Mylai Sri Peyalwar mangalasasanam at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam

Among the 12 Azhwaars of Srivaishanva Tradition, Poigai Azhwar, Boothath Azhwar and Peyazhwar – were the ones to have descended on this Earth earlier. They were contemporaries and are praised as “Muthal Azhwars (the first among the Azhwars). They were born in the month of “Aippasi: in the thirunakshathirams of ‘Thiruvonam, Avittam, Sathayam’ respectively. This divine trio met on a rainy day at Thirukkovalur – when they sang 100 verses each which now form part of Moonravathu Ayiram (Iyarpa) in Naalayira Divyaprabandham.

Sri Peyalwar was born in a tank in Mylapore (thence known as Mylai Thiruvallikkeni). His birthplace is in the present day Arundel Street in Mylapore closer to Mylai Madhaava Perumal Kovil. At Thiruvallikkeni, the road adjacent to Sri Parthasarathi Kovil houses a separate sannathi (temple by itself) for Sri Peyalwar and the street is named after the Azhwar and is known as ‘Peyazhwar kovil Street’.

Today, 1^st Oct 2013 is a Special day… today is Ekadasi… On all Ekadasis, there will be periya maada veethi purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi Swami at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam. Today is special for Perumal had purappadu with Azhwar. Over a decade now, annually Sri Peyalwar from Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Devasthanam has been visiting Thiruvallikkeni for mangalasasanam of the Divyadesa perumal. Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Devasthanam better known as ‘Kesava Perumal Kovil’ is near Mylai Kapaleeswarar Temple and the Chithirai kulam belongs to this Temple.

Now the Peyalwar who graces the Mylai Kesava Perumal temple – annually visits Thiruvallikkeni in a grand procession. Sri Peyalwar is taken in a palanquin and nearer Triplicane [at the TP koil Street – Besant Road Junction] – the pallakku is opened to let all devotees have his darshan fully. From there, Peyalwar is taken on a grand procession in Chinna mada veethi with ‘Moondram Thiruvanthathi’ goshti – from the Vahana mandapam, Azhwar enters Thirukovil in kaipalagai. Sri Peyazhwar visits all sannathies inside the Temple ~ those of Lord Venkata Krishnan, Vedavalli Thayar, Varada Rajar, Azhagiya Singar and Andal and does mangalasasanam – i.e., ‘praying and praising the divine Gods and begetting happiness in doing so’.

Sri Peyawlar has sung about Thiruvallikkeni temple in his ‘Moondram Thiruvanthati’ – he describes that at Thiruvallikkeni waves are white as milk and there are red pavazham and white pearls at the time of twilight and at that sandhya time he has the darshan of the Lord at Thiruvalllikeni

வந்துதைத்த வெண்டிரைகள் செம்பவள வெண்முத்தம்*

அந்தி விளக்கும் அணிவிளக்காம், - எந்தை*

ஒருவல்லித் தாமரையாள் ஒன்றியசீர் மார்வன்,*

திருவல்லிக்கேணி யான் சென்று.

Later in the evening at around 0700pm, there was the grand purappadu of Sri Peyalwar with Lord Sri Parthasarathi. It was a grand festival grandly organized by Sri NC Sridhar, Trustee of Sri Kesava Perumal Kovil, Mylapore…. In that worthy procession, there were horses, bearers carrying flags that had Thiruman printed on them, drums, Nathaswaram, thavil and more specifically, Divyaprabandha Veda Parayana goshties, Sri Peyalwar and Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman. Here are some photos taken on the occasion.

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan [Srinivasan Sampathkumar from Thiruvallikkeni]