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Saturday, January 5, 2019

Thondaradipodi Azhwar Vaibhavam ~ Sarrumurai purappadu 2019


We adore and love our Lord so much that we see Him the way the ordinary mortals do ~ though the Supreme is above everything and can never be estimated or understood – but is the lovely blind faith and love unto Him that made Azhwargal and Acharyars to initiate the Uthsavams and other rituals to the Supreme Lord – in the manner that we want Him to have.  We have the system of sending Lord to sleep and waking Him up with Suprabatham / Thiru Palli Ezhuchi.  ~ and this Mandangudi gave us the Azhwar who rendered the poems in praise of Lord Thiruvarangar and  waking  Him up every day.. 


Today 4th Jan 2019 (Friday)  is a day of great significance ~ Kettai in the month of Margazhi – commemorating the birth of Thondaradipodi Azhwar.  இன்று மன்னிய சீர் மார்கழியில் கேட்டை திருநக்ஷத்திரம்.   சோழநாட்டில் திருமண்டங்குடி என்ற சிற்றூரில் பராபவ வருடம், மார்கழி மாதம், கேட்டை நட்சத்திரத்தில்  பெருமானின் வைஜயந்தி வனமாலையின் அம்சமாகக் கருதப்படும் தொண்டரடிப்பொடி ஆழ்வார் அவதரித்த தினம்.  ஆழ்வார் சாற்றுமுறை இன்று :   முதல் ஆயிரத்தில் திருமாலை 45 பாசுரங்களும் திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி 11-ம் பாடியுள்ளார். எளிய தமிழில் உள்ளத்தைக் கொள்ளை கொள்ளும் பாசுரங்கள் தொண்டரடிப் பொடியுடையவை. இவர் பாடிய  தலங்கள் ~ : திருவரங்கமும்  நாம் பார்க்க முடியாத பரமபதமும். 

தொண்டரடிப்பொடி என்பது ஒரு வகையான புனைபெயர். வைணவ மரபில் பகவானின் அடியார்களின் திருவடிகளின் தூசுகூட புனிதமானது என்கிற நம்பிக்கையின் அதீத வடிவமாக தொண்டரடிப்பொடி என வைத்துக் கொண்டார்.  இவரது இயற்பெயர் விப்ர நாராயணன்.  திவ்ய பிரபந்தத்தில் பிறிதோர் இடத்தில கூட 'இப் பாத தூளி படுதலால் இவ்வுலகம் பாக்கியம் செய்ததே' என்று வருகிறது. அனுதினமும் காலை எல்லா திவ்ய தேசங்களிலும் எம்பெருமானை பள்ளி எழுப்பும், திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி இவரது பாசுரம்.

No body would do mistakes, if they are humble and realize that ‘life on earth is short’ and can come to an end very suddenly.   It is another matter that who firmly follow Sriman Narayana would never indulge in wrong activities.
புரளும்போது அறியமாட்டீர்-
இந்த சரீரமானது எப்போது நிலத்தில் சாயும் என்ற சமயத்தை அறிந்தவர் அல்லீர்

The main tenet of Vaishnavism is ‘total surrender’ (saranakathi) to God.  In one of his poems – “OOrilen Kaaniyillai” – this Azhwar has sung :  “  I have no place; no properties; no relatives; none other than you; I know only your Lotus feet in this material world and cannot but cling to your Lotus feet; O Lord of Blue hued sky colour! You  are my  only refuge. I am crying towards you, Oh the Lord of Arangam (Srirangam) only you can clear me of all my sins and do good for me”



ஊரிலேன் காணியில்லை உறவு மற்றொருவர் இல்லை
பாரில் நின் பாதமூலம் பற்றிலேன் பரம மூர்த்தி*
காரொளி வண்ணனே என் கண்ணனே கதறுகின்றேன்
ஆருளர்க் களைகண் அம்மா அரங்க மாநகருளானே.


