NavarAthri celebrations at Kaanchipuram : PerumAL-ThAyAr SErthi sEvai for 10 days: Part I of Two.

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

SrI Mahaa Devi SamEtha Sri VaradarAja ParabrahmaNE nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Today is the first day of the NavarAthri Uthsavam

at Kaanchi . adiyEn wishes to share with you a wonderful

description of this Uthsavam written up by Varadha GuNAmrutha-

varshi R.SrInivAsa Varada tatachAr Swamy,the sishyar of

the famous AchAryan , Thirupputkkuzhi SrI Nrusimha TaatArya

MahA Desikan :

 

Kaanchi is famous and unique for the joint kolu of

the dhivya dampathis. During the evening of MahALaya

AmaavAsyai ( this evening) , SrI VaradharAjan travels

through Sannidhi Street upto the Sannadhi of AnjanEyar

and returns back to the western temple gate. He is now facing

East awaiting His Jaganmohani-PirAtti to arirve. She

exits out of ThoNDaradippodi MaNDapam now and travels

west towards the site , where Her Lord is waiting .

Once She reaches the four pillar maNDapam , Lord

VaradharAjan hurries to meet His SahadharamchAriNI,

who stands by Him and supports Him in all His

sankalpams and avathArams and dhivya chEstithams.

The Lord's lotus eyes are filled with joy now

as He meets Her . Both now turn and face northward

and a single white umbrella is held over the dhivya

dampathis to remind us of their Yeka chatrAdhipathyam .

Karpoora Haaratthi , upahAram offering take place next.

After the upachArams , the divine couple gently move

towards the 100 pillar maNDapam to the accompaniment of

MangaLa Vaadhyams. ParichArakaas hold a white folded

vEshti firmly at one end and gently unfold at the other end

like a slowly opening fan . This is called the nadai paavAdai

upachAram , where the kalpaka flowers are collected

from the DevAs hovering above to witness this wonderful

sErthi ulA of the dhivya dampathis .The abhinayam to catch

those divine flowers without falling on ground is

the symbolism behind the nada pAvAdai upachAram.

It is like a setting for ThirukkalyANam for the divine

couple of Kaanchipuram.

 

At the 100 pillared maNDapam , there are special decorations,

Pandhal, ThOraNams and lamps . The dhivya dampathis climb

the steps and seat themselves on the elevated stone platform

inside the MaNDapam facing South.For two full hours , they

hold court (Kolu) .Devotees feast themselves on this rare

and dear anubhavam of sErthi sEvai.

 

ThiruvArAdhanam takes place next with manthra Pushpam

and NaivEdhyam.After viniyOgam of PrasAdham , the divine

couple descend from their seats and there is a special way

in which they are carried on the backs of the Paadham thAngIs

down the steps of the MaNDapam . They move ever so gently

and delight the eyes of the fortunate ones assembled there.

Now they arrive at the ThoNDardipodi maNDapam , where Thiruvanthi-

Kaappu (Saayarakshai ) rites are performed and Haaratthi

takes place. They continue their ulA upto AbhishEka

MaNDapam , while listening to Naathasvaram music

offering naadah naivEdhyam in KedAra gouLam

and Yadhukula KaanbhOji raagams.During that travel together ,

the individual golden Prabhais of the PerumAL and ThAyAr

gently touch each other . They ascend the steps of

AbhishEka maNDapam and face westwards. MangaLa Haarathti is

performed there. The curtain is now drawn and the dhivya dampathis

enter the Mirror room for the night's rest.The first day

of NavarAthri uthsavam is thus concluded.Early next morning ,

the Visvaroopa sEvai takes place in front of the Mirror room

(KaNNADi aRai).

 

adiyEn will cover the NavarAthri celebrations from

the second to the tenth day and the special alankArams and

AabharaNams the dhivya dampathis adorn during these ten days.

 

Few months back, number of you supported the Nandavana

Kaimkaryam at Kaanchipuram . The many flowers and TuLasi

grown there are used daily to adorn the ThirumEnis of

Lord VaradarAjan and PerumdEvi ThAyar. During the NavarAthri

days, more than the normal volume of the flowers are used

to construct lovely garlands for the dhivya dampathis by

the ladies of Kaanchipuram . adiyEn wants to thank you

for your participation in this kaimkaryam , which brings

us all close to Their ThirumEni every day in general and

during NavarAthri sErthi uthsavam days in particular.

 

SrI MahA Devi samEtha Sri HasthigirIsAya NamO nama:

 

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan