Srimad Azhagiyasingar Satabhisheka Mahotsavam Update

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sri:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Parabrahmane Nama:

Srimate Sri Lakshminrisimha Divyapadukasevaka

Srivan Satakopa Sri NarayanaYatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

Dear All:

 

Thanks to Sri Malolan’s anugruham and the prayers and the contributions of

thousands of sishyas and well wishers from all over the world, Srimad

Azhagiyasingar's Satabhishekam Mahotsavam took place in grand style at the

Dasavathara Sannidhi in Srirangam and came to a conclusion in the evening on

Thursday, November 30th with a Dolai for Kannan organized by His

kainkaryaparas. Earlier in the day, nearly 10,000 sishyas had the

opportunity to get Satari and Sri Paada Theertham of His Holiness and

witness His Holiness receiving Kovil Mariyathais from Divya Desams. His

Holiness Poundarikapuram Andavan Swami, His Holiness Parakala Matam Swami,

His Holiness Rangapriya Swami and His Holiness the Jeer of Azhwar

Thirunagari were present on one or more days in the mornings and on Srimad

Azhagiyasingar's 80th Thirunakshathram day to convey their felicitations.

 

One of the highlight of the event was the Pattina Pravesham of Srimad

Azhagiyasingar in a Pallakku for over 6 to 7 miles, twice around Srirangam

Temple in the outer two ring roads with 5 elephants, and 3 horses leading

the procession, periodic firecracker displays, prabhanda goshti of well over

200, multiple nadaswaram troupes and ladies singing and dancing in front and

a veda parayana goshti in the rear of the pallakku. It is estimated that

over 2,500 people took part in this procession lasting nearly 5 hours. All

these can be viewed in the still photos gallery, the link for which is given

below.

 

Over the 10 day period preceding the Thirunakshathram, nearly 1,000 invited

Veda adhyapakas, Sanskrit scholars, Srivaishnava stalwarts and other highly

learned scholars took part in daily festivities. Simultaneous Veda parayanam

was done every morning and evening by the Veda adhyapakas in the four main

vedas and three variations of Yajur and Sama Vedam. All the Vedams were

chanted during morning and evening Satrumurai along with prabhandam for the

listening pleasure of Sri Malolan and Dolai Kannan. In the afternoons during

" vethalai pakku " , some of the Veda adhyapakas chanted Ghanam for 20 to 30

minutes, which was a feast to the ears. Following this, Srimad

Azhagiyasingar presided over a Vidwat Sadas which featured some of the most

knowledgeable experts in Sanskrit and SriVaishnavism debating issues in

Sanskrit and Tamil. Later in the evenings, well known Upanyasakars gave

lectures on many topics at Sri Vedantha Desikar Sannidhi inside Sri

Ranganathar Temple. Further in the evening, well known Carnatic Music

artists performed in front of HH's Ashramam. One evening, the young students

of the Selaiyur Patasala performed a drama about Swami Thirumangai Azhwar's

life history and two students performed an upanyasam in the classical

musical style. Every day prasadams were distributed in the mornings,

afternoon and evenings, for over 2,000 to 3,000 people at 3 different

locations.

 

The most notable thing was that our Acharyan, in His magnanimous way,

honored each of the Veda adhyapakas, pandithas, kainkaryaparas and the other

learned scholars with cash, veshti, gold coin, salwai, silver vessels etc.

It is estimated that the value of the honorariums ranged from Rs. 7,500 to

Rs. 20,000 per person depending on their education, experience and

knowledge. The total cost of just the honorarium for the pandithas and

vidwans is estimated to be around Rs. 80 to Rs. 90 lakhs. Add to this the

cost of providing prasadams every day for 2,000 to 3,000 people with a

substantially higher number on the day of the Thirunakshathram and you can

easily see that the cost would have well exceeded Rs. 1 crore. We are very

happy to inform you that the contribution from the United States, just

through Sri Ahobila Muth, USA came to around Rs. 1.25 crores. We thank every

one of you profusely for contributing to this once in a lifetime event.

Prasadams are being mailed from Selaiyur this week to all those who

contributed to this cause.

 

There is no doubt that this event will stand out for years to come as a

unique event that is unparalleled in history for its grandeur and the

recognition of so many learned vidwans and pandithas. We owe it all to Sri

Malolan and our Acharyan Srimad Azhagiyasingar. Thanks are also due to the

Satabhishekam Committee who worked on this event tirelessly for over a year,

collecting many crores of Rupees, and undertaking and completing in time the

massive construction projects including the very large main hall where the

function took place, Malolan's Sannidhi, renovation and reconstruction of

the Dasavathara Sannidhi, Uthara Veedhi Matam and the Dasavathara Sannidhi

Matam. Besides these, more projects are planned and have started such as

construction of a Marriage Hall at the place where the Satabhisheka

Mahotsavam took place, renovation and reconstruction of the Thiruvellore

Matam and other Matams and Brindavanams. Thanks also are due to the scores

of volunteers who helped all the sishyas have a pleasant experience at the

function. And last, but not least, thanks to the thousands of sishyas and

abhimanis all over the world who contributed the maximum amount they could

to make this function a grand success.

 

 

As many of you know, the main event on November 30th was web cast live. Even

if you missed it then, you can view the whole 5 hours of streaming video,

till December 31st, by visiting: http://www.chennaistream.com/ahobilamutt/

In addition, you can view still photos taken during the occasion, thanks to

Sriman Diwakar and Sriman Raghavan (Bangalore) at:

http://www.pbase.com/svami/sathabishekam

 

 

Thank you all.

 

 

-Srimad Azhagiyasingar Thiruvadigale Saranam

dasan Rajaji

 

Sri Ahobila Matam, USA