Sri Manavala Mamunigal Vezham ~ day 8 Yanai vahana purappadu 2017

Ever heard of ‘Luca bos’ ~ for sure you have seen that  !!

வேழம் உடைத்து மலைநாடு;  மிகுமுத்து உடைத்து தென்னாடு;

தாழ்வில் தொண்டை வளநாடு; சான்றோர் உடைத்தென்று உரைத்ததல்லால்

சோழன் புவிசோறு உடைத்தென்னும்;  துதியால் எவர்க்கும் உயிர்கொடுத்து

வாழும் பெருமைத் திருநாடு;  வளம்சேர் சோழ மண்டலமே

மலைநாடாகிய சேரநாடு யானைகளை உடையது. தென்னாடாகிய பாண்டி நாடு முத்து உடையது. தொண்டை நாடு சான்றோர் உடையது. சோழ வளநாடு சோறு உடையது.  மனிதர்களுக்கு சோறு உயிர் கொடுப்பதால் எல்லா நாட்டையும் விடச் சோழ நாடே சிறந்தது.  [சோழமண்டல சதகம் எனும் சிற்றிலக்கிய வகை]

Elephants always attract me.  An adult African elephant's trunk is about seven feet (two meters) long! It's actually an elongated nose and upper lip. Like most noses, trunks are for smelling. When an elephant drinks, it sucks as much as 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water into its trunk at a time. Then it curls its trunk under, sticks the tip of its trunk into its mouth, and blows. Out comes the water, right down the elephant's throat.

Lucania was an ancient area of Southern Italy. It was the land of the Lucani, an Oscan people. It extended from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Gulf of Taranto. ‘Luca bos’   :  Lūca (“a city in Etruria”) + bōs (“cow”), literally Lucanian cow to mean elephant because the Romans first saw elephants in Lucania as part of Pyrrhus of Epirus's army.

Westerners think differently and advise more so ~ especially to us, the Asians.  A journalism Professor has taken a documentary “Elephants in the Coffee” trying to promote a new theory that there is more to consider than skim milk versus soy the next time you’re waiting in line for a latte. Your cup of coffee could come at the expense of an elephant, is what he tries to teach us.  He states that  coffee plantations have taken over the natural habitats of many animals, including elephants.  He would better reserve his chatter to his own colleagues, who resort to ‘game hunting’ [which is neither game nor hunting] – simply killing wild animals, fully loaded with ammunition – they pay for this heinous act ! – but advise others on cruelty to animals … what a way !!

Away from all the melee, we confine ourselves to what attracts us, pleases us and makes our lives prettier – the grand Uthsavam of Periya Jeeyar is now on at all Divyadesams and today (23^rd Oct 2017) is the 8^th  day. Saint Vara Vara Muni, the last of the ‘Poorvacharyars’ in the grand galaxy of preceptors was known as Alagiya Manavala Nayanar, before he was ordained the holy order of  Sanyasa. 

Our Acharyar is adored as ‘Manavalamamunigal’ , Sowmya Jamathru Yogi and more. Sri Mamunigal  flourished in this world between 1370 and 1443 A.D.  Our Swami spent his early years at  Tirunagari and then moved to Srirangam, the holy city of so many eminent divines. Here HE organized and systemized the temple management and rituals.  Swami was a very great scholar and his commentaries are characterised by the clarity and completeness of exposition.

On 8th day, Sri Manavala Mamunigal had purappadu astride silver elephant and outshone with His kindness and benevolence.  Here are photos taken during the purappadu

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan