A VMS Report on Mettilotsava 2003, Pittsburgh, PA

[Guest guest]

May 24, 2003 Vaishaka Krishna Navami

 

Between 9:00 AM and Noon, hundreds of devotees of

Srimad Acharya living in Detroit, Ohio, Connecticut,

New York, New Jersy, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and

Virginia states started driving /flying towards

Pittsuburgh and by 6 PM most devotees have checked

into their hotels and assembled to join the evening

rathothsava in the temple. For many it was indeed a

great feeling to see and socialize with fellow Madhvas

from other parts of the U.S. and most of them meeting

after exactly one year. While the Sun was setting with

a beautiful breezy late spring weather, Lord

Srinivasa’s procession went around the outer prakaara

of the temple amidst beautiful bhajans from different

VMS sections. At the conclusionof rathothsava devotees

had the darshana of the Lord in the Sanctum Sanctorum,

had dinner at the cafeteria, had informal gatherings

and many attended Sri R.K. Srikantan’s concert. Most

of the songs sung by Sri. Srikantan were Sri.

Purandarad dasaru’s compositions (as it was Sri

Purandara Dasaru’s aradhana according to temple’s

schedules). The performance of the support artists Sri

R. K. Ramakanth (Vocal Support), Sri. Srikanth

Malljosyula (Violin) and Sri. Rohan Krishnamurthy

(Mridangam) provided a very relaxing and enjoyable

after-dinner music.

 

 

May 25, 2003 Vaishaka Krishna Dashami

 

Mettilotsava:

 

By the time dawn broke out in Pittsburgh the parking

lot of Days-Inn in Monroeville (a suburb of

Pittsburgh, where most VMS members stayed) was almost

empty. Between 7 and 7:20 devotees of Srimad Acharya

with men dressed up in Haridaasa costumes and women

dressed up in traditional styles started assembling at

the starting point of Mettilotsava which is about 0.75

miles down the hill from the temple. One could hear

the echo of group chantings of Vayustuti, Venkatesha

Stotra and Vishnu Sahasraama from the temple. At

around 7:30AM as planned everyone followed Sri. Kesava

Rao Tadipatri to do samkalpa of the day by chanting

Sri Raghyavendra Thirtha’s “PrathaH Samkapla Gadhya”.

Sri Sriprasad have a quick narration on the meanings

of this gadhya which was followed a brief chanting of

Sri Vadiraja Thirtha’s MangLashtaka.

 

Then started the main event of the morning with a

salutation to Lord Srininvasa. Regional groups were

split at this point with Allentown group in the front,

followed by Detorit, followed by Washington

DC/Ohio/Virgina followed by Pennsylavina, New Jersy,

New York and Connecticut. I heard that all together

there were about 150 to 160 people from all groups.

Each group maintained a distance of 50 yards between

them and sung a variety of Haridaasa compositions that

included suladis, uga bhoghas, Harikathamruthasaara,

etc. Lucky were those photographers, videographers,

passer by devotees who could hear a glimpse of songs

sung by each group. For the participants themselves

they had no idea what the other group was singing…

Thanks to some volunteers like Dr. Ravindra, and Sri

Janardhan Krishna Rao for directing the traffic during

the whole mettlostava. At around 9:15 AM all the

groups assembled at kalyani from which point there are

several steps to climb the hill. At the bottom most

step, Sri Keshava Rao performed the Managalarti to a

“devara pettige” carried by Sri. G. V. Srinivasan all

along and all the devotees started singing “Beideno

Ninangri Srinivasa..” ( I won’t let go your feet

Srinivaasa) a composition by Sri Prasanna Venkata

Dasaru. I really do not have words to explain the

emotional feelings of people at this point when every

one was looking up the hill in front of the temple and

singing this wonderful song. Everyone started climbing

the steps behind Sri. Kesava Rao. At this point all

the groups started singing together while doing a big

pradakshina to Lord Srininvasa. Some of the

compositions sung at this time included Dvadhasha

Stotra (3rd, 8th and 12tth chapters). At about 9:45 a

special permission was given to all VMS devotees for a

darshan of the Lord. All the devotees again gathered

at temple’s inner praakara and continued singing

Daasana Maadiko yenna, Dashavatara Stuti, Sri

Vadiraja’s Krishna Ashtaka, and many other songs. At

around 11:00 AM the KirshnarpaNam of the 2003

Mettilotsava was done. Devotees left for brunches,

quick naps, and some were busy preparing for

afternoon’s conference.

