celestial conjunction of Moon & Venus at Palayamkottai temple

 

Palayamkottai, often called the "Oxford of South India", is a prominent educational and residential hub located across the Thamirabarani River from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Steeped in history, it houses the historic Central Prison where freedom fighters were held. 

The temple that gave the town  its name is the famed Nellaiyappar thirukkovil. Sri Nellaiyappar – Gandhimathi Ambal Temple, one of the largest and most historically significant temples in Tamil Nadu is an architectural grandeur. Palayamkottai is the twin town of Tirunelveli. The name Palayamkottai is a Tamil portmanteau: Palayam (a military settlement or camp) + Kottai (fort).  Historically, it denoted a locality centered around an old fort used to administer surrounding districts.  Earlier, the area was known as Sri Vallavan Mangalam, where mangalam indicates land granted free to Brahmins, hinting at its agrarian–temple-linked past.  Like much of the Tirunelveli region, Palayamkottai saw successive rule by major South Indian powers: the Pandyas, Cholas, Pallavas, and also the Kalabhras, with local chieftains (including the Palaiyakkars) playing a key role.   Palayamkottai is closely associated with Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the famous Polygar (Palaiyakkarar) who led one of the earliest armed resistances against the British East India Company in the late 18th century.  He is often remembered as a freedom fighter from this region, and his legacy is a major part of local historical identity.  During the rule of Viswanatha Nayak, his prime minister Ariyanatha Mudaliar established 72 feudal administrative divisions called Palayams.   The fort had four distinct entry gates facing major routes: Tiruvannathapuram, Madurai, Tiruchendur, and Tenkasi.  After the polygar wars, the  British later dismantled most of the fort and the   town became a strategic British garrison town.   

Not intended to be a chronicle of the history of Palayamkottai but about a late evening at this place when ‘Crescent Moon & Venus saluted the Lord’ – at Sri Vedanarayanan Alagiyamannar Shri Rajagopalaswamy Temple,   one of the oldest and   massive Vaishnava temples in the region.    Facing east with a stunning 5-tier Rajagopuram, it features a unique blend of traditional Tamil Dravidian architecture intertwined with northern Madhura Krishna temple design styles. The inner sanctum preserves inscriptions dating back across centuries.

                     The Moolavar is worshipped as Sri Vedanarayana Perumal and Raja Gopal Swamy alongside Thayars Sri Vedavalli and Sri Kumudavalli. 

Here are couple of photos taken at the same place - Sri Vedanarayanan Alagiyamannar Shri Rajagopalaswamy Temple in Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli at around 7 pm on 18.7.2026 with Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.  The most striking feature is the waxing crescent Moon with a very bright object a little below and to its right. .. .. and that  bright object is   Venus.  A young crescent Moon and brilliant Venus appearing together shortly after sunset is one of the most attractive evening sky sights. Venus is bright enough that many people mistake it for a UFO or an aircraft. 

My fortune that   the temple and the celestial conjunction appear  in a single frame. Around 7 PM in July at this place  is the beginning of the blue hour.

Instead of a black sky, one could see: deep cobalt blue, soft twilight as also enough ambient light to reveal the temple carvings.  In Srivaishnava parlance,  devotees often associate: the crescent Moon with serenity  &  Venus (Shukra) with beauty and prosperity. 

The coordinates are:

•       Latitude: 8°43′26.9″ N

•       Longitude: 77°44′07.0″ E

which is   Sri Vedanarayanan Alagiyamannar Shri Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Palayamkottai.  On that day, I  unintentionally captured what astronomers call a Moon–Venus conjunction though they are millions of kilometres apart—

•       Moon ≈ 380,000 km away

•       Venus ≈ tens of millions of kilometres away

—they appear close together from Earth.

These conjunctions are among the most photographed astronomical events because they are both visually striking and relatively uncommon in exactly the same geometry.

Pictorially I am trying to depict :  :

1.       Full view of temple vimanam with Moon and Venus — introducing the sacred setting.

2.       Gateway with Moon and Venus — highlighting the celestial conjunction.

3.       Close-up of the vimana with the crescent Moon — concluding with the architectural grandeur. 

Together they tell the story of an evening at Sri Vedanarayanan Alagiyamannar Shri Rajagopalaswamy Temple, where the sky itself seemed to participate in the beauty of the moment. 

Look forward to your feedback / comments

 
adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
2.8.2026

Thirumylai Sri Madhava Perumal Pavithrothsavam 2026

 

Pre-script:  though a long winding post starting with battlefield of 1746 – No war post this !! 

