Madhurai Kavi Nandavanam - Sreerangam

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Dear SriVaishnavitesThank you very much for all the feedbacks provided to Sri Madhurakavi Story. For the benefit of those who cannot read Tamil, I'm providing the account written by my father Sri D Seshadri. My story was fully based on the details he provided.Also, I've filed a public appeal to HR & CE commissioner highlighing the importance of preserving this Nandhavanam.Please read :http://www.varalaaru.com/Default.asp?articleid=923Namaskarams.Gokul.S------------------------An Ordinary Man's Extraordinary StoryHad you an occasion to wander about in theAmmamandapam, Mambazha salai road? If not do so;Just a half a km from the river ghat, the road meanderswith the left side replete with coconut and other treesand on the right side a board beckons you with theletters Sriman Madhurakavi Nandavanam. Just out ofcuriosity I stepped in , to be greeted by one of theEhankis(those who have dedicated their life to the Lordand remain brahmacharis) - Sri Venkata RamanujaDasar. At present there are 4 such who do mainlyservice of supplying garlands to the Srirangam Temple .The others are Sri Gopala Dasar,Sri Ramanuja Dasarand Sri Rengamannar Dasar. The last said is ripe withage and is living in the cottage opposite thisnandavanam.I had some conversation with Sri Venkata and thefollowing were the main information I could collect fromhim: Hailing from a small Andhra village, he hadrendered services at Kaddapah and Tirupati,solingar,andas the Lord of srirangam beckoned him has settled herefrom 1975. He is 69 years of age.I made a tour of the garden and there were mango,coconut trees besides flower beds. Mainly there wasKrishna Thulasi and beds where many flowers wereraised. Based on the season these are some of theflowers that are raised here: Padhiri, Othai and IrattaiNandiavatti, Virutchi in different colours such as white,yellow and red and,sambangi. He informed me besidesthis place there are other areas in which flowers areraised mainly in the river side. He compared this withthe Kurathazwan Thirunandavanam at Srivilliputturfamous for Andal-Sudikkodutha Sudarkodi.There were photos of Ehankis of yester years, thetrustees who manage in the present day and a photo ofthe person whom we will be talking about shortly-Sriman Madhurakavi. There is a separate room with theLord of Srirangam in the backdrop for making thegarlands for the temple (called Thiruppoo Mandapam).The garland themselves are called in pure tamil asThirupallidamam; the land is called Thirumalaipuramand the cultivators of the flowers are calledThirunandavana Kudihal.Are you aware that except during the flower deckingThirunal called in Tamizh as Poo Sathu Thirunal, noflower outside this Nandavanam is used in the templesmainly that of Lord, Ranganayaki and Chakrathazhwar?Around 18 garlands are submitted on a normal day; 24nos during Uthsava periods and around 40 duringTelugu, tamil and Deepavali Thirunatkal. The adornedgarlands by the Lord and Thayar fetch fabulous prices!The Ehanki took me to the other side of the road andthere was the Pallippadi (or Samadhi) of SrimanMadhurakavi Pillai.My interest in this person arose because of a casualreading of two inscriptions in tamil just as you enter theRenga Vilas-the main shopping centre inside the temple.It is on the left side just outside the Veli AndalSannadhi. In case you have time go through them; theymake interesting reading. The inscription is dated 6thJune, 1959 .And let me come to the story mainly based on these twoinscriptions. Here was a man not much lettered in theformal sense who lived for 58 years(1846-1904) and didwhat only emperors could dream about. He had thevimanam of the Lord called the Pranavakara Vimanamgilded with gold at a cost of Rs 80,000. Thesamprokshanam costed another Rs 20,000. All this weredone in 1903. Having done the Lord's mission, hereached the divine abode the next year.We learn that Jatavarman Sundara Pandian(1251-1268AD) whose munificence was extraordinary, had done thisduring his reign. An interesting note on the vimana is254 «è£°™ «êû£ˆKavailable in Hari Rao's masterpiece in Page 50, "TheSrirangam Temple". Having provided an idea on thisgentleman, let me go into the inscription proper andhave a feel of what it has to say:Sriman Madura Kavi was born in the Tamil