Report on VArshikOtsavam celebrations in Boston on Sep 24th,2005

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavathas,

 

Adiyen is forwarding a detailed writeup on VArshikOtsavam celebrations

of Sri VenugOpala Perumal by Smt. Vaidehi Raja . This event was hosted

in Boston on Sep 24th in a very grand scale..

 

 

dasan

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi,

Venkat Sreenivasan

-------------------------

 

 

SRI RAMANUJA MISSION OF SRIRANGAM SRIMATH ANDAVAN ASHRAMAM

 

CELEBRATES ‘VARSHAKOTSAVAM” in Boston.

by

Vaidehi V. Raja

 

On the evening of September 23rd, Rohini Ashtami thithiyil, Sri

Venugopalaswamy arrived in Boston with his Parivaram along with a

number of deities in Salagrama form and was received with great

enthusiasm by Shri Sunder Kidambi and family. Shortly thereafter a

team of people visited Sadhu Vasvani Center, Dracut, MA, the venue,

and made preparations to receive and witness all the grand events

celebrating the Varshakotsavam of the Pranaprathishtapana of Lord

Venugopalan with Rukmini and Sathyabama thayars.

 

On Sat at 6.30 a.m., the deities with their Parivarams were received

with all the mariyadhai with poornakumbham amidst vadhya and veda

gosham. Seva kalam with the recitation of Tirupallaandu,

Tiruppalliyezuchchi, Tiruppaavai, and many other pasurams from

nityanusandhaanam was performed. Preparations then were done for

Thirumanjanam. "KAna kannAyiram vEndumallavO engaL nAthanin azhagiya

thirumEni thravyangaLAl thiru neerAdal kAna! Elloraiyum divya

swarupathAl mayakkinAn mAyavan!" Paduka aradhanam for the Sri Padukas

of all the puurvAcharyas and prakrutam Andavan was also performed.

 

"Manjal kappu thulasi mAlayodu engal manamellAm niraindhAn

Madhusuudanan". Veda ghoshti chanted taittiropanishat and pancha

suuktam. During Eera vaadai sevai, kattiyam was recited. Meanwhile,

varieties of sweets and savories, specially prepared by the local

residents for the kalyana utsavam and fruits and garlands began to

appear one by one. In the couple of days preceding the gala

celebration, groups of ladies affectionately prepared several

garlands made of tulasi and various flowers to adorn the Lord

suiting the event. Thus one could enjoy kannan in tulasi mala

alankaram or in different colour garlands as mappillai and so on. The

stage really looked like a kalyana pandal with seer

varisai.

 

At this time, via telebridge we were supremely blessed to hear the

beautiful singing of “Adharahita charuvamsanala”, a stanza from Sri

Gopala Vimshati extremely apt for the function, by His Holiness

Srimath Srimushnam Andavan and also his brief kalakshepam wherein He

so succinctly brought about the Vaibhavam of Sri Venugopalan. The

Ramanuja Mission President, Sri Poondi Vijayaraghavan Swamin quickly

briefed Srimath Andavan about the happenings at the center.

 

By about 11 am, the Lord was taken to the entrance and after being

received with sampradaya mariyadai fitting His Nithyakalyana kolam,

returned to the podium as Kalyana Mapillai! "ManamagalAm ThAyAr

iruvarum alangArathudan alaviLLA azhagudan milirnthanar". With brief

ceremonial rituals, mAlai marrtrudal was performed.The marriage

function began with nadaswaram. After witnessing Perumal thayar

kanganam kattuthal, everyone had the opportunity to follow suit. This

brought up sweet memories for quite a few as couples were asked to tie

it for each other. One person said jokingly, “we get married only so

we will have someone to tie the kanganam on such occasions!”

 

Several devotees sponsored the event. Thirumangalya dharanam was a

scene to behold. "PerumAlum ThAyArgalOdu azhagukku azhagu sErthArpOl

kAtchiAlithAr". The Lord then adorned the Unjal with 5 Sumangalis

conducting the ‘pidi sutral’, while devotees began to sing. This was

followed by ‘Thengai uruttal’, symbolic of ‘vilayadal’ event in

marriages, to the singing of Sri Kothai NAcciyar’s VAranamAyiram.

