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Saturday, March 30, 2019

Thiruther @ Thirumylai Sri Adhi Kesavar Brahmothsavam 2019


தேர் (திருக்கோவில் உத்சவங்களில் திருத்தேர்) - பண்டைய காலத்தில் இருந்தே மக்களை கவர்ந்து வந்துள்ளது.  மஹாபாரதத்தில் காணப்படும் ‘’ரத, கஜ, துரக, பதாதி’’ என்னும் நால்வகைப் படைகளை மிக விவரமாக குறிப்புட்டுள்ளனர்.  பாரதப்போர் தனிலே, இருதரப்பின் பெரிய மற்றும் அற்புதமான படைகளும்,  தங்கத்தால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்ட யானைகளும், தேர்களும், மின்னலுடன் கலந்த மேகங்களைப் போல, அபரிமிதமாக நின்று கொண்டிருந்த தேர் படையணிகள் நகரங்களைப் போலத் தோற்றமளித்தனவாம் ! .

At Thirumayilai – Chithrakulam wore festive looks as hundreds swarmed to have darshan of Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal – today is day 7 of ongoing Brahmothsavam and Thiruther.  Ther and Garuda vahanam attract more people than other vahanams.  Thiruther is majestic and to see juggernaut evokes great feeling.

On screen too, we have seen many – one got enamoured by the scene of Arjuna wading through the forces in Mahabaratha  - 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.  The battle formation was unconceivably bigger ~ by some accounts an Akshauhini is described as a formation consisting of 21870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65160 cavalry and more than a lakh of infantry.




It is a place that predates British rule by several centuries; it was occupied by the Portuguese in 1523, which  lasted until 1749, later falling  into the hands of the British East India Company.   It is “Mylapore” [Thiru Mayilai],  a cultural hub; one of the oldest residential parts of the city, also known as VEdapuri and Mayurapuri ~ today it was a grand Thiruther purappadu for Thirumayilai Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal around the mada veethis nearer Chithrakulam.

Mylai is famous for Sri Kapaleeswarar temple which is connected with the S'aivite Nayanmars.   The famous Saivaite trio - Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar, who lived in the 7th & 8th centuries have sung about Mylapore.  Appar,  the eldest of the three and a contemporary of Mahendravarman I (600-630 A. D.) & Sambandar calls it as ‘Madamayilai*, in his famous Poompavai Padikam.  Besides this, he mentions a number of festivals that were held in the temple on  various occasions. There are some who try to connect Thirumylai with Christianity.  However, many scholars like Dr. Burnell, W. K. Phillips,  James Hough, have questioned the authenticity as according to them the story of Saint Thomas’  visit to Mylapore, and in fact, to South India, has no historical basis, whatsoever. Thus Lev. James Hough, the historian of Christianity in India, wrote that the visit of Saint Thomas to South India is ‘most improbable* and ‘is unsupported by the faintest vestige of authentic history.’ The critics of the tradition maintain that it was  a late invention of the local Christians to show it as a proof of their orthodox descent.  (** The early history of Madras Region ~ Dr KV Raman)

This morning (29.3.2019) Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal after yaga salai, started His purappadu to Thiruther at around 0730 am and the thiruther purappadu started around 08.15 am
Here are some photos taken this morning at Thirumayilai.

~adiyen Srinivasa dhasan [S. Sampathkumar]














Thirumylai Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal thiruther 2019 ~ celebrations


Thiruther is a grand purappadu – in Thondaimandalam, it is generally on 7th day morning during Brahmothsavam.

This morning (29.3.2019) Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal after yaga salai, started His purappadu to Thiruther at around 0730 am and the thiruther purappadu started around 08.15 am.

Here are some photos taken this morning at Thirumayilai  (of people and vadhyams)

~adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.













Tuesday, March 26, 2019

மயக்கினான்றன் மன்னுசோதி : Sri Azhagiya Singar Thavana Uthsavam 2019


மயக்கினான்றன் மன்னுசோதி : Sri Azhagiya Singar Venugopala Thirukolam 2017



Thavana Uthsavam is now on at Thiruvallikkeni and today 26.3.2019  is day 3 – the concluding day of the Uthsavam for Sri Azhagiya Singar.  In what could be the shortest of the purappadu – one gets the greatest opportunity of worshipping Him in close quarters.





In this divyadesam, Lord Narasimha is in Yogic posture as Yoga Narasimha and the Uthsavar is the most beautiful Thelliya Singar, who is all grace.  This morning, we had the fortune of having His darshan as He came in procession to Thavana Uthsava bungalow.  At Thavana Uthsava bungalow, Perumal has thirumanjanam and thence rest.   With the onset of summer, Perumal takes rest under the roof made of dhavanam (Tamil: தவனம்) [Artemisia pallens] – an aromatic herb.  In the evening there will be purappadu inside the bungalow and thereafter periyamada veethi purappadu back to the sannathi. 


For us Lord Sriman Narayana manifests in many forms – He is simple, makes Himself available to us – we cry Gopala – it means ‘the one who tends to cow’.  Divinity can easily be seen in great ascetics, Kings, and many other ways – our Lord is seen as cowherd too. In Gokul, as He grew the cows were so happy. He is the master of the Universe and of all arts – He is Venugopalan  – one who enchants people with his flute.  This is the thirukolam on day 3 of Azhagiya Singar thavana uthsavam ~ the photo here is of 2017

 உயக்கொள்மேக வண்ணன்நண்ணி  என்னிலாய தன்னுளே
மயக்கினான்றன் மன்னுசோதி

Blessed are  those who could have darshan of Lord Azhagiya Singa as Sri Venugopala ~ that blemishless hue of His  enchanted His bakthas and swept all  to His divine feet.  Here are some photos of the morning purappadu.

adiyen Srinivasadhasan
26.3.2019.









Monday, March 25, 2019

Thirumayilai Sri Adhi Kesavar Garuda Sevai ~ the people : 2019


Today is day 3 of the ongoing annual brahmothsavam at Thirumayilai Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal Thirukovil.


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. !!  .. .. ..  Besides inscriptions, iconography and literary works surrounding Mylapore,  the divine locality boasts of Kapaleechvaram and Sri Adhi Kesavaperumal thirukovil. Ptolemy, the Creek Geographer referred to Mylapore in his books as ‘Millarpha;,. It was apparently a weel-known sea port town with a flourishing trade. Saint Tiruvalluvar the celebrated author of Tirukkurl, the Wordl-famous ethical treatise, lived in Mylapore nearly 2,000 years ago.

Today  (25.3.2019) it was Garuda vahanam at thirumayilai, hundreds of devotees waited early in the morning to catch glimpse of the Lord Adhi Kesava  as he came out of the gate (Gopura vassal darsanam). The first among the devotees was Thamizh Thalaivar Sri Peyalwar Himself.    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 Sriman Narayana – all roads would read Madaveethis as people rush to have darshan of Lord on Garuda and enjoy the aesal and other festivities.  This morning around the mada veethis of Chithirai kulam, Sri Adhi Kesava Perumal had purappadu on Garuda Sevai as Sri Peyalwar accompanied Him .. here are some photos of people of Thirumayilai.

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.
25.3.2019