Kodai Thirunal (Flower Carpet Festival) order to cleanse the impurities of the flowers used in adorning our Azagiya Manavalan!!!

[Guest guest]

                                                             Hare Sri Ranga Charanam!!!

 

-- Dear Srianga  sri memebers and friends, my Sastanga namaskarams again to our Azagiya manavalan and my best wishes and prayers to our members.

I am writing today about " Poochathi Thirunaal " . This is the festival that started yesterday and it is called so because, our Azhagiya Manavalan is decorated in flowers through this festival in order to keep Him cool during this Hot summer. His people are also suffering from the heat in the summer and by decorating Him through these 10 days in flowers and keeping Him cool, we get His blessings and seek Him to protect us always.

This festival is also called " Kodai Thirunal " . (Kodai means Summer). Our perumal left from His Moolasthanam (Sanctum) by evening around 6:00PM and went out for a procession (Purappadu) via 4th prakaram in Thiru Kottaram Pradakshanam and arrived at " Manal Veli " near Chandra Pushkarani. There is a mandapam here, where the lord is decorated in flowers.

The way our Azhagiya Manavalan walks is so special and is called " Oyyara Nadai " . As described in one of my previous mails, He walks very swiftly with His chest up in the air , yet makes it look so graceful. It is not possible to have gracefulness in a swift manly walk as gracefulness comes with delicate steps. But our lord is so special and you can see that when He walks!!

Our Lord was decorated with various types of flowers. He wore a blanket of Flowers, and His shawl drenched in rose water. He was then offered Paanakam (A drink made of Cardamom and Jaggery). He then left from the mandapam. He reached His moolasthanam by around 9:00PM.

This is the routine for all the ten days of this festival. 5th day of this festival is an exception -

On the fifth day, He is decorated with flowers in the decorations mandapam and then He moves to Pavithrosthsavam mandapam near the Dwajasthambam. Rituals like Thiruvaradhanam , Naivedyam and Theertha kosti are performed after which He makes the pradakshanam in  Dwjasthamba prakaram. He then reached His moolasthana, with Veena Ekantahm.

 It is said that there are 4 things that are world famous -

 1. Srinagam Oyaara Nadai Azaghu. 2. Thiruapathi  Vadai Azaghu. 3. Kancheepuram (Perumal koil) Kudai Azaghu. 4. Melkottai Jadai Azaghu.

The above are the various specialities from the 4 great sthalams - Srinagam, Thiruapathi, , Kancheepuram, Melkottai. One may also notice that the 4 things that  are co_paired and mentioned as specialities are with a great poetic sense - Nadai, Vadai, Kudai and Jadai!!

There is a legend that Sri Vijaya Ranga Chokkanathar family of Vizayanagaram who had donated lots of Gold and Silver ornaments to our Azhagiya Manavalan had once visited hte temple to see Azhagiya Manavalan's Oyyaara Nadai. But since they arrived late to the temple, they missed seeing His oyyara nadai. They begged Namperumal to do the nadai again, for which the lord replied that they would have to wait to see His Oyaara Nadai during His next procession.

It it said that they wait there to date, to get His Darshanam and Blessings.Vachaka Dhosham ksamikkavum.

Adeyen Dhashan.Narasimha Bhattar