Swami Manavala Mamunigal Mangalagiri purappadu 2019

Today 29.10.2019 is day 7 of our Great Acaryar Swami Manavala Mamunigal Thiruvavathara Uthsavam ~ at Thiruvallikkeni Swami Mamunigal had purappadu in periya mangalagiri.   .. .. .. and it rained !!

Mamunigal is fondly known as ‘Yatheendra Pravanar’ arising out of his irresistible attachment to the lotus feet of Sri Ramanujar [Yatheendrar].  Before taking asceticism, Sri Manavala Mamunigal travelled wide and vast to various places and he stayed in Srirangam worshipping Namperumal Srimannathar.  With transformation of Uthama Nambi, Mamunigal grew closer to Namperumal and He started conversing with our Acaryar.  

Our Acaryar Swami Manavala Mamunigal was so attached at the feet of Sri Ramanujar and here is a verse from his Yathiraja Vimsati – which according to our learned vidwans came in to being as a result of the request of Swami Manavala Maminigal’s acharyan to compose a sthOthra grantham on Sri Ramanujar, when Mamunigal was a  grahasthar and had the name of Azhagiya MaNavALa NaayanAr.   These twenty verses constitute one of the most beautiful appeals to RaamAnujA for conferring his anugraham.

SrirangarAja charaNAmbhuja rAja hamsam

Srimadh ParAnkusa padhAmbhuja brungarAjam |

Sri BhattanAtha parakAla mukhAbhja Mitram

Srivatsa chi(h)nna CharaNam(SaraNam) YathirAjameedE ||

Mamunigal draws comparison to   King Swan at the feet of Sriranganatha,  great beetle settled to drink honey at the feet of  Nammalvar, Sun who makes the lotuses blossom – I fall at the feet of Sri Kuresa, who is lthe mark of Srivatsa, Yatiraja – I worship. Mamunigal eulogises  the emperor of SanyAsis , RamAnujA , who has chosen the lotus feet of Sri RangarAja as the seat of his permanent residence , just as a king swan would seek a beautiful lotus for its place of rest .

Perhaps matching the commitment and attachment to the feet of Emperumanar by Mamunigal, Sri Erumbiappa too has similar devotion towards Sri Manavala Mamunigal and hence, he,  in his work   Varavaramuni Sathakam  extols Acaryar Mamunigal

தஸ்யை நித்யம் ப்ரதிசத திசே தக்ஷிணஸ்யை நமஸ்யாம் |

யஸ்யாமாவிர் பவதி   ஜகதாம் ஜீவநீ ஸஹ்ய கந்யா ||

புண்யைர் யஸ்யா: க்ஷிதிஜல ஜுஷம் பூருஷம் ரங்க பூஷாம் |

பஷ்யந்தந்யோ வரவரமுநி: பாலயந் வர்த்ததே  ~    ந: || 9

எல்லா உலகத்தின் வாழ்வுக்கும் காரணமான காவிரி நதி எந்த திசையில் பெருகுகிறதோ அந்தத் தெற்குத் திசையை நோக்கி, எந்தத் திசையின் புண்யங்களால் பூமியை அடைந்த ரங்கநகருக்கு ஆபரணமான புருஷோத்தமனை ஸேவித்துக்கொண்டு தம்மைக் க்ருதார்த்தனாக நினைத்து மணவாள மாமுனிகள் நம்மைக் காத்துக் கொண்டுள்ளாரோ அந்த திசையை தினமும் வணங்குங்கள்.

Sri Erumbiappa directs us to pray towards that direction .. .. of the South – for – the sacred river Cauvery that gives so much to the lives of people flows towards South, the direction at which our Acaryar who with devotion to Sri Azhagiya Manavalan Namperumal lives and where our Acaryar Mamunigal is waiting to serve Him .. ..

இப்புவியில் அரங்கேசர்க்கு ஈடு அளித்தான் வாழியே !

எழில் திருவாய்மொழிப்பிள்ளை இணையடியோன் வாழியே !!

~ adiyen Srinivasa dhasan. [Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar]

Spl thanks : http://divyaprabandham.koyil.org for Sri Varavaramuni Sathakam

Mamunigal Uthsaval 2019 ~ Deepavali thirunal @ Thiruvallikkeni

Deepavali ‘the festival of lights’ is always enchanting – an occasion to wear new clothes, eat sweets, burst crackers, be with friends and relatives, visit and respect elders  – a festivity which brings enjoyment, pervades happiness all through …. – the festival was grandly celebrated all over the country – in our parts on 27^th Oct 2019.   In the recent years, there has been some attempt to wean away people as some keep saying that ‘enthusiasm towards fireworks is going down; spiralling prices have forced people to buy less of firecrackers;  the pollution awareness is swaying public away from crackers and the like……….’.    Diwali was celebrated with much fanfare by Indians not just in the country but across the world too. To celebrate the festival of lights, one of the most prominent skyscrapers in the world — the Empire State Building in New York — was lit up in Orange to mark the occasion.

