Our Aagiya Manavalan in Nineth day of Viruppan ThiruNaal. Chitrai CHARIOT!!!!!Sarva DharmanParichithyaya Mam Eakam Charanam Vrajaa!

[Guest guest]

Dear Srirangasri members and our respectable and honourable friends My Saashtaanga pranaams to Azagiya manavalan and Sriranga Naachiyaar

 

-Today is the day our dear Azhagiya Manavalan accompanied by his consorts Shree Devi and Bhooma Devi appears in the Ther or the chariot. True to his name " Rangaraja " (The King Ranga) his majestic appearance is beyond any description. The devas from their heavenly abode are piled up along the Chitra Veedhi (Street) to have a darshan of the Supreme. In addition to the devas all the Murthi's from the 108 Divya Desams have also taken a spot in Chithra Veedhi. All of them stand mesmerized by His beauty. All of them line up in the morning and anxiously await to see how Azhagiya Manavalan appears and what he has chosen has his vahana of the day. At the end of the day all the Murthi's from the Divya Desams return to their appropriate kshethrams and look forward to the next day. This is the reason why Lord Ranganatha is referred to as " Periya Perumal " which translates as the Lord of all.

  I have a request for all the devotees. I am not going ask for your bank balance and neither does my Azhagiya Manavalan will ask. All I ask you is to take your entire family and visit Srirangam. Take time to enjoy the temple and go to the eastern side of the temple where you can rest and recuperate on under the shades in the cool sand from the riverbed. Have you children write the word " Ranga " on the sands. Let me tell you a story which portrays the greatness of this name. " Jeeyapuram " is a village on the banks or Holy Cauvery and is located a few kilometers outside Trichirappalli. An old women lived here who was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha. She had a son whom she duly named as Ranganathan. He spent his days taking care of the cattle herd. On that day the cattle's had wandered far away from his home. As the clock ticked on his mother got concerned and started looking for her son. She prepared keerai (Spinach) and rice for lunch. Not finding him she stood on the banks of Holy Cauvery and shouted " Ranga, Ranga " . Immediately the Lord resting on Adishesha responded to her thinking that she was calling him. To this day Azhagiya Manavalan comes to Jeeyapuram once every year and spinach is offered as prasadham. Apart from that,  everyday keerai (spinach) is offered to Lord Ranganathan.

  On the same lines let me continue with another anecdote. There was a miser who lived on Chithra Veedhi who had no attachment towards Ranganatha. In fact he hated the festivals in Srirangam as they drew crowd to the town and he had to put up his relatives. He decided to lock his home and leave the town just to avoid people. There was a devotee who had come to Srirangam to pay his religious obeiscence. He participated in " Angapradakshinam " and was very tired. He decided on take some rest and found a spot in front of your misers home. He was so happy to find it that the prayed the Lord to bless the owner of the home. The Lord answered his prayer and blessed the miser who did not even care to pay Him.

There was a poor clerk who was living in The Uthara Veedhi. Not even once did he pay his respects to the Lord. One day he was walking back to him and it started raining. To avoid the rain he entered the temple from the east side and made his way to the northern entrance. Near Sri Ranga Nachiyar Sannidhi he saw a couple of mosquitoes. He slapped both his hands wishing to kill them. Hearing the clapping sound Sri Ranga Nachiyar thought that even in this torrential rain this devotee has come to see me and was immensly pleased. She blessed him with all the wealth. Within a day he was promoted in his job and acquired fame and respect. On returning home the next day his wife handed him a parcel. She said that a small girl delivered it saying that it was from Ranganayaki patti (Grandmother). On opening it he found all sorts of jewels and more money. He was surprised as to who this Ranganayaki was. Suddenly in the night he felt that maybe it was Ranga Nachiyar who came as Ranganayaki patti. Immediately he rushed to the temple. But the doors were already closed.

  The Bhattar attending to Sri Ranga Nachiyar found that she was deeply immersed in some thought. He inquired as to " Why are you so concerned about him. You have blessed this man for no reason. He did not even pray you. He just clapped to kill the mosquitoes. Are you worried that you may not have blessed him enough " . The essence of the story is that even in this mechanical and stressful life we need to take time to offer our prayers to Lord Narayana. Our day to day life is fraught with worries. We have so many needs. But when we see the divine face of the lord we forget all these worries and yearn for that moment to las forever.

Let me conclude this with one more anecdote.Lord Ranganathar also married a muslim queen by name Bibi Nachiyar (Thulukka nachiyar). To exemplify their customs,perumal wanted some of their customs to be followed for him, in his temple.They are as follows

  * Lord Ranganatha always wears Lungi during thirumanjanam  * Bread, Butter and Dhal is the breakfast combination in muslim    tradition. Since Lord  Rangantha is married to Bibi nachiyar,

    bread, butter and dhal is offered to him for the breakfast  * After Neivedhyam, Vetrilai, Paaku and Sunnambhu will be offered to    Lord Ranganatha. According to muslim tradition, they apply    sunnambhu in the frontside for the vetrilai (betel leaf) and hindu

    tradition, it will be vice versa. This again is offered in    accordance with the muslim tradition.

Tomorrow is " Sapthavatharam " . I will talk about it in the next email.I pray our dear Azhagiya Manavalan and Sri Ranganachiyar to grant all the wishes for our devotees. I offer pranams to the lotus feet of the Almighty

Seeking the Lotus Feet of Ranganatha

Incase anyone amongst you find some mistake please kindly apologise.