-   ~~~      That is one of the pasurams of Thondaradipodi Aazhwar whose birthday mahothsavam is  celebrated today   (kettai nakshathiram in the month of Margazhi).. ..  Thondaradipodiar gave us the “Thirumalai” (45 songs) and  Thirupalli Ezhuchi (10) which are sung everyday to wake up the Lord.  He sang about Thiruvarangam  and Paramapatham.

This Azhwar at birth was named Vipra Narayanar and is also known as Bhaktanghri renu .  Thondaradippodi Alvar was born in a small village by name 'Thiru mandangudi' in Prabhava year, Margazhi month, Krishna chaturthi, in Kettai (Jyestha) Nakshatram (star).   This Thirumandangudi is in Chozha nadu near Kumbakonam,  the nearest landmark being Thiruvarooran sugars factory.    At this place, Lord Ranganatha is seen in a rare standing posture.  Azhwar dedicated himself to serving the God at Thiruvarangam and sought darshan of the Supreme Lord Ranganatha – who yielded by providing him a special standing darshan.  It would appear that the same Lord Ranganatha of Sri Rangam has just stood up to provide darshan to His devotees here.  Here at Mandangudi, we have Lord Ranganatha in a standing posture alongwith Sridevi and Bhumadevi.  The Uthsavar is Azhagiya Manavalar. There is separate sannadhi for the Thayar also.


சூரியன் கிழக்கே தோன்றி விட்டான்; கன இருள் அகன்றது. காலைப்பொழுது, மலர்களில் தேன் ஒழுகுகிறது. தேவர்கள் வந்து எதிர்திசையை நிரப்புகிறார்கள். அவர்களுடன் யானைகளின்  கூட்டமும் வந்துள்ளன. முரசு கடல்அலைபோல அதிர்கிறது.  அரங்கனே எழுந்து அருள்வாய் –  அரங்கத்தம்மா பள்ளி எழுந்தருளாயே” என திருவரங்கனை துயில் எழுப்புகிறார். தனது திருமாலையில்  திருவரங்கனையும் அவனது இடமான திருவரங்கத்தின் பெருமையையும் உரைக்கிறார்.  

ஆழ்வார்  பூலோக வைகுண்டம் என்று  கொண்டாடப்படும் தலத்தில் எம்பெருமானுக்கு கைங்கரியம்செய்ய ஒரு அழகிய நந்தவனம் அமைத்து அதில் பகவானுக்கு  உகந்த மலர்களை வளர்த்து, மாலை தொடுத்து அந்த அரங்கனுக்கு  சாற்றி  மகிழ்ந்தார். இவ்வாறு அவர் உலகில் எதையும் காணாமலும், எப்பொருள் மேலும் இச்சைக் கொள்ளாமலும்கைங்கரியமே கண்ணாக  இருந்தவர்.  திருவரங்கனை அனுபவிக்கும் சுகத்தை   விட இந்திரலோகம் ஆளும் பதவி கொடுத்தாலும் கூட வேண்டேன்  என பாடிய ஆழ்வாரின்   புறப்பாட்டின் போது, திருவல்லிக்கேணி திவ்யதேசத்தில் எடுக்கப்பட்ட சில புகைப்படங்கள் இங்கே :


Azhwar describes himself as a person standing before the Lord with the flower container [pook koodai] in his shoulders and neatly strung ‘Thiruthuzhai maalai’ on his hands waiting for the benevolence of Lord Ranganathar and gives darshan in the same manner aptly described.

***தொடையொத்த துளவமும் கூடையும் பொலிந்து தோன்றிய தோள்
தொண்டரடிப்பொடி என்னும் அடியனை அளியனென்றருளி 
உன்னடியார்க்கு ஆட்படுத்தாய் பள்ளி எழுந்தருளாயே!!


