Bhogi 2025 ~ Irapathu 4

Bhogi’ ~ the day before the Pongal day [Makara Sankranthi] is an important day.  This year – Monday 13^th Jan 2025  was   Bhogi Thirunal.  This is the day when the divine wedding of  Sri Andal with the Perumal she idolized and sang in Her prabandhams is performed.  The Divine Andal at Her young age was the very embodiment of the Bakthi, thought of Sriman Narayana, wrote beautiful Hymns and wished marriage with the Greatest of the Souls ~the Paramapurusha. 

Bhogi pushes out all wanted and evils – Pongal ushers in new things – harvest, hopes and prosperity !  .. ..  Since the start of this century, two disease outbreaks have been caused by new coronaviruses that made the leap from animal hosts to people, mutating in the process to latch onto human cells.  Covid-19  was the third. Medical science is fighting back with the tools it has and building new defences.  Experts say that is a result of massive deforestation and expansion of farmland to supply food and other commodities to a human population that has more than doubled to 7.7 billion from 3 billion in the 1960s.   Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO had called the 21st century “a long history of scourges”, pointing to the re-emergence of the plague, which killed 200 people in Madagascar in 2017, and the outbreak of new viral diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

Andal Thirukkalyanam follows the Pavai nonbu and the 9 days of Neeratta Uthsavam; the Divine vivaham takes place on the Bhogi day.  This is being celebrated in Sri Villiputhur, Sri Rangam and other divyadesams with great fervor.  At Thiruvallikkeni, the wedding of Sri Andal with Sri Parthasarathi takes place on Bhogi day.  

இம்மைக்குமேழேழ்   பிறவிக்கும்   பற்றாவான் *

நம்மையுடையவன்   நாராயணன்  நம்பி*

செம்மையுடைய   திருக்கையால்   தாள்பற்றி*

அம்மி மிதிக்கக் கனாக்கண்டேன்,  தோழீ நான்* 

In Nachiyar Thiromozhi, Andhal elaborates her Dream Marriage with the Parampurusha, describing the rituals associated with the marriages.  She speaks of that Great Sriman Narayana, the One who owns us all, the One complete with all Kalyana Gunams; the One to whom we all should get attached not in this life but in all our births; Andal dreams of Her Divine Marriage with the Lord. ~ and that comes true on Bhogi day.  

Bhogi Pandigai was celebrated originally as ‘Indran vizha’ ~ a righteous king by name Upari Chira Vasu helped Indhran in his battles and the pleased Indhran presented Uparicharavasu his chariot, which would travel on air without touching ground. The story of his chariot touching the ground is associated with the Therazhundhur Divyadesam. On the evening of Bhogi day, Sri Parthasarathi has grand purappadu beautifully adorned as the ‘bridegroom’ ~ today it was the most attractive yellosw silk and Sigathadai kireedam  that adorned the Lord.  

Blessed are We to have the darshan of the Lord beautifully decorated as ‘Kalyana Purushan’ ~ the bridegroom.  Most eyecatching were the jewels adorning Sri Parthasarathi. Today,  He embellished a kireedam known as ‘Sigathadai’ ~ not because of the red silk that worn as a turban.  It was a Crown where reams of jasmine flower are tightly rolled and closed with pure silk cloth with the markings of an Emperor on the forehead. 

Words cannot describe His celestial beauty; nor can the photos… still some attempt at describing the Great Bliss that Swami offered on this beautiful day.  Here are some photos of Sri Parthasarathi perumal purappadu on Bhogi day.  It was day 4 of Irapathu uthsavam too.  

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
14.1.2025