 

VMS Conference:

Around 2 PM most people have assembled at the

conference hall, which is about 20 minutes drive from

the Temple. It was a great feeling to watch grown-ups

socializing and talking about morning’s function while

sipping the coffee, kids running around, ladies from

Detroit making preparations for the drama, cooking

team leads Sri Sripad Rao and Sri Sridhar Padaki were

busy directing ladies to cut vegetables, firing

stoves, etc. At 2 PM the conference started with Veda

Ghoshti (all), invocation (Vidya Navarathna) and

followed by four excellent 30 minute pravachanas.

 

Sri. Gopala Madhusudhan Rao and his team made a

splendid Powerpoint presentation which graphically

explained concepts such as Jiva, Paramathma, Srishti

krama, etc. It was very sad that he had only 30

minutes to present and he had to rush through. I have

requested him to post his presentation on the net so

that others can really benefit from it. It is one of

those rare collections unavailable in public.

 

Sri Naagu Srinivas who has studied under scholars like

Sri Vidya Vachaspati Tirta and Sri Maagadi Ranganatha

charya did another presentation on Daasa Sahithya and

Dvaita Siddantha, His slides included the brief

introduction, their periods, achievements, etc., on

daasakoota contributors starting from Sri. Narahari

Thirtha.

 

Sri Kesava Rao Tadipatri needs no introduction to VMS

community in the United States. His lucid lecture on

“Vaali Vadha” based on Srimad Acharya’s Sri

Mahabharata Tatparya NirNaya was excellent. Based on

MBTN, he explained answers to complex questions like

why did Raama kill Vaali from behind, why did Raama

not kill Vaali when Sugriva attacked him first time,

why did Vaali not die as soon as he got struck from

Sri Ramachandra’s arrow, even though Vaali is an Indra

amsha how can he get defeated by Sugrivea (Surya

amsha) ? IsVali a nirdoshi or is it because of his

karma that made Lord to kill him? Why did Vali become

Arjuna and Sugriva become Karna in their later births?

 

About two years ago in the year 2000 Sri Jayakrishna

Nelamangala had started a series of lectures to

explain the detailed meaning of the shvetakopanishat

shruti “Eko dEvah sarva bhuteshu gUdaH…kEvalO

nirguNashcha”. During different Aradhanas in

Allentown, he covered just one word during each of his

lecture. Sri. Jayakrishna explained the meaning of the

last word Nirgunashcha during this conference. It was

evident from the way he spoke thirty minutes of

allocated time was insufficient for him to explain the

word “Nirguna” in detail. Overall it was an excellent

learning experience.

 

Sri Nagaraj Kotekal delivered the concluding remarks

of the lectures by explaining Vayu jivotamatva. His

explanation of Bhima’s expertise in archery by quoting

relevant pramanas was very interesting.

 

After the lectures session there was break for

participants to enjoy the delicious avalakki (poha)

and badushah with coffee. Thanks to Sri. Kodancha and

team from Edison’s puttige matha for preparing the

same.

 

VMS annual reports:

Immediately after the break representatives from

different VMS chapters made a brief presentation of

their activities since last conference. Absence of

representatives from VMS California (which had

performed huge number of aradhanas) and VMS Texas were

very conspicuous. VMS members from other parts

certainly missed these two teams.

 

VMS Detroit was very busy with cultural and religious

activities through out the year. VMS members in the

Detroit area were very lucky to listen to Sri.

Gopinath Galigali’s Bhagavatha. VMS Detroit’s charity

activities were very impressive. Overall VMS Detroit

appears to be a very professionally maintained

organization with very caring and culturally talented

members.

 

VMS North East (PA, NJ, CT, NY) was busy with many

aradhanas and ekadashi jagarana activities. Their

charity work included gurukulas at Tirkoilur and

Jayathirtha Vidya Peeta of Bangalore. Sri. Kesav Rao’s

ongoing Gita class on Saturdays, Ishavasaya Upanishat

classes and Sri Sriprasad’s Dasavara Sthuti under the

guidance of Sri Kesav Rao were highlights of shastra

pAtas. Inaguration of Sri Puttige MaTa with the

sannidhi of Sri Krishna, Sri Vayu and Sri Ragahavendra

Brindavana in Edison, NJ was a major break for

Madhvas. People fom all brahmin communities are

utilizing the maTa to perform a variety of shubha

karyas and pitru karyas in an authentic Madhva style.

VMS is very grateful to Sri. Sugunendra Tirtha for his

courageous decision in this regard.

 

Sri Jaya Krishna of VMS Washington chapter is doing a

great service to the community by conducting a variety

of classes for kids, grown-ups, etc. Smt. Rama

Srinivas’ love for children is very well known in the

VMS community. She has been conducting Sanskrit

classes for kids. It was very sad to hear the loss of

a senior VMS Washington DC member Sri. Keshav Murthy

during the year.

