Sri Ramanuja Jayanthi Celebrations at USA - 2001

May 5, 2001

North America became a blessed land and is slowly progressing towards

attaining a punya bhoomi status by organizing and witnessing a

spectacular celebration of Sri Ramanuja Jayanthi this year. The land

of the eagle had been preparing to host the event for the past three

months.

Udayavar's Jayanthi was celebrated this year in New Jersey and New

York in a traditional grand manner. The celebration was organized by

Sri Ramanuja Mission of Srirangam Srimadh Andavan Ashramam along with

Jeeyar Educational Trust of Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar

and Sri Ahobila Muth, USA. Other Srivaishnava organizations like

NAMA, VEDICS, Sri Vedantha Desika Sabha and Sri Desika Darasana Sabha

participated in the celebrations.

The actual celebrations started a week before on April 22nd when

Udayavar started His sanchaaram. From Poondi Vijayaraghavan's home,

Udayavar arrived at Murali Thirumalai's griham. A special `tholukku

iniyan pallakku' was prepared here for Udayavar and decorated for the

celebrations. A special Thiruvaaradhanam to Udayavar and Perumal was

performed by Sriman U. Ve. Velukkudi Krishnan on April 27th morning.

About 30 bhagavathaas participated in this event. Thadhiyaaradhanam

was offered to all the bhagavathaas attending the function.

On the morning of April 28th, Udayavar left for the Srinivasar temple

at Bridgewater, New Jersey from Murali Thirumalai's home. He was

majestically adorning the pallakku prepared for His purposes.

Udayavar was received by all the bhagavathaas with Nadhaswaram,

Thirukkudai and mangalams outside the temple auditorium at 7:30 AM. A

traditional Thirukkudai was prepared for Udayavar and imported from

Tamil Nadu. Padhukaa and salagraama aradhanam started promptly at

8 AM performed by Sri Venkatanathan Sreenivasan and concluded at 9:00

AM at the auditorium.

Bhagavathaas goshti left for the temple for Seva kaalam. Soon after

Seva kaalam, the Uthsavar with Ubhaya Nacchiyaars left the temple to

visit Udayavar at the auditorium. He was on a `Thiruther' assembled

for this purpose with Prabhandha goshti leading Perumal and Veda

paaraayanam

following Him. Sri Ramanuja came out of the auditorium in His

pallakku to receive His disciple. Thirumalaiyappan offered parivattam

to Yathirajar. This was indeed a very rare sight to engulf and

immerse oneself in. Bhasyakaarar offered Pattu Peethambaram and

Pattu Vasthrams as sambhavanai to the Moolavar and to the Thaayars

Sri Devi and Sri Bhoo Devi and performed mangalaasaasanam including

chatur pradakshinam of Ezumalaiyaan and His Consorts. The bhagavathas

assembled there enjoyed this rare sight as an anubhavam filled with

divine emotions. A melodious Siriya Thirumadal was recited during

this union. After a few minutes of this divine visual exchange

between the divya dhampathis and udayavar, Thiruvenkadamudiyaan left

for His temple abode. The Perumal Thirumanjanam was performed on

behalf of Udayavar. Perumal, Sri Devi and Boodhevi were adorned with

the Peethaambaram and Pattu sent by Perumboodoor Maamuni. These

vasthrams were procured by Eyetex Sri Rajagopalan swamy at Madras and

sent to USA.

Udayavar Thirumanjanam was performed by the temple priest, Sri

Narasimhachari. Iramusa Nootrandhaathi, Sookthams and Sikshaavalli

were recited. Saatruppadi and Sattrumarai followed. The religious

part of the celebrations concluded at 3:00 PM, followed by

Thadhiyaaradhanam to all the participants. Food was prepared by a

host of volunteers and served at the hall. The food arrangements were

excellently coordinated by Smt. Shyamala Murali. A large gathering of

more than 300 bhagavathas enjoyed the anubhavam of Perumal, Udayvaar

Thirumajanams and Padhuka Aradhanam and received padhuka theertha

prasaadam.

A special recognition award was presented to Sri Narayanan

Veeraraghavan for his participation in Sri Ramanuja Mission

activities like Goshti coordination and participation, his

contribution to Tele-sthorthram classes and organizing all the

religious activities for Udayavar Jayanthi celebrations. Sri

Srikanth Raghavan received a special recognition award for his

wonderful contribution in web-enabling Sri Ramanuja Mission through

his tireless, enthusiastic and dedicated contributions.

The social and cultural programs began with a scintillating

upanyasam by Sriman U. Ve. Velukkudi swami on Ramanuja vaibhavam.

Swamy talked about Artha panchagam, Acharya evolution from

Paravasudevan to Alwars. All bhagavathas enjoyed Sri Velukkudi's 2

hour upanyasam and felt still wanting for more of it. Some

bhagavathas also asked him questions to which Sri Krishnan swami

replied in detail. He also took the opportunity to update the

gathering about the Yathi Sammelanam recently held in Madras.

This was followed by an interesting discussion involving all the

audience. The chosen topic of discussion was to justify Krishna's

role in Mahabharatham and make a case to interpret them as confining

to Dharma or Adharma. As in any discussion, there was interesting

arguments categorizing Krishna's role as Dharma versus Adharma. Sri

U. Ve. Velukkudi Swamy was the moderator. He listened to both sides

interestingly and patiently. Sri Velukkudi swamy actively

participated as the moderator of this interactive discussions

participated by bhagavathas.