 

A war nearer home ! centuries ago – ramification of ‘War of Austrian Succession’  - stop Madras to Austria – crossing seas and multiple continents – approx 7000 km away .. and a war fought between British East India Company and French East India Company !!  

According to historians, French reinforcements from Pondicherry did not sail into Madras harbour. Instead they landed on the open coast near present-day Thiruvanmiyur/Besant Nagar, where the surf permitted boats to land troops. They numbered approximately: 300 French, 700 Indian sepoys commanded by Louis Paradis. From the beach the troops marched north-west.  There was no Marina Beach as we know it.  Instead there were – sand dunes, scrub vegetarion, marshes, tidal channels and a wider river (Adyaru). 

Their rivals the British with Nawab's Army blocked the crossing. The Nawab's son Mahfuz Khan understood the French had to cross the river. He therefore deployed nearly 10,000 cavalry and infantry on the north bank of the Adyar, stretching from San Thome toward what is now Quibble Island, with artillery covering likely crossing points. 

So a battle of Adyar occurring somewhere nearer Mylapore !!   The French did not build a bridge. They crossed the shallow estuary at low tide, wading through water while maintaining disciplined formations. Contemporary re-enactments place the crossing in the coastal strip between today's Adyar Estuary and Elliot's Beach.  History records that in  September 1746 the French fleet under La Bourdonnais captured Fort St. George from the British. 

The Nawab of Arcot, Anwar-ud-din Khan, objected because neither European company technically owned Madras outright; they held it under the Nawab's authority. He ordered the French to hand over Madras. The French refused. That refusal led directly to the Battle of Adyar.  French commander Louis Paradis marched from  mylapore area  toward Madras. Instead of remaining on the defensive, he crossed the Adyar River and attacked. The disciplined French infantry advanced in compact formations supported by well-drilled artillery. The Nawab's forces, although vastly superior in numbers, fought largely in traditional cavalry formations that proved ineffective against concentrated musket volleys and field artillery. Within a short time, the Nawab's army broke and retreated. French casualties were remarkably light, while the Nawab suffered much heavier losses.  

Many historians consider the Battle of Adyar one of the most significant military engagements in early colonial India.  It demonstrated European military superiority. The battle proved that disciplined infantry using coordinated musket fire and artillery could defeat armies many times their size. The French victory relied not only on Europeans but also on Indian soldiers trained in European tactics. The British quickly learned the same lesson and later developed their own large sepoy armies.  

Strangely the loss in war paved the way for British expansion as they invested on Indian sepoys to defeat their own Nation and keep parts of India unified under their control.  Much of the original battlefield has since been urbanised, and the river's course has changed somewhat over nearly three centuries.  

Today’s post is on this Thirumylai and an important uthsavam at this temple in the centre of Mylapore.

 

In the capital of Tamil Nadu is the pristine Temple of Sri Parthasarathi Swami at Thiruvallikkeni.   Though not the earliest British settlement in the Indian Peninsula, Madras possessed a peculiar interest as constituting, with the exception of the insignificant site at Armagon, the first territorial acquisition by the English in Hindustan.    It is a place that predates British rule by several centuries; it was occupied by the Portuguese in 1523, which  lasted until 1749, later falling  into the hands of the British East India Company.   It is “Mylapore” [Thiru Mayilai],  a cultural hub; one of the oldest residential parts of the city, also known as VEdapuri and Mayurapuri ~    Thirumayilai has the avathara sthalam of Sri Peyalwar at Arundale Street – nearer is Sri Madhava Perumal thirukovil.  Mylai is famous for Sri Kapaleeswarar temple which is connected with the S'aivite Nayanmars.   

Now is the time for Thirupavithrothsavam for Sri Madhava Perumal – this morning there was yaga salai and goshti of Thirupallandu, Thiruppavai and 5^th and 6^th decads of Swami Nammalwar’s Thiruvaimozhi. Here are some photos of most beautiful Sri Madhava Perumal at Thirumylai taken during His pavithrothsavam. 

adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathukmar
26^th July 2o26.

 

 

Thiruvallikkeni Kodai Uthsavam 2026

 

Today is 15^th July – Poosam Nakshathiram in the month of Aani and from today starts the 7 day Kodai Uthsavam of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman.

 

July 15 is the 196^th  day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 169 days remain until the end of the year.  Ages ago, Year 484 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Mamercus and Vibulanus (or, less frequently, year 270 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 484 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. 

