Guest guest Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Dear Sri Sadagopan prabhu, Sri Vasudevan prabhu ,Sri Sudharsan prabhu and Respected Bhagavathas, Dandavats Pranams! Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah! This year adiyen was fortunate to participate in the Sriperumbuttur Festival, the Thirunaksatiram celebrations of Sri Ramanujar. The festival began on 13th of April. Devotees from various parts of South India slowly poured in to take part in the grand celebrations. As we got closer to the day of Thirunakshatram Celebrations thousands of PILIGRIMS thronged Sriperumbudur. On the 21st of April, thousands of devotees pulled the giant temple cart that was adorned with the deity - Sri Bhasyakarar. The Srivaishnavas present on occasion hailed from different parts of South India. Several knowledgeable and erudite scholars and committed devotees participated in the Thirunakshatram celebrations. It was unfortunate that I did not have my digital camera at that moment to take pictures. If one were to familiarize oneself with the ecstatic rapport between a devotee and the acharyan, one could see it directly at Sriperumbudur and not just imagine as to how it would exactly be. As I took a look at the devotees present there, I understood that most of them hailed from small villages of South India. I am at loss of words when I feel the need to describe their to devotion. I was awestruck with their devotion to the Lord and the Acharyan. A walk around the temple praakaaram and nearby areas, one could see groups of devotees sitting and singing the naamasankirthanam, talking about the Acharyan, discussing and speaking about glorious pastimes of Sri Ramanujar. Tears swelled into the eyes that saw their simple devotion. It is not realized, nor can one really understand the concept of Bhagavatha Sat Sangam, but here in this place at the celebrations, one could literally see the unembellished Bhagavata Sat Sangam. There are very few dharmashalas in Sriperumbudur, which could accommodate probably only 1000 devotees. But there were thousands of devotees and they all slept outside the temple under the open skies. Though the water at the temple tank was dirty due to lack of maintenance, people still took bath in the waters of the temple tank and evolved beyond the concept of worldly body needs and requirements. They were content with the prasaadam served from the Vaishnava dharmashaalas (Bhagavatha Thadiyaaraathanai) and used the toilet facilities (constructed by us) to attend nature’s call. Apparently, we set up these toilet facilities last year. Their(Vaishnavas) sole purpose of being at Sriperumbuttur was to celebrate the great day and the inconveniences and worldly needs mattered very little. Attending the Thirunakshatram festival and taking the blessings of the Lord and Acharyan was utmost. Several Vaishnava groups served prasadam to the bhagavathaas attending the celebrations. Adiyen too was fortunate and had the honour of distributing prasaadam to various Vaishnava groups. This paricular group that I joined comes from Aarani – Dharmavaram and is team comprising of 30 elderly bhaagavathaas. They have been conducting the Bhagavatha Thadiyaaraathanai since the past 15 years, in which the team personally collects money from friends and relatives, personally cook the prasaadam and distribute it to Bhagavathaas present there. While talking to the team leader, he mentioned to me that the bhagavataha thadiyarathanaia is the most pleasing service to Sri Ramanujar. I could not even see any kind of discrimination at the prasadam distribution service. Every devotee was fed to his heart’s content. The toilet Project: Hundreds of devotees constantly used the toilet facilities constructed by all of us. We had extra cleaners for the festival to ensure proper cleanliness of toilets and facilities. We also took necessary care to open and close the toilets to avoid misuse of any facility. We had to close the toilets sometimes as we had encountered power cut and water shortage. Sometimes the cleaners were also exhausted. Despite many internal challenges and discrepancies, we took it upon us to deliver the best of our services to the Bhaagavathaas. Most devotees, who used the toilet facilities, appreciated the kainkaryam and expressed their feelings before using the premises. Many VaishnavaS did mention that this facility was much more of a priority than the distribution of prasadam. One could resist hunger but how could one ever control the call of nature. They were extremely happy to use the facilities and adiyen had the opportunity to speak to many of them regarding the maintenance and upkeep of the facility. Many has their suggestions about keeping it open for 24 rs during the festival when several devotees would grace the festival. Some vaishnavas did mention that this service, which we had, all jointly perfomed for the pilgrims would bring greatest joy and happiness to Bhagavath Sri Ramanuja as he sees his devotees being provided with most basic,essential facility and comfort. Vaishnava Seva is itself Sri Narayana Seva and is more important than the Sri Narayana seva itself. Vaishnava dasanu dasan, Manoram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 SrI: Dear AchArya RaamAnuja Darsana SampradhAyins : Here is an excellent report from Sri Chaitanyasas of Chennai on the just concluded AchArya Ramanjua Jayanthi . We are praying to Soodikkoduttha NaachiyAr to bless us to complete a Kaimkaryam similar to that completed at SriperumbhUthar in time for Next Year's Aadi Pooram . RaamAnuja Daasan , V.Sadagopan - " manoram chaitanyadas " <manoramjps <manoramjps Friday, April 27, 2007 3:03 PM Sriperumbuttur - Festival report > Dear Sri Sadagopan prabhu, Sri Vasudevan prabhu ,Sri > Sudharsan prabhu and Respected Bhagavathas, > > Dandavats Pranams! > > Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah! > > This year adiyen was fortunate to participate in the > Sriperumbuttur Festival, the Thirunaksatiram > celebrations of Sri Ramanujar. The festival began on > 13th of April. Devotees from various parts of South > India slowly poured in to take part in the grand > celebrations. As we got closer to the day of > Thirunakshatram Celebrations thousands of PILIGRIMS > thronged Sriperumbudur. > > On the 21st of April, thousands of devotees pulled the > giant temple cart that was adorned with the deity - > Sri Bhasyakarar. > > The Srivaishnavas present on occasion hailed from > different parts of South India. Several knowledgeable > and erudite scholars and committed devotees > participated in the Thirunakshatram celebrations. It > was unfortunate that I did not have my digital camera > at that moment to take pictures. > > If one were to familiarize oneself with the ecstatic > rapport between a devotee and the acharyan, one could > see it directly at Sriperumbudur and not just imagine > as to how it would exactly be. > > As I took a look at the devotees present there, I > understood that most of them hailed from small > villages of South India. I am at loss of words when I > feel the need to describe their to devotion. I was > awestruck with their devotion to the Lord and the > Acharyan. > > A walk around the temple praakaaram and nearby areas, > one could see groups of devotees sitting and singing > the naamasankirthanam, talking about the Acharyan, > discussing and speaking about glorious pastimes of Sri > Ramanujar. Tears swelled into the eyes that saw their > simple devotion. It is not realized, nor can one > really understand the concept of Bhagavatha Sat > Sangam, but here in this place at the celebrations, > one could literally see the unembellished Bhagavata > Sat Sangam. > > There are very few dharmashalas in Sriperumbudur, > which could accommodate probably only 1000 devotees. > > But there were thousands of devotees and they all > slept outside the temple under the open skies. > Though the water at the temple tank was dirty due to > lack of maintenance, people still took bath in the > waters of the temple tank and evolved beyond the > concept of worldly body needs and requirements. They > were content with the prasaadam served from the > Vaishnava dharmashaalas (Bhagavatha Thadiyaaraathanai) > and used the toilet facilities (constructed by us) to > attend nature's call. Apparently, we set up these > toilet facilities last year. > > Their(Vaishnavas) sole purpose of being at > Sriperumbuttur was to celebrate the great day and the > inconveniences and worldly needs mattered very little. > Attending the Thirunakshatram festival and taking the > blessings of the Lord and Acharyan was utmost. > > > Several Vaishnava groups served prasadam to the > bhagavathaas attending the celebrations. Adiyen too > was fortunate and had the honour of distributing > prasaadam to various Vaishnava groups. This paricular > group that I joined comes from Aarani - Dharmavaram > and is team comprising of 30 elderly bhaagavathaas. > They have been conducting the Bhagavatha > Thadiyaaraathanai since the past 15 years, in which > the team personally collects money from friends and > relatives, personally cook the prasaadam and > distribute it to Bhagavathaas present there. While > talking to the team leader, he mentioned to me that > the bhagavataha thadiyarathanaia is the most pleasing > service to Sri Ramanujar. I could not even see any > kind of discrimination at the prasadam distribution > service. Every devotee was fed to his heart's > content. > > The toilet Project: Hundreds of devotees constantly > used the toilet facilities constructed by all of us. > We had extra cleaners for the festival to ensure > proper cleanliness of toilets and facilities. We also > took necessary care to open and close the toilets to > avoid misuse of any facility. We had to close the > toilets sometimes as we had encountered power cut and > water shortage. Sometimes the cleaners were also > exhausted. Despite many internal challenges and > discrepancies, we took it upon us to deliver the best > of our services to the Bhaagavathaas. > > > > Most devotees, who used the toilet facilities, > appreciated the kainkaryam and expressed their > feelings before using the premises. Many > VaishnavaS did mention that this facility was much > more of a priority than the distribution of prasadam. > One could resist hunger but how could one ever control > the call of nature. They were extremely happy to use > the facilities and adiyen had the opportunity to speak > to many of them regarding the maintenance and upkeep > of the facility. Many has their suggestions about > keeping it open for 24 rs during the festival when > several devotees would grace the festival. > > Some vaishnavas did mention that this service, which > we had, all jointly perfomed for the pilgrims would > bring greatest joy and happiness to Bhagavath Sri > Ramanuja as he sees his devotees being provided with > most basic,essential facility and comfort. > > Vaishnava Seva is itself Sri Narayana Seva and is more > important than the Sri Narayana seva itself. > > Vaishnava dasanu dasan, > > Manoram. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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