Thirumalai Ananthan Pillai 968 ThiruVavathara Mahothsavam ~ Thirumala 2022

Wish to experience the extreme Bliss ! ~ even as you start feeling the chillness, most likely the mellifluous song of Sri Annamacharya would pervade you…. ..ever been to Pandavapura near Srirangapatna, Mysore.

adivo alladivo śrī hari vāsamu ** padivela śeṣula paḍagala mayamu ||

One may not know or understand Telugu – still, it is divine, it is the sankeerthana about the most sacred Seven Hills, the abode of Supreme Lord. Sure you would have visited the holy Thirumala, many a times, next time, take a leisurely stroll on the Mada veethis of the holy hill and feel Him fully. Look and behold, this is abode of Hari- the place where He resides . sang Tallapaka Annamacharya [popularly Annamayya], the 15th century musician who composed many keerthanas on Lord Venkateswara. Another keerthana of his on Thirumala Konda (the hill itself) [மலையே திருவுடம்பு] :

కట్టెదుర వైకుంఠము కాణాచయిన కొండ

తెట్టలాయ మహిమలే తిరుమల కొండ

Kattedura vaikunthamu kaanaachayina konda

tettalaaya mahimalae tirumala konda

In this sankeerthana, Annamayya describes the sanctity and the importance of the Tirupathi hills(Konda). Each of the seven Hills has a story behind and are repositories of medicinal herbs, water streams and sustains life in everyform. The holy Seven Hills bestows benevolence. Annamayya prays Lord extolling the fact that He built "Vaikundam" on the forest-filled Hill and heaped miracles here. Vedas stand as rocks – in every direction, good deeds are the roots of trees. Seshardi Hills are the abode of Lakshmi devi – the holy place is the Brahmaloka. Celestial beings have taken the form of animals on this hill. Water bearing clouds move beautifully on the hill. The sages are born as trees on this hill. This big forest is Anjanadri.

திருமால் தன் அடியார்களை காப்பதற்கு எழுந்து அருளி இருக்கும் திவ்யதேசங்களில் தலையானது "திருமலை" என போற்றப்படும் "திருவேங்கடம் - திருப்பதி"- குளிரருவி வேங்கடம்; விரிதிரை வேங்கடம் என மிகுந்த அருவிகளை உடையதாக புகழப் படுகிறது. இப்படி பல சிறப்பு வாய்ந்த திருவேங்கடத்தில், சமீபத்தில் நடந்த 'திருமலை அனந்தாழ்வானின்' 968வது திருவவதார மகோத்சவம் பற்றிய பதிவு இது : திருமலை திருப்பதியில் பல முறை வரிசையில் பல மணி நேரம் நின்று பெருமாளை தரிசித்து இருப்பீர் - பிரதான வாசலில் நுழையும் போது - ஒரு கடப்பாரையை எப்போதேனும் கண்ணுற்றீர்களா ?

The Lord Srinivasa [Ezhumalai Vasa, Govindha, Venkata ramana, Venkatesa, Thirumalesa, Seshadri, Bhaktavatsala, Bhagavatapriya, Nityanirmala, Neelameghasyama, Nandanandana, Navaneeta Chora, Papavimochana, Durita Nivarana, Aapathpandhava, Aanatha rakshaga….. Sri Balaji] is likened to the exceptionally shining divine lamp – He is primordial; He is the fullest nectar gotten from all the divine Vedas; He is The blemishless Lord of Thiruvengadam – Thiruvengadam Udaiyaan Srinivasar.

எழுவார் விடைகொள்வார் ஈன்துழாயானை*

வழுவாவகை நினைந்து வைகல் - தொழுவார்,

வினைச்சுடரை நந்துவிக்கும் வேங்கடமே, வானோர்*

மனச்சுடரைத் தூண்டும் மலை.

Poigai Azhwar says that the hearts of even the celestials get aroused by this Holy Hill ~ offering worship at Thiruvenkatam and thinking constantly of that Lord with Thulasi garland will sure rid everyone of all their karmas.

The name 'Pandavapura' means "Town of Pandavas". Pandavapura having paddy and sugarcane fields is 130 km from Bangalore and 25 km from Mysore. There are many jaggery manufacturing units too adding sweetness to the town which has Cauvery water flowing through Visweswarayya Canal. To us, devout Sri Vaishnavaites, this place – to be specific a small village known as Siruputhur ‘Kiranganoor’ [Hale Kiranguru] in Srirangapatna taluk is of significance as it is associated with one of our Acharyars ~ and can you connect it the Holiest of places “Thirumala Thirupathi”.

திருமலையில் சிறப்பு வைபவம் -

திருமலை அனந்தான்பிள்ளை திருவவதார மகோத்சவம் :

Thirumalai Ananthan Pillai Uthsavam at Thirumala 2022

Fortunate to attend the 968^th Thiruvavathara Uthsvam of Thirumalai Ananthan Pillai held at “Puraisaivari thota” - Thirumala Tirupathi on Sunday 6^th Mar 2022.

As ordained by Swami Ramanujacharya, Thirumalai Ananthalwan, a great Acharyar did devoted service for Thiruvengadamudayan, about 1000 years ago. Sure you would have had darshan of Lord Venkateswara – Tirupathi Balaji so many times – have you not noticed the ‘crowbar’ kept at the Main entrance to the temple and do you know it's legend. If not, do observe and bow obeisance the next time, you enter the Holy entrance at Thirumala.

Of the many divyadesams sung by Azhwaargal, Thirumala occupies a very prominent position. Our Acharyan Emperumanaar (Udayavar, Ramanujar, Bashyakarar……….) did many service to the Lord here and Udayavar was instrumental in many of the religious practices being established in Thirumala. His disciple ‘Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan’ served the Lord here as ordained by his Acharyar.

Sri Ananthazhwaan was born in year 1053 near Mysore in a village called ‘siruputhoor’ ~ now called Hale Kiranguru. When Udayavar was rendering kalakshepam on Thiruvaimozhi, (the verse – sindhu poo magizhum Thiruvengadathu – meaning the place replete with flowers), Udayavar asked whether anybody would do the pushpa kainkaryam at Thirumala. Remember, Tirupathi was a very dense jungle ridden with wild animals with adverse weather. Ananthazhwaan readily came forward and said that he would go, if Udayavar so desires. Udayavar was so elated that he praised Ananthazhwaan as the real man and till date, his descendents have the name ‘Thirumalai Ananthanpillai’ meaning manly.

Legend has it that Ananthazhwaan was organizing ‘a flower garden’ – he was constructing a lake for supply of water on the hills – an extremely arduous work. Acarya’s pregnant wife too was helping him in that difficult task. Lord Srinivasa in one of His Thiruvilayadals, came to the place and tried helping him. Wrongly assuming the person as hindering the work, Ananthazhwaan threw the crowbar at the Lord (without knowing Him); later realised his folly and got the Divine Blessings of Lord. This crowbar is now seen at the entrance of the Templeof Supreme Lord Thiruvengadam Udaiyaan. Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan continued his floral and other services to Lord Srinivasar for many years. He was so devoted in his service ordained by Ramanujacharya that for him, it was service that was of primary importance, even when compared to God. In the holy shrine of Thirumala, there is the beautiful sannathi of Sri Ramanujacharya. The Vigraham of Sri Ramanujar that we worship inside the Sri Vari Temple was given by Udayavar himself and installed by Ananthalwar.

