Visit to divya desams part 13 (concluding part)

[Guest guest]

Dear bhagavathas,

 

pranamams.

 

This is the final concluding post on adiyen's trip to various divya

desams in June/July of this year. In the last posting we have covered

part of our Kanchi trip and now let us conclude after visiting

navalpakkam and other divya desams around chennai.

 

Around 3.30 PM we have commenced our journey to Navalpakkam. Sri

Srinivasa raghavan, Krishnan's father also agreed to come with us to

Navalpakkam as he hasn't visited this temple so far.

 

The journey was very interesting with the company of Sri Satakopan

swami. He is extremely knowledgable and adiyen could clear many of

his doubts with him. He wanted me to write about the kaimkaryams to

various email groups as he felt his English is not very good. Adiyen

felt that for a person who is fully versed with Vedas and Sastras and

Sanskrit this is not a big thing. His basic idea is to serve the

acharya in whatever way possible. He was kind enough to send 2 video

CDs of Sri Desikar and Deepaprakashar utsavams and if any bhagavatha

is willing to contribute for his kaimkaryams adiyen can send a copy

of the CD as complimentry.

 

Enroute adieyen wanted to stop over at Thennangur as it was Satarday

and adiyen was told by one of our goshti member that on Satarday the

alankaram will be that of Thirumala Srinivasa.When we went in to the

temple it was just time for opening for evening pooja. The temple was

looking so beautiful and it was very different from our traditional

temple. The main gopuram is also different. The architecture was like

Puri temple and the deities were Panduranga and Rukmayi.

 

When the temple was opened the crowd that was waiting for darshan

rushed inside the sannidhi. The bhattar asked every one to assemble

in the entrance hall just near the sannidhi and gave an electrifying

speech for 10 minutes about the significance of the temple and

importance of listening to the names of Lord rather than visiting the

temples as a touring place. His speech echoed the conversation adiyen

and Sri Satakopan had in the car during the journey. He then invited

us and gave a good darshan. The alankaram was so beautiful and we

were seeing Lord Srinivasa and Padmavadhi thayar in front of us, but

without the "jarakandi".

 

The journey continued and at the sunset time we have reached

Navalpakkam village. After Vandhavasi the road leading to Navalpakkam

was totally deserted and no other motor vehicle other than our car.

As we entered the village, amma told me that the agraharam is exactly

looking like the Thiruvahendrapuram of 1960's. All the houses are

with tiled and pitched roof built in a traditional manner. One good

thing was due to Thirunakshatram of two great acharyas the village

was filled with Srivaishavas who are in strict traditional attaire

including sika. Adiyen was excited to see so many vidhwans and our

car has broken the silence of this calm hamlet and every one rushed

to the entrance to see who is coming.

 

Sri Satakopan swami took us to the house where Smt Shanta mami was

staying. She is the managing trustee of the Thuppul trust and she is

doing many kaimkaryams at Navalpakkam and Thuppul with great

enthusiasm. After refreshing ourselves we went to the temple and the

utsavar was getting ready for veedhi purappadu. The archaka took us

to all sannidhis and special mention should be made about the Lakshmi

Haygreeva sannidhi. Like Sri Desika was blessed with an idol of Sri

Hayagreeva, the Navalpakkam swami Sri Annarya maha desikan was

blessed with an idol of Sri Hayagreeva. This archa moorthy was with

the above acharya's descendants but now kept in the temple. The archa

thirumeni of Hayagreeva was very beautiful.

 

Adiyen was honoured with Perumal's vastram (uduththukk kaLaindha

aadai) and adiyen considered this as great bhagyam. Sri Satakopan

swami has taken us to the house of Sri Devanatha maha desikan and

adiyen was blessed to prostrate at the Perumal sannidhi of this great

mahan. Adiyen was introduced to the vidhwan's there by Sri Satakopan

swami and they were kind in enquiring about our back ground and

knowing about our kaimkaryams etc..

 

It was 7 PM and we have commenced our return journey and two vidhwans

wanted to go upto Vandhavasi to go to Kanchipuram. We left

Navalpakkam thanking Sri Satakopan and Smt Shanta mami and returned

to Chennai. Amma was exhausted but she enjoyed the trip esp the

darshan of Sri Varada.

 

This complets the adiyen's ramblings of our divya desa yatra outside

chennai. Three more temples that adiyen visited were

 

Thiruvallikkeni

Mylapore Sri Kesavaperumal and Srinivasar temple

Thiruvallur

 

Adiyen met Sri M A Venkatakrishnan swami during my trip to

Thiruvallikkeni at his residence and spend about 2 hours with him.

Adiyen is a fan of Sri MAV for his majestic renderings of Gadya

trayam of Sri Ramanuja and Stotraratna of Sri Alavandar. Last year

adiyen has learnt these grantas from Sri Raman swami and he suggested

to listen to MAV's recitation to perfect adiyen's recitation.

Whenever adiyen listens to his Sriranga gadyam, adiyen will cry when

he recites the " na jaane gadhi manyadha". Listening to his

recitation is a divine experience. When adiyen mentioned it to him,

he thanked with humility and despite his busy schedule he spent lots

time with me. He spoke about his gitacharyan and other kaimkaryams.

He also invited adiyen for the realease of his book about Nalayira

divya prabandham (about the aidheekams). Adiyen took a copy of his

pallandu upanyasam and please listen to this wonderful upanyasam.

 

We were struck at Mylopore temple one evening due to rain. It rained

heavily on that evening and with great difficulty returned home.

 

At Thiruvallore we offered "babli thuppatti" ie blanket to Moolavar

as we had a prarthana for this. Adiyen went alone and fell ill with

severe fever while being there. Adiyen was shivering and it was a

miraculous experience to return home by local trains travelling form

Thiruvallore to Central and then Central to Tambaram and to

Medavakkam. Only perumal has brought me back home and after this

adiyen could not even get up for two days.

 

Apart from this adiyen has performed Sudarshana homam at our home and

took this mantra upadesa from my maternal uncle. Also learned few

tough desika stotras like Garuda panchashat and Nyasa vimshati and

Taitiriiyopanishad (part) from Sri Raman swami of Keezhneerkundram in

15 days time.

 

Since Selaiyur was close by adiyen could go to Sri ahobila mutt often

and adiyen was blessed to be with adiyen's acharya Srimad Azhagiya

singar for long periods. Adiyen was there on the day of HIS chatur

masya sankalpam too and met many bhagavaths from USA and Singapore.

Adiyen was happy to know that our humble attempt in the cyber space

was useful to many of them.

 

In a nutshell, it was a memorable trip with visit to many divya

desams and most of the time was spent in bhagavath vishayams only.

 

Before signing off just few words..

 

adiyen has lots images taken during our trip and they are being added

to our site http://srivaishnavam.com. Upto Thalachchangadu are

already added and adiyen will start from Thiru Indhalur shortly.

 

If you want to make a trip to any of these temples and require

assistance pls send a note. adiyen will help to make your trip

comfortable with all the required information and adiyen's father can

arrange for this from chennai.

 

We would appreciate your support to our ongoing kaimkaryams. adiyen

is glad to inform you that a bhagavatha came forward to offer

Thirumangalyam,tilakam and vastrams to Thanjai neelamega perumal

temple after reading adiyen's postings on this thread. adiyen is

counting on your support for renovation of Thanjai temple which is

expected to commence in 2,3 months time. Our divya desa kainkarya

trust has committed to participate in a big way in this kaimkaryam.

We have taken images of the existing temple and soon it will be

posted in our site and adiyen will send a note for your review.

 

Once again, thanks for your patience and encouragement thru private

emails.

 

Regards

 

Dasan venkat