Kairavini karaiyinile - திரு அல்லிக்கேணி குளக்கரையோரம்: how do kids spend their time !

Sunday, January 9, 2022

how do kids spend their time ! - kainkaryam a Srivaishnava tradition !!

A few decades ago, there were playgrounds ! – and we played lot of outdoor games including Cricket at Marina beach – alter when Computers came – we indulged in ‘Dangerous Dave’ & Princess of Persia - what do modern day kids do – no playgrounds and Covid 19 has forced them being at home – most spend time on mobile phones or tabs playing various computer games like : Roller Coaster Tycoon, Yooka, Lego STarwars, Lego the Hobbit, the Incredibles and various fight games .. ..

This post is on a Srivaishnava young boy who incidentally has varied interest – does play games, more importantly spends quality time on arulicheyal and .. .. in kainkaryam at Thiruvallikkeni, Thiruninravur divyadesams and .. .. at home. Triplicane is such a famed land, that what impress me and most others – may just be a casual thing for some – as such things occur at their homes too.

Of all the philosophies, axioms and pearls of wisdom – people talk about being good to others. In every society, there are good and bad people – good and bad things .. .. – primarily something which we want to happen, and some which should not be happening !! The words "good" and "bad" are basic determinants about value or ethics. We go to Temples, worship Emperuman, forget our worries and are blissfully happy… .. in the midst of festivity in any Temple, we observe Emperuman in various sarruppadi (alankaram) – Pagal pathu is a grand festivity as at Thiruvallikkeni – the various sarruppadi for Sri Parthasarathi Perumal includes : Sri Venkadakrishnan thirukolam; Sri Venugopalan; Kalinga Narthanam; Chakravarthi thirumagan; Aeni kannan; Paramapadanathan; Bagasuravatham (this day); Sree Ramar Pattabishekam & Sri Murali Kannan .. ..

A Vaishnavaite simply is one who sympathises and feels the pain of others and does all that is possible towards alleviating pain and suffering of human-beings. Swami Nammalwar prays to Garudaroodan (Maha Vishna on Garuda) – clouds of dust being raised, the bad Asuras being chased out .. through living countless cycles of birth and death, having found the Lotus feet of Sriman Narayana, Azhwar prays Lord not to part with him anymore, as submission to Him consoles heart and imbues endless joy.

மாறிமாறிப் பலபிறப்பும் பிறந்து அடியை அடைந்து உள்ளம் தேறி*

ஈறிலின்பத்து திருவெள்ளம் யான்மூழ்கினன்,

பாறிப்பாறி அசுரர்தம் பல்குழாங்கள் நீறெழ, பாய்பறவை ஒன்று ஏறி*

வீற்றிருந்தாய் உன்னையென்னுள் நீக்கேலெந்தாய்

The aim of life is to reach Him by serving Him and those who do kainkaryam to Him. Srivaishnavaite way of life is singing paeans, chanting divyaprabandham, doing service and having darshan at His various abodes.

Life in a divyadesam is always exciting ! ~ it provides ample opportunities to be with Emperuman and do kainkaryam .. .. the primary challenge is one of involvement and being with Lord for long hours - one can observe, appreciate, involve oneself in so many forms of Kainkaryams – there is the glorious Archaga kainkaryam, arulicheyal kainkaryam, sripadham kainkaryam, nadaswaram thavil and other mangala vadhyams, kainkaryam to bagavathas and those involved in service to Emperuman, financial kainkaryam for specified projects, offering beautiful jewels, vasthrams, doing service, providing floral garlands, providing fruits and offerings, cleaning, regulating, painting, and so many more avenues ~ some are physical and requires extraordinary commitment .. ..

Without elaborating further, this afternoon provided an opportunity to be with Srihari s/o of Kuvalai Sriram – this time being Pagalpathu – he attends goshti at temples and .. .. at home – does sarruppadi for His Perumal at Home (Aathu perumal) – kainkaryam runs in his genes, hailing from a family of kainkaryabarars – father, elderbrother of father, grandfather and more known for arulicheyal kainkaryam at various divyadesangal. What is astonishing is – he has Aathu Perumal, does various sarruppadi – some with ornaments / beautiful dresses and more with his imaginative skills (his young sister too is of great help) using available material like mseal / cardboard / hand drawn material (like the bagasuran of date)

Thiruvallikkeni is a famed land, a seat of quality education, culture, traditional values – and scores of children and youth like Srihari who are involved in every activity in the temple – be it Sripadham, arulicheyal, Vedham and more .. .. We pray Emperuman that He offers all the beautiful things to all those involved in kainkaryam – good, Srihari is not alone ! – there are many other children like him ! Devotion to Emperuman, the bakthi cult needs to be imbibed in children when young and exactly for this the parents of Srihari as also other parents/ grand parents who ensure sending their boy to Thirukkovil for kainkaryam needs great appreciation.