Pilgrimage to Saligramam Ksetram in Nepal - Oct/Nov 2003

[Guest guest]

June 14, 2003

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SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

A friend of mine sent the following information

about visit to the difficult to reach Dhivya Desam of

SaaLigramam. I am sharing this information with you

incase yourself or any one in your family wants to

avail yourself of the opportunity to join

this group on its planned KshEthrADanam to

SaaLigrama KshEthram celebrated by Thirumangai

AzhwAr and PeriyAzhwAr with 12 Paasurams.

 

Thirumnagai AzhwAr visualizes the Lord here as

RaamAvathAran and KrishNAvathAran. PeriyAzhwAr's

anubhavam is that of Baala KrishNan and His

play among the Gopis.

 

In his Pasuram ( Periya Thirumozhi:2.9.5),

PeriyAzhwAr describes Bala GopAlan's clever

tricks and complains as a Gopi to Mother YasOdhai

about her incoorigible son's pranks:

 

Paalaik-KaRanthu aduppu yERa vaitthup-palvaLayAL yenn mahaL iruppa

mElai ahatthE neruppu vENDic-chenRiRaippozhuthu angE pEsi ninREn

SAALAKKIRAAMAMUDAYA NAMPI saayutthup-paruhittup-pOnthu ninRAn

aalaik-karumbin mozhiyanaya AshOdhAi nangAi unn mahanaik-koovAi

 

(meaning): Oh YashOdhA Devi with a vocie sweet as

the ripe sagar cane and with perfection of all

kinds ! Please listen to the problem that we are

facing in our house . I had milked all the cows,

placed the milk in big vessels and transferred

them over to the aduppukaL. Then I left my house ,

while my beautiful daughter adorning lovely banglaes

was watching over as protection for the milk .

I went over to my neighbor's house to borrow neruppu

(red hot embers) to bring back to light the fire and

boil the milk . I got distracted for a few minutes

in conversation with my neighbor . Meanwhile your son,

the one without any wants(kuRaivonRumilA Govindhan)

sneaked into to my house as though he has some

wants still and bent the milk vessels over

and drank the whole milk and stood aside as

an innocent one .Oh Mother YasOdhA ! Please

call Your son back to your home so that He

does not cause us more harm through His pranks.

 

In his Paasurams , Thirumangai Azhwar counsels

His mind to hurry up and reach SaaLigrama

KashEthram to worship the Lord there as

Raama-KrishNa avathAra Moorthy. Thiumangai's description

of the beauty of nature at this dhivya dEsam are

splendid.

 

AzhwAr appeals to His mind:

 

"KaayAmalar VaNNan SaaLagrAmamadia nenjE"

 

(Oh My mind! Please travel to the SaaLigrAma

KshEthram of the Lord with the dark-bluish hue of

KaayAmpoo!

 

" Manam kamazhum tadam soozhnthu yengum azhahAya

SaaLagramamadai nenjE!"

 

Oh My mind! Please hurry up and get to the SaaLagrama

KshEthram of the Lord known for its pretty

groves filled with fragrant flowers !

 

Please make use of this wonderful opportunity

to join this special VaishNava GhOshti of thirty

in making to visit and worship the Lord of

SaaLaigrAmam .

 

In this KshEthram blessed for its natural beauty ,

PerumAL's ThirunAmam is SrI Moorthy. Our Lord

poses in the standing poisture and faces

the Northerly direction. ThAyAr Name is aptly

"SrI Devi".Here , the dhivya dampathis of

SrI Moorthy and SrI Devi present themselves under

Kanaka VimAnam ( HiraNya varNAm HariNIm SUVARNA --).

 

SrI Devi SamEtha SrI MoorthayE Nama:

Daasan, Oppiliappan KOil V.Sadagopan

 

The Trip Details & Contacts

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Srimathi Vimala Raghavan and SrIman V.S. Raghavan) are

helping to organize a pilgrimage to Saligramam in Oct/Nov

this year and the details are attached. The non-train part of

the trip includes a Sri Vaishnava organizer and a Sri Vaishnava

cook and all the provided food is cooked by this

person.

 

If any of your family / friends would like to join,

they can contact Sriman V.S.Raghavan

at (91) 22 2414 0904.

 

Hereunder are the details of the proposed trip to Saligramam and back:

Places: Saligramam and Khatmandu (both in Nepal).

 

Departure time and date from Bombay: 27 October 2003 late evening.

Total No. of days: 13 (inclusive).

 

Important to have: Some form of identity.

 

Bombay to Gorakhpur: By train, distance - 1719 km.

Gorakhpur to Pokhra (in Nepal): By bus.

Pokhra - Saligramam - Pokhra: By Helicopter.

 

Pokhra - Khatmandu - Gorakhpur: By bus.

Gorakhpur - Bombay: By train.

 

Minumum persons needed: 25.

Maximum 30.

 

Last date for registration: 15/7/2003.

Last date for payment towards trains fare and tour operator

Charges: 15/8/2003.

 

Date of trains reservation: 28/8/2003.

 

No cancellation possible once booked and money paid. No refund,

Helicopter charges to be paid in CASH at Pokhra to the tour operator,

Possible extra charges: 1) Towards food for return journey period.

2) Air Port tax, if any, at Pokhra,

3) Tips for driver, cook etc, on conclusion of trip,

at Gorakhpur.

4) Local sight seeing charges at Pokhra,

Khatmandu.

Accommodation provided: At Gorakhpur Dormitory.

At Pokhra and Khatmandu: Hotel

Room on sharing basis.

For further information: Contact Vimala./Raghavan: Bombay: 24140904.

You may furnish this to the desiring persons who may contact

SrIman Raghavan for further details.