ஸ்ரீ ராம நவமி உத்சவம் Ugadi Subhakankshalu 2020

 ஸ்ரீ ராம நவமி உத்சவம்  Ugadi Subhakankshalu  2020

“Ugadi Subhakankshalu”  Today (25.3.2020)  is Ugadi Panchanga Sravanam  – birth of Telegu new year and reading of panchangam . .. .. today is also day 1 of    Sree Rama Navami Uthsavam at Thiruvallikkeni  & other divyadesangal.

Sri Ramapiran @ Thiruvallikkeni

            Azadirachta indica, also known as Neem, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to India, and parts of Asia, growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Neem tree is the official tree of the Sindh Province and is very common in all cities of Sindh.  The neem tree is noted for its drought resistance.

Yugādi, is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. The name Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit words yuga (age) and ādi (beginning): "the beginning of a new age". In Temples on the occasion of Ugadi ‘panchangam’ will be read.   Gudi Paduwa is celebrated by Marathi speaking people; Ugadi is celebrated in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh; . Cheti Chand is the festival of the Sindhi community.  In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa has the legend that it on this day Lord Rama returned victorious to Ayodhya.   In Andhra, Ugadi pachhadi is a delicacy made on the occasion and shared with all. It  is a specific mixture of six tastes – with neem buds; jiggery; green chilli/pepper; salt; tamarind; unripened mango being its ingredients. 

Sri  Seetha Rama, Lakshmana & Anjaneya at Thirukudanthai Ramaswamy temple

For another 9  days  from today - it is “Sree Ramanavami Uthsavam”.  மன்னு புகழ்  கௌசலை  தன் மணி  வயிறு  வாய்த்த  சக்கரவர்த்தி திருமகனாம் ஸ்ரீராமபிரானின்  திருவவதார மகோத்சவம்  ஸ்ரீராம நவமி.   The Thiruvavathara Mahothsvam of Lord Rama is Sree Ramanavami.

ஆடினர் அரம்பயைர்; அமுத ஏழ் இசை
பாடினர் கின்னரர்; துவைத்த பல் இயம்;
‘வீடினர் அரக்கர்’ என்று உவக்கும் விம்மலால்.
ஓடினர்,  உலாவினர்,  உம்பர் முற்றுமே.]

Kavi Chakravarthi hails the birth of Yuga Purush Sri Ramapiran thus .. the divine dancers danced merrily; mellifluous songs were played in instruments, Devas and others danced celebrating that the evil would vanished once for all ~ there was merriment everywhere celebrating the birth of Sri Rama. 

யுகங்களின் அற்புத புருஷனான ஸ்ரீ ராமபிரான் பிறப்பை எண்ணி பெறுவகையுற்று, வானுலகத்து நடனப்பெண்கள் -  அரம்பை முதலிய தேவமாதர், மகிழ்ச்சி பொங்கிட ஆடினார்கள்.  கின்னரர்கள் அமுதத்தை ஒத்த இனிய ஏழ் இசைகளைப் பாடினர்;    பலவகை  வாத்தியங்கள்  கொட்டப்பட்டன;  தீய்மை ஒழிந்தது,   தீய  அரக்கர்கள்  அழிந்தனர் என்று தேவர்களும் மற்றையோரும் ஆர்ப்பரித்தனர்.   இவ்வாறு தேவர்பிரானான ஸ்ரீ ராமபிரான் பிறப்பு மூவுலகலித்திலும் எண்ணற்ற ஆனந்தத்தை அளித்தது.  இந்த ஜகம் புகழும் புண்ணிய காதையான 'ஸ்ரீ ராமாயணத்தை'  பாடுவோர்க்கும் கேட்போர்க்கும் எல்லா நல்லதும் நடக்கும்.
 

Yugadi for sure makes me reminisce my travels by train 17643   to ‘Pensioner’s paradise; and 2^nd Madras’  -  the HQ of East Godavari District, Kakinada ~ also called Cocanada.  Most trains are named after Gods, rivers and important places in the origin or destination – but this one is a bit different  - it is known as Circar Express ! The word ‘Circar’ – noun would mean a District or part of a Province.  More on a different post.  

In this industrial city which has Fertilizer plants and known for vegetable oil extraction plants, old heritage still coexists with modernity. The people of Kakinada are very affable and are characterized by Godavari Telugu accent.  There is the Subash Road [named after Netaji Subash Chandra Bose], which in fact is the Main Road.  On the main road, exists the Town Hall and just opposite Town Hall is the Temple of Sri Sita Rama, which should be at least a century old. A traditional Vaishnavaite temple referred as ‘Pedda Ramalayam’ it is the Sri Sita Ramaswami temple, one of the oldest temples of Kakinada.

Kakindad Rama devalayam

Not a very big temple ~ but neatly maintained one where lot of bakthas come daily.  The presiding deity is ‘Sri Rama’ as ‘Sri Sita Rama’ having Sitadevi in His lap and in a seated posture.. .. towards one end is Jagnaickpur bridge overlooking the fishing boats tied in the jetty.  Now there are two bridges – in 1990s have not seen this temple – in a recent visit couple of years ago, saw this beautiful temple of Lord Srinivasa – the garuda in front of this temple was so attractive.

Let us forget our thoughts and fears of Covid-19 and  celebrate Yugadhi and Sri Rama Navami Uthsavam at our homes with piety.   Pasted below are the photos of Srinivasa mandir at Jaganaickpur, Kakinada.

adiyen Srinivasadhasan.

Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar

25.3.2020.