Deepavali,
the festival, is all about happiness ~ last year amidst Corona fears too, it was not muted, but
was celebrated grandly. This year (2021)
rains have not dampened the spirit .. ..
but bitter truth – schools have reopened !; theatres are allowed in full
(expecting bonanza for the tinseldom); everything else is normal – but to us –
the most expected darshan – the
thiruveethi purappadu – NO !! !! and there is so much restriction on
crackers and the way Deepavali is celebrated !
சந்தோஷத்தை தரும் பண்டிகைகளில் மிக சிறப்பு வாய்ந்தது *தீபாவளி திருநாள்*.
பண்டிகைகளின் நோக்கமே, நாம் சிறப்புற கொண்டாடி, மற்றவர்களையும் மகிழ்விப்பதுதானே
!
The most
enlightening are the Ithihasa puranas of Sri Ramayanam and Mahabaratham. In general, we have conceptualized Deepavali
to be slaying of Narakasura by Krishna and many would ask a Q – where did Sree
Rama celebrate Deepavali (stating that there was no Deepavali at His
time). One may not have read all 24,000 verses in the epic poem about
Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Indeed Deepavali is celebrated in Ayodhya and
many other places commemorating His homecoming -
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. ..
In recent times, closer to
the festival, some so called environmentalists surface – you hear words of
pollution, smog, poor quality of air and more .. .. now they say that air
quality has deteriorated with the rise of pollutants in the atmosphere. Some
actors and some Cricketers would campaign for a green Deepavali saying that
animals are scared (but they can be killed in another festival !!) .. ..
accepting the referral period to be Oct to Jan – they would not include the New
Year or the other celebration !!
In Dec 2019, at the
International Criminal Court in the Hague, Vanuatu’s ambassador to the European
Union made a radical suggestion: make the destruction of the environment a
crime. Vanuatu is a small island state in the South Pacific, a nation severely
threatened by rising sea levels. Climate change is an imminent and existential
crisis in the country, yet the actions that have caused rising temperatures –
such as burning fossil fuels – have almost entirely taken place elsewhere, to
serve other nations, with the blessing of state governments. Small island
states like Vanuatu have long tried to persuade large powerful nations to voluntarily
reduce their emissions, but change has been slow
Instead of taking
measures to prevent ecocide, Richer Nations heavily using luxury vehicles,
airconditioners, refrigerants and what not and adding to pollution would cry
hoarse on poorer Nations, their resources, cattle and the like – asking them to
contribute less towards pollution.
Leaders talking about ecocide would attend the Conference flying in
Private jets – and some recipients of awards too would settle nothing less than
private jets, but would speak on environment pollution.
வளி மாசடைதல் (Air
pollution) என்பது மனிதனால் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட வேதிப்பொருட்கள், துகள் பொருட்கள்,
உயிரியற் பொருட்கள் போன்றவை வளிமண்டலத்தில் கலந்து காற்றை மாசுபடுத்துதலை இது குறிக்கிறது.
இயற்கை இனிமையானது
! .. .. மனித குலத்துக்கு உண்மையிலேயே இயற்கையை காப்பதில் அக்கறை உள்ளதா
! தீபாவளி போன்ற பண்டிகள் நாட்களில் கூக்குரலிடும் பலர் - தங்கள் வாழ்வில் இயற்கையை
மாசுபடுத்தும், வாகனங்கள், குளிர் சாதனங்கள், காற்றுப் பதனி போன்றவை குறைவாக உபயோகிப்பார்களா
!!
Modern Science tells us that, We live at the bottom of an invisible
ocean called the atmosphere, a layer of gases surrounding our planet. Nitrogen
and oxygen account for 99 percent of the gases in dry air, with argon, carbon
dioxide, helium, neon, and other gases making up minute portions. Water vapor
and dust are also part of Earth’s atmosphere. Other planets and moons have very
different atmospheres, and some have no atmospheres at all.
