A day in Sri Sannithi - Part 2

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Sri:

Sri Lakshminrisimha parabrahmaNE nama:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha divya paduka sevaka

srivan satakopa sri narayana yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

 

A day in Sri Sannidhi - Part 2: Visvaroopam

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(This post is based on adiyEn's stay at Selaiyur where

Srimad Azhagiya Singar is presently undertaking the

9th Chaturmasya Sankalpam from July 16th to Sep 14, 2000.

The daily routine during Sancaram may not be the same.)

 

As Srimad Azhagiya Singar is about to open the Silver

Mandapam from inside the drawn curtain, HH starts,

" kowsalya supraja ..... " and the goshti gathered

outside joins in the recitation of Sri Lakshminrisimha

Suprabhatam. After the conclusion of Suprabhatam

kainkaryaparas disperse and return to their duties.

They will reassemble at the time of Mangala harati

a few minutes later.

 

The Kainkaryaparas are classified into several

" departments " . These are, Aradhaka, Alangaram,

Sannidhi paricharakam, Thirumadappalli, Ugranam,

maniyam, Ashramam, Mrith, Office, Agent, drivers,

vAdyam, etc.

 

Aradhakas perform Ijjai and part of Panaka

Aradhanam. They also assist Srimad Azhagiya

Singar during abhigamanam. Further, they are

responsible for performing Thirumanjanams

on Swati days, and on days when devotees

sponsor Thirumanjanam for perumal. Aradhakas

also perform the aradhanai during Dolais. There

are three Aradhakas including the Sri Karyam.

The Aradhakas are the senior most among the

Kainkaryaparars and therefore highly respected.

They maintain an extremely high level of " Acharam "

and " Madi " .

 

ThaLigai for Srimad Azhagiya Singar is called

" Alankaram " . There are two kainkaryaparars

taking care of this duty in turns. They

prepare prasadam for Srimad Azhagiya Singar.

Anyone interested can sponsor one day's

Alangaram by paying a prescribed amount. Then

you will receive Srimad Azhagiya Singar prasadam.

 

Sri Sannithi Paricharakas help Srimad Azhagiya

Singar and Aradhakas during Aradhanai. They

keep all the " upacharams " for Perumal ready and

hand them over to Srimad Azhagiya Singar or

the Aradhaka at the appropriate time. They

collect the fruits and flowers brought in by

the devotees and get them ready for offering

to Sri Malolan. They also get the Sri Padha

Theertham ready. (More about Sri Padha Theertham

later.) They distribute Perumal milk after

Visvaroopam, Theertham at the conclusion Abhigamanam

and Ijjai, and panakam and Perumal Theertam at the

end of Panaka Aradhanai in the evening. There

are four Sannidi Paricharakas. They, like others,

take their duties in turns called " muRai " . A " muRai "

starts at the conclusion of Aghigamanm on a given

day and ends at the conclusion of Aghigamanam the

next day. Even though the " muRai " system is followed

those who are not on duty also pitch in and help out

depending upon need.

 

ThirumadappaLLi is where Thaligai is prepared for

Sri Malolan and all the Perumual dwelling in the

Silver Mandapam. There are about 5 or 6 people

in ThirumadappaLLi. They work all 7 days, i.e.

they are always on duty, no " muRai " . On special

occasions when large crowds are expected temporary

help is hired.

 

Ugranam is responsible for handling groceries.

They measure and handover the items as and when

required by ThirumadappaLLi. There are two

people in Ugranam. In addition, there are two

old women who help with cutting vegetables.

 

Maniyam maintains petty-cash, makes all the

purchases for the Sri Muth, distributes

sradha-dhakshinai and other sambhavanai, etc.

This department is handled by one person.

 

Ashrama kainkarayam involves assisting Srimad

Azhagiya Singar with all of HH's daily needs. These

range from such things as preparing water for

nIrAttal, washing kAshayam, and preparing kashayam,

to setting up phone instruments for tele-upanyasam,

etc. There are three Ashrama Paricharakas taking

turns, " muRai " . These kainkaryaparars have the

closest contact with Srimad Azhagiya Singar

day-in and day-out. Srimad Azhagiya Singar relies

upon them for everything.

 

Mrith kainkaryam is also in the Ashramam. There are

two of them. They perform chores like sweeping the

floor, carrying akshadai tray, ornamental umbrella, etc.

 

There are three Office assistants. They maintain

all the records such as bank records, address lists

of sishyas, paNdithAs, etc. They go to the bank

to deposit/withdraw funds. They go to the post-office

to mail stuff. They send out all communications such

as invitations, srimukhams, and manthrakshadais.

They take attendance during ubhaya vedanta parayanam

and make sure sambhavanai is given to the participants

according to the level of participation. They assist

Srimad Azhagiya Singar with preparing Sri Mukhams.

Of all the kainkaryaparars, these are the people who

are busy all the time. It is unbelievable the amount

of mail they get, and they respond to each and every

mail they receive. Some are easy, just send a packet

of Mathradkashadai. Some are more elaborate, like,

marriage, upanayanam, or seemandham, perumal garland

may have to be sent; if someone is sick special

mantharadkshadai from Srimad Azhagiya Singar may have

to be sent. All in all the office assistants are

always busy.

 

There is one All-India Agent. Once the " sancaram "

schedule is finalized, it is this agent who travels

to the towns and villages in the sacnharam schedule

and makes all the necessary arrangements. There

are many arrangements to be made. He makes sure

the place of stay is adequate in terms of well water,

room for Thaligai, room for Perumal Mandapam, free

space for kainkaryaparars, suitable room for Srimad

Azhagiya Singar and so on. Also, the people who

request Srimad Azhagiya Singar to visit are often

times not familiar with the protocol of receiving HH.

The agent helps them get organized. In fact at this

very moment, with more than two weeks remaining till

the end of Chaturmasya Sankalpam, the agent is already

in Gwalior. Srimad Azhagiya Singar will be traveling

via Gwalior on September 30th, enroute to New Delhi and

then on to Hrishikesh and Badri.

 

Further, the Agent acts on behalf of Srimad Azhagiya

Singar in all legal matters, as a sort of power-of-

attorney.

 

As everyone knows, the entire Sri Muth travels by busses

five of them, and one jeep. There are 6 or 7 drivers.

Besides these there is always one police escort vehicle

traveling with Srimad Azhagiya Singar.

 

Besides the above, there are about 5 or 6 people for

Vadyam. Some of the Vadyam players double for providing

kshavaram service.

 

All in all there are about 40 to 45 kainkaryaparars

at any given time at the Sri Mutham.

 

Back to the conclusion of Suprabhatam....,

 

At the conclusion of the recitation of Suprbhatam,

most of the Kainkaryaparas disperse to resume their

duties. Some are more busy than others. For example,

the drivers are typically free at this time. Since

Srimad Azhagiya Singar is in Aradhanai, Mrith and

Asharam kainkaryaparars are also usually free at

this time.

 

Devotees trickle in and wait for the curtain to open

for Visvaroopam. Some sing small verses appropriate

for waking up the Lord from yoga nidra. Fresh milk

is brought to the Lord. The cow and calf are brought

in and made to stand with their backside turned towards

Sri Sannidhi. At about 7:15 a.m. the curtain is removed

to the sound of auspicious vadyam with Srimad Azhagiya

Singar offering Mangala harathi. All the kainkaryaparars

now return to the Sannidhi. At the conclusion of the

mangala harathi the Aradhakar in duty ( " muRai " ) reads the

panjangam details for that day and the next day.

 

At the end of this, Visvaroopa milk is distributed by

one of the Sannidi paricharaka. At this time the

recitation of " nithya anusandhaanam " commences with

the cue from Srimad Azhagiya Singar, " yo nithyam

acchudapadaambuja yugmarugma ... "

 

.... to be continued

 

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan