Vairamudi Seva

[Guest guest]

Respected Ramanuja Bhaktas,

 

As mentioned in previous posts, the ancient town of Melkote and the

temple to Sri Ramanuja and his Foster Son, Thirunarayanan, serves as the

spiritual center for the Society and its ongoing activities. One of the

most celebrated of events that takes place in this temple each year is

the thirunakshatram (holy appearance day) of Chelvapillai - the Lord in

his ceremonial form as Ramanuja's Darling Child - an occasion which is

highlighted by the Vairamudi Seva, the adorning of the Lord with a

diamond crown.

 

Sri Anand Srinivasan, whose family hails from this sacred village, has

shared an article from today's Hindu that recaps this year's

celebrations, which took place on March 24 and 25. I am blessed to be

able to share this with all of you.

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mohan

 

 

------->

 

MYSORE MARCH 25. Amidst chanting of vedic hymns, Chellapillai

(pampered son), the darling of the masses at Melkote, the historical

temple town near here, kept his annual date with devotees on Sunday

night.

 

Decked with Vairamudi (the diamond crown), Lord Cheluvarayaswamy,

who is fondly called Chellapillai, the presiding deity, with his

consorts

gave a glimpse that the devotees were anxiously waiting for during the

Vairamudi festival.

 

The flower arrangements for the procession had been so done that the

figures of Vishnu and his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi, seemed to be

floating just above the heads of people.

 

The Lord named as Chellapillai by the Vaishnavite saint,

Ramanujacharya, looked resplendent as thousands of devotees, who

had thronged the town from far-away places to witness the annual

spectacle, watched in reverence.

 

The procession started around 9 p.m., the auspicious time fixed by the

archakas. Decked up grandly with flowers and jewels, the presiding

deity

and his consorts were slowly taken around his abode.

 

According to belief, a darshan of the Lord will relieve the devotees

from

all bondage and bring them salvation. Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh,

Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala visit the temple town during the

festival that is held on the fourth day of Brahmotsava. The temple

authorities claim that pilgrims from as far as Nepal and Kashmir visit

the

temple during the festival. Melkote has a history of over 1,000 years.

It

sheltered Ramanujacharya when he fled Srirangam to avoid persecution

by the local chieftain.

 

The aged among the devotees, who could not witness the spectacle,

waited till the procession returned to the temple precincts around 3

a.m.

after passing through the thoroughfares. The temple town began

receiving devotees from Saturday afternoon.

 

In a break from tradition, the nadaswara which is played all through

the

procession was missing this time. It was played only during the

crowning ceremony of the Vairamudi on Lord Cheluvarayaswamy.

 

Legend has it that the Vairamudi or the diamond crown belonged to Lord

Anirudha who resided at Kshirasagara. The Vairamudi was stolen by

Virochana, son of Prahlada. Garuda was asked to bring the crown.

 

Garuda vanquished Virochana and took the crown. On the way, he

found Krishna playing in the Brindavan with his friends and cows and

offered it to him and went back to narrate the incident.

 

Krishna offered the crown to the presiding deity here that is known as

Vairamudi or Vajramukhi. People believe that the Vairamudi should not

be seen during the day.

 

According to scholars, the festival symbolises the mastery of Sri

Cheluvarayaswamy over the Vedas, the storehouse of knowledge. Lord

Cheluvarayaswamy sitting on the Garuda, believed to be the very

personification of the Vedas, shows that it is the former who gives all

the

splendour to that knowledge.

 

The Vairamudi that is kept in the Mandya treasury was brought under

heavy security and opened in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner,

L.A. Ateeq, and the SP, A.K.Pandey. Special bus arrangements had been

made to Melkote from Mandya, Mysore, and Bangalore for devotees