கைசிக த்வாதசி - திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பி - நம்பாடுவான் - புராணம் படித்தல் [Kaisika Dwadasi - Thirukurungudi Nambi perumai]

அன்பான ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவர்களுக்கு

For Srivaishnavaites – Ekadadi worship is of utmost importance. Saturday (28/11/09) was a day of significance as it was the day of Kaisika Ekadasi. On the next day, in temples ‘kaisika puranam’ is recited and purappadu of Utsavar takes place.

For those of us, who do not know out sampradayam much, legend has it that on every Kaisika Ekadasi day, Nampaduvan, an ardent devotee of the Lord used to do Namasankeerthanam for Emperuman at Thirukurungudi. This Nampaduvan Charithram was narrated by Sri Varaha Perumal to Bhoomi Pirarttiyar in Varaha puranam. Nampaduvan, a great bhagavatha at Thirukurungudi used to observe ‘jakratha vratham’ without sleeping full night singing the glory of the Lord and thinking only about Him.

One year while on the way to Thirukurungudi, Nampaduvan was confronted by a Brahma Rakshas. This Rakshas told Nampaaduvaan that he would eat him. Nampaduvan humbly requested that he had the duty of nama sankeerthanam. Nampaduvan agreed with the rakshas that he would return back after his vratham and darshan of Kurungudi Nambi. The rakshas was not prepared to believe stating that none in this material would would come back as food and asked : is there any possibility that a deer could escape after it was caught up by a lion ?

Nampaduvan promised that he would indeed return and convinced the rakshas to release him for a while, went to Thirukurungudi temple rendered pasurams on Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi; kaisikam is a kind of music composition (called pan in tamil); the last pasuram rendered was kaisika pan.

While returning Nampaduvan was interrupted by Sri Kurungudi Nambi Himself in the disguise of an old man advising him to take alternate route escaping the rakshas. Nampaduvan firmly kept his promise standing by his dharma of fulfilling and presented before the Brahma rakshas.

Awe struck the rakshas asked for the palan(fruit) of the pasurams Nampaduvan had rendered and in the series of discussions that went on rakshas wanted atleast the palan of the last kaisika pan. It was revealed that the Brahmarakshas was a vidwan by name Soma Sharma who was cursed by Devas arising out of his ahankaram. The palan of pan relieved him of the curse.

After hundreds of years on Kaisika Dwadasi day, Sri Parasara Bhattar chanted kaisika puranam before Lord Ranganatha and today the descendants of Bhattar chant the puranam on kaisika dwadasi day at Srirangam.

The purana is rendered in all Sri Vaishnavaite temples on Dwadasi day and in Triplicane, Sriman U Ve MA Venkatakrishnan Swami rendered the same in front of Lord Parthasarathi and Thirumangai Azhwar. Kaisika puranam is in manipravalam, a dialect which is mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil. In the evening there was periya mada veedhi purappadu with sthothra padam ghoshtiHere are some photos of the purappadu

Adiyen - S Sampathkumar

100 TEST WINS - WHEN DID THIS START AND SOME STATISTICS

From Chennapattinam to Kanpur the journey has been long. But before we go the connection, here is some insurance associated with Cricket.

The Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) has insured the one-day international cricket match, which will be played between India and Sri Lanka at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack December 21 for Rs 14 crore, learnt to be covered by Oriental Insurance Company. The insurance cover includes public liability insurance in case of a terrorist attack or a bomb blast. The primary cover is against natural disasters such as rain and storm and disability or loss of life caused to any spectator during the match. The premium is reported to be around 5 lakh.
Recently, the last ODI between India & Aussie to be played at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had insured the game for Rs. 6 crore against natural perils such as cyclone, lightning as also against perils such as abandonment following death of political leader, riots, civil commotion etc., it is reported that this was also done by Oriental who had to pay the claim. Cricket match policies are called “one ball bowled” policies and lapse after even one ball is bowled in a match.

The city of Kanpur in the Uttar Pradesh, located on the bank of river Ganges has been happy hunting ground for the Indians. The Green Park stadium has hosted a number of test matches and one day internationals.

This is India’s sixth at Green park making it a very successful venue. This stadium hosted its first test in the January of 1952 and the first win came in Dec 1959 against the visiting Aussies. Offie Jasubhai Patel took 14 wickets in that match. In this ground Subhash Gupte once took nine WI wickets in an innings conceding 102 and could have had the remnant Lance Gibbs but for a dropped chance by WK Naren Tamhane. The dream spell could not ensure victory as it was overshadowed by fiery Wes Hall and later in 1983 Malcolm and Co. hurled everything short at Indians after the WC loss.

Sangakkara probably misread the pitch and went in with 3 spinners.

India compiled 642 with the top 3 notching centuries. On the opening day, India amassed runs at a frentic pace mainly due to swashbuckling Sehwag and Gaurav who has made it a habit to score back to back centuries.

Lankans were bowled out for 229 mainly by a spell by Sreesanth ending 19 month isolation with 5/75.

After that it was a matter of when and not whether. Lankans improved marginally in their second scoring 269 – the result was a win by an innings and 144 runs.
This clinching win in 4th day is our 100th win in Tests. To those not updated with statistics, our first Test victory had come in 1952 at Chennai. In total, we have played 432 matches till date.

There are six teams which have 100 test wins and amongst them India does not compare favourably finishing last. Our team has gained winning momentum of late and in the current decade have won 39 out of 102.


If you are still interested in some more statistics, our first win had come against England – Test no. 348 played in Feb 1952, captained by Vijay Hazare and played at Chepauk, our own Chennai. The visitors playing first made 266 with Vinoo Mankad finishing with 8 for 55. Aided by a brilliant century by Pankaj Roy and 50 by Phadkar, Indians declared at 457. in the second essay, visitors could muster only 183 with Ghulam Ahmed and Vinoo sharing the spills with 4 wickets each.


One more occasion to rejoice for the cricket fans


With regards
S Sampathkumar.