SRI VAISHNAVA STHRI DHARMA CAMP REPORT - 2008

[Guest guest]

Sri:Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Priya Arangan Adiyars,Pray the divine couple of Srirangam bless you & your family. We are the volunteers ( kainkaryasree) of Srimaan Trust.

 

Sri Vaishnava Sthri Dharma Camp was Conducted by Srimaan Trust at Anthanallur, a beautiful hamlet about 15 kms from Trichy on 28 & 29th May 08.

A team (25 nos) of girl Students and 5 elders headed by Smt. Godha Ammangar headed to the camp at 9 Pm on 27th night. The journey began in a luxurious van with students reciting thaniyans & slokams.

The team reached the village and settled in a large, prearranged, clearly whitewashed house in the agraharam and went to bed at 10.30 pm.

The girls were awakened the next morning at 5.30 am and were taken to river Cauvery to take a bath and the team returned to the sojourn to enjoy the baalabhogam, prepared by the cooks we had brought with us.

After the baalabhogam, the girls were issued flowers and were taught the art of entwining flowers with threads of banana stem. The girls were divided into quintuplets (groups of 5 each) with senior girls as team leaders.

Entwining of flowers was done with recitation of poochootal from Divya Prabhandham. The entwined flowers were offered to Perumal by the girls themselves.

The training of Daily observances (Nithya karmanustanams) followed the poochootal. The girls were taught how to observe

a. Waking up from bed - with Chanting of " Harir Harihi "

b. After washing face, hands & legs – Praanayamam – in simple scientific method without manthram (with details of the benefit of its practice)

c. bathing – chanting slokams

d. drying the body with cloth after bath – with slokams

e. dressing – wearing clean clothes (madi)

f. Pundra Samskaram- Chanting while and after wearing the tiruman kappu

g. Preparing for Thiruvaradhana

h. Preparing Thaligai for perumal – with instructions of eligibility and what to recite to prepare with saathvika guna

i. Purifying the place of dinner.

j. Placing of banana leaf properly.

k. Consuming Prasadam.

l. Cleaning after dining

m. lighting of Kuthu vilakku in sandhya kalam.

n. before sleeping etc..

After that, the santhai of Devaraja Ashtakam (full) was performed. In the evening the girls were led to the Devaraja Perumal Temple .

The girls were taught to make decorums (Kolam) on the floor of the temple reciting Paasurams.

The trust took the opportunity to perform " Sannidhi Vandhanam " – a monthly Programme in reverence of perumal as well as of the sannidhi kainkaryapara of the temple.

After that, some students gave upshots - briefs about Srimaan Bhattar Kuzham to the local people who were gathered at the temple.

In the evening, children were taught to make chappathis, and the method of rolling and baking them with guidance.

Ammangar arranged a Sampradaya game to play in the night. Act on spot program – making the audience teams find the character only by enacting solo and making gestures and no words. Mini Projects like Rama & Sri Sabari, Krishna & Arjuna, Andal & Periyazhwar, Seetha Piraatti & Hanuman, etc. It was wonderful to note the talents of the students - their assiduity- their immediate reaction & imagination and presentation. The game was remarkable and it became very tough to finalise the winner because of equally high scores by them. A quiz with series of sampradaya questions only helped as a tie - breaker to choose the winner. The emulation - each trying to excel others with no enmity – among the students was very impressing.

 

The next day was the day of individual performance – of observing the anushtanams taught on the previous day. Very few corrections were made whenever it was necessary.

 

The students then went on Circumambulance reciting Thiruppallandu, Thiruppalliyezuchi & Thiruppavai.

 

Cooking Appam was taught and students prepared some on their own - which were really delicious.

After baala bhogam, scientific facts on usage of turmeric and cow dung were explained about the antiseptic, antifungal characters of these items.

 

In the evening, students performed a drama - and an interlocution on the supremacy of Emberumaan and Acharyan. Both performances were made after only a few minutes for preparation and without make up.

The acts stole the minds of all the Srivaishnavites assembled there. They appreciated the performance of the children very much, wished the extension of their sojourn and blessed them to grow and strengthen Srivaishnavism. All the students received copies on Nithya Anushtanams of Srivaishnava sthris and Sampradaya question & answers.

The camp was very exemplary to the students which availed them teachings with practice under the supervision of ammangar herself and fully dedicated kainkaryasrees.

The local people were very friendly and offered rice, dhal, grocery, money, etc. They placed a request to arrange for a special divya prabhandham course at least twice a week at their hamlet. Some accepted to come to Srirangam to learn on week ends.

The motive of the camp – to fortify the minds of children with real knowledge of sampradaya in brief with scientific facts - to ignore the reproaches and quackery from Avaishnavites – to feed the quintessence of important anushtanams - to share the Practicality of Sampradayam - to develop children with these views - all in the venture of fortification of Emberumaanar Darshanam.

When the time came to conclude the camp, every child without exemption was found with tears-laden eyes. The different experience away from their homes had instilled in their minds the beatitude - blessed happiness from Acharya and they will never want to lose it.

May the Azhwars and Acharyas bless the little kids – aspiring adiyars lead a content life with Sri Vaishnava values strong in their minds, unaffected by vicissitudes and be role models to others.

Rush !! to see the camp photos at :http://parasarabhattar8220.fotoblog.co.uk/c1521872.html

 

P.s: The happiness returned to these children's faces only when they were assured of another sojourn for more days next year.

-- -- ever-in-divine-service,KAINKARYA SREESrimaan Trust (Srimaan Bhattar Kuzham)http://parasarabhattar8220.fotoblog.co.uk/Postal address:

231 South Uttara St, Srirangam, Trichy-620 006 Tamil Nadu, INDIA Ph 0431-2431109 Email: India - srimaantrustUSA - srimaantrustusa