The Temple of Castor and Pollux was an ancient temple in the Roman Forum, Rome, Central Italy.  It was originally built in gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus (495 BC). Castor and Pollux (Greek Polydeuces) were the Dioscuri, the "twins" of Gemini, the twin sons of Zeus (Jupiter) and Leda. Their cult came to Rome from Greece via Magna Graecia and the Greek culture of Southern Italy. The Roman temple is one of a number of known Dioscuri temples remaining from antiquity. 

The last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, and his allies, the Latins, waged war on the infant Roman Republic. Before the battle, the Roman dictator Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis vowed to build a temple to the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) if the Republic were victorious. According to legend, Castor and Pollux appeared on the battlefield as two able horsemen in aid of the Republic; and after the battle had been won they again appeared on the Forum in Rome watering their horses at the Spring of Juturna thereby announcing the victory. The temple stands on the supposed spot of their appearance.  One of Postumius’ sons was elected duumvir in order to dedicate the temple on 15 July (the ides of July) 484 BC.  During the Republican period, the temple served as a meeting place for the Roman Senate, and from the middle of the 2nd century BC the front of the podium served as a speaker's platform. During the imperial period, the temple housed the office for weights and measures, and was a depository for the State treasury.   

Centuries later this day got associated with the great fighter Napoleon.  HMS Bellerophon, known to sailors as the "Billy Ruffian", was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1786, Bellerophon served for the entire duration of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, mostly on blockades or convoy escort duties.  While the ship was on blockade duty in 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte boarded Bellerophon so he could surrender to the ship's captain, ending 22 years of almost continuous war between Britain and France.

Enough of history … after Aani Brahmothsavam of Sri Thelliayasingar, now is the time for Kodai Uthsavam of Sri Parthasarathi.  In early days, Perumal would visit Vasantha bungalow in Venkatrangam Street and have thirumanjanam there.  A couple of decades ago, this was stopped as the mandapam was demolished.  Last year onwards, Kodai uthsavam is happening at neo Vasantha Uthsava bungalow now at TP Koil II lane.  Sri Parthasarathi Perumal and ubaya nachimar will have purappadu  in separate kedayam -  siriya mada veethi purappadu, Venkatrangam Street, Gate aam, Vasantha uthsava bungalow, Thiruvaradhanam, Poocharru there and return to Temple

திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாளுக்கு வருடம் முழுவதும் பல உத்சவங்கள் விமர்சையாக நடைபெறுகின்றன.  கோடை கால முடிவில் நடைபெறும் உத்சவம் "கோடை உத்சவம்".  சில வருடங்கள் முன்பு வரை,  நம்  ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாள் மாலை வேளையில் வசந்த உத்சவ பங்களாவுக்கு எழுந்து அருளி இளைப்பாறி, பின்பு வெய்யில் தணிந்ததும் திரும்புகால் புறப்பாடு கண்டு அருள்வார். 

எம்பெருமான் ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணன் மிக உயர்ந்தவன் -  பழமையான வேதங்களால் முழுமுதற்கடவுளாகச் சொல்லப்பட்டவனுமான பெருமாள்.  அவர் தேன் ஒழுகுகின்ற குளிர்ந்த திருத்துழாய்மாலையை அணிந்துள்ளவன்.   அத்தகைய சிறப்பு வாய்ந்த எம்பெருமான் திருவடிகளிலே நித்ய கைங்கரியம் செய்வதற்கு தக்க யோக்யதையுடையவர்கள் நித்ய ஸூரிகளேயன்றோ, ஸம்ஸாரிகளான நமக்கொல்லாம் அப்பெருமானைப் பணிந்து உய்தற்கு  வாய்ப்பு கிடைக்குமோ என ஐயுற வேண்டா !!  

மிக உயர்ந்த எம்பெருமானின் திருவடிகளை அடைந்து,  அவனுக்கு அத்தாணி சேவகம் செய்வது பற்றி பொய்கையாழ்வாரின்  முதல் திருவந்தாதி பாசுரம் இங்கே :  

இயல்வாக ஈன்துழாயான்  அடிக்கே செல்ல,

முயல்வார் இயலமரர் முன்னம், - இயல்வாக

நீதியால்  ஓதி நியமங்களால்  பரவ,

ஆதியாய் நின்றார் அவர். 

