joins with Her friends ( Sri Vijayavalli and

Sri SithA Piratti )to place the Kanu pidis on

the steps of Hema PushkaraNi . The Archakar steps out and

places the kanu pidis on behalf of Sri Komalavalli ThAyaar ,

who stays behind the steps of the western gopuram .

 

The origin of the word kanu: KanI in Sanskrit means

a daughter or a girl.Kanyakaa (KanyA )also means a girl .

The Vedic (archaic) term kanIna means Young one.

KanInaka means maiden.Thus , one can extrapolate the

word Kanu by association to some thing related to

a Young girl.A festival perhaps associated with

a young girl's prayer for the welfare of her

dear ones and her community . kanIyas means to lessen

or make smaller .Another flight of imagination will

lead us to the small balls of colored rice involved in

the offering by the young maiden .This is a reasonable(!)

speculation on my part for this old Tamilian festival

based on etymological basis .

 

3. At Kanchipuram and elsewhere , ANDAL KalyANam

is celebrated during BhOgi .BhakthAs familiar with

festivals at Sri Villiputthur and Kanchipuram

might wish to comment on the ThirukkalyANams outside

Bhogi pandikai dinam for ANDAL .

 

4. The link of praying for the welfare of the brother

thru the celebration of the Kanu Pandigai : By a stretch

of imagination , one can think of GodhA thanking

GodhAgrajar ( Sri RaamAnujA ) for fulfilling Her vows

to Lord Sundararajan of ThirumAlirumchOlai to offer

1,000 vessels filled with akkaravadisal.We know that

She stepped out of Her Garbhagruham to greet Her caring

"elder brother " and has stayed in the ardha mantapam

since then.

 

V.Sadagopan