Sri Azhagiya Singer vettiver chapparam 2021

The number of Covid-19 cases in India is rising once again. India today reported 23,285 new COVID-19 cases, 15,157 recoveries, and 117 deaths in the last 24 hours. Yesterday evening (March 11, 2021), Maharashtra alone reported more than 14,000 new coronavirus cases. So much so that Maharashtra Chief Minister  had to warn of lockdowns in more areas of the state after it has already been announced for Nagpur City.  Maharastra has more than half of the total Covid-19 caseload in India. Tamil Nadu recorded 685 positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the state tally to 8,57,602. Among these, Chennai reported 292 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 2,38,007.  

Feeling a bit threatened !!  .. .. it is almost an year since we had the first lockdown announcement – life has moved a longway since .. .. it is summer time again – people are visiting shops and malls (and theatres too !!!) and complaining lack of airconditioning in sweltering heat.    “Air conditioners may be spreading COVID-19, experts say,” read a headline long back while yet another stated the opposite: “Air conditioners can help prevent coronavirus spread.” – but we have seen and experienced that in commercial establishments and in workplaces – AC was a strict NO for long time .. ..

Heard of ‘Chrysopogonzizanioides’ and wonder what is has to do with a Temple related post, especially one on the last day of Brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni - the  10th day – Sapthavaranam and siriya thiruther of Sri Azhagiya Singar Special brahmothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam.

It is all about keeping the place cool .. .. both industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning are based on the same mechanism: a fluid, generally water or air, is cooled by evaporation of another fluid, called the refrigerant. The refrigerant circuit, comprising the compressor, evaporator, condenser and expansion device, is an integral part.  Air-conditioning is that process used to create and maintain certain temperature, relative humidity and air purity conditions in indoor spaces.  An air-conditioning system must be effective regardless of outside climatic conditions and involves control over four fundamental variables: air temperature, humidity, movement and quality.

Using advanced air-flow simulation tools on super computers, scientists have analysed an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a restaurant in China, findings that reveal how ventilation and air conditioning influence airborne virus transmission risk. The study, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, analysed the complex flows that occur when cold airflow from air conditioners interacts with the hot plume from a dining table, and the transport of virus-laden particles within such flows.  Ventilation involves introducing clean air into a space while removing stale air, in order to maintain or improve air quality.  The spread of COVID-19 occurs most often when an infected person is in close or direct contact with another person. The risk of the spread of the virus is higher in crowded and poorly ventilated spaces where people spend long periods of time together in close proximity. Improving indoor ventilation can reduce the risk of the virus spreading indoors.

Ventilation is not a standalone measure and it should be implemented as part of a comprehensive package of measures, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, frequent hand cleaning, and coughing or sneezing into a bent elbow. Each of these is important to protect one against COVID-19 infection. .. .. let us all get vaccinated as also follow the norms and ensure dreaded Corona does not spread.

On the concluding day of Brahmothsavam is ‘Sapthavaranam’ and purappadu in Siriya Thiruther [the small chariot] -   famously known as ‘Vettiver Chapparam’… The entire Thiruvaimozhi is rendered at the mantap with  all Azhvar, Acaryar and Emperumans.  It is an exceptional site to have darshan of five Emperumans at one place ~ and at around 8.45 pm, Alwars, Acaryas and Perumals  have  purappadu back to their sannathi. At 9.30 pm Sri Azhagiyasingar had   purappadu to thiruther in the backdrop of ‘ther mallari’ being played and in the siriya thiruther goshti  Thiruvarangathu Amuthanaar’s ‘ Ramanuja Noorranthathi’ was  rendered. In olden days, this purappadu would take place midnight.. ..

திருமங்கை மன்னனின் திருக்குறுந்தாண்டகம் ஒரு அற்புத பிரபந்தம்.  இறைவனைப் பெருநிதியாக வர்ணித்து மாந்தர்களாகிய நமக்கு எது செல்வம், எது உயர்ந்தது, நாம் என் செய்ய வேண்டும் என போதிப்பது !! ~ இங்கே ஒரு பாசுரம் : 

 

தொண்டெல்லாம் பரவி நின்னைத் தொழுதடி பணியு மாறு

கண்டு, தான் கவலை தீர்ப்பான் ஆவதே பணியாய்  எந்தாய்,

அண்டமாய்  எண்டிசைக்கும் ஆதியாய் நீதியான,

பண்டமாம் பரமசோதி நின்னையே பரவுவேனே.

 

நாங்கள் செய்த பாவங்களையெல்லாம் மன்னித்து, எங்களை என்றென்றும் காப்பாற்றும் எம்பெருமானே !  உன்னிடத்தில் பணிந்து, உனக்கு எல்லாவகையான அடிமைகளையும் (கைங்கர்யங்களையும்)  செய்யவேணும்;  உன்னையே வணங்கி,   உன் பெருமைகளையே பேசி, உந்தன் திருவடிகளிலே பணிவிடை செய்யும்படிகளை மநோரதித்து,  உன்னை கண்ணாரக்கண்டு தொழுவதே  என் மனக்கவலைகளை தீர்க்க வல்லது.               

                                      அண்டங்களிலுள்ளாரெல்லார்க்கும் தலைவனாய்,  எட்டுத் திசைகளிலுள்ள தேவதைகட்கும் காரணபூதனாய், முறைமையான செல்வமாயிருப்பவனான பரஞ்சோதியே! நின்னையே  ஸ்தோத்ரம் பண்ணுவேன்.  எங்களை என்றென்றும் காப்பீராக !  

ஸ்ரீவைணவர்களான நமக்கு கிடைத்தற்கரிய நிதி - நம் ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணன் மட்டுமே!   

Vettiver is a great coolant as also spreading fragrance.   ‘Vettiver Chapparam’… is embellished with mats of vettiver. The scientific name of  vettiver is  - ‘Chrysopogon zizanioides’, a type of grass of Poaceae family, native to India.  Also known as ‘khus’ Vettiver can grow up to 1.5 metres high and form clumps as wide. This Ther is known as ‘Vettiver Chapparam’ – for there used to be so many sheets made of this grass placed on the temple car.  One could feel the divine fragrance from a distance itself.   

 

~ adiyen Srinivasadhasan [Srinivasan Sampathkumar]
11.3.2020