With sattrumurai everyone received Theertham and shatAri and had the

privilege of seeing Sri Venugopalaswamy and Thayars, Sri Periya

Thiruvadi, Sri Udayavar and all the SAligrAma Perumals. Thus

concluded the morning session with everyone feeling happy and heading

for a marriage feast. The entire feast was prepared by a team headed

by Smt. Rama Bhatta. She was ably assisted by a host of local

residents. A lot of planning and shopping and cooking culminated into

sarkarai pongal,

kalanda sAtham, lemon rice, thayir sAtham and vadai paruppu, not to

mention several sweets and savories for prasadam.

 

We were quickly summoned as Lord Krishna got ready for DOlOtsavam. It

was a treat for our eyes and ears to see the Lord in Dolai. He was

entertained for the next 3-4 hours with Iyal, Isai and NAtakam. Yes

indeed! The entertainment kicked off with a dance of Varanamayiram,

by Ms. Sowmya Chari, a disciple of Smt. Jyoti Raghavan. There was

another bharatanatyam performance by the disciples of Smt. Sridevi

Tirumalai, who performed a Pushpanjali and Varnam, a dance-drama

depicting the birth and leelas of Sri Krishna. The bhavas of the

disciples were simply rapturous with a demanding and superb

choreography by their teacher. The fitting finale to their drama,

depiction of Lord Krishna as Parthasarathy and delivering the

Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna was simply enchanting. They all deserve a

well earned applause.

 

The dance team was well challenged by Kalaivani Kalaikoodam (the drama

team) by portraying the salient events in the lives of Mudalazhwars,

the famed Bhoodatazhwar, Pozgaiahwar and Peryazhwar, the first three

saints of the twelve azhwars. The audience witnessed with delight as

they came to life through the tireless efforts of Shri. Narayanan and

Smt. Vasundara. It was such a sweet treat to see several little feet

scurrying between scenes! Yes the kids ranged from 3-17 years! What a

monumental effort on their part as well to depict Lord Krishna,

Azhwars, Andal, Thirumangai mannan and Sonna vannam seitha perumal

stories to us. I am convinced Lord Venugopalan witnessed all the

drama with great affection. This was followed by a solo vocal recital

by Smt. Geetha Murali. Her rendering of the songs on Krishna was pure

unadulterated treat for

the ears. "Kannanin mOhana gAnamO enru thOnriyadhu!" Next came a short

sweet rendering of two bhajans by a group of six ladies from the

Boston area. All the participants were given certificates of

appreciation by Sri RAMANUJA Mission. The drama troupe was blessed to

receive trophies from His Holiness Sri Santharamji, of H.H. Tridandi

Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, who was kind enough to grace the entire

function.

 

The Dolai concluded with the recitation of siriya thirumadal and

saartrumurai. Several devotees continued singing individually. By

about 7/8 pm the visitors were gone with packed dinners! The local

volunteer cleaning crew stepped in to the backdrop of Smt. Aruna

Sairam singing (CD). Several were in the kitchen preparing for dinner

with most kids having dinner. Upstairs in the hall, a few kids were

playing, some adults cleaning, some sitting/ standing and casually

talking. There was a 6 yr old kid and mom singing sitting near

Krishna. And then a 3 year old started dancing for Krishna

voluntarily for the background music. The scene was truly like a

kalyana mandapam after the marriage is over and only the very

essential parties are left. And that is how it felt for all of us in

Boston – tired,

relaxed in mind that the function was an overwhelming success by the

grace of His Holiness Srimath Andavan, satisfied that we put in our

best efforts and ecstatic that the Lord Venugopalan is going to stay

with us.! In all some 150-200 people witnessed and received the

blessings of Lord Venugopal that day. Some 40 people came from other

states, some of whom were hosted by 7-8 families. We all returned

home with Lord Krishna in our hearts and thoughts. We are extremely

grateful for all the volunteers and the goshti group for their

stupendous efforts in bringing the glory and vaibhavam of Sri

Venugopalan to Boston, in keeping with the lofty goals of the

Ramanuja mission, as kids and adults alike enjoyed His unparalled

beauty and Grace.

 

Subham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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