தனது ஞானம், குணம், பரமபக்தி ஆகியவற்றால் உன்னத நிலையை அடைந்த நித்யஸூரிகள், எம்பெருமான் வசிக்கும் பரமபதத்தில், அழகிய திருத்துழாய் மாலையை அணிந்துள்ள எம்பெருமானது திரு வடிகளில்  நித்ய கைங்கர்யங்கள் செய்து வருவர் !  நம் போன்ற சாதாரணர்களும்,  எம்பெருமானை அடைய, அதற்கு தகுந்த, க்ரமங்களுடன்,  முறைமை தவறாமல் வேதத்தை அத்யயனம் செய்து, அந்த உயர்ந்த வேதங்களின் பொருளை  உணர்ந்து அதிற் சொன்ன நியமங்களோடே  முற்பட்டு சித்தராய் நிற்கும் எம்பெருமானை தொழ நமக்கும் எல்லா நலனும் கிட்டும் என்கிறார் நம் பொய்கை ஆழ்வார்.  

However, today, there would be no purappadu  today, due to some asantharpam in TP Koil Street and Uthsavam will take place tomorrow (day 2).  Here are some photos of Kodai Uthsava mada veethi purappadu on 24.6.2017 – those in the photo and those who know them  will be happier in seeing them young !!

 

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
15.7.2026

 

WW II ~ ARP - Sri Parthasarathi Perumal Garuda Sevai purappadu

 

Brahmothsavam  is a grand festivity – each day it is different Vahanam, and Perumal has classy alankarams … on Garuda vahanam day, thousands gather early in the morning to catch glimpse of the Lord as he comes out of the gate (Gopura vasal darsanam). 

In the grand Brahmothsavam, each Vahanam, every purappadu has its  own charm, yet, if one were to ask the most majestic and most crowd-pulling ones,  it would be Thiruther and Garuda vahanam. !!  .. .. ..    On Garuda Sevai day, people from far and away come to the temple, offer vasthram (new clothes), place before Lord coconut, fruits & other offerings and have darshan of Lord in Garuda vahanam. 

Reading the annals of History, - year 1943 marked a decisive turning point in the Second World War. Allied victories in North Africa, the Soviet triumph at Stalingrad, and the invasion of mainland Italy shifted the balance of power dramatically. Italy surrendered to the Allies, Mussolini was overthrown, and the momentum of the war began favouring the Allied forces both in Europe and the Pacific. On the Eastern Front, the Battle of Kursk delivered a catastrophic blow to German hopes of regaining the initiative. 

Beyond the battlefield, 1943 was a year of intense civilian mobilisation, scientific advancement, and cultural resilience. The Holocaust reached new depths of horror, but was met with courageous resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto. Allied conferences shaped the future world order, while home fronts across Britain, the United States, and the Commonwealth continued to adapt to rationing, bombing, and social change. In Britain, women took on a growing range of industrial roles, while music, cinema, and broadcasting sustained public morale. 

On April 21, 1943, the Jewish resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto was actively fighting back against Nazi troops. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which began on April 19, marked the first major urban rebellion against Nazi Germany.  On this day, the  bombing of Aberdeen killed 98 civilians and 27 servicemen. The attack was the worst of 34 separate German air raids on the Scottish city. The British submarine Splendid was shelled and damaged off Corsica, with the loss of 18 of her 48 crew, by the German destroyer Hermes.  Captain Frederick M. Trapnell became the first U.S. Navy aviator to fly a jet airplane, when he took up the Bell P-59 from the Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) in California. 

 

Chennapatnam, aka namma Madras is now 387 years old … The city has witnessed everything from invasions, bombings, food scarcity, blackouts to evacuations but, time and again, but not much of War and World War.  In 1914, there was the infamous SMS Emden bombing and in 1943 a Japanese Bombing. Before that there were a few invasions that took place. So, people were not really prepared for a full fledged war.   When the World War II  began in 1939, it didn’t affect the city until the Japanese entered. “When the war began there was scarcity and everything was rationed!”   

In 1943 there was a cyclone and the city was flooding. The Japanese dropped the bomb and no one knew that the city was bombed for about a week! Newspapers couldn’t report it because of the inflicted power cut.”  Two-thirds of the city was empty as people fled. “The real estate prices crashed and a lot of people were making money by buying these houses.,” While humans fled, sadly animals in the Madras zoo were shot dead, fearing bombings and what would happen with wild animals on the run. Buildings were to be painted grey and newspapers were pasted on glass windows.  The collector and the Thasildar moved from the beach, in the pretext of other places being ‘safe’. “Technically no place was safe.   

