Other Utsavams in Thiruvallikeni

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Sri Parthasarathi thunai

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

Today is Sri Mudaliyandan’s sattrumarai. Sri

Ramanujar used to call Sri Mudaliyandaan and Sri

Koorathazhvan as his Dandam and pavithram. From this

we come to know how close these two sishyas were to

the Acharyan. Sri Mudaliyandaan is also related to

Sri Ramanujar in his Poorvashramam. Sri Udayavar was

his maternal uncle. Sri Mudaliyandaan was born in the

star Punarvasu in the place Pettai(Naserat pettai)

very near to Poondamalli in Chennai.

 

In Thiruvallikeni, On this day Sri Mudaliyandaan has

Thirumanjanam in the morning along with his Acharyan

Sri Ethirajar(Vidhayarthi Utsavam) and Sri

Parthasarathi Emperuman. In the evening Sri

Mudaliyandan has veedhi purappadu along with Sri

Parthasarathi Emperuman. After returning back there

will be Sattrumarai ghosti. During the ghosti Sri

Mudaliyandaan will be accompanied by Sri Emperumanar,

Sri Embar and also Sri kulasekarazhwar who belong to

the same Thirunakshatram. Finally Sri Mudaliyandaan

gets his blessings from Sri Parthasarathi.

 

Now that we have seen till now, about the 2 major

Utsavams, Sri Parthasarathi Brahmotsavam and Sri

Udayavar Utsavam I will now proceed to give a jist of

all the other utsavams in Thiruvallikeni in the

various months.

 

In the month of vaikasi, there are 3 utsavams, namely

The Vasantha Utsavam(of Sri Parthasarathi and also of

Sri mannathan and vedavalli) , Sri Nammazhvar Utsavam

and Sri Gajendra varadar Utsavam.

During the vasantha utsavam of Sri Parthasarathi he

goes to the vasantha utsava bungalow and earlier used

to have Thirumanjanam etc over there and stay for the

whole day. But now due to security reasons and the

poor state of the Bunglow he visits only in the

evening for a short duration the other rituals are

done in the temple itself. In case of Sri Ranganathan

and Sri vedavalli Thayar since Thayar is Padi Thandha

Paththini both of them have vasantha utsavam in the

madapam opposite to the Narasimhar Dvajastambam. Sri

Nammazhvar utsavam is done for 10 days. But no

purappadu for Nammazhvar only Thirumanjanam and ghosti

in the Nammazhvar mandapam(otherwise the Vahana

Mandapam). Since Sri Gajendra Varadan doesn’t have

Dvajastambam, his utsavam is not so grand but still he

has Thirumanjanam all ten days and purappadu in the

evenings in various small vahanams. Only on the

Garudasevai day Sri Gajendra Varadar gives darshan on

the Garudan early in the morning. Great alankaram to

Sri varadar is done on these days.

 

In the month of Aani, the main utsavam is Sri Azhagiya

Singar Brahmotsavam. All occasions I have explained

in Sri Parthasarathi Brahmotsavam is there in Sri

Azhagiya Singar Brahmotsavam also. But instead of

Simha Vahanam (since he himself is a simham) Sri

Azhagiya singar gives darshan on Yali(Yali Vahanam).

And on Theertha vari day Sri Azhagiya Singar has

Thirumanjanam in the Anjeeneyar temple on the other

side of the Kairavini Pushkarini unlike Sri

Parthasarathi who has Thirumanjanam in Andal Neerata

Mandapam. And during the utsavam on Aani Swathi Sri

Periyazhvar Sattrumarai is also done.

 

In the month of Aadi, there are 2 Utsavams, namely

Sri Aalavandar Utsavam and Sri Andal Aadi Poora

Utsavam. Again for Sri Aalavandar Utsavam there is no

purappadu but Thirumanjanam and Ghoshti will be there,

Purappadu only on the Sattrumarai day and on this day

Sri Parthasarathi dressed as Gajendra Varadar releases

Gajendran from the clutches of the crocodile. This

event is performed at the pushkarini where a photo of

a crocodile catching Gajendra is placed in the

NeerAazhi Mandapam and a Rocket sort of Vedi is sent

from one end in which Sri Parthasarathi stands to the

crocodile. The beauty of Sri Parthasarathi in this

Alangaram , definitely cannot be explained by words.

