Day 6 of Sri Manavala Mamunigal Uthsavam 2015 - Amavasai - Mandayam Iyengars

Today 11^th Nov 2015 is day 6 of Swami Manavala Maamunigal Uthsavam.  Generally, Deepavali would fall on Amavasai day ~ this year, yesterday was Deepavali and today is ‘Amavasai ‘.

It was Kaliyan’s Thirumozhi thodakkam inside during Thiruppavai sarrumurai and in the veethi purappadu – Nammalwar’s Thiruvasiriyam & Periya Thiruvanthathi.  It rained heavily in the evening and again it was restrictive Chinna mada veethi purappadu.

I have on earlier occasions posted on the famous Temple  ‘Sri SelvaNarayana Perumal Kovil’ at Melkote reverred by us as  ThiruNarayanapuram,  a Abhimana sthalam of Udayavar who lived here for 12 years, codified and ordained strict procedures for betterment of Sri Vaishnavism.    It is a hilly protected place, calmness, serenity and divinity pervading here.  It is on rocky hills known as Yadugiri, Yadavagiri and Yadushailadweepa, overlooking the Cauvery valley. It is desirable to know something about this place Melkote. Situated now  in Pandavapura taluk, Melkote is closer to Mandya ~ Mandayam Iyengars are great scholars especially in Sanskrit and have been doing yeoman service to Srivaishnavism and kainkaryam to Chelva Narayanar.

History has it that during the 14th Century, Melkote suffered an attack by the Muslims. However, during the Vijayanagara period, Thimmanna Dandanayaka repaired and rebuilt temples.  Centuries later, there was to be bloodbath. In 1762 Hyder Ali snatched the Mysore Kingdom and treated Mandyam community who were loyal to Mysore kings very badly. Later in 1783 Tippu killed about 700 families for being loyal to the royal family and took away all their properties.  This killing took place on Deepavali day and in memory of the same those families do not celebrate Deepavali even to-day. To escape from Tippu’s harsh treatment, many families migrated to Madras outside his kingdom. In 1799 the kingdom was restored to the royal family after Tippu was defeated.

I have heard this from Dr MAV Swami [Dr Mandayam Ananthanpillai Venkatakrishnan Swami] as also there are other references.   The website : http://www.mandyam.com/ourorigin.html - has extract from Mandayam Sri Vasihana Mahajanara Chatitre,  by Sri Jatavallabha Singriengar (Civil Engineer &  Ayurvedic Doctor) - published in 1956

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

Here are photos of day 6 purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam