thirumankaappu for ladies

[Guest guest]

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

with reference to Ms. Nappinnai's question on thirumaN kaappu for ladies, i am

copying following write up [which i wrote in bhakti list- may be two years back

- in response to similar question on ladies wearing thirumaN].

hope the points are answered.

dhasan

m.g.vasudevan.

 

Message: 9 Fri, 19 Sep 2003 17:03:54 -0000

"vaidhehi_nc" <nappinnai_nc

silly doubt...

Sri: Dear devotees, Humble pranAms to all. -- share the reason with me.

Thanks & Best regards

AzhvAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam

NC Nappinnai

 

my earlier write up - quote -

Dear Padma priya and other bhakthaas of the list,

 

On the subject of wearing thirumaN kaappu by women, I have to say the following

based on "sthree dharmangal' chapter in the book on sadhaachaara practices, by

prakrutham HH Sri Azhagiyasingar.

 

First for "sumangali sthree"- [viz. Married women with husband living] Such

sumangalis after their bath must wear 2 vasthrams in red colour. [one sari and

another one as jacket].

 

On the lighter side, please do not ask me "is it red only daily?- then what

happens to all the different colours available in the wardrobe?" The answer is

-yes- as per the slokam in the book but in practice it may be different, since

we do many other things what is said and not said].

 

Then, perform aachamanam after washing the feet once again [this is apart from

having cleaned all the body during the bath].

 

You may ask "How to do this aachamanam"- The answer is- without the praNavam and

the 4th vibakthi for the naamam of achyutha etc, the sumangali has to utter the

aachamana manthram and drink the water 3 times - i.e. say achyutha anantha

govindha. Then recite the 12 namams of bhagavaan in the aachamana manthra

-plainly means without pranavam and namah. Simple uttering only and not like men

who say these- pranavam achyuthaaya namah: Similarly no touching of the body in

12 places like men during these 12 nama uttering [no anga nyaasam in 12 places

like two eyes, nose etc for ladies].

 

Then adorn the single thirumaN kaappu in the perumaaL sannadhi [puja room] in

the shape of bhagavaan thiruvadi- feet of the lord or ardha chandran. The sree

chooraNam has to be in the shape of the dheepa rEkai (the flame shape of an oil

lit lamp] or pumpkin seed {and definitely not round}.

 

Then turn towards sun and give one argyam without any manthram. Then have the

dhyaanam on the guru parampara and carry out ashtaakshara japam as per

upadhEsam. There is no need for praaNaayaamam sankalpam etc like men for this

japam.

 

Now for the vidhavaa sthree- more or less same as sumangali, but the dress has

to be in kashaaya colour or naarmadi - dull colour- the thirumaN is 12 in number

like men -at same places as for men.

 

[please note here for sumangali it is ONE only and for widow it is 12- in

earlier mail Sri MaadhavakkaNNan has said 12 for women also but please note the

nirNayam here].

 

For young and unmarried girls there is no nirNayam in the book.

 

The following view is mine. In those days, as the girls once attain puberty or

just around that age, they will be given in marriage and then the samaasrayaNam

and upadEsam of the moola manthram will be performed, there is NO rule laid down

for the young girls. But for the boys, there are rules and regulations, since

they have to undergo upanayanam and the vEdha adhyayanam after 7th year.

 

But these days the marriages take place after the age of 20 etc, the procedures

as laid for sumangali can be adopted by these women also till they get married

and become eligible as per the nirNayam. Earlier days, only married women will

be performed samaasrayaNam but nowadays spinster of more than 20 also get these

done by aachaaryaas and hence I am sure such relaxation can be had in this

thirumaN kaappu rules also.

 

So I appreciate the desire of Padmapriya in asking this question. Definitely you

can start wearing the thirumaN daily.

Dhaasan Vasudevan M.G.

unquote.