Then comes the Aadi Poora utsavam celebrated for 10

days. Sri Andal has purappadu everyday and after

returning she undergoes Maalai Maatthal with Sri

Parthasarathi eagerly waiting for her at the Mandapam.

Then she enters the mandapam and joins in the Oonjal

with Sri Parthasarathi. On the Aadi Poora day a grand

Kalyanam is done to Sri Parthasarathi and Andal and

this Utsavam ends with the Serthi Sevai similar to

that of Panguni Utthira Kalyanam of Sri Mannathan and

Sri Vedavalli Thayar. The next day is the Oorgola

Utsavam and from this day till the next pooram Sri

Andal stays in Sri Parthasarathi sannadhi itself.

Only on the next pooram she returns back to her

Sannadhi.

In the month of Aadi one other important occasion is

the Jheshtabheshekam for the various perumals.

Starting with Sri Parthasarathi Jheshtabheshekam on

Aadi Thiruvonam, consequently all other Emperumans

have their Jheshtabheshekams on their respective stars

(Sri Ranganathar-Revathi, Sri Ramar-Purnarpoosam, Sri

Azhagiya Singar- Swathi). Sri Varadharajar doesn’t

have a kavasam and hence no Jheshtabishekam. Only

recently Sri Varadhar has been adorned by a Silver

Kavasam.

 

In Aavani we have the Pavithrostavam for 7 days and

the Sri Jayanthi celebrated. The next day of the Sri

Jayanthi is the Vuriyadi Utsavam.

 

In Purattasi, the main Utsavam is the Navarathri

Utsavam of Sri Vedavalli Thayar. Thayar’s beauty and

charm in the various Alangarams on each day Is out of

the world. And the highlighting feature of this

utsavam is the Madal Ghosthi in the evenings. In

other places on Navarathri days ladies and girls dress

beautifully and visit their friends and relatives to

call them to their house golu. But in Thiruvallikeni

first preference is only to Vedavalli Thayar’s

purappadu. Either before or after that the ladies fix

their timings to visit others houses. It is admirable

to see so much crowd enjoying the amazing beauty of

Sri Vedavalli. On the Ayudha Pooja day, the

Navaratri Utsavam comes to an end and that day night

Sri Vedavalli gives Vettrilai paaku for all. Getting

the ‘Vettrilai Pakku’ from Thayar is regarded the

most auspicious. The next day is Vijaya Dasami. On

this day Sri Parthasarathi goes round Thiruvallikeni

in his horse. He visits many streets other than the

Mada streets also and gives joy to all the bhakthas

who live in those streets other than the Mada streets.

Then when he returns to the Thulasinga Perumal street

he is joined by Sri Vedanthachariar whose

Thirunakshatram usually falls on the same day.

Returning back Sattumarai to Sri VedantaChariar is

done.

 

In Iyappasi we have Sri Manavala Manunigal Utsavam for

10 days. Like Sri Ramanuja Sri Manavala Mamunigal

also goes to each sannadhi to do Mangalasasanam all

the days of the utsavam. On the final day a very

special Sevai awaits all the devotees. Emperuman

originally starts in Kaithalam towards Sri Mamunigal

to give him Divya Darshanam. We being sishyas of

Mamunigal is graced with the same Darshan. By this

Sri Parthasarathi proves that if his Bhakthas take one

step towards him he takes 10 ten steps towards them.

And also that for a prapannan there is no other great

gift than the sevai of Emperuman. So as Sri

Ranganatha gave Darshan to Sri Udayavar in Kaintalam

and Sri Sourirajan of Thirukannapuram gave Darshan to

Sri vibheshanazhwan in Kaintalam, here Sri

Parthasarathi shows his Kaintala Sevai to Mamunigal on

his Thirunakshatram. This is a rare sevai only on

this day.

Then this is the month in which the Mudhal Azhwargal

took birth and hence the Thirunakshatrams of the 3

Alwars are celebrated. Since Peyazhwar was born in

Thiruvallikeni/Thirumayilai here there is a 10 day

Utsavam for Peyazhwar. But again no purappadu only

ghosthi and Thirumanjanam. On the Sattrumarai day

Sri Parthasarathi visits the peyazhwar

Sannadhi(located in the chinna Mada Veedhi outside the

temple) and has Thirumanjanam over there with

Peyazhwar. One beautiful site is on the Poigai Alwar

sattrumarai purappadu. On this day in front of Sri

Parthasarathi we can see Sri Poighai Alwar, Sri Pillai

Lokacharya (who was also born on this day) and Sri

Manavala Mamunigal(vidayarthi poorthi) all in a line.