In today’s context, at some places, people get glued to the cinemas and other special programmes the multitudes of TV channels present….nothing to speak about reluctance to call it Hindu festival, still encashing by showing movies and cine-related programmes calling it ‘holiday – special’ ~ or Deepa Oli Thirunaal… !!!

Now I have to say I haven’t read all 24,000 verses in the epic poem about Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. But I do know the story of his homecoming from the many Diwali celebrations I have attended in my own constituency over the years.  Values of good conduct – ‘dharma’ – taking the right path and ensuring that good triumphs over evil. Values of hope, optimism, of forgiveness – of the new beginnings and clean slates represented by the Hindu New Year as people wear new clothes and say prayers for the year ahead. .. …   not  any ordinary politician here ~ the words of a Prime Minister of a big nation that of UK PM Ms  Theresa May at  a reception to celebrate Diwali an year ago.   In neighbouring Srilanka, National Deepavali Festival was held last year under the patronage of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.   

Thiruvallikkeni, the abode of Lord Venkata Krishnan is different – it boasts of the Temple sung by 3 Azhwars ~ innumerable days of festivals; crowds thronging to have darshan of Lord Parthasarathi inside the Temple, and more gathering to have His darshan during the ‘thiruveethi purappadus’.   Each year, Deepavali coincides with the 10 day uthsavam of Swami Manavalamamunigal, the Great Acharyar of Srivaishnavism; our beloved  Acharyar propogated Thennacharya Sampradhayam.  Generally it would be 4^th or 5^th day of the Uthsavam and this year it was today 27^th Oct 2019  – 5^th  day  of  Sri Manavala Mamunigal Uthsavam and hence it was Swami Nammalwar’s Thiruvirutham during the purappadu that lasted more than 4 hours and ended at 11 pm. 

              On this Deepavali day, Triplicanites eagerly look forward to the evening purappadu of Num Acharyar with Sri Parthasarathi.  In Chennai and in all parts of Tamil Nadu, it is not unusual to have rains during this season.  This year there were to be no rains !  There were ‘scores  of 10000 wallahs, the sky lit with latest fireworks’  - with hundreds walking along having His darshan and enjoying the fireworks.  Here are some photos taken during the purappadu.  Blessed are we to be part of all these living in divyadesams.

Pattasu, crowds, everything else is surreal  - to us is always it is the supreme Sriman Narayana, worthy of worship who outshines all brightness.   Swami Nammazhwar starts Thiruvirutham divyaprabandham stating:

பொய் நின்ற ஞானமும்  பொல்லா ஒழுக்கும்  அழுக்குடம்பும்,

இந்நின்ற நீர்மை இனியாமுறாமை, உயிரளிப்பான்

எந்நின்றயோனியுமாய்ப் பிறந்தாயிமையோர் தலைவா

மெய்நின்று கேட்டருளாய்,அடி யேன்செய்யும் விண்ணப்பமே.

Though one bestowed with great knowledge and more importantly the chosen one by Emperuman, Nammalwar  expresses his humility stating that we possess knowledge which is of no good, we possess no discipline, we are born in womb and are dirty -  and for protecting souls like us, the greatest Lord of Celestials takes birth to guide us and lead us to salvation.  Azhwar prays to Lord seeking His attention and beseeching grant that one may not be born again in state of faulty knowledge, wicked actions and filth-ridden body.  The posterity knows that Azhwar was granted all wishes and was taken along by Perumal – for us the path is certain and easy – follow what Azhwar did and surrender to the Lotus feet of Emperuman.

Deepavali pervades happiness – every festival is intended to permeate happiness to mankind whose immense benefit rests in falling at the feet of Sriman Narayana. Triplicanites had another day of immaculate happiness enjoying the bountiful mercy of Sri Parthasarathi perumal and our Acaryar Manavala Mamunigal.

Azhwar Emperumanaar Thiruvadigale Saranam

adiyen Srinivasadhasan [Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar]

28^th Oct 2019.

Mamunigal Uthsavam 2019 ~ Deepavali purappadu and kainkaryam .. ..

Mamunigal  Uthsavam  2019 ~ Deepavali purappadu and kainkaryam .. ..