In the last century there were Cinemas based on puranas and in Dec 1938 came the film titled “Vipra Narayana” – directed by A. Narayanan; dialogue – Somayajulu; Songs – Narayanan Vathiyar; Actors : Kothamangalam Seenu, D Suryakumar, TV Rajasundari, Ds Krishnaveni and others.  One cannot think of such films in the era where they parody Gods and comedians always talk gibberish thinking that they are questioning faiths. Let us shun such people and never encourage such things.

~ adiyen Srinivasadhasan.













Friday, January 4, 2019

Manniyaseer Margazhi Kettai ~ Thondaradipodi Azhwar Sarrumurai 2019


Thondaradipodi Alwar Sarrumurai 2019  :
தொண்டரடிப்பொடி ஆழ்வார் சாற்றுமுறை

The shares of Thiru Arooran Sugars Ltd are trading at 32.30  per share ~ have been somewhat volatile as 52 week low was 20.80; high being 62.70  


Thondaradipodi azhwar at avathara sthalam above ~ at Thiruvallikkeni below





Remember the Chettiar bommai, a bobblehead doll used for golu during Navaratri in homes? It is a Thanjavur doll, a world-famous artefact that has attained international fame.

Cyclone Gaja affected Thanjavur and its peripheral places ~ about  ₹123 crore has been disbursed as compensation to cyclone-affected people in Thanjavur district so far, according to Collector.  It is claimed that about 1.16 lakh houses were damaged in the district;  further ₹40.22 crore has been disbursed as livelihood assistance to 80,466 families, who were accommodated at relief centres, and fishermen families with damaged boats. District Collector who inspected damaged coconut groves in Keezhakurichi West panchayat in Pattukottai taluk.  The Collector also disclosed that relief packs containing 27 essential items had been distributed to over 32,500 families in the district so far.

ஒருவில்லால் ஓங்கு முந்நீர் அனைத்துலகங்களுய்ய*
செருவிலேயரக்கர் கோனைச்செற்ற நம் சேவகனார்*
மருவிய பெரிய கோயில் மதிள் திருவரங்கமென்னா*
கருவிலே திருவிலாதீர் காலத்தைக் கழிக் கின்றீரே.

Very powerful message from this Alwar.  What should one do in this World without whiling away time ~ other than chanting the names of Sriman Narayana, the only Saviour who is worshipped in the famed Thiruvarangam Periyakoil. It is He (in Ramavathar) parted the Ocean with a single bow and relieved the World of its trouble by killing the Rakshas chief in the battle.  Just chant His names all the time. 

~ and today  4th Jan 2019  is the right day to know something about this Alwar who was born in Chozhanadu at a place called Mandangudi.

மண்டங்குடி என்பர் மாமறையோர் மன்னியசீர்
தொண்டரடிப்பொடி தொன்னகரம் - வண்டு
திணர்த்தவயல் தென்னரங்கத் தம்மானைப் பள்ளி
உணர்த்தும் பிரான்உதித்த ஊர்.

~ the introductory lines to his prabandham Thirumalai by  Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar.  ஸ்ரீ திருவரங்கப் பெருமாள் அரையர் ஸ்வாமி அருளிச் செய்த தனியன்:


தமிழ் ஒரு இனிய மொழி.  நம் ஆழ்வார்களோ  அந்த அமிழ்தில் திளைத்தவர்கள்.  இங்கே வண்டு  திணர்த்த வயல் என்றதும் வண்டுகள் நிறைந்து இருக்கும் கழனிகள் என போறும் சூழற்க்க ;  திணர்த்தல் என்றால் -  நெருக்கமாதல் ; கனமாகப் படிந்திருத்தல்.  இதன்படியே - வண்டல் மண் கனமாகப் படிந்து அதிலே  வளமான பயிர்கள் விளையும் வயல்கள் சூழ்ந்த திருவரங்கத்தில் எழுந்தருளி இருக்கும் அரங்கநாதப் பெருமானை துயிலெழுப்பப் பாடல்கள் அருளவே (ஒரு சூரியன் போல) ஒளியோடு தோன்றிய, நிலைபெற்ற பெருமை வாய்ந்த, தொண்டரடிப்பொடியாழ்வார் அவதரித்த பழமையான தலம் திருமண்டங்குடி என்று நான்மறையாளர்கள் பகர்வர்.