The garden created by Ananthazhwaan is now known as ‘Puraisaivari Thottam’. It lies on the back side of the temple near Chinna Jeeyar Mutt and one can reach this place through the Thirumala Museum also. Now there is a beautiful brundavanam at this place maintained by the descendents of Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan. The lake created by him now stands majestically as ‘Ramanuja lake” replete with water on the hill !! Twice in a year, Sri Malayappar visits this place [Baag Savari] and honours Ananthazhwaan now in the form of Magizha maram. ‘Sri Venkatesa Ithihasa maala’ is considered the best amongst the many works of Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan

For the past few years, anniversary Uthsavam of Sri Ananthazhwaan is being celebrated at his place at Thirumala. It is being organized by his descendents, well supported by Thirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam, through its ‘Alwar Divya Prabandha Project’. Almost a decade back, when it was organized for the first time, the place wore not so great looks, but over the years has been improved and maintained so well that it is a fitting tribute to Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan who did yeoman service to Lord Srinivasar. Commemorating the kainkaryam our Acaryar did at this place, the thottam is now replete with Thiruthuzhai, beautiful roses and many other flowers, grown for offering to Lord Balaji only.

This year it was 968^th Birth celebrations which was very well organized. His Holiness Thirumalai Periya Kelviappan Sri Satakopa Ramanuja Periya Jeeyar Swami & His Holiness Thirumalai Ilaiya Kelviappan Sri Govinda Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swami, presided over the divyaprabandha goshti. His Holiness Sri Sri Vadhikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar, Thirukachi graced the goshti. There were hundreds of Kalakshepa Athigarigal, Athyapakars from various divyadesams, Ubaya Vedantha periyavargal and many youngsters who participated in the ‘Thiruvaimozhi Goshti’. There were kalakshepams by renowned scholars too.

பற்பல சிறப்புகள் வாய்ந்த திருமலை அனந்தாழ்வானின் 968வது திரு அவதார மகோத்சவம் 6.3.2022 அன்று சிறப்பாக கொண்டாடப்பட்டது. சில வருடங்கள் முன்பு [2004ல்] திருமலை அனந்தான்பிள்ளை வம்சத்தினர், திருமலை திருப்பதி தேவஸ்தானம் ஆதரவுடன் அவரது திருவவதார உத்சவம் நடத்தினர். அது முதல் ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் இந்த உத்சவம் பொலிவுடன் நடைபெற்று வருகிறது. அப்போது இந்த இடம் சாதரணமாக காணப்பட்டது. இப்போது இவ்விடம் மிக நன்றாக பராமரிக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. இவ்வருடம் நடைபெற்ற நிகழ்ச்சியில் - திருமலை பெரிய கேள்வி அப்பன் ஜீயர் சுவாமிகள், திருமலை இளைய கேள்வியப்பன் ஜீயர் சுவாமிகள், ஸ்ரீ வாதிகேசரி அழகிய மணவாள ஜீயர் சுவாமி, ஏராளமான உபய வேதாந்த விற்பன்னர்கள்; காலக்ஷேப அதிகாரிகள்; பல்வேறு திவ்யதேச அத்யபகர்கள் என பலர் எழுந்து அருளி இருந்து – திவ்யப்ரபந்தத்தில் திருமலை திருப்பதி பாசுரங்கள், திருவாய்மொழி கோஷ்டி, கண்ணிநுண் சிறுத்தாம்பு; இராமானுச நூற்றந்தாதி, உபதேச ரத்தினமாலை, நிறைய காலக்ஷேபங்கள் என இவ்விழா பரிமளித்தது.

ஞானம், பக்தி, வைராக்கியம், குருபக்தி எனும் நற்குணங்கள் அனைத்தும் திளைத்து விளங்கப்பெற்ற அனந்தாழ்வான் எனும் மகாசார்யரை வணங்குவோமாக !!

The sarrumurai was very grand with - His Holiness Thirumalai Periya Kelviappan Sri Satakopa Ramanuja Periya Jeeyar Swami & His Holiness Thirumalai Ilaiya Kelviappan Sri Govinda Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swami, presiding and attended by Sree Munivaahana Raamaanuja Jeeyar Swamy.

Let us worship the feet of Thirumalai Ananthazhwaan who was renowned for his knowledge, devotion, steadfastness and more good qualities. Some photos taken during the celebrations are here :

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.
Dhoosi Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
7.3.2022.