Sri Azhagiya Singar Garuda Sevai 2018

In the grand Brahmothsavam, each Vahanam, every purappadu has its  own charm, yet, if one were to ask the most majestic and most crowd-pulling ones,  it would be Thiruther and Garuda vahanam. !!  .. .. ..  The Brahminy kite  is considered to be the contemporary representations of Garuda; Indonesia adopts a more stylistic approach depicting a Javanese eagle (being much larger than a kite).

எம்பெருமானுக்கு எப்போதும் கைங்கர்யம் செய்யும் கருடாழ்வார் பெரிய திருவடி என சிறப்பிக்கப்படுகிறார்.  அழகான பட்டு உடுத்திய கருடனின் மீது பெருமாள் எழுந்து அருளும் கருட சேவை மிக அழகும் கம்பீரமும் நிறைந்தது.   கருடன், காச்யபர் என்கிற மகரிஷிக்கும் வினதைக்கும் பிறந்தவர்.  'வினதை சிறுவன்' என பெரியாழ்வார் மங்களாசாசனம்.  வினதையின் மற்றொரு புதல்வன் அருணன், சூரியனுக்கு தேரோட்டி என்றும் ஐதீஹம். 

In the ongoing Brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam today  25^th June 2018   is the third day – a very important day ~ it is Garuda Vahanam for Sri Azhagiya Singa Perumal.  Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong person, has a white face, wings,  prominent beak, wears a crown – massive, strong – and more than anything else – ever devoted to Sriman Narayanan, carrying Him on his shoulders all the time. His devotion and being close to Emperuman all the time – Garuda, is admired as ‘PeriyaThiruvadi’.

Brahmothsavam is a grand festivity – each day it is different Vahanam, and Perumal has classy alankarams … on Garuda vahanam day, thousands gather early in the morning to catch glimpse of the Lord as he comes out of the gate (Gopura vassal darsanam). (around 5.15 am)   On Garuda Sevai day, people from far and away come to the temple, offer vasthram (new clothes), place before Lord cocoanut, fruits & other offerings and have darshan of Lord in Garuda vahanam. 

It is a day of masses ~ teeming crowds, chanting the name of Lord SrimanNarayana, offering him everything including hundreds of vasthrams – all roads would read Madaveethis as people rush to have darshan of Lord on Garuda and enjoy the aesal and other festivities.

Sri Peyalwar speaks thus on Sriman Narayana’s appearance on  the vahanam :

பொலிந்திருண்ட கார்வானில் மின்னேபோல் தோன்றி,

மலிந்து திருவிருந்த மார்வன், - பொலிந்த

கருடன்மேல் கொண்ட கரியான் கழலே,

தெருடன் மேல் கண்டாய் தெளி.

Sriman Narayana appears riding on the mighty Garuda – to Alwar it is akin to  a glorious dark raincloud lit by a lightning, the most merciful Saviour of the Universe – Emperuman with lotus dame Sri Mahalakshmi on his chest – provides darshan seated on Periyathiruvadi Garuda. He ordains his heart, that having seen Emperuman’s  feet through knowledge,  asks Heart to rise and understand the greatness of eternal Saviour Sriman Narayana.

The streaming bakthas had the pleasure of His darshan and here are some photos of people and people  - the bagavathas pleased having seen our Lord.  Here are some photos taken  at Thiruvallikkeni during the Garuda Sevai  purappadu.   At 05.30 am, people waited to have the glimpse of Lord coming out of western Gopuravasal, (there was no  ‘aesal’ today due to inclement weather)  – reached  Gangai gondan @ 6.50 am – purappadu from here at around 7.30 am  – the purappadu takes so many hours and the lengthy duration only benefits the devotees, as they could have darshan of Lord on Garuda.  One can have darshan of Sri Thelliya Singar for more than 2 hours now – come to Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam – have  His darshan on Garuda Sevai

adiyenSrinivasadhasan 

$ 7.20am @ 25^th June 2018.