Today 4th Jan 2019   marks the sarrumurai of  Thondaradipodi Aazhwar  (kettai nakshathiram in the month of Margazhi).. ..  Thondaradipodiar gave us the “Thirumalai” (45 songs) and  Thirupalli Ezhuchi (10) which are sung everyday to wake up the Lord.  He sang about Thiruvarangam  and Paramapatham.  This Azhwar at birth was named Vipra Narayanar and is also known as Bhaktanghri renu .  Thondaradippodi Alvar was born in a small village by name 'Thiru mandangudi' in Prabhava year, Margazhi month, Krishna chaturthi, in Kettai (Jyestha) Nakshatram (star).   This Thirumandangudi is in Chozha nadu near Kumbakonam,  the nearest landmark being Thiruvarooran sugars factory.  

            At this place, Lord Ranganatha is seen in a rare standing posture.  Azhwar dedicated himself to serving the God at Thiruvarangam and sought darshan of the Supreme Lord Ranganatha – who yielded by providing him a special standing darshan.  It would appear that the same Lord Ranganatha of Sri Rangam has just stood up to provide darshan to His devotees here.  Here at Mandangudi, we have Lord Ranganatha in a standing posture alongwith Sridevi and Bhumadevi.  The Uthsavar is Azhagiya Manavalar. There is separate sannadhi for the Thayar also.

இன்று (4th Jan 2019) மன்னிய சீர் மார்கழியில் கேட்டை திருநக்ஷத்திரம். சோழநாட்டில்திருமண்டங்குடி என்ற சிற்றூரில் பராபவ வருடம், மார்கழி மாதம், கேட்டை நட்சத்திரத்தில் பெருமானின் வைஜயந்தி வனமாலையின் அம்சமாகக் கருதப்படும் தொண்டரடிப்பொடிஆழ்வார்  அவதரித்த தினம். ஆழ்வார் சாற்றுமுறை இன்று.   இவரது இயற்பெயர் விப்ரநாராயணன்.  அனுதினமும் காலை  எல்லா திவ்ய தேசங்களிலும் எம்பெருமானை பள்ளிஎழுப்பும், திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி  இவரது  பாசுரம். இவர் முதல் ஆயிரத்தில் திருமாலை (45 பாசுரங்களும்)  திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சியும் (11) பாடியுள்ளார்.

***தொடையொத்த துளவமும் கூடையும் பொலிந்து தோன்றிய தோள்
தொண்டரடிப்பொடி என்னும் அடியனை அளியனென்றருளி உன்னடியார்க்கு
ஆட்படுத்தாய் பள்ளி எழுந்தருளாயே!!

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan. 

Garuda SEvai on the occasion for Sri Ranganathar at Mandangudi


Thondaradipodigal at Avatharasthalam 

Tailpiece :  ** Thiru Arooran Sugars Ltd was incorporated in 1954, setting up a sugar factory at Vadapathimangalam, Thanjavur with crushing capacity of 1200 tonnes fo cane per day.  In 1990, they expanded their crushing capacity setting up a new mill at Thirumandangudi, Papanasam Taluk, Thanjavur. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Margazhi Swathi ~ Sri Azhagiya Singar Purappadu @ Thiruvallikkeni 2019


Today 17th day of Margazhi is day 1 of Jan 2019 ~ Swathi Nakshathiram.  This evening at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam,  Sri Azhagiya Singar had chinna mada veethi purappadu.  It was Peyalwar’s Moonram thiruvanthathi.


