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Sunday, September 27, 2015

Sri Parthasarathi Purattasi Pournami purappadu 2015

Today [27th Sept 2015] is Purattasi Pournami and Sri Parthasarathi had chinna mada veethi purappadu.


Here are some photos of the day 

                                                                                                            Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan






Thursday, September 24, 2015

Sri Vedanthachar Sarrumurai at Thiruvallikkeni 2015

Today 24th Sept. 2015 is  ‘ Thiruvonam ‘ in the month of Purattasi ~ the day marking the sarrumurai of Sri Vedanthachar.

Swami was born in  Thoopul, near Kanchipuram;  was named Venkatanatha and grew to become a great scholar.  Thupul [Thiruthanka] is a Divyadesam where Sri Deepa Prakasar is the presiding deity.   

At  Thiruvallikkeni, there was periya mada veethi purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi along with Sri Vedanthachar.  Iramanusa Noorranthathi was rendered in the goshti.  Here are some photos taken during the purappadu.


Adiyen Srinivasadhasan









Saturday, September 19, 2015

Purattasi Sani at Thiruvallikkeni - Sri Azhagiya Singar Purappadu 2015

Purattasi Sanikkizhamai at Thiruvallikkeni -   sri Azhagiya Singar Purappadu

The tamil month of Purattasi has a pride of place.  Devotees throng  Vishnu temples, especially Tirupathi.  In this month, there will be the annual Brahmothsavam at Tirupathi.

Devotees in large numbers visit Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam.  Every Saturday of the month of Purattasi, there will be Periya maada veethi purappadu of Lord Azhagiya Singar.  Today at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam,  19th  Sept. 2015,  being the  1st  Saturday of Purattasi, there was grand  Purappadu.

Purattasi is also the time for  9 day Navarathri celebrations.   This year Navrathri starts on 27th day of Purattasi [14th Octobr 2015] During Navarathri, there will be purappadu of Vedavalli Thayar inside the temple. Here are some photos taken during the Azhagiya Singar purappadu today. 


Adiyen Srinivasadhasan







Saturday, September 12, 2015

Sri Parthasarathi Avani Amavasai purappadu at Triplicane 2015

Today – 12th Sept. 2015 is Avani Amavasai – there was grand periya mada veethi purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi perumal at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam.


Here are some photos of the purappadu.                            Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan






Thursday, September 10, 2015

Thiruvallikkeni Sri Parthasarathi Uriyadi purappadu 2015

Having celebrated the birth of Lord Krishna on 6th Sept. 2015, there is lot more to celebrate.  Lord Krishna was born in every house of His devotees; in the morning of 7th Sept, there was purappadu of Bala Krishnan [KalingaNarthanakannan] visiting various places.


In the evening, occurred the grand purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi, as ‘Krishna with flute’ in beautiful sitting posture on ‘Punnai tree’ [Pinnakilaivahanam].  BalaKrishnar was there in the vahanam too.   On this occasion, ‘uriyadi’ – the game of hitting the hanging object [with hidden gifts inside]  with sticks  is played, specially by Yadavas, the cowherds, the clan of Lord Krishna Himself.  The game is very fierce as the clubbing with a stick is made most tough with  others fiercely throwing  water on the player.  The water twirled out of cone shaped pitchers would flow like a whip and can cause some pain too, when struck.  This is a traditional game. 

Triplicane has a fair sprinkling of Yadavas and there was grand uriyadi at the entrance of the Temple and at Singarachari Street – Nagoji Rao Street intersection. Here are some photos of the purappadu.  One can have darshan of  Lord Krishna at the feet of Lord Parthasarathi, sitting on Punnaikilaivahanam. 

கிருஷ்ணஜெயந்தி நன்னாளில் ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணபகவான் தன்னை அன்புடன் அழைத்த பக்தர்கள் இல்லங்களில் எல்லாம் பிறந்து, அவர்கள் அணிவித்த புத்தாடை உடுத்தி, நம் இல்லங்களிலே தள்ளித்தளர்நடையிட்டு, நாம் அவருக்கு சமர்ப்பித்த "செந்நெல்அரிசி சிறுபருப்புச் செய்த அக்காரம் நறுநெய்பால்"; “கன்னலிலட்டுவத்தோடு  சீடை காரெள்ளினுண்டை”; “அப்பம் கலந்த சிற்றுண்டி அக்காரம்  பாலில் கலந்த சிற்றுண்டிகள்”;  “நாவற்பழம்  முதலான பழங்கள்'  ஆகிய  எல்லாவற்றையும்  ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார்.  நாமும்ஆனந்தித்தோம்.

