Visit to Divya desams Part VIII

[Guest guest]

Dear bhagavathas,

 

pranamams.

 

Adiyen will cover the tour experiences of Thirunangur divya desams

and other divya desams around Kumbakonam in this posting. Please bear

with me as adiyen is having just one more day's trip to wrap up this

series. Sorry for testing your patience.

 

Some bhagavathas have mentioned that adiyen can include the temple

timings and contact person in that area who can arrange for a

comfortable trip. Adiyen will try to provide this information

whereever appropriate. You may refer to Travel info link under Divya

desam menu of our site http://srivaishnavam.com

 

We left Chennai by a Fast Passenger, which is currently leaving

Chennai-Tambaram at 11.15PM. Since Broad gauge conversion works in

progress in most of the south, the train routes and timings are

undergoing frequent change. The ideal journey would be to catch a

night train and get down at Seerkazhi in the morning and cover

Thirunangur based divya desams or alight at Mayiladuthurai to cover

most of the divya desams around this town. You can get down at

Chidambaram too to have darshan of Sri Govindaraja Perumal first and

continue the journey to Thirunangur.

 

Our plan was to get down at Seerkazhi and we have arranged for a car

for two days

(1000 rupees per day for a coverage of maximum of 200 KM). The car

driver is from Oppiliappan Koil and he has become very close to us

due to our frequent trips to various divya desams in Chozha nadu. He

is the same person who took us from Thanjai mamanikkoil to

Thillaivilakam, Vaduvoor and Oppiliappan koil on the earlier trip.

 

The train left Chennai on time and my friend Sri Santhanam and my

father were with me for this trip. Sri Santhanam is my close friend

and we have lots of common interest to share. He goes on Pilgrimmage

often with meticulous planning all over India and he is the one who

has told us about the poor condition of Thalachchangadu divya desam

after his visit.

 

Around 6.30AM the train reached Chidhambaram station and we should

have reached Seerkazhi in another half an hour or so. As the train

left the station and gaining speed, some one has pulled the emergency

chain and the train was negotiating from loop line to main line and

the sudden stop by pulling the chain has almost derailed the train.

The connecting rod between the compartments broke and the train came

to a grinding halt and it was every one's guess about further journey

of the train. We can't afford to wait as the car will be waiting at

Seerkazhi station and we had series of planned performances right

from morning until night.

 

Quickly we got down and walked back to the station along the railway

track

(thankfully the train did not travel much from station), and took an

auto to go the bus stand. We took a bus and went to Seerkazhi and

again took an auto to reach the station. This unexpected travel has

consumed extra one hour and we have to leave out few divya desams due

to this. It's all HIS sankalpam.

 

Our original plan was to go to Thiruvali and than later come to

Seerkazhi to have darshan of ThadaLan. But since some time has

already been lost, the driver has suggested to have darshan at

Seerkazhi first. We did not make any prior arrangement for bathing

etc at Seerkazhi as our plan was to go to Sri Alinadan swami's

thirumaligai for our nityanushtanam. But since appa had been to the

bhattar's house earlier once, we thought of requesting him to have a

shower at his home.

 

Adiyen found that the bhagavathas in these divya desams are very

friendly and ever willing to help bhagavathas. The bhattar's house

was just close to the temple and he was kind enough to permit us to

bathe and complete our sandhiyavandhanam etc. Then he took us to the

temple and gave good darshan explaining the Periathirumozhi pasurams

of Sri Thirumangai Azhvar. This temple is being maintained well and

Thoddachchar family are mudhal thiirthakaras here.

 

Flower plants and tulasi plants are being grown around the prakaram.

There is a separate Thayar sannidhi and a separate Ramar sannidhi.

Being a town there are lots of shops around to buy garlands etc for

the Perumal.

 

We then went to Thirunagari, the one of the twin temples (the other

one is Thiruvali). Adiyongal are blessed to do nitya aradana

kaimkaryam in these two temples. At this juncture, adiyen should

introduce Sri Aalinadan swami who is actively involved in the

kaimkaryams of Perumal in these divya desams. He is working as a

schoolteacher in Seerkazhi and living in Thiruvali. He is Embar

thirumaligai sishya and his knowledge in Divya prabandham is

unbelievable. His father is serving the temple for more than 60 years

and this swami is in late 80's. Still he is active and accompanied us

for the Thirumanjanam at Thiru Arimeya Vinnagaram for "Kudamadum

koother". Sri Aalinadan swami is also proficient in Divya prabandham

and we have enjoyed his company so much for the entire day. His

untiring efforts to serve Sri Thirumangai Azhvar and Perumal at

Thirunagari and Thiruvali divya desam is to be mentioned and he is

our coordinator for our kaimkaryams in Thirunangur divya desams.

 

When we went to Thirunagari, Sri Aalinadan swami was in the temple

along with another group of devotees (our trust members Smt

Subhashini and her sister and father etc.) who had different tour on

the earlier day to Therazhundhur, Thiruvelliyangudi and other divya

desams and joined us for Thirunangur trip. In all we had wonderful

company enjoying the Lord in many temples in a goshti as Sri Andal

puts it " Kutiyirundhu KulirndhElOr empavaay".

 

We had very good darshan of Sri Kalyana ranganathar and the

specicality of this divya desam is that there is big sannidhi for Sri

Thirumangai azhvar and he sports like a hunter man. His aradana

moorthy "Sindhanaikku iniyan" is also kept along with Azhvar. Sri

Manavala mamuni has composed a beautiful pasuram on the beauty of Sri

Thirumangai azhvar.adiyen has the image of Sri Thirumangai azhvar and

soon scan and put it in our site.

 

Sri Aalinadan swami has explained the history of the temple and

throughout our trip in each temple he has explained the meaning of

the main pasuram of Peria thirumozhi which glorifies that particular

divya desam. His majestic recitation of the divya prabandham was a

treat to listen.

 

Later we left to Thiruvali the another temple attahced to this twin

divya desam. En route we wanted to visit the place where Sri

Thirumangai azhvar has robbed the Lord, who came along with Thayar as

newly wed couples. This place is called Thirumanangkollai. Every year

Vedupari utsavam is being performed. Sri Aalinadan narrated the

utsavam and we felt blessed to walk on this place where Sriman

Naryanana has done Ashtakshara mantra upadesam to Azhvar.

 

We came to Thirunagari temple and the narasimhar here is special. HE

is holding Mahalakshmi on the right hand side unlike the other

temples where she sits on the left lap. Our trust is doing nitya

aradana kaimkaryam in this temple too.

 

Since we have arranged for Thirumanjanam at Arimeya vinnagaram temple

for Kudamadum koothar we rushed over there as we were getting late

for this.

 

Adiyen will continue the tour in the next post.

 

Regards,

 

dasan venkat