 

Children’s program

Smt. Rama Srinivas and other volunteer mothers who

were very busy keeping the kids engaged in

rangoli-coloring, quiz, and other activities were

ready to take over the podium for children’s

activities by 5:30PM. About 15 kids of different age

group came out and described what is their

understanding of VMS. They also exhibited their

artistic skills in making Lord Krishna’s flute,

Parashurama’s axe, Bhima’s gadhe (mace), Raama’s bow

and arrow, etc using paper. Each one briefly described

a story behind when and why these items were used by

different incarnations of the Lord. It was a feast to

ears to listen to classical music on flute,

accent-less classical vocal of Bhagyada Lakshmi

baaramma, several devaranaamas from kids of different

ages, chanting of dwadasaha sthothra, reading a

devanagiri of Shri ShrishaGunadarpanam, etc. If the

trend continues these blessed kids will no doubt carry

the Tatvavaada Philosophy to centuries and generations

to come in the West.

 

After Sri Kesava Rao Tadipatri distributed the

certificates to these munchkins everyone was ready for

the biggest event of the day – a dance and songs based

Kannada drama “Sri Purandara Vittala”.

 

“Sri Purandara Vittala” by VMS Detroit kids.

 

It is not at all an exaggeration if I say this is the

best drama ever played by amateurs in the U.S. Every

aspect of the drama whether it is a direction,

make-up, wardrobe, dialogues, song selections,

lighting, scene backgrounds and choreography was very

meticulously planned and executed. I noticed several

people made the video recordings of this event and I

strongly urge everyone to watch this drama. During the

drama it was not very uncommon to see the tears

flowing over the cheeks of many many adults especially

while Kanaka Daasa and Purandara Daasa were dancing to

Narasimha Nayak’s background singing of “Daasanagu

Vishehanaagu..”. I personally enjoyed the scene of Sri

Vyasaraja’a meeting with Sri Vadiraja, Sri Krishna

Devaraya, Sri Kanaka Daasa, Sri Purandara Daasa and

other supporting actors. Little Krishna dancing with

Yashodha while Sri Vyasaraja and Sri Purandara Daasa

were composing their respective compositions was

indeed a great presentation.

Behind the scenes hardwork of Smt. Shobha Maddur, Smt.

Sandhya Prasanna, Smt. Sondur and many other Detroit

parents and the children themselves was very obvious.

 

Thottilu Puja

 

Several professional classical singers of VMS - Sri

Ragahavendra Batny, Sri Jayakrishna Nelmangala, Smt.

Sandhya Prasanna, Sri Hunusur Sriprasad and others

entertained the gathering by singing several

devaranaamas. Devaru pettige was placed on a beautiful

cradle (designed by Sri Prasaana of VMS Detroit). It

was thrilling to watch Sri Nagaraj Kotekal swinging

the cradle to the chorus of a laali lead by Smt.

Sandhya.

 

Dinner

By the time the laali and mahamangalarati was over,

the volunteers had already prepared the hall for a sit

down dinner. All the 166 plates were neatly arranged

in five rows and ready to be served. The delicious

kosambary, two palyas, raitha, home made mango pickle,

vegetable bath, payasa, kootu, saaru, obbatu, mixture,

badhushah, etc., prepared under the leadership of Sri.

Sripad of VMS Allentown, Sri Kodancha of Puttige Math

of NJ and many other volunteers were ready to be

served. Sri Sridhar Padaki of VMS Allentown

professionally directed the serving process to many

serving volunteers. It was a great scene to watch the

happening of this sit-down dinner (planned by Sri.

Bindu Madhavan) while the VMS singers singing

devaranaamas on the other side of the hall.

 

By the time the second batch of about 20 people washed

their hands after dinner it was around 10:15 PM.

Within next 45 minutes many volunteers helped to clean

up the kitchen, rearrange the hall, clean up bathrooms

and other rooms. By 11 PM almost everyone had left

except for about 10 people who sat down to listen to

Sri Sridhar Padaki’s jokes and commentaries on day’s

events. By 11:30 PM the hall was locked and everyone

had left.

 

May 25, 2003 Vaishaka Krishna Ekadashi

 

Many people who stayed overnight had the darshana of

Lord Srinivasa in the morning and left to their

respective places. As someone indicated to me Days Inn

resembled some kind of a choultry in Mantralaya with

so many Madhvas staying at a same place.

 

As in any big event there are so many behind the scene

contributors and I am sure I have not covered the

roles of everyone in this report. Please accept my

advance apologies if I have not identified any major

contributor or any major event that made this

Mettilotsava and VMS conference a grand success.

 

I would also hereby request digital photographers to

post those pictures on the net at their earliest

convenience.

 

Regards,

Murthy Navarathna

 

 

 

 

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