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.