Swamy Nammalwar India Foundation - 3rd Anniversary at Kattumannarkoil

[Guest guest]

Priya BhagavatOttamAs,

Nathamunigal and Alavandar , the two great acAryAs who have been pillars

to our Srivaishnava sampradayam, took their avatara at Kattumannar koil

, 25 kms from Chidambaram. Yesterday, the 23rd June was Ani anusham the

avatara day of Swamy Nathamunigal. Swamy Nammalwar India Foundation (

SNIF) celebrated its 3rd anniversary at this holy place coinciding with

the tirunakshatram celebrations of Swamy Nathamunigal. It was a new

attempt.

 

Earlier the first two anniversary celebrations were at Chennai attented

by over 2000 people and many mathAdhipatis. Since kattumannar koil was a

rarely visited place, it was decided to hold it there. To our pleasant

surprise, 8 buses from Chennai with 400 people, 2 buses from Bangalore

with 70 people, and two buses from Srirangam with 70 people poured in.

Besides this, about 100 people came on their own. Along with this, they

also visited Srimushnam, Sirkazhi, Chidambaram, Tiruvaheendra puram and

madhurantakam.

 

The main events were :

Submission of the title "Srivaishnava simham" to three scholars - Sri U.

Ve MahAmahimOpAdhyAya cEtlur SrivatsAnkAcariar swamy, Sri U. Ve Dr. V.

V. Ramanujam swamy and Sri Prapanna vidwan Etiraja Ramanuja Dasar Swamy.

Foundation has a practice to honour one vidwan from tennacarya

sampradaya, one from Desika sampradaya and one from Srivaishnava

bhagavata goshti. There were 10 vidwans who spoke on Nammalwar and

Tirumangai alwar - a compare and contrast on various topics. From the

awardees and vidwans to the devotees who attended, there was absolute

harmony and no difference in vadakalai or tenkalai, male or female,

Brahmin or non Brahmin. All attended in equal number. It is worth to

quote Sri U Ve SrivatsAnkacAriar swamy " I have been honoured by the

President of India amidst an elite gathering. But I am carried away

here, being honoured amidst a large cohesive Srivaishnava gathering.

Nammalwar and Nathamunigal would be pleased by this sight." The vidwans

were honoured by Sri U Ve ParahamsEtyadi Azhagiya manavala Jeer of

Kanchipuram.

 

As a preparation for this , the foundation issued a question bank

comprising of 500 questions and answers in Tamil and English on

Srivaishnava sampradaya, alwars and acAryAs. One month time was given to

over 1500 children from the age of 5 to 18 to prepare. A proper

objective / fill in the blanks / matching test was conducted last month.

It gave us immense pleasure to note that 9 had scored 100, 11 had scored

99, 25 had scored 98, and 50 had scored between 90 and 95. There were

almost 500 calls on the day we published the results which showed the

interest. All the 100 children were offered free trip to Kattumannar

koil to receive the prizes. Over 60 children came in along with their

parents. Generous souls immediately came forward to give them prizes,

gold coin for first two prizes, silver coin for 3rd and special prize.

The foundation also honoured State rank holders (1188 / 1200) in public

exams with Sanskrit as their language. They have been denied all the

status by Tamil nadu Government because they have taken Sanskrit.

We also passed a unanimous resolution to represent this case in a

positive manner to the Government. Inspired by the response the

foundation would conduct these exams every year at various centres

including overseas. I have already sent this to middle East. I expect

your response in conducting this in the US. We also have plans to join

hands with JET and Vikas tarangini at Chennai to conduct this in their

forums. We would not spare any efforts in catching them young.

 

Besides the above there were many more events. We also collected a

sizeable sum and donated to the repair work being carried out at

Kattumannar koil.

 

Last year I had requested in the Bhakti list for sponsorship for the

purse being offered to the Srivaishnava simhams. There was a good

response. I request the same individuals or any other who would be

willing to participate in this service of honouring people who have put

in 40 years of untiring dedicated efforts to our sampradaya.

 

Services undertaken by the foundation :

* Regular weekly classes in Gita, Sahasranama, Tiruvoimozhi, and

guruparampara at T Nagar. Fresh courses are being started at Mylapore

and Naganallur.

* Monthly classes in English on Gita at Bangalore

* Monthly visakam lectures at various divya desams to spread the

message the alwar in those hamlets.

* Conducting santhai classes at divya desams, undertaking the

yearly education expense of those children who attend.

* Helping students in need for higher studies.

* In the process of acquiring land for a school to be started in a

village.

* Conducting divya desa yatra (covered about 60 divyadesams

already).

* Inscribing or publishing books at Kerala about alwars divine

hymns. There is not much trace there now.

 

We can proudly say that there are no internal politics, discrimination

of any nature amongst the 2000 odd members. Almost all the

mathAdhipatis including Srimat Paramahamsetyadi Azhagia singar, Andavan,

Vanamamalai Jeer, Srimannarayana Jeer are in the advisory panel of the

foundation. All have visited and graced our functions. We owe all this

to Swamy NammAlwar and Swamy Ramanuja.

 

Poliga! Poliga! Poliga!

SrimatE Ramanujaya Namaha.