ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி ஒன்பதாம் உத்சவம் "ஆளும் பல்லக்கு " : Aalum Pallakku Apr 2016

ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி ஒன்பதாம் உத்சவம் "ஆளும் பல்லக்கு " :

Day 9 Sri Parthasarathi Brahmothsavam  2016

Today  [30^th Apr 2016]  is the 9^th day of Sri Parthasarathi Swami special  Brahmothsavam – Theerthavari.   In the morning Sri Parthasarathi  had purappadu in “Aaal mael pallakku”.  Its significance is the symbolic search whence Perumal Himself comes  incognito, covered with ‘sheets’ (போர்வைகள்).

Today’s events are sequel to that of yesterday’s i.e., ‘Thirumangai Mannan Vaibhavam’; Emperuman turning Kaliyan into his astute devotee teaching him the  ‘ashtakshara mantra’.... In symbolizing search of lost ring, Perumal has Himself covered with ‘sheets’ and comes incognito  - the deed of His searching is celebrated at the same place where He gave the Ultimate advice to Thirumangai Mannan.  With every circling round, one porvai is removed and for a few seconds one can have darshan of Sri Parthasarathi with no floral garlands – then many flowers adorn Perumal.  Upon reaching the Temple, the conflict with Ubaya Nachimar on His going out untold is enacted. 

The conflict is not that of mortals…it is divine… ‘pranaya kalaham’ arising out of the celestial bonds between ‘Thayar and Perumal’….  In the words of Andal ~  *ஊடல் கூடலுணர்தல் புணர்தலை*

ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதிக்கு இன்று ஒன்பதாம் உத்சவம்; இன்று 'தீர்த்தவாரி''யும் கூட..  - காலை புறப்பாடு  "ஆளும் பல்லக்கு " - இந்த பல்லக்கு நான்கு ஆட்கள் தங்கள் தோள்கள்  மீது பல்லக்கை  சுமப்பது போன்றே அமைந்து இருப்பதால் "ஆள்மேல் பல்லக்கு:.  இந்த பல்லக்கில் பெருமாள் நிறைய போர்வைகளை போற்றிக்கொண்டு எழுந்து அருள்கிறார்.   திருமங்கை மன்னனை ஆட்கொண்ட படலத்தில், பெருமாள் ஒரு கணையாழியை [மோதிரத்தை] தொலைப்பதாகவும், அதிகாலை பெருமாள்   நாச்சிமாருக்கு கூட தெரியாமல் தனது  மோதிரத்தை தேடி போர்வையுடன் வந்து,  முன்தினம் கலியன்  வைபவம் நடந்த அதே இடத்தில் நகையை தேடும் வைபவம்  "போர்வை களைதல்" என  கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது.   இன்று காலை புறப்பாட்டின் போது எடுக்கப்பட்ட சில புகைப்படங்கள் இங்கே : 

அடியேன் ஸ்ரீனிவாச தாசன். 

Sri Parthasarathi Day 7 : Thiruther evening purappadu

ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி ஏழாம் நாள் உத்சவம் -  திருத்தேர்.

Thursday 28th Apr  2016 was day 7 of Sri Parthasarathi Chithirai  Brahmothsavam – the grand Thiruther [chariot]….

After the grand Thiruther purappadu – thousands of devotees had darshan of Sri Parthasarathi seated in Unjal on the Thiruther. In the evening there was ‘pathi ulavuthal’ and purappadu till the eastern entrance in Sunkuwar Street on the Marina beach road. One of the few occasions whence Perumal has purappadu outside the precincts of Mada veethi and Kulakkarai.  Later there was thirumanjanam at Andal Neeratta mandapam, facing eastern side now.

Here are some photos of the thirumbugal Thiruther purappadu.      

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan

தேர் திருவிழா ~ Sri Parthasarathi Thiruther day 7 purappadu - Apr 2016

நமது திவ்ய தேச எம்பெருமான் – ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி. பார்த்தன் ஆகிய   அர்ஜுனனுக்கு தேர் ஓட்டும் சாரதி ஆனதால், பார்த்தசாரதி. தேர் என்றால் பிரம்மாண்டம் - மேலும் தேர் திருவிழா நடக்க ஊர் மக்கள் ஒன்று கூட வேண்டும்*

Today, 28^th April  2016 is day 7 of Sri Parthasarathi Brahmothsavam – the grand Thiruther [chariot]….. one will realise its grandeur, if one were to stand near as the 8 or 9 feet wheel rotates by.  Thiruther is a grand occasion of togetherness of people.  During Brahmothsavam thousands throng Temple and have darshan of Perumal in His veethi purappadu ~ significantly, during Thiruther, thousands partake – they pull, go around, push, offer buttermilk and panakam [jaggery water] to devotees and there is celebrations on the air, clearly visible.

Could recall that the Thiruther of yore was even bigger ~ in 1980s for a couple of years, there was no Thiruther purappadu as it was under repair – when made again, in tune with times, it got reduced a bit – also now it has steel wheels; the earlier one had wooden wheel… it now runs on concrete cement road. Thiruther, the chariot, is easily the most grandeur and most attended by bakthas too. Ratha [the chariot] has existed in puranic days, historic days and more.  We have heard of Kings of recent past having had platoons of horse and horse-driven chariots.

On screen too, we have seen many – one got enamoured by the scene of Arjuna wading through the forces in Mahabaratha  - even those chariots were quite attractive.  Ratha is not only fleet-footed mode during war, it symbolizes energy and zeal to move forward.  It was on the chariot steered by Lord Krishna, Geethopadesam occurred to Arjuna, the mighty warrior.  The rath itself according to legend was given by Agni. 

Odisha’s king Narshimhadeva, the first of Eastern Ganga dynasty, decided to make a huge temple complex consisting of four temples dedicated to the Sun god in 1255 AD. The site chosen by the architects was in the north-eastern corner of Puri, one of the four sacred dhams – Konarak,  Bhubaneswar.  The Konark temple is designed in the form of the chariot of the Sun god. It has 24 wheels and seven horses.  In the Himalayas, Buṅga Dyaḥ Jātrā is a chariot procession honouring the  deity of compassion.   Rato Machhendranath chariot festival is held according to the lunar calendar in Nepal.  The ratha is made at Pulchowk by the Barahi and Yawal clans, amongst which one only does the rope work and other only the wood work. In the construction of the chariot no nails are used to connect the joints of the huge chariot but are only tied with ropes, excepting wheels hold.   

Sri Parthasarathi - Ekadasi purappadu photo

It was a grand festive day at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam – the chariot was pulled at 07.30 am and reached back the place by 08.45 am ~ it was heavenly.

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

Day 6 : Churnabishekam Sri Parthasarathi 2016 : சூர்ணாபிஷேகம் உத்சவம்

திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் சிறப்புற நடைபெறும் ப்ரம்மோத்சவத்தில் இன்று ஆறாம்நாள் ~சூர்ணாபிஷேகம்  உத்சவம் . இன்று [27^th Apr 2016]  காலை             ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி  அழகு பொலிந்திட  தங்கசப்பரத்தில்  புறப்பாடு கண்டு  அருளினார்.

Today is the 6^th day of Brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam for Sri Parthasarathi.  This morning after ‘Choornabishekam’, Sri  Parthasarathi  had purappadu in ‘Punniya Kodi vimanam’.   In the purappadu,  ‘Thiruchanda Virutham’ composed by Sri Thirumazhisai Azhwaar was rendered.   These 120 songs fall under the type ‘virutha paa’ – they are replete with numbers and fall under a specialized category of tamil grammar called ‘enn adukki cheyyul’. 

Some photos taken during the morning  purappadu are here.  The chapparam is tall and imposing and has been in existence for decades – not sure how much of engineering went into measuring its height – one wondered, as it entered Gangai kondan mandapam with ease – inches separating the roof and the kalasam.

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

Thiruther ~ getting ready for Sri Parthasarathi Brahmothsavam day 7 - Apr 2016

~ this is what you see … and so much happens prior to that !!

Thursday 28^th Apr  2016 is day 7 of Sri Parthasarathi Chithirai  Brahmothsavam – the grand Thiruther [chariot]….. one will realise its grandeur, if one were to have a glimpse from nearer  as the 8 or 9 feet wheel rotates by. It is awesome, as people say. Thiruther is a grand occasion of togetherness of people. Come to Thiruvallikkeni in the morning around 0630 am and have darshan of Emperuman in Thiruther.

Lot of work goes to making the Thiruther look so grand ~ this morning, as I passed by – Sripadhamthangigal were at work, getting the ‘horses for courses’ – laudable indeed !

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

Sun ~ Surya Prabhai : ‘இரவியின் கதிர்கள் நுழைதல் செய்து அறியா திருவல்லிக்கேணி”: 2016

Sri Parthasarathi  Swami Chithirai Brahmothsavam is on and today – 25^th Apr 2o16 is day 4 – in the morning it was Surya Prabhai ~ the Sun is the most important. The Sun’s illumination is the ultimate energy source for the Earth's biosphere, and the ultimate driving force for atmospheric, and oceanic circulations.

