Chicago Utsavam

[Guest guest]

With the Divine Mangalasasanams of H.H. Sri Srirangam Srimad Andavan

& Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji,

AchAryA thirunakshattiram Celebrations in <??>venkatEsvara svAmi temple,

Aurora,

IL

went very well.

 

It was a very good weekend, and it is so good that every one came and received

Acharyas blessings.

 

The dedication & devotion that we saw in Sri RamanujaMission Inc members is

truly inspirational.

Their committment to perform Paduka Thiruaradhanam and Bhagavath Aradhanam is

very motivational.

(They performed kainkariyam with about 3 to 4 hours of sleep or less.)

We thank Sri RamanujaMission Inc for allowing us to receive the blessings of

all the padukas.

 

We thank JetUSA Inc for co-sponsoring the event and for facilitating Mr.

Venkatesh Iyyengar's participation

in the funtion. His discourse on svAmi Sri maNavALa mAmunigaL had most of the

participants captivated and

some of us in tears. We appreciate his efforts in coming from India.

 

The Goshti for sEvA kAlam and thirumanjanam on Saturday had the whole temple

captivated. Aurora temple had never witnessed

such large Goshti with a synchronous recitation  (in the last 4 years that i

have been here).

 

The play later on Life of Ramanuja, was very good (I am told), TA Varadan &

Mani Varadarajan did good job of feilding

open questions during the play. (This was a healthy discussion)

All the talks and discussions were well organized and reached out to the

audience.

 

On the Panel discussion (for Motivation for others to devlop love for

perumal.), Mr. Poondi Vijayaraghavan's point

got a good round of applause.  (His point: Make perumal a member of your

family, Together, with your family,

- Bathe, Cloth & feed him like you would  any member of your family,

automatically your whole family will love him

as if HE is a family member.)

 

On Sunday, Perumal Porappadu (Prahara Utsavam) (with Achryas) with Siriya

Thiru

Madal (Ahead of Perumal) and Pancha Suktam (Following Perumal)

was extremely beautiful. Perumal had a smile on his face. So many devotees

were

in tears while witnessing this.

This porappadu was comparable to the Thiruvalikkeni & Kancheepuram porappadu,

and in some cases better.

 

Atmosphere was charged and electric, people were extremely doused in devotion.

You could see tears flowing

down the eyes of so many grown ups.

(in my limited exposure, adiyEn has not witnessed this in any divya deshams)

 

My only regret is that we did not get to record this. For those of us who

witnessed it, the whole sequence will stay in our hearts,

and be a part of our fond memories for the rest of our lives.

 

Special Thanks to Saroja Mami and all her volunteers for running the Kitchen

(so many bhaktas were saying thanks to Anna Data.)

 

Thanks to Manjula & Sriram for everything (esp. for the welcome dinner on

friday night, for all out of towners)

Many thanks to Chitra Mami for the Pushpa Kainkariyam and hosting.

Vatsan did a wonderful job as the transportation co-ordinator.

(All the attendees were received and dropped to their respective

detinations on

TIME.) - We look forward to your participation in future events.

 

Many many thanks to Kalyani Mami, Lakshmi J, Sangeetha R, SriMathi, Kalpana K,

Harini R, Rama P, Padma C, Apurva C,

Malati, Sudha R, Geetha S, Sheila G

Thanks to Rajagopalan family for the help & the wonderful dance. (Perumal was

smiling extra while Nitya was dancing for HIM)

 

We Look forward to more of these funtions, and more participation from the

younger generation.

 

AzhwAr EmberumAnAr Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE saranam

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mukundan Vankipuram Pattangi