பேயாழ்வாரின் பக்தி சுரக்கும் வார்த்தைகளில் இங்கே "மூன்றாம்திருவந்தாதி"  பாசுரம் :
பொலிந்திருண்ட கார்வானில் மின்னேபோல் தோன்றி,*
மலிந்து திருவிருந்த மார்வன், - பொலிந்த*
கருடன்மேல் கொண்ட கரியான் கழலே, *
தெருடன்மேல் கண்டாய் தெளி.*


Azhwar likens the lightning appearing clear on dark rain cloud – with the appearance of Sriman Narayana having  Sri Lakshmi on His chest, seated resplendently on Garuda as mount.  Having seen the lotus feet through knowledge Alwar directs our hearts to fall and follow those divine feet, which alone can lead us to salvation. 

Here are some photos taken during the purappadu
~adiyen Srinivasadhasan










remembering my thatha ~ Sri Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachar Swami


A decade or so ago, as you passed GST road in Chromepet, one could smell some strong fragrance.  People used to say – it emanates from Pond’s.  .. .. there was another -  Maschmeijer Aromatics India, setup in 1960 in collaboration with the world famous Maschmeijer Aromatics B.V., Amsterdam for the manufacture of musks and fragrances.  It was a modern aroma chemical plant  that was setup in Madras, alongwith a blending unit for fragrances.

Life in a divyadesam is always exhilarating – you get to mingle with so many persons whose life is entwined in service to Emperuman Sriman Narayana.  There would be purappadu on Uthsava kalams and on pancha parvams too.  There are Battacharyars whose exceptional dedication ensures that Emperuman comes out adorning the choicest of flowers, ornaments, dress and more.  There is the  Veda adhyapaka goshti – hundreds of them chant Nalayira divyaprabandham in front of Emperuman on the streets and  chanting Vedam  after the Perumal.   Of the many kainkaryams, Sripadham thangis are  physically associated too and can be very demanding.   



Thiruvallikkeni Veda Adhyapaka goshti is extremely organized ~ doing kainkaryam in exceptionally meritorious manner.  In the present goshti, there are at least 3 who are more than 80+ and they are very regular too.  Divyaprabandha kainkaryam flows from Azhwargal, Acaryas, Swami Ramanujar, our Acaryar Manavala Mamunigal .. .. .. and continues to eternity.  In Triplicane, the Adhyapaka sabai has legal sanctity too. 

My initiation to participating in Nalayira divyaprabandha goshti started in mid 1970s, when a bunch of school going students (close to 100+) were taught Peyalwar’s moonram thiruvanthathi by MA Venkatakrishnan swami, who himself was a college student those days.  To me personally, it flowed through my maternal grandfather Sri Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachar Swami, a tall personality, who was regular in attending to purappadu and was a muraikarar (who had the privilege of starting goshti on the given day of the week).  When I was young – my grandfather and my mother inculcated the habit of going to sandhai, learning divyaprabandham from MAV and attending thiruveethi purappadu without fail.

Those days, chinna mada veethi purappadu would take around 20 minutes and periya mada veethi purappadu approx 45 mins.  As I could remember, the first line was garnished by Sri U.Ve  :  Kavalkazhani Ananthachar swami, Desur Srinivasa iyengar swami, Anantheri Vathiyar, Kanthur vathiyar (fondly kittachi), Kuvalai Ramanujachar, Ashtagothram Parthasarathi Swami,  Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachar (my grand father),Vinjamoor Narasimhachar,  Thirucherai Ramanujachar, Vanamamalai Sampath swami ~  Sri Varadhanarayana iyengar, Vanamamalai Deivanayagam swami, Kooram Bashyam swami .. and more .. .. then there were: Dr VV Ramanujam, Sthalasayanathu Uraiyavar,  Sri Rangarajan,  MA Venkatakrishnan, Vinjamoor Raghavan, Sathish, Rajappa, TR Raghavan,  MS Srinivasan  .. .. ..  and more . .. (and all of them encouraged all the children who enthusiastically came for the purappadu) [obviously there are so many swamins who did great kainkaryam  over the period of time – if I had left out some names, please forgive me or put on the comments, so that I can correct and mention appropriately.]

This is no chronicle of purappadu and divyaprabandha goshti of Thiruvallikkeni – more of my remembrance of grandfather whose annual ceremony took place this day.  On 18.12.1984, early morning @ 3 am, Athichozhamangalam swami, started from home for Danur masa viswaroopam and Thiruppavai sarrumurai.  After viswaroopam, before thiruppavai sarrumurai, he reportedly collapsed – some (could remember VM Soundararajan) took him in a cycle rickshaw – we at home were alerted – went to a 24 hour dispensary (probably all was over by that time) – were directed to Royapettah Hospital, where Doctors stated that he had passed away peacefully sometime earlier. 

A very natural and peaceful passing away, though coming as it, so suddenly – it took us to deep grief.  My grand father Ramanujam – was identified in goshti circles by his native place as ‘Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachariyar’.  He did kainkaryam as  Adhyapakar in Sri Parthasarathi Swami Temple at Thiruvallikkeni for more than two decades.   He was an extremely affable person, tall, well-built, strict disciplinarian with neat disposition.  He was so fond of his children and grand-children.  We have very sweet memories of our sweet thatha.   In his early days, probably in his teens, he moved out of this village to the city of Chennai for greener pastures – when he landed up at Mambalam, it was sort of forest where foxes and snakes were seen..  he worked as an Accountant in Mashmeijer Aromatics and did some part-time job for some advocate in Parrys corner too.  Having lost his father very early in life, he toiled against odds – and ensured that his family was well placed.  He had a son and 3 daughters – now all his grandsons/ granddaughters are well settled by his support and with the grace of our Emperuman. 

This place ‘Athichozhamangalam’ is really a very small tinydot village nearer Thanjavur – Thiruvarur.    Have heard from my family elders that this place is nearer ‘Kodimangalam’ which has a Mariamman temple – known as Thirumathikundram [a Railway station] in the Thanjavur – Tiruvarur route.  A few years ago, explored my way and reached this ancestral village too .. 

The village Athichozhamangalam lies around 2 km away from the Thirumanthikunam railway station.  The village  Athichozhamangalam comes under Block : Koradachery; in the district of Thiruvarur.  When I went there on an evening in 2012, the  fields in tune with Thanjavur / Thiruvarur belt were lush green – not many knew of this place, even when enquired in nearer places.  Travelled from Kumbakobam – on road to Mannarkudi / Alangudi - Needamangalam - Left - Koradacheri - around 7 km - 4 road junction - Right - ONGC - 400m left - Athichozhamangalam - Byepass road - Ammaiyappan - road to Thirukannamangai divyadesam.

There is ONGC exploration on the way and this is a small [really small] village – only fields – no big streets even.  There is a Post Office by the name of the village itself with name board proudly reading:  Athichozhamangalam P.O.  This is not my native village, - it is Mamndur, my father’s ancestral village – the one  identified with the nearest bigger place Dusi Village and known as Dusi Mamandur. 

On this day our family members remember Sri U.Ve. Athichozhamangalam Ramanujachar for all the good things that he has left for us all.  He is proudly remembered for his affection that he showered on us all,  sincerity, authoritativeness without sounding harsh ever, and being punctual in everything he did.  He was never late to goshtis and would spend long hours  inside the temple waiting for the proceedings to take place ~ a trait appreciated by all those who knew him.    He was very friendly to neighbours and other people of the divyaprabandha goshti too.  Remembered as a Man who rose to greater heights starting from a very challenging situation .. .. ..

~ adiyen dhasan S. Sampathkumar.
1st Jan 2019.  (Margazhi 17)