For us at Thiruvallikkeni divaydesam and elsewhere, Deepavali is double bonanza ~ it couples with Sri Manavala Mamunigal Uthsavam – it is day 5 of the Uthsavam – Deepavali was  celebrated with fervour.  Diwali is the festival of lights and one of the most popular festivals of Hindus and is celebrated all over the world. Diwali symbolises the spiritual ‘victory of light over darkness and good over evil’. During the celebrations every house gets  decorated by lighting díyas and drawing rangolis.

It starts early in the morning ~ ‘the pureficatory bath prior to Sun rise – is known as Ganga snanam’ – bathing in the holy Ganges.  Life would start with lighting colour matches before bathing – then children  rush to burst crackers – Deepavali would start a fortnight or so in advance, siblings would share the booty of crackers bought – look at them everyday, speak fondly of their valuable purchase, dry them in heat – and in the morning – there would be din .. .. in fact, in my house, my great grand ma, into her nineties would be the first to get up and in the oven using firewood, she would light one cracker (cheena pattasu) and throw in the backyard, it would explode with a big bang .. .. crackers, new clothes, sweets, elders, cinema, cricket, Perumal purappadu  - life just rolled on .. .. ..

in recent years things are tried to be painted in different perspective -  why are so much curbs – if pollution is the prime concern, why no ban on diesel, refrigerants, air-conditioners – in short luxuries used everyday   –   and why on crackers which are lit once a year ?  - green crackers what ?  .. .. would Court ban or least regulate liquor sales on Deepavali day – more so, when it is the Govt which sells liquor ?  - would there ever be a ban on cinemas and pattimanrams ? – some call it wasteful expenditure, and some would on silverscreen advocate spending the money for poor, but would expect their tickets be bought for Rs.1600 by the same poor.

Read in newspaper that Deepavali is an official public holiday in India, Pakistan (optional holiday), Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore and Malaysia. Outside of Asia other countries that also mark Diwali as a public holiday are the island nations of Fiji, Mauritius, and Trinidad and Tobago, plus two South American countries, Guyana and Suriname.  The diaspora from the Indian Subcontinent has spread far and wide, so has the Festival of Lights. The biggest Diwali celebration outside of India takes place in London. The former colonial power of the Indian subcontinent is embracing its multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious legacy from its past. In 2017, 35,000 people joined in the Diwali Festival when Trafalgar Square came alive with music, dance, craft and community stalls, including henna art, and, of course, sumptuous food.  The festivities on the occasion of Deepavali were supported by the Mayor of London and London Assembly.   Saw a couple of pictures of Autralian MP clad in sarees wishing people Deepavali and our own CM Sri Edappadi Palanisamy reading Rama namam.

B u t  .. .. back home, there are restrictions – Apex Court  fixes two-hour window across the Nation !!  - well, Deepavali, gets celebrated in different fashion, sometimes different days too   – across India – South Indian celebrations are different !  some reports read now state that Tamil Nadu police cracked down on those who violated Supreme Court orders by bursting firecrackers outside the stipulated time.    Sad state of affairs !

At Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, Deepavali evenings are extravagant – the purappadu of Swami Manavala Mamunigal with Sri Parthasarathi takes close to 5 hours even .. .. hundreds of 10000wallahs and special firework would light the air – thousands would walk along with Perumal enjoying the celebrations.  This year too, the celebrations were grand.

The purpose of our life is to do service to our Emperuman.  Swami Nammalwar ordains that - 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. 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 many many kainkaryams – those who do sarruppadi (alankaram) to  Perumal (Battacharyas); those who carry Him on their shoulders (Sripadham thangigal);  those who render service stating Divyaprabandham and Vedham; other associated like Nayanam, light, theevatti (the holy torch) and many more .. .. one would not have imagined this or may not have seen this earlier. 

As Emperuman Sri Parthasarathi purappadu occurs,   thousands of crackers are burst, rockets, flower pots and many other items light the sky – one sees the skyline with hued colours .. .. .. as crackers are burst – the road gets hotter, there could be remnants which could suddenly burst and it is difficult to walk on – at Thiruvallikkeni there was this group of volunteers, who without of thinking of anything else got  involved in cleaning the road to enable it being  good for the goshti, sripadham thangi and others to walk on -  more specifically for the Perumal to continue His purappadu.

Fall at the feet of all Sri Vaishnavas, especially those doing kainkaryam  and pray our Emperuman to give the intellect of mind in being humble and never criticize or speak ill of those involved in every type of kainkaryam

Azhwar Emperumanar Jeeyar thiruvadigale saranam

~adiyen Srinivasa dhasan [Thiruvallikkeni resident Srinivasan Sampathkumar]

28^th Oct 2019.

PS : someone quipped men wield karandi [cooking] and broomstick [cleaning] better.