These are rare sites and very cool to our eyes.

And on the Kaisika Ekadasi day, Kaisika Purnam is read

in front of Sri Parthasarathi.

The Deepavali day in Thiruvallikeni is a day of

enjoyment. In everyother place everyone celebrates

Deepavali early in the morning. But in

Thiruvallikeni,the main enjoyment is reserved for the

night when Sri Parthasarathi joins with all the young

folks to celebrate. The number of 10,000 wallas are

increasing year after year. All the people join

together irrespective of friends or relatives and

enjoy the Deepavali in unison with the Emperuman. It

is really a great enjoyment.

 

In karthigai, we have the karthigai deepam. After

the Thirumangai Mannan Sattrumarai Thailakappu is done

to all the Moolavars. Again Thirumangai mannan has 10

day Utsavam here with ghosti and Thirumanjanam and

purappadu only on the last day along with Sri

Parthasarathi. The next is Thirupannazhwar

sattrumarai. No purappadu due to Thailakappu.

 

In Marghazi, we have the Pagal Pattu and Rapattu

utsavam . On the Vaikunda Ekadasi day there is very

heavy crowd and Sri Parthasarathi early in the morning

gives darshan to Sri Nammazhwar in the Vaikundha

Vaasal. In the pagal pattu utsavam Sri

Parthasarathi’s alangarams are extraordinary. You

could have never seen such beauty in any other divya

desam. I stop with saying this since I feel it is

beyond my capacity to really explain about this

utsavam.

Next is Sri Andal Neeratam for 10 days. Sri Andal

goes to her Neerata Mandapam and undergoes Neeratam.

The way the archakas put thailam to Sri Andal's hair

and then comb it etc should be seen in person. No

words can give the real joy. This Utsavam actually

ends with the Bhogi Kalyanam. On this day marriage is

done between Sri Parthasarathi and Sri Andal and then

Serthi Sevai and then Sri Andal remains in Sri

parthasarathi Sannadhi for a month just like Aadi

poora kalyanam. On the Kanu day Sri Andal first keeps

the Kannu pidi and only seeing her do so the other

ladies in Thiruvallikeni follow her in their houses.

 

In Thai, We have Thirumazhisai Alwar Utsavam for 10

days. And on the sattrumarai day Thirumazhisai Alwar

has purappadu with Sri Parthasarathi. Embar

Sattrumarai and Thai poosam are other important days

in Thai. On the Thai poosam day Sri Parthasarathi

goes to the Big street in Thiruvallikeni to cut the

new ripe grains.

 

Then Sri Koorathazhwan sattrumarai is done on Thai

Hastam day. Then Sri Parthasarathi visits

Ekaduthangal in the same month. This is a place very

far from Thiruvallikeni but it is supposed to have

been the property of Sri Parthasarathi which he visits

once a year even now.

 

In Masi, on the Radha saptami day Sri Parthasarathi

gives darshan on Soorya Prabhai. On Masi Makam Sri

Parthasarathi goes to the beach in garuda sevai and

has Thirumanjanam over there. The chakrathazhwar dips

in the sea water on behalf of the Emperuman. And in

this month Thirukkachi Nambi Sattrumarai and

kulasekaraalwar sattrumarai are done.

The next Utsavam in this month is the Dhavana utsavam.

During this utsavam Sri Parthasarathi goes to the

Dhavana utsava Bunglow where the mandapam is decorated

with Davanam.

On Masi Dwadasi day, Kalyana utsavam for Sri

Mannathan and Sri Vedavalli Thayar is done.

 

Then the next Utsavam is the Theppotsavam which

continues for7 days 3 days for Sri Parthasarathi, then

one day each for Sri Azhagiya Singar, Sri Ranganathar,

Sri Ramar and Sri Varadharajar.

In Panguni there is an important occasion. The

Pallava Utsava followed by the panguni Uthiram. This

is were I started my postings and probably Sri

Parthasarathi wants me to end with the same. The last

Utsavam in Panguni is the Sri Rama Navami Utsavam.

 

With this I conclude my postings on the utsavams in

Thiruvallikeni. For this year's Utsava schedule

please visit the site www.geocities.com/sumivaradan/

 

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasyai

Sumithra Varadarajan

 

 

 

 

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