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

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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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