Though the war happened miles away, it touched several lives. “The awareness about Madras’ participation in the war is zero. People only remember the evacuation.  Here is an interesting clipping linking Second WW to Madras particularly Triplicane and more specifically our Temple.  This is about Air Raid Precaution [ARP] reported in Indian Express dated 22.4.1943.   

During the Second World War (1939–1945), the British Government introduced an extensive civil defence system throughout India, particularly in important port cities such as: Madras, Bombay,  Calcutta, Vizag, Cochin, Kakinada and more !!  Madras was considered vulnerable because it was an important harbour, railway junction and military supply centre. After the Japanese entered the war in December 1941 and especially following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, fears of Japanese attacks on India's east coast became very real. People in Madras genuinely feared that the city would be next.  Many wealthy families temporarily left Madras for interior towns.  

The government regularly organised city-wide mock exercises – ARPs - When the siren sounded:

•         everyone had to stop what they were doing;

•         lights had to be switched off;

•         people took shelter;

•         traffic halted;

•         emergency medical teams assembled;

•         fire-fighting units stood ready;

•         police controlled movement.

Volunteers known as ARP Wardens ensured everyone obeyed the regulations. They wore steel helmets bearing the letters ARP.

 

This clipping says :  "...the Vigraha with its accompanying paraphernalia made straight for 'cover' by going into the Gangaikondan Mandapam..." On that day, the Garuda Sevai procession of Sri Parthasarathy Perumal was moving through Tholasinga Perumal Koil Street.  Exactly then, the air-raid warning siren was sounded. The  temple authorities immediately followed the ARP instructions. The Utsava Murti was taken into the nearby Gangaikondan Mandapam, which served as a place of safety. Only after the "All Clear" aesal took place and Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman completed the rest of the procession. 

Those days the Air raid warning siren would be a rising and falling wailing sound, instructing people to take cover immediately and people took shelter.  The All Clear siren would be on a continuous steady note, meaning the danger had passed and normal activities could resume !! 

One needs to have in mind that by that time - Japan had already captured: Singapore, Burma and  the Bay of Bengal was an active theatre of war. Madras remained under constant preparedness although it was never subjected to a major aerial bombardment.

 

This   newspaper report is valuable because it records three aspects simultaneously:

•         wartime civil defence,

•         the continued conduct of temple festivals,

•         cooperation between religious institutions and the civil administration.

 

For those of us connected to Thiruvallikkeni, this is evocative clipping.  It shows that even during one of the most uncertain periods of the 20th century, the Garuda Sevai and other festivities  continued. The devotees paused only long enough to obey the air-raid warning, sheltered both the deity and the assembled devotees in Gangaikondan Mandapam, and then, after the "All Clear", resumed the procession as though affirming that tradition would endure despite the anxieties of war.

 

The famous  Gangaikondan Mandapam   where Emperuman takes rest   once served not only as a sacred resting place during processions but also as an improvised wartime shelter during World War II.  Here is a recent picture of Gangaikondan mandapam and a  video of Garuda vahana aesal this year on 3.5.2026  :  https://youtu.be/POppOu_Sqio

This year Chithirai  Brahmothsavam of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman  at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam    3.5.2026  was  the third day –  Garuda Vahanam for Perumal. 

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
6.7.2026
 
PS:  Special thanks to my friend Mr Karthik Bhatt for providing this clip of newspaper.

Aani Masapirappu 2026 ~ Solar Eclipses and more !!

 

இன்று 15.6.2026 -ஆனி  மாசப்பிறப்பு .. திருவல்லிக்கேணி திவ்யதேசத்தில் ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி எம்பெருமான் சிறிய மாட வீதி புறப்பாடு கண்டருளினார். 

 

தமிழ் நாட்காட்டியின்படி ஆண்டின் மூன்றாவது மாதம் ஆனி ஆகும். சூரியன் மிதுன இராசியுட் புகுந்து அதைவிட்டு வெளியேறும் வரையிலான 31 நாள், 36 நாடி, 38 விநாடி கொண்ட கால அளவே மாதமாகும். வசதிக்காக இந்த மாதம் 30 நாட்கள், அல்லது 31 சில சமயங்கள் மேலும் ஓரு நாள் கொண்டதாக அமையும். ஆனி மாசம் நீண்ட பகல்களை கொண்டது.  கோடை வெப்பமும் அதிகமாக தாக்கும்.  இது மிதுன மாசம் / ஜேஷ்டா மாசம் என்றும் அறியப்படுகிறது.  தமிழ் மாத அளவீட்டில்,  பவுர்ணமி அன்று எந்த நட்சத்திரமோ அதுவே அந்த மாதத்தின் பெயராக இருக்கும். அன்றைக்கு ஒரு பண்டிகையாகவும் விழாவாகவும் இருக்கும். 

