Andal's Kalyanam @ Atul Automobiles Solappur

[Guest guest]

Dear Rahul:

 

I wish I was there with you all to witness the marriage of Godhai. Excellent account of her wedding! This reminds me of the garland we made ourselves after getting the flowers from a florist in Los Angeles for my daughter's wedding at the temple in Los Angeles. Thanks.

 

We are planning to undertake a festival (Saptha Praakaara Pradhakshina Festival-4) in Srirangam (Tiruchirapalli-6) during Dec.29, 08 and Jan.4, 09 and on one of those days have a kaalaksheepam on Godhai and her wedding with Rangamannaar, and on the same day perform her wedding, followed by a dance drama of her life and wedding. These would occur probably on Saturday, Jan.3, 09 and you are cordially invited to come and attend.Keep in touch and I will furnish further details in due course of time. It will take a lot more planning and details to be covered to undertake her wedding in a grand style at the place where it originally took place several centuries ago.

 

Sincerely,

Aravamudhan Raman

aravaram

 

rahul atul <rahul4skoppiliappan Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 1:26:53 PM Andal's Kalyanam @ Atul Automobiles Solappur

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

Imagine a two wheeler showroom which is normally flooded with people who wan't to buy vehicles or customers who typically come to complain abt their vehicles problems but was today entirely different & filled with Manlgastakas. ..

Pls see the pics here http://picasaweb. google.com/ rahul4sk/ NewFolder

 

 

The reason for all this was that...This margazi- in my life has been so very sweet as that I have never felt like this ever before...the reason for this to be so special was only to have had shared the thoughts & pasurams, slokas , stthutis of Sree Sree Godai from all of you-

Mr. Rangnaththan by an e mail from EV Narsimhan has done a commemorating job of taking the personal pain of scanning & sending his images & poems with Translations of Tiruppavai- followed by Sarojam & other group members.

Like wise the e mails of Sree Madhavkannan Mama & ANBIL Mama had a great influence on me to keep me in the tempo of Bhakti... as especially Alwars translations & GODA Stuthis that Anbil mama wrote...had a very joyous experience for me.

With the will of Narayana & under the guidance of Anbil mama we held Sree Andal TirukalyaaNam at my YAMAHA Showroom in Solapur by name of ATUL AUTOMOBILES (a place in Maharashtra) which is quite immune to the vaishnavaite smpradayam of South & hardly does any one here even knows abt Andal or godai...it was even tough for me to get a vadhyar who would know Goda devi…to conduct the Kalyana Utsavam & at last I had decided that, instead of calling a Brahmin who does not even know abt Godai...i would myself arrange for the KALYANAM & exchange the Garlands & declare the same completed.

My fortune however took me to a near by Venkateshwara temple of SOlapur where I found a Telugu speaking priest of VIjayawada & he had learnt the sastras in Tirupati...I begged if he could conduct- Sree Andal TiruKalyaanam on the muhurtam of 12th of Jan but he however refused consistently… that the temple would not allow him to be at my place during the seva times, after a several requests, he at once said that...it would be at only 1.pm that he could come and conduct the KALYANAM…which dint made me feel comfortable of that timing...

My day on koodarai Vellum Seer that was on 12th of Jan 2008 started at 6:am by lighting incense & ghee lamps to Perumal... & then i was engrossed in purchasing fancy flowers for god & by almost 8 AM...I got the TORANAM that was ordered for this special occasion- for the VAASAL ENTRANCE & my faithful flower maker by name VAZEER (who supplies me garlands from past 7 years) had made all efforts to make a great Toranam & made beautiful garlands of the fancy flowers- that I gave him in the morning, actually- we were experimenting from a day earlier before this Andal TirukkalyaaNam to find out of

how beautiful these fancy flowers which are generally used by florists in bouquets would look in garlands & thus we learnt, how to cope up with them for our use in using them in garlands for Godai & Ranganathar…VAZEER showed all his enthusiasm to make the beautiful garland's out of these flowers & his workmanship was really mesmerizing…fully fit for Ranganthan & Andal.

At once when the Rahu Kalam was over at 10:30 Am- I asked my faithful assistant VIshal to go and ask the priest to come by 11:Am at least & that we will depart him immediately- the priest as usual said VIshal- that he would come to us only by 1:00 Pm- Vishal said to him that perhaps" it would be doubtful, that he may come to receive the priest again as, I was likely to conduct the Kalyaanam myself" & left the temple...the priest was awaiting for vishal to simply turn back & as just when vishal accidentally turned, to the direction of the priest...he called Vishal & asked him to come by 11.15 AM.. So that he could bring him straight to my showroom.

I could not find any one to put the KOLAM at the entrance where the TORAN was placed. Deshpande- The one who puts the Kolam always was not well & I was upset as who would do it if Deshpande is not available…suddenly the newly joined- girl receptionist, asked me if I have colorful Kolams? To this… I asked her to go to the opposite shop & get her self as all what she wanted & …within minutes I could see her fingers going round & round in rainbows of colorful Kolam at the entrance & the pooja sthalam that was decorated colorful with beautiful Rangoli all around.

As soon as the Vadhyar arrived in my showroom… the hurry started, before the Vadhyar could come… I had done all the Alankaram for Godai & Krishna...I applied… the sandal wood Namam for Srinivasar, followed by Hayagrivar, Mahalakshmi, Sivan & Kamdhenu...

Since I could not get any nadaswaram here, we played a melodious MANGAL DHWANI music from my tape-player, that evolved music from Santoor, flute & Hawain guitar which created an all festive ambience, suddenly I felt that instead of the photo of Srinivasar ….my grandmothers Sri Krishna MURTHI (statue) would be lovely to be the VARAM for Andals Kalyana & I wiped him all & brought him from my house to the showroom...very soon he was dressed in a vechati & Angawastram by the vadhyar...I put for him my golden chain around his lovely body & the MAPILLAI, was all geared to tie a knot to his loving devi godai…

We also arranged to get new brand silver anklets, new gold earrings, & nose ring for Andal, that was purchased for my sister just recently- who is due to get married on 26th of Jan.

Her lovely maroon Zari- wedding sari was placed below Andals Photo & Srikrishna's statue over a wooden platform…the vadhyar stared with the mangalyam slokas….asking me to do the Kanyadhanam for Andhal for Sree Krishna. The prokshanam for flowers were done & with the beautiful pearl necklace around Andal…the garlands were exchanged between the Divine god & goddess…with Krishnas Garland first being worn by Andal & then put around him & vice versa.

At once after the naivedyam was over & Garlands exchanged the KALYANAM was declared done…I recited the Godha Sthuthi followed by ANdals pasuram " VARANAM AYIRAM"…but then how would a marriage get over…without KALY ANA SAPADA & hence all my staff was invited for lunch & since I have my own hotel behind my showroom…ZANA BAI the chief lady cook , whom I know her since my childhood…took all the responsibility of cooking the lunch for the occasion…generally the practice is that I make my people sit in the hotel dining hall even if it is a food occasion for pooja … but today since a renovation work was up there…people sat in the showroom, in front of God as like children would sit in front of their parents for food…VIshal, Milind, AMAR & myself all rushed to bring the food from the kitchen to the

showroom…sandal paste was applied to all the invitees ( who were my staff & guests staying at my hotel) … With the menu being all maharashtrian… POORAN POLI cha SWAYAMPAK ( chapatti stuffed with, tur dal and Vellam packed with wheat flour) all had it, till their stomachs could be filled. Zana Bai had cooked with all her mind & heart.

There was this gentleman called… Peer from New Zealand , who too attended the KALYANAM lunch…hence we had people right from all the samprdayas & Zaatis.. For ANDALS KALYANA at Solapur.

With the completion of the first lot of people even a cow walked into the showroom- entrance for food & it was fed with all that it could eat.

I then finished my lunch at 3.30 pm after all were fed…thanks to the hard work of Zana Bai & Vishal. Then with a little rest- I then went to see what my business position was & finished a few advertisement plans.

 

In the evening when the showroom shutters came down…I went to the pooja sthanam in the showroom…removed the garlands of god, applied sandal wood paste for Krishna on forehead, arms & chest followed by the same for ANDAL, offered them Nivyedhyam of Milk & banana & burnt pure sandalwood powder making the place fragnant like brindavana. I then left Andal & Krishna for their own EKANTAM & with dim light of the deepam that overflowed with Gingili oil… thus concluded ANDALS KALYANAM…

 

We got all the joy to do this & enjoyed every bit of it… & we all enjoyed it thoroughly… & since my parents were away for the auto expo to Delhi, they missed to witness the same…the Andals Kalyanam is nothing like anything else on earth & thus GODA MARRIED KRISHNA in ATUL AUTOMOBILES Solapur.

Thanks for giving your time to have read our joyous moments.

 

With kindest regards-

Rahul Atulchandra.

 

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[Guest guest]

Sriman Rahul,

 

Thank you for sharing your very nice experiences in performing

Andal-Rangamannar Thirukalyanam in your showroom. It lends further

credence to the views of our Azhwars and Purvacharyas that God resides

not only in temples and our koyilazhwars, but also in the hearts of

Good People.

 

Your simple but meaningful celebration, followed by the feeding of

what appear to be friends and family, is inspiring. Personally, it is

a reminder that in the Eyes of Perumal, we are all one family, His

Creation.

 

adiyen

mohan