A day in Sancharam

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Sri:

Sri Lakshminrisimha parabrahmaNE nama:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha divya paduka sevaka

srivan satakopa sri narayana yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

 

Sancharam in Sannidhi

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Writing about Srimad Azhagiya Singar is a joy and hope

reading it is equally pleasurable. Having completed

an account of a typical day in Sri Sannidhi it is

probably not out of place to write about a day in

Sancaram for Srimad Azhagiya Singar. During my trip

to India last year adiyEn had the distinct honor

of traveling with Srimad Azhagiya Singar from

Azhvar Thirunagari to Kanchipuram. The following

is an account of that trip. adiyEn cannot guarantee

accuracy of minute details due to fading memory.

 

Vaikasi Visakam, the Thirunakshatram of the foremost

Acarya of Sri Vaishnavas, Swami Nammazhvar is celebrated

at Azhvar Thirunagari with a 10-day Utsavam. The utsavam

includes 9 Garuda Vahanams for the nine Perumals of Nava

Thiruppati, and one Hamsa Vaganam for Swami Nammazhvar.

 

In honor of the unique contributions made by Sri Ahobila

Muth for this Dhivya Desam and Swami Nammazhvar, (the

lost Swami Nammazhvar's divine idol was recovered from

the river by Srimad Athivan Satakopa Jeeyar) AthipirAn

(the Lord of Azhvar Thirunagari) and Swami Nammazhvar offer

special recognition and honor for the reigning Jeeyar.

Irrespective of where Sancharam may take Srimad Azhgaiya

Singar, come Vaikasi Visakam Srimad Azhagiya Singar is

drawn to Azhvar Thirunagari.

 

These three days are filled with intense activities and

the day almost never seems to end. On the first day Swami

Nammazhvar comes of the Sannidhi and stays in the decorated

Mandapam in a large hall just outside the Sannidhi. The

evening of the first day of the Utsavam, Swami Nammazhvar

comes to Sri Sannithi for Mangalasasanam and stays there

for several hours. Evening Satrumurai is conducted at

our Sri Muth.

 

Each day Swami Nammazhvar puts on different Alankaram and

goes out visiting near by villages. The fifth day is Garuda

Vahanam celebration that goes on al night long.

 

During the first three days, for each and every event

that takes place, ether inside the temple or outside,

special honor is accorded to Srimad Azhagiya Singar.

For each of this occasion the temple Bhattar personally

comes to the Sri Sannidhi and formally invites Srimad

Azhagiya Singar. Then Srimad Azhagiya Singar proceeds

to the temple in a " pallakku " with Vadyam. Morning and

evening, Srimad Azhagiya Singar receives the first

Theertham after the Bhattar, Araiyar, and Thiruvaymozhi

PiLLai. When receiving Satari, Srimad Azhagiya Singar

utters " nAyindhE, nAyindhE " . Some of these events occur

quite late, as late as 12:00 or 1:00 a.m. Whatever the

time, Srimad Azhagiya Singar is invited and HH makes the

short trip to the temple. If it is very late Srimad

Azhagiya Singar will take the bus in stead of Pallakku.

 

At the conclusion of the third day Srimad Azhagiya Singar

will do sambhavanai to everyone who participated in the

events of the first three days. This includes the Bhattars,

Araiyars, Theerthakaras, Vadyam, " pallakku " carriers,

and more. More than a lakh of rupees are given away in

a span of few minutes.

 

Last year, after receiving 3 days of honors, on the fourth

day of the Utsavam, Srimad Azhagiya Sinagar left Azhvar

Thirunagari for Kanchipuram. The plan was to reach

Kanchipuram for our own celebration of Swami Nammazhvar

Thirunakshatram. Five days of Ubhaya Vedanta Parayanam

must be done to culminate with Vaikasi Visakam. Besides,

there was Kanchipuram Devaperumal's Garuda vahanam,

Thirutther, and Perumal's visit to Sri Sannidhi were

all to be celebrated. Therefore, Srimad Azhagiya Singar

was keen to hurry to Kanchipuram.

 

In our Sri Sannidhi, Aradhanai must be done three times a

day irrespective of travel or no travel. This means

Sancaram cannot commence before 12:00 noon. Also, the

arrival at destination must be within a reasonable time

so that evening Panaka Aradhanai can be conducted without

fail. Therefore, travel cannot exceed more than six or

seven hours for a given day, i.e., no more than about 350

kilometers can be covered in a single day. Azhvar

Thirunagari to Kanchipuram is over 500 KM. The plan was

to travel to Trichy the first day and cover the remaining

distance the second day.

 

The distance for the first day was only about 200 KM, about

5 hours maximum. Therefore, Srimad Azhagiya Singar agreed

to visit two sishyas on the way, called " Vazhinadai " . One

was in Thirunelveli and one in Madurai. The planned departure

time was 12:00 O'Clock. Due to two " Vazhinadai " , Perumal

and Srimad Azhagiya Singar will not arrive at Trichy before

8:00 p.m.. By the time Panaka Aradhanai is completed it

would be too late for prasadam distribution. Therefore,

it was decided to distribute Puliyodarai at Azhvar

Thirunagari itself. A joint Abhigamanam and Ijjai Aradhanai

was completed and Thadiyaradhanai began at about 10 o'clock.

After that puliyodarai was distributed. We folded it into

packets and packed it with our things.

 

Even as the Tadiyaradanai was going on, teams of Kainkaryaparas

began loading everything into different busses. " ugrANam " (i.e.

groceries and the cooking utensils) went into one bus. All the

Perumal and Acharayas from the Silver maNdapam were placed in

ornamental boxes. The MaNdapam was disassembled and loaded into

one bus. Office items were always kept in trunks and these trunks

were loaded into one of the two passenger buses. Each Kainkaryapara

has his personal items in a box and they loaded their boxes in the

bus they travel in. Srimad Azhagiya Singar's things including

couple of boxes full of books were loaded into the bus in which

Srimad Azhagiya Singar travels. In a matter of about 30 minutes

everything was loaded and ready to go. It all worked like

clock work.

 

Finally, with the Vadyam playing auspicious music, Perumal came

to Srimad Azhagiya Singar's bus. Then Srimad Azhagiya Singar

emerged to the accompaniment of Vadyam. Srimad Azhagiya Singar

did two pradakshinam to the bus in which Perumal was already

present. After prostrating to the Perumal in the bus, Srimad

Azhagiya Singar entered the bus and took a seat in the Pallakku

fitted across the width of the bus.

 

The Pallakku is fitted in the passenger section of the bus,

dividing this area into two halves. The front part is an open

space where the kainkaryapa in duty will sit on the floor. The

back side of the bus has two rows of seats with space for about

10 people. The " pallakku " is nicely arranged seemed comfortable.

It was large enough for Srimad Azhagiya Singar to have sayanam.

There is a door in the pallakku that slides open on the back

of the bus. During Sayanam Srimad Azhagiya Singar keeps the

door closed. Otherwise Srimad Azhagiya Singar keeps it open

and converses with those of us seated in the back. Usually,

the ArAdhaka Swamees and Sri Karyam Swamy sit in the first row

of seats. The second and last row of seats is occupied by visitors

or Ashrama/Mryth Kainkaryaparas. This bus is air-conditioned but

because of the bags and other items stored on top of the " pallakku "

cool air hardly reaches the back side.

 

(Aside:

Just a few weeks ago Sri Muth has purchased a new bus for

Srimad Azhagiya Singar which is currently getting upholstered.

They have removed the air-conditioning unit from the current

bus and is being installed in the new bus. Consequently,

at present for the sancharam up north Srimad Azhagiya Singar

is traveling without air-conditioning.)

 

During this sancAram from Azhvar Thirunagari to Kanchipuram,

Srimad Azhagiya Sinagr very kindly asked adiyEn to travel in

Srimad Azhagiya Singar's bus. It was almost 2:00 p.m. by the

time we left Azhvar Thirunagari. Except for Srimad Azhagiya

Singar's bus, all other busses proceeded directly to Trichy.

We went to Thirunelveli to a sishya's house for " vazhinadai " .

There Srimad Azhagiya Singar graced " ponnadi " in their house.

Srimad Azhagiya Singar was seated in the Sri Muth throne and

the crowd of sishyas gathered paid their obeisance. Srimad

Azhagiya Singar blessed everyone with " manthrAkshadai " . This

was followed by a small upanyasam. As always, Srimad Azhagiya

Singar stressed the importance of avoiding anya devatA worship.

About 45 minutes after arriving at their house we were back in

the bus and off to Madurai.

 

A police escort jeep drove in front of our bus. On the way the

jurisdiction changed from Thirunelveli to Madurai district.

Another Jeep with a few policemen were waiting at the border

for the change of guard.

 

Once during the journey Srimad Azhagiya Singar stopped the bus

for " alpa sangai " . It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for Srimad

Azhagiya Singar to properly cleanse as per sasthras.

 

By about 5:00 p.m. we arrived at the house of the sishya hosting

" Vazhinadai in Madurai. There was a big crowd of people gathered.

Srimad Azhagiya Singar blessed all of them with " manthrakshadi.

After about 45 minutes we were once again on the road heading

towards Trichy.

 

We reached Trichy at about 8:00 p.m. We were staying in

a Sishya's house in T.Nagar. By the time we arrived

all the other busses were already there. Since there was

going to be travel the very next only essential items were

unloaded. Thaligai for Panaka aradhanai was already started.

Silver MaNdapam was already assembled and waiting. The

Sishyas received Srimad Azhagiya Singar with poorna-kumbam.

Then, Srimad Azhagiya Singar went straight to the room that

was readied as the Ashramam and proceeded with evening anushtanam.

In the meantime, Aradhakas completed their evening anushtAnam

and began Panaka Aradahani. At the end of Panaka Aradhanai

panakam and theertham were distributed. We ate the puliyodarai

that was distributed at Azhvar Thirunagari. All of us found

one spot or another and went to bed.

 

The next day all the activities proceeded as usual. Because

of travel, Abhigamanam and Ijjai were done together and Tadiyaradani

began at about 11:00 a.m. By about 1:00 p.m. we were on the

road towards Kanchipuram. By about 6:00 p.m. we reached the

outskirts of Kanchi. The reception party was waiting for Srimad

Azhagiya Singar with poorNa kumbam. Seeing the large crowd of

Sishyas, Srimad Azhagiya Singar was very pleased and decided

to walk to the Sri Muth. All of us followed suit. En route

more and more people gathered. As we made the turn into the

side streets, women from each house were waiting with a tray

for offering mangala-arathi for Srimad Azhagiya Singar.

Srimad Azhagiya Singar stopped in front of each and every house

for the Arathi and gave sambhavanai for each and every one

of them. The reception committee had arranged for fireworks

every few feet and that created a festive atmosphere. As

we turned into the side street that took us directly in

front of the temple gopuram a long string of crackers was

lighted and the sound caught between the two walls reverberated.

To be honest adiyEn had not seen anything like that. The

outpouring of the affection of Kanchipuram sishyas for Srimad

Azhagiya Singar was truly inspiring.

 

As Srimad Azhagiya Singar walked towards Sri Muth, HH also

graced a few houses of well-known sishyas and they were

over joyed by the show compassion. Finally, after about

an hour since we reached kanchipuram outskirts, Srimad Azhagiya

Singar arrived at Sri Muth. The other busses were just

arriving. Then, the process of unloading began. All the

unloading and arranging were completed and Panaka Aradhanai

began by about 7:00 o'clock. At this point in time everything

seemed quite normal, as though we have been there all along.

There was no sign of sancAram. Everyone was going about their

business as though it was just another day in Sri Sannidhi.

 

Mangalam

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam