Melkote Stay : Seventh day of the NavAham/ February 11, 2000

[Guest guest]

SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

On the 11th of February , in the morning after

the daily Sattumurai at the temple,

the Mudali-Andan(MA) samarpaNam was

scheduled . MA was offered to Bhagavan Ramanuja

was taken to the premises of the huge "Yaaga Shaalai"

of the temple ; all the arrangements had been made there for

the "Pratishtha" procedures according to the temple

traditions that have been in vogue from AchArya

RaamAnujA's time . The Main Archakar (Sri SampathkumAra

Bhattar) had made exquisite arrangements. There were

two "goshthi-s", one for Veda Parayanam,

and the other for Divya Prabandham.

 

Even as the chantings began, the Homam for the consecration of

the Mudali Andanwas commenced amidst the sunAdham of

the big Ghanta-s reminding one of Swamy Desikan's presence .

All the priests and other Srivaishnavas of all Melkote

sannidhis were present on this auspicious occassion,

and it was a privelege in itself to participate in this

once-in-a-lifetime ceremony . The Procedures, as ordained

in our Sastras, took about two hours, and at the end of it,

the Mudali Andan underwent "Maha Samprokshanam" with

the sacred water of the Kalsams that had the consecrated

holy water, even as the Purusha Suktam was being chanted.

The PurNAhuthi was a blessed sight to experience .

 

After this , Sattu murai took place at the Yaaga

saalai for the Mudali Andan with paasurams

from Tiruppavai, and especially Ramanuja Nuttrandaadi,

since the Satari (MA) was for Bhagavan Ramanuja.

Then the Mudali Andan (MA) was taken

in a procession to the main sanctum sanctorum of

Lord Tirunarayana with Sri SampathkumAra Bhattar

leading the way and the Mudali ANdAn resting on

the head of a senior Bhattar .The nadhasvaram was played

by the temple artists. When Mudali Andan reached

the Sannidhi of ThirunArAyaNan , it was placed beside

the divine feet of the Lord to incorporate the "Saannidhyam"

of the Lord into the MA. Later , special naivEdhyams were

offered to the MA in the divine presence of all

the Srivaishnavas. KarpUra Aaratthi for the Lord

was performed .

 

All the Sriviashnavas present on the occassion were

honoured in a befitting manner. Everybody present there

were all praise for those who had conceptualised and

realised such a moving and pioneering kainkaryam.

AdiyEn's special thanks goes to the fifteen plus

contributors from Bangalore and many parts of USA ,

who made this dream come true. AdiyEn offers my

PraNAmam to all these BhagavathAs .After two days of

residence at the Lord's feet , MA found his permanent

home at the side of his AchAryan , who considered

him as His Pavithram and Thiruvadi (SatAri). There

rests our MA for times to come blessing the sEvArhtis ,

who arrive at his AchAryan's sannidhi.

 

Afternoon of February 11 , 2000

********************************

After lunch , we visited two places of great interest

both from the point of Srivaishnava faith

as well as the artistic excellence associated with

HoysaLaa dynasty.. First stop was at a place known as

Varaaha-Naatha-kalla-halli" , which is 35 miles

from Melkote; the backroads were travelled and

the country side looked as though not much has happened

since India gainedindependence . While on the way,

we were able thus to experience what traditional

India is like, with the farms, grazing cattle and

the like for which rural India is famous. The serene

atmosphere and undisturbed pace of life here is enchanting

and can be fathomed only by experiencing it.

 

After about an hour and half of journey,

we arrived at a temple-like structure -- the original

structure is in ruins now -- and the priest from

the nearby village accompanied us to facilitate

the darsan of the Lord. Even as the doors of

the sanctum sanctorum opened , we were all stunned

to behold the divine Moorthi of Lord Varaaha Swami,

with Goddess Lakshmi seated on his left side ..

the divine idol is an 18 feet monolith. The beauty of

the idol transfixed us and we could not take our eyes

away from the subhAsrayam of the Lord holding

MahA Lakshmi ThAyar with such tenderness . We could not

turn our to see anything else for a long , long time.

Then an abridged (Laghu)Tiruvaaradhanam took place

and prasadam was distributed to all those present there.

Photographs have been taken and will be made available

electronically on request.

 

Next, we travelled back towards Melkote, and on the way

visited the Laxmi Narayana Temple at a place called

"Hosa Holalu". This temple is a miniature of the famous

Belur temple near Hassan in Karnataka in South India,

internationally known for its exquisite miniature

carvings . Througout this less known temple-both inside

and outside- there are abyndant artistic treasures

as testaments to the HoysaLA art . This site has been

declared as a protected monument by the Archeological

department of the Nation .

 

Here , there are three Sannidhis, viz. Laxmi Narayana,

Laxmi Narasimha and Gopala Krishna respectively.

On the nava ranga mantapam ceilings , there are

nine diffrent types of beautiful carvings of

diffrent gods like ashta dik palakaas et al .

The beautiful array of stone pillars with

12, 24, 48, 96 edges respectively are a lasting

tribute to the skills of the HoysalA stone carvers .

Beautiful classical lathe work can also be

enkoyed in other parts of the temple complex.

This temple too is one of the great treasures of

Karnataka and ranks among the best of "Hoysala"

architectural treasures .

 

The evening was spent at the Sannidhi of ThirunArAyaNapuram

as the priests were preparing for the Ratha Sapthami

celebrations next day. We retired for the night

at the most comfortable and tranquil environment of

the Melkote Sanskrit Academy .The additional events

relating to this day has been carried over to the next

posting at its beginning .

 

Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan