Andal Thiruppavai ~ pictorial pasura vilakkam

 

For Srivaishnavaites, it is worship of Sriman Narayana, kainkaryam unto HIM – reciting Nalayira divyaprabantha pasurams is quintessential – and the basic starts with Thiruppavai.  Andal composed two works  unique in their literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic content.  One is  Tiruppavai, a composition of thirty verses in which Andal imagines herself to be a cowherd girl during the incarnation of Lord Krishna.  The second is the Nachiyar Tirumozhi, comprising of 143 verses. 

 மார்கழி ஒரு அற்புதமான காலம்.  அனைத்து ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ திவ்யதேசங்களிலும் அதி காலையில் ஆண்டாள் அருளிய  "திருப்பாவை"   சேவிக்கப்பெரும்.  திருப்பாவை பாவை நோன்பின் உயர்வை பறை சாற்றுவது.  முதல் பாட்டில் ஆய்ப்பாடி சிறுமிகளை அழைத்ததற்கு ஏற்ப கூடிய கோபிகைகளின் கூட்டத்தைப் பார்த்து மகிழ்ந்து “வையத்து வாழ்வீர்காள்!” என்று ஆச்சரியப்பட்டு அழைத்து நாம் செய்ய வேண்டிய நோன்பிற்கு செய்யவேண்டிய கிரியைகளை கேளுங்கள் என்கிறாள்.   

Here is a  rather fascinating pictorial presentation of the Thiruppāvai. Do look  closely at the smaller panels in the  photograph, and the little captions actually make the arrangement much clearer and adds a lot of itnerst. The title at the bottom is:

“ஸ்ரீ ஆண்டாள் திருப்பாவை வைபவம்” — Sri Āṇḍāl Tiruppāvai Vaibhavam.

The artist has  essentially created a visual Thiruppāvai commentary: one little picture for each of the 30 pāsurams, with the opening words printed below each panel. And this is not merely a generic collection of Vishnu stories. The  central picture is particularly interesting -  Sriman Narayana seated upon Ādiśeṣha, with the serpent hood spreading behind Him.  The lower central picture gives us another aspect of the same theological world: Nārāyaṇa reclining upon Ādiśeṣa in the Kṣīrasāgara.  So it is  the Supreme Lord at the centre, and surrounded Him with the narrative and devotional world of Andal's 30 verses.

The little panels aren't all illustrations of Krishna's childhood. They range across: the awakening of the girls → their going to Krishna → Krishna's various avatāra deeds → cosmic manifestations → episodes involving devotees → the final surrender to Govinda.  This simply is not a pictorial depiction of Margazhi recital of pasurams – it is more of the  old popular devotional chromolithograph/oleograph-style prints that were meant not merely for decoration but to teach the stories visually.

As you could see – there is :  Puḷḷum silambina kāṇ  - Dawn: birds have awakened, the conch is sounding, and the girls are waking the sleeper.7 Kīsu kīsu - Women churning curd/butter, with the sound of the bangles and the churning clearly depicted.8 Kīzh vāṉam veḷḷeṉṟu - Dawn breaking; the eastern sky becoming light and the girls urging their companion to rise.  9 Tūmaṇi māṭathu - A beautiful wealthy house, with the girl still inside — the famous tūmaṇi māṭam scene.  Unthu matha kaḷiṟṟaṉ- Nappinnai becomes central — the girls appeal to her and to Krishna, with the strong elephant imagery of the verse.

Pāsuram 23 — “Māri malai muḻaiñcil” — is a lovely example. The verse says:  māri malai muḻaiñcil mannik kidandhu uṟaṅgum – traditionally this pasuram invokes the imagery of the lion lying in its mountain cave and emerging majestically. The artist uses Krishna  imagery to convey that majestic emergence. Similarly, 24, “Aṉṟu ivvulagam”, is unmistakably Trivikrama, because the verse explicitly recalls the Lord measuring the worlds. 27, “Koodarai veḷḷum”, is especially delightful: the artist has understood the pāsuram not merely as an abstract theological statement but as the joyous reward after the vrata — ornaments, food, togetherness and celebration.

Interesting ! ~  “A vintage devotional print”with Sri Andal Thiruppavai vaibhavam written in Telugu, Tamil, English and Sanskrit at the bottom.  This too from Mr MA Narasimhan’s art collections – special thanks to him for showing this wonderful piece and allowing it to be photographed and written about.

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan

Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar

8.10.2026