 

June 15 is the 166^th  day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 199 days remain until the end of the year. 

Assyria was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization that existed as a city-state from the 21st century BC to the 14th century BC and eventually expanded into an empire from the 14th century BC to the 7th century BC.  Assyrian history spans from the early Bronze Age to the late Iron Age; modern historians typically divide ancient Assyrian history  based on political events and gradual changes in language.  

Assur, the first Assyrian capital, was founded c. 2600 BC, but there is no evidence that the city was independent until the collapse of the Third Dynasty of Ur, in the 21st century BC, when a line of independent kings starting with Puzur-Ashur I began ruling the city. Centered in the Assyrian heartland in northern Mesopotamia, Assyrian power fluctuated over time. The city underwent several periods of foreign rule or domination before Assyria rose in the early 14th century BC as the Middle Assyrian Empire. In the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, Assyria was one of the two major Mesopotamian kingdoms, alongside Babylonia. 

A total solar eclipse, commonly referred to as the Assyrian eclipse or the Bur-Sagale eclipse, occurred on 15 June 763 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar, recorded in Assyrian eponym lists that most likely dates to the tenth year of the reign of king Ashur-dan III.   A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun, completely or partially blocking the Sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is larger than that of the Sun, blocking all of the Sun's light and causing day to turn into darkness.   

In 1867, Henry Rawlinson identified the near-total eclipse of 15 June 763 BC as the most likely candidate  visible in northern Assyria just before noon. This date has been widely accepted ever since; the identification is also substantiated by other astronomical observations from the same period.  This record is one of the crucial pieces of evidence that anchor the absolute chronology of the ancient Near East for the Assyrian period.  The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Comparing many records pieces together a relative chronology relating dates in cities over a wide area.   

Our ancestors have had great knowledge, especially in the field of astronomy and have predicted and recorded  eclipses.  The Mahabharata epic contains two major solar eclipse-related events: one used to date the war, and one famous "false sunset" scene during the battle.   

The epic mentions an ominous pair of eclipses occurring within 13 days before the Kurukshetra war:    A lunar eclipse on Shukla Trayodashi (instead of Purnima) & a  solar eclipse on Krishna Trayodashi (instead of Amavasya).  This rare eclipse pair is used by researchers to date the Mahabharata war. Analysis of eclipse pairs suggests likely years of  3129 BCE, 2599 BCE, 2056 BCE, and others. The epic states these untimely eclipses would "destroy the masses".  The most famous solar eclipse-related scene occurs on the 13th day of the war as ordained by Bhagwan Sree Krishna enabling  Arjuna's quest to kill Jayadratha  

Back to present, the Universe is already gearing up for its next grand performance on August 12, 2026, a breathtaking total solar eclipse will sweep across parts of the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, bringing the magic of totality to Europe for the first time since 1999.  The 2026 solar eclipse is acting as an incredible, high-stakes teaser for an even rarer, monster 6-minute total solar eclipse arriving just one year later.  The path of totality for this eclipse is exceptionally dynamic measuring roughly 180 miles wide. It begins in northeastern Siberia which tracks directly over icy expanses of Greenland, passing through some clips the western coast of Iceland,and plunges south across the North Atlantic Ocean before making landfall in northern and eastern Spain. The eclipse takes place late in the day for Europe viewers in Spain will experience a dramatic sunset totality  where the eclipsed Sun sits very low on the western horizon right before dipping below the earth.

 

At Thiruvallikkeni this evening with road still exhaling heat occurred  Aani masa pirappu purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi perumal.     Here are some photos of today’s purappadu. 

Aani masam has a hectic schedule at Thiruvallikkeni.  17^th June is Punarvasu and there will Sri Ramar purappadu.  23^rd is Hastham, Varadhar purappadu.   Wednes 24.6 is Ankurarpanam of Sri Azhagiya Singar brahmothsavam.  Sun 27^th  is Garuda Sevai; 29^th  eve Yoga Narasimhar thirukolam followed by Hanumantha vahanam; 30^th June is Churnabishekam and Yanai in the evening; 1^st July is Thiruther.  Theerthavari is on Fri 3^rd July 2026.

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli  Srinivasan  Sampathkumar
15.6.2026