Next was a philosophy-laden presentation by Sow Bhagayalakshmi

Murali on a topic `Role of Acharya in modern times'. Dr. MG Prasad

spoke briefly on Yathirajar, sang a Ramanuja Bhajan and conducted a

quiz program on Vishistadvaitham. Smt. Ramya Ramnarayan's

Nrityanjali dance program followed that offered a feast to every ones

eyes. Her students performed wonderfully for Perumal songs. Ramya

herself gave a touching performance on Varanamaayiram that had tears

on everyone's eyes.

Sri Ramanuja Mission presented Naalayira Divya Prabhandam book

published by Sri Santhana Reddiyar (SANCO) as goshti sambaavanai. JET

USA presented a gold plated coin with the image of Sri Ramanuja and

Sudharshana embossed on it, to all the sthrees who attended the

function. All the children who participated in the first day of the

celebration received an Animated/Cartoon movie of Sri Ramayanam. The

first day's celebration ended with dinner at 9:30 PM. Smt. Chitra

Madhavan, on behalf of JET USA, offered vote of thanks to all the

participants who joined the celebrations.

Through the day, Sri Ramanuja Mission had set up posters depicting

their activities in the USA, Srimadh Andavan Ashramam's Acharya

parampara details, Alwar posters., etc. These were compiled by Sri

Shreyas Sarangan, Sow Bhagyalakshmi Murali and Poondi Vijayaraghavan.

Smt. Padmaja Parthasarathy had set up posters on various Srivaishnava

subjects.

The second and final set of Desika Sthothra mala CDs (volumes 4,5 and

6) was released during the celebrations and are available for sale.

Now we have all Desika Sthothramala in CD form, thanks to Sri

Ramanuja Mission members for their massive efforts to complete the

project.

The second day celebrations began at Sri Ranganatha Temple auditorium

on April 29th at 8 AM. Salagraama and Padhukaa Thiruvaaradhanam were

performed by Sri Venkatanathan Sreenivasan and Udayavar Thirumanjanam

by Sri Narayanan Veeraraghavan. Following this, on behalf of

Udayavar, the Thirumanjanam for Uthsava Ranganathar was performed in

the temple. Sookthams, Sikshaavalli and Neeraattam were recited.

108 cups of akkara Vadisil was offered to Sri Ranganatha on this

occasion.

During Saatruppadi, Sri U.Ve. Velukkudi swami offered an upanyasam on

Acharya Vaibhavam. Smt YG Parthasarathy gave a short introduction to

Sri Velukkudi Swamy and every one enjoyed the upanyasam. The function

completed by 2 PM followed by lunch. After the `sevikku unavu'

followed the `vayitrukkum sirithu'. The delicious lunch was prepared

by Sri Rajagopalan Bhatter of Pomona Temple with help from

volunteers, in the temple madapalli for all the participants. About

250 bhagavathaas attended the second day celebrations and received

Perumal, Udayavar and Padhuka anugraahams.

For this two-day celebrations, we had bhagavathaas from Chicago,

Boston, Atlanta, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, Buffalo, New

York, Pittsburgh, Allentown (Pennsylvania), New Jersey, Cleveland and

India. Sri Ramanuja Mission thanks all the co-sponsors and

participating organizations for their magnificent contribution in

making the function a grand success.

Sri Poondi Vijayaraghavan, President of Sri Ramanuja Mission of

Srirangam Srimadh Andavan Ashramam spoke on both the days and

welcomed all the bhagavathas who came for the function from various

corners of USA. He spoke on the importance of this function being

celebrated on the first day at Sri Venkateshwara temple and on the

second day at Sri Ranganatha temple, both perumal being so close to

Sri Ramanuja.

Sri Ramanuja Mission thanks every one who has been instrumental in

making this mega event a grand success. Sri Ramanuja Mission offers

its special thanks to Sri Murali Parthasarathy for his Video coverage

and all round help; Sri Narayanan Veeraraghavan for his excellent

contribution in compiling the recitation material and coordinating

them with member groups, his help in painting the pallakku; Sri T. R.

Govindarajan for his efforts in organizing the Perumal `ula' in

the `Thiruther'; Smt Shyamala Murali for her wonderful coordination

for food arrangements with member groups, participants and volunteers

for the two days, her efforts in planning & organizing the menu for

two days; Smt. Charu Parthasarathy for her tireless help in the food

committee during the two days; Smt. Sumithra Govindarajan and Pankaja

Poondi for their help in the kitchen area for catering requirements;

Smt. Gita Prasad and Sri. Balaji Ramanujam for setting up the audio

equipments in the Bridgewater temple hall; Sri Jaikrishna

Vijayaraghavan for his `Thiruthuzai' kainkaryams; Sri Muralidhar

Rangaswamy for bringing the Perumal Vasthrams from Madras; Sri

Shyamsundar Sreenivasan for getting all the Prabhandha books and

Thirukkudai from Madras; Sri Srinivas Rangarajan, Sri Ajai Krishna

Murali and Sri Panchajanyam Sridharan for their timely contributions

on function premises; NAMA members for their food contributions; last

but not least - everyone else who contributed in various other areas.

Sri Ramanuja Mission also thanks all the participants from all parts

of USA who came and attended this function and prays for the

anugraham of Srimadh Andavan and the anugraham of all the acharya

Padukas.

After the celebrations, Udayavar continued on his sanchaaram. He left

for Washington DC with Sri. Nadathur Madhavan. He will be blessing

the capital area in the next couple of months.

Adiyen

Dasan Murali ThirumalaiSri Ramanuja Jayanthi Celebrations at USA -

2001