yearViswavasu, (1846),Thai month, in the Puram star to SriRenga Pillai and Smt Renganayaki. With basic educationcompleted he was mainly doing kainkaryam of offeringflowers to the Srirangam temple from the age of nine.When he was seventeen the parents wanted him tomarry. He declined to marry saying that it had no tastefor him and requested them to give him the money theywould otherwise be spending on the marriage. Withthat, he purchased 10 powns of gold and offered aKadalaikkai Malai to the Thayar.The parents also dividedthe family property and with his portion he purchasedgardens where he raised flowers to be offered to thetemple.He had panchasamaskara at the hands of SriVanamamalai Jeeyar Swamigal and had kalakshepam inthe Pillai Lokacharier temple also. He also learntNalaayiram and Rahasya granthas. With the help givenby his abhimanis such as Sri Srinivasa and VenkatachalaRamanuja Dasar, he collected monthly subscriptions inTiruchy and Madras. With the money thus raised hepurchased wet lands and flower gardens in Cholamadevivillage.While he was continuing to do the offering of garlands tothe temple without interruption, the call came. Call forrepairing and rectifying the Pranavakara Vimanam ofSrirangam which needed urgent repairs. The templeauthorities, who knew his selfless services to the Lordintimately, requested him to take up this work. Humbleas he was, he politely declined it saying that all he knewwas only Pushpa Kainkaryam and the request was tootall for him to carry out.In the year 1892, he had a dream. The Lord ordered himto do the work and he will get it done."Aarambiyum;Naam Thailaik kattik kodukkiroam".Those were the divine words. Madurakavi thus would beonly an instrument. An executor of Lord's work.He was also persuaded by his Acharyan and AndarangarKuvalaikudi Singamaiyangar. Taking it as a divine order,he toured to places as far as Vanamamalai, Hyderabadand with the help of many devotees, was able to collecta sum of Rs 80,000 in five years (1897). Meanwhile, thework was started in 1895 itself and "for the eight bigKalasams, for each Kalasam 3 sear gold which required16 polishes(Poochchu), for the eight small Kalasamssame 16 polishes and for Padmams 12 polishes" and thework was completed in 1897.Good things are bound to attract problem as flowerattracts bees. The saaram(scaffolds) meant for joiningthe Kalasams and sheets was to be dismantled at thebehest of one trustee, who was delaying the execution.In 1901 another trustee, (possibly on rotation) SriAlavandarayya took charge. While the deputy Collectorwas inspecting the Thirunandavanam, he appraisedabout the obstacles on the way of completing theVimana work.On being given the go ahead signal from the deputyCollector, the Saaram was raised again and workscompleted. And in April, 1903 the Samprokshanam wascompleted much to the jubilation of the devotees.Theentire samprokshanam costed around Rs 20000. Withthe balance amount available, Madurakavi Pillai feltthere must be a permanent arrangement to perpetuatethis garden kainkaryam. So he formed a Trust with 9persons.Among them were:1. Tiruchy Sadagopa Naidu.256 «è£°™ «êû£ˆK2. Rengasamy naidu.3. Elder brother-Sri Perianna Pillai.4. Madura Nayaham Pillai.The functions of the Trust was also spelt out in detail:1. To make garlands for submission to the Lords.2. For the use of Pickles for the Perumal andThayar,supply of mangoes.3. For the Visakam supply of Paal Mangai4. For the Jestabishekam supply of mangoes and otherfruits.As the trustees were to be only for their life time , thetemple Devasthanam should continue the work.After fulfilling the task given by the divine hand, it wastime for him to depart from the scene. The inscriptioncontinues thus: On the month of Ayppasi KurodhiAandu(1904 AD) on the 7 th day of Oonjal Uthsavamafter the night Ghosti were given prasadam at 11 pm heattained the feet of the Lord.Thus ends the story of this ordinary man who didextraordinary work that could be done only byemperors.After worshipping the temple if you have time and theinclination, take a quick walk to the MadurakaviNandavanam and who knows? You may have some moresurprises!-D.SESHADRI , "Krishna" <Krishna wrote:>> > Kalvettu Sonnai Kathai> Madhurai Kavi nandavanam - Oru Varalarattu parvai> http://www.varalaaru.com/Default.asp?articleid=527 & threadParent=9> > Superb Article> > > Krishna>