Without the Sun, the Earth would be no more than a frozen rock stranded in space. The Sun warms the Earth and makes life possible. It’s energy generates clouds, cleanses our water, produces plants, keeps animals and humans warm, and drives ocean currents and thunderstorms. Despite the Sun’s importance,  until a few decades ago,  astronomers and Earth scientists did not even have accurate data on the total amount of energy from the Sun that reaches the Earth’s outermost atmosphere.

Our ancient scriptures have always held Sun and its rays of prime importance.   Adiyta (Sanskrit) means  "of Aditi", referring  to the offspring of Aditi. Scientifically, the Sun  is a star, a hot ball of glowing gases at the heart of our solar system. Its influence extends far beyond the orbits of distant Neptune and Pluto. Without the sun's intense energy and heat, there would be no life on Earth. And though it is special to us, there are billions of stars like our sun scattered across the Milky Way galaxy.  The average diameter of the Sun is - : 864,000 miles, about 109 times the size of the Earth.    Virtually all life on Earth depends on the sun for energy. Although it appears constant, the total amount of energy radiated by the sun is constantly changing, on scales of seconds, to years, to centuries.

At Thiruvallikkeni, in the grand Brahmothsavam of Sri Parthasarathi  on day 4 morning it - Surya Prabhai representing the Sun chariot pulled by 7 horses.   The radiance of Sun would sure get overshadowed by the brilliance of Perumal.  Centuries ago, Thiruvallikkeni was such a pleasant garden with dense vegetation that ThirumangaiAzhwar  described it as ‘இரவியின் கதிர்கள் நுழைதல் செய்து அறியா திருவல்லிக்கேணி” ~ the Thiruvallikkeni where the rays of Sun  have not ventured inside……today, it is a concrete jungle with so many flats, vehicles and over-crowded that there is not proper space for the Perumal purappadu – of course in tune with its older leanings, cattle still remain……

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

ஒழிவில் காலமெல்லாம் .. வழுவிலா அடிமை : service to Lord Sri Parthasarathi

Thinking of Sriman Narayana and surrendering at the Lotus feet of Lord Narayana only will lead to us salvation. To be good in life, one should be connected with good things, think and do good things and for this association with good people is of utmost importance.  The Greatest among Alwars preached to us :

 “ ஒழிவில் காலமெல்லாம் உடனாய் மன்னி,வழுவிலா அடிமை செய்ய வேண்டும்நாம்,” –

 that when we do kainkaryam to Lord (to Him at Thiruvenkadam), we must do service by being with HIM throughout our life and do as a slave would serve his master.  

The Chithirai Brahmothsavam of Sri Parthasarathi is now on, and today is day 4 – Hamsa vahanam, one of the heaviest of the vahanas, thus making it more difficult to be carried on shoulders.  In Divyadesams, there are dedicated groups of people who render soul-stirring service to Lord, thinking of nothing else – there are the Battars;  Veda, Divyaprabandha goshti, people doing service in many manner and there are Sripadham thangigal, who carry the Lord on various vahanas.  Sripadham literally is the divine Lotus feet of Sriman Narayana and it is our fortune to be associated with the Lord, touching His divine feet – to which ultimately all of us surrender. 

Uthsavams are celebrations ~ and Brahmothsavam is celebration on a grand scale. People happily worship Lord in the streets, standing in front of the houses – have heard that in olden days, those elders so attached to the Lord would move a few distance alongwith the Lord, literally following Him. At Thiruvallikkeni, the brahmothsava purappadu takes hours and naturally, it is tiresome physically, not in mind for all involved.

For the kainkaryabarars,  like Sripadhamthangigal, their involvement starts hours before the actual purappadu and ends much after Perumal’s vahanam descends at Vahana mantapam and Perumal returns to the Temple. Not all would know there is more … it is not only present, but – after the purappadu, the vahanam needs to go back to its place … and strategically, the vahanam for the next purappadu is readied – the evening purappadu would end in dead of night and the morning purappadu would start early morning and hence the work – here, are a couple of photos of Thennacharya Srivaishnava Sripadham Thangigal of Thiruvallikkeni, getting the Surya prabhai prepared for the morning, even as Hamsa vahana purappadu is on.

There is never a dull movement in Triplicane, nor worry for the future – there is secondline of youngsters waiting in the wings all the time and this photo would say that all.

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.

24^th Apr 2o16.