RE: Melkote VairaMudi

[Guest guest]

SriMathe RamAnujaya Namaha:

 

Dear Bhagavathas,

 

In actual fact, it is once-in-lifetime experience for one to have darsanam

of chellapillai during vairamudi sevai.

 

Self along with relatives had bhagyam to participate in (VairaMudi

Sevai)Uthsavam.

 

I have taken photographs of "ChellaPillai" during procession. Positively I

will upload them on site by this weekend and give url to view.

 

dAsan,

K.M. Shantha Kumar.

http://www15.brinkster.com/mudaliandan

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Srinivasan [Andy.Srinivasan.B]

Tuesday, March 26, 2002 11:08 PM

ramanuja

[ramanuja] Melkote Vairmudi- Hindu

 

 

 

 

MYSORE MARCH 25. Amidst chanting of vedic hymns, Chellapillai

(pampered son), the darling of the masses at Melkote, the historical

temple town near here, kept his annual date with devotees on Sunday

night.

 

Decked with Vairamudi (the diamond crown), Lord Cheluvarayaswamy,

who is fondly called Chellapillai, the presiding deity, with his consorts

gave a glimpse that the devotees were anxiously waiting for during the

Vairamudi festival.

 

The flower arrangements for the procession had been so done that the

figures of Vishnu and his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi, seemed to be

floating just above the heads of people.

 

The Lord named as Chellapillai by the Vaishnavite saint,

Ramanujacharya, looked resplendent as thousands of devotees, who

had thronged the town from far-away places to witness the annual

spectacle, watched in reverence.

 

The procession started around 9 p.m., the auspicious time fixed by the

archakas. Decked up grandly with flowers and jewels, the presiding deity

and his consorts were slowly taken around his abode.

 

According to belief, a darshan of the Lord will relieve the devotees from

all bondage and bring them salvation. Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh,

Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala visit the temple town during the

festival that is held on the fourth day of Brahmotsava. The temple

authorities claim that pilgrims from as far as Nepal and Kashmir visit the

temple during the festival. Melkote has a history of over 1,000 years. It

sheltered Ramanujacharya when he fled Srirangam to avoid persecution

by the local chieftain.

 

The aged among the devotees, who could not witness the spectacle,

waited till the procession returned to the temple precincts around 3 a.m.

after passing through the thoroughfares. The temple town began

receiving devotees from Saturday afternoon.

 

In a break from tradition, the nadaswara which is played all through the

procession was missing this time. It was played only during the

crowning ceremony of the Vairamudi on Lord Cheluvarayaswamy.

 

Legend has it that the Vairamudi or the diamond crown belonged to Lord

Anirudha who resided at Kshirasagara. The Vairamudi was stolen by

Virochana, son of Prahlada. Garuda was asked to bring the crown.

 

Garuda vanquished Virochana and took the crown. On the way, he

found Krishna playing in the Brindavan with his friends and cows and

offered it to him and went back to narrate the incident.

 

Krishna offered the crown to the presiding deity here that is known as

Vairamudi or Vajramukhi. People believe that the Vairamudi should not

be seen during the day.

 

According to scholars, the festival symbolises the mastery of Sri

Cheluvarayaswamy over the Vedas, the storehouse of knowledge. Lord

Cheluvarayaswamy sitting on the Garuda, believed to be the very

personification of the Vedas, shows that it is the former who gives all the

splendour to that knowledge.

 

The Vairamudi that is kept in the Mandya treasury was brought under

heavy security and opened in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner,

L.A. Ateeq, and the SP, A.K.Pandey. Special bus arrangements had been

made to Melkote from Mandya, Mysore, and Bangalore for devotees

 

 

 

 

azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam

 

 

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