இப்படியாக நள்ளிரவிலே பிறந்த கண்ணபிரான், மறுநாள்காலை –   'காளிங்க நர்த்தனனாய்" திருக்கோலம் பூண்ட கண்ணன் தாள் பணிந்தோரை எல்லாம் தயவுடன் காப்பவன், பாலகண்ணனாக – சேஷவாஹனத்தில் புறப்பாடு கண்டு அருளினார். இப்புறப்பாட்டின் போது பக்தர்கள், கண்ணனுக்கு வெண்ணை சமர்ப்பிக்கின்றனர்.

மாலை ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதிபெருமாள் புன்னைகிளை வாஹனத்தில் எழுந்து  அருளி  பக்தர்களுக்கு அருள்பாலித்தார்.  புல்லாங்குழல் ஊதும் மிக அழகிய திருக்கோலத்தில் 'ஆயர்பாடியில் ஆயர்களோடு குரவை கோத்தமாமாயன்' – புன்னைகிளைவாஹனத்தில், கூடவே பாலகண்ணனும் எழுந்து அருள புறப்பாடு கண்டு அருளினார்.

திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் உள்ள யாதவர்கள் இந்நாளில் உறியடி திருவிழாவினை சிறப்பாககொண்டாடுவர்.  சிலஇடங்களில் 'உரியடி' என்று எழுதப்பட்டாலும் 'உறியடி' என்பதே சரி.  தமிழில், உரி என்கிற வினைசொல்லுக்கு, தோலைநீக்கு' அல்லது ஒருமுகத்தல் அலகு'  என்றே பொருள்படும்.  உறி என்ற பெயர்ச்சொல் பண்டங்கள், தயிர்  போன்றவை வைக்கும் பொருட்டு தொங்கவிடும் உறி – எனவே இது உறியடி.

நாலாயிரதிவ்யபிரபந்தத்தில் பெரியாழ்வார் திருமொழியில் உறிபற்றி  -முதற்பத்து முதல்திருமொழி - வண்ணமாடங்கள் (பாடல் 4). “ உறியை முற்றத்து  உருட்டி நின்றாடுவார்*.  அடுத்த பாசுரத்தில்  " கொண்டதாளுறி கோலக்கொடுமழு" என்றும் வருகிறது.   இந்த உறியடி விளையாட்டில் உயரமானகம்புகள் இடையே கிணற்றில் இருக்கும் கப்பி போன்ற அமைப்பின் வழியாக தேங்காய்க்குள் பரிசுபொருள்கள் அடங்கிய உறி ஒன்று தொங்கவிடப்படுகிறது. இளைஞர்கள் தங்கள் கையில் உள்ள கொம்பின் மூலம் அந்த உறியை அடித்து சாய்த்துவதுதான் போட்டி.  பெரிய ட்ரம்களில் தண்ணீர் வைத்து உருளிகள் மூலம் வாகாய் சுழற்றி  வேகமாய் உறியடி அடிக்கவருவோர்மீது பலர்அடிப்பர். இது சாட்டைஅடி போன்றுவிழும்.  புறப்பாட்டின்போது எடுக்கப்பட்ட சிலபடங்கள் இங்கே :


அடியேன் ஸ்ரீனிவாசதாசன்.






Sri Jayanthi ~ Kalinga Narthana Kannan purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni 2015

On 6th Sept 2015 Sri Jayanthi was celebrated atThiruvallikkeni divyadesam, at many other divyadesangal; at  every home -  in the manner of Lord Krishna being born at every home – devotees were  elated.  We painted the footsteps of little Krishna – exhibiting His walking inside our home,  did Thirumanjanam for the vigraha at home, made Him adorn new  clothes; offered Him choicest dishes made with love at home. We also offered Him variety of fruits.

Bhagwan Krishna’s birth variously known as Gokulashtami, Krishna Jayanthi and more is often referred to in the South,  as Sri Jayanthi.  There is a notion that ‘Jayanthi’ refers to the birth date and thereby we have no. of Jayanthis !!! -  Heard from Dr MA Venkatakrishnan, a renowned scholar in Sanskrit and Vaishnavism that ‘Jayanthi’ connotes ‘muhurtham’ – among the various muhurthams i.e., the classification of time – one occurring between ‘Ashtami closer to Navami’ and on Rohini is known as ‘Jayanthi’ and it was on this muhurtham Lord Krishna was born.  Because of the birth