Sri Azhagiyasingar Brahmothsavam 2018 ~ Sripadham kainkaryam

Sri Azhagiyasingar Brahmothsavam 2018 ~ Sripadham thangigal

Uthsavams are celebrations ~  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.

தேர் (திருக்கோவில் உத்சவங்களில் திருத்தேர்) - பண்டைய காலத்தில் இருந்தே மக்களை கவர்ந்து வந்துள்ளது.  Tomorrow is thiruther for Sri Azhagiya Singar - @ 7 am, thousands would gather to have the glimpse of the thiruther rolling – juggernaut !!

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.   “ ஒழிவில் காலமெல்லாம் உடனாய் மன்னி, வழுவிலா  அடிமை செய்ய வேண்டும் நாம்,” –  Life in a divyadesam is always exhilarating – you get to mingle with so many persons whose life is entwined in service to Emperuman Sriman Narayana.  There are Battacharyars whose exceptional dedication ensures that Emperuman comes out adorning the choicest of flowers, ornaments, dress and more.  There are Veda adhyapaka goshti – hundreds of them chant Nalayira divyaprabandham in front of Emperuman on the streets and vada chanting after the perumal.   Of the many kainkaryams, Sripadham thangis are  physically associated too and can be very demanding.  At Thiruvallikkeni there are many dedicated youngsters who are extremely committed to the kainkaryam of carrying the Lord on their shoulders and do all the associated activities.  Their involvement actually commences hours before every purappadu and ends an hour or so late.

A couple of decades ago, when those coming for rendering this service were becoming thinner, this group got more organized and formed Sri Thennacharya Sri Vaishnava Sripadham Thangigal Kainkarya Sabhai ~ now a registered association too.   For the kainkaryabarars,  like Sripadhamthangigal,  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 thiruther ready for tomorrow morning, even while the Yanai vahana purappadu was on – a few more were keeping kuthirai vahanam in place. 

For some it is yet another day ~ for the bakthas, it is great day of Sri Thelliya Singar Uthsavam and for Sripadham thangigal, it is not work ~ b u t – whatever they do is kainkaryam unto Him.  Poliga, Poliga, poliga !!! – long live Srivaishnavas and their kainkaryam

~adiyen Srinivasadhasan

28^th June 2018 @ 10.50 pm.