இந்த
அகண்ட பிரபஞ்சத்தில் நாம் ஒரு மிகச்சிறிய துணு - நாம் புரிந்துகொண்டதை விட பல விஷயங்கள்
உள்ளன. நாம் புரிந்துகொள்ளாததால் அவை தவறான கோட்பாடு ஆகிவிடாது. மெய்ஞ்ஞானம்
என்ற பெயரில் தேடல் நல்லது; ஆனால் நாம் அறியாதவற்றை கேலி செய்தல் அறிவீனம். ஞானம்
என்று நாம் நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருப்பது உண்மையின் தரிசனமா? ஏதோ கொஞ்சம் புத்தகங்கள்
வாசித்து விட்டால் பழங்கால வாழ்க்கையே தவறு, நாம் மட்டுமே அறிவியல் நவீனத்தில்
மெய்ப்பொருள் அறிந்தவர்கள் என கொள்ளலாமா !! நாம் அறிந்ததாக நினைக்கும்
சொற்ப ஞானத்தை வைத்துக் கொண்டு எல்லாம் தெரிந்த மேதாவிகள் போல் பேசுகிறோம்,
நம்மை விட கொஞ்சம் குறைவாக தெரிந்தவர்களை ஏளனம் செய்கிறோம்.
நவீனம்,
நாகரிகம் என்ற பெயரில் பண்டைய ஒழுக்க முறைகளை உதாசீனப்படுத்தி வருகிறோம்.
"வாழ்க்கையோடு, கால சூழ்நிலையோடு அனுசரித்துப் போக வேண்டும் " என்று
எல்லாவற்றையும் நம் விருப்பத்துக்கு வளைத்துக் கொள்கிறோம். அழுக்கான உடம்பு. வியர்வை
சுரந்து கொண்டே இருக்கும் உடல், பொய் ஞானம், பொல்லாத ஒழுக்கம் உள்ள மனிதகுலம்
"கடவுள் இல்லை' என்று சொல்வது எவ்வளவு அபத்தம்.
Deepavali,
the festival, is all about happiness .. .. the way to celebrate is a
simple routine. The purpose of the festival is to be happy and make others
happy by sharing – sweets, food, crackers and more – simply spread the
happiness. Deepavali brings cheers and happiness. Right from
our childhood days, we have enjoyed this festival. The expectation would
start a month or so, earlier. Those days, getting the new cloth in time
stitched from Tailor was a task – then a week or so earlier, father would come
home with a bagful of crackers. More than bursting them, taking them out
of bags, placing them on the verandah and seeing them gave so much of
happiness. Deepavali Eve would provide opportunity for some testing ! ~
night would be full of expectations. In the morning, would have
pureficatory oil bath (Ganga snanam), wear new clothes, pray to God, pay
obeisance to elders at home – rush out with ‘oothuvathi’ and bagful of
crackers. Lakshmi vedis, kuruvi vedis and bijili gave us unbounded
happiness. Those days taught us of having little, remaining contented and
happy and above all sharing whatever we had with near and dear.
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, அடியேன்செய்யும்
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.
At Thiruvallikkeni
divyadesam, Deepavali would be double bonanza with Sri Parthasarathi Perumal
purappadu and Swami Manavala Mamunigal uthsavam. This year, Mamunigal uthsavam is happening inside the temple alas, at a time when everything else is open
– there is no purappadu.
In
yesteryears, the grand purappadu would commence around 7 pm and last till 11.30
pm. As Emperuman Sri Parthasarathi purappadu
occurs, thousands of crackers would be burst, rockets,
flower pots and many other items light the sky – one would see the
skyline with hued colours .. .. .. there would be crackers this time too (in the restricted
hours !), but sadly we miss thiruveethi ula of Emperuman.
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. The photos here are of Deepavali celebrations of yesteryears.
Azhwar
Emperumanar Jeeyar thiruvadigale saranam
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
4th Nov. 2021 (Deepavali day)
Azhwar Emperumanar Jeeyar thiruvadigale saranam. HAPPY DEEPAVALI
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