Gajendra Moksham Garuda Sevai at Thiruvallikkeni 2019

Gajendra Moksham Garuda Sevai at Thiruvallikkeni 2019

Lord Athi Varadhar would head back to His resting place ‘Anantha saras’ – back home at Thiruvallikkeni ‘Kairavini Pushkarini’… the pond of Lily – ‘allikkeni’ from which the place itself derives its name was active  today as  hundreds were standing on the steps to witness depiction of a great philosophy.

Collage of Thiruvallikkeni & Thirumayilai (pic Badrinath vasudevan)

Miles away the Nation’s decision was termed as  a morally repugnant issue – it was Botswana Govt lifting shooting ban on elephants.   The southern African nation, which is home to 130,000 elephants -- more than anywhere else on the continent -- imposed the ban in 2014 to help declining numbers recover from poaching and shrinking habitats. .. but recently, Botswana's government scrapped the ban, shrugging off criticism from some environmental groups and conservationists. It cited increasing conflict between humans and elephants, as well as the need to monetize conservation efforts. "Conservation is in our DNA. We have never been reckless. Our responsibility towards conservation has not changed, but our responsibility to the people has not changed as well," said  the  minister of environment, wildlife and tourism in a press conference on Thursday in the capital, Gaborone. He maintained the ban had always been temporary. Earlier this year a cabinet group in Botswana recommended elephant culling and a factory to can elephant meat. The proposals drew a major backlash.

On the greatest day of the Nation (Independence Day 15^th Aug 2019)  occurred grand purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni ……  even a child would know having heard so many times the puranic legend of ‘Gajendra moksham [salvation of elephant Gajendra]’ ~ whence   Sriman Narayana  Himself  came down to earth to protect Gajendra (elephant) from the death clutches of Makara (Crocodile).   It also offers us great learning – the  otherwise mighty elephant too could get into difficulty and in its extreme distress the elephant after testing its power and understanding  its futility, still had the presence of mind to think of  bhatki (devotion) and gnana (spiritual knowledge) ….. the plea of elephant was immediately answered by Lord Sriman Narayanan, who came rushing in to protect  His devotee – making the earthly human beings realise that if God does so for an elephant, He sure would protect  all of us too.

கானமர் வேழம் கையெடுத்தலறக்கராவதன் காலினைக் கதுவ,*

ஆனையின் துயரம் தீரப்புள்ளூர்ந்து சென்று நின்றாழி தொட்டானை,*

Today  is ‘Yajur Upakarma’ too !!  Gajendra moksham also explains that one who falls under the divine feet of Lord [prapathi – surrender] seeking salvation will surely be taken care of. The re-enactment of Gajendra moksha takes place during the full moon in the month of Aadi.   During Theppothsavam, Lord Varadha Rajar  has sarruppadi of  ‘Gajendra moksha thirukolam’. In Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, Lord Devathirajar (the Moolavar) is giving us darshan on Garuda vahanam – “aanaiyin thuyaram theera pul oornthu sendru nindru aazhi thottanai” [the one who transcended on the bird to wipe out the trouble of elephant] in the words of Thirumangai Mannan.  Here are some photos of Garuda vahana purappadu

~adiyen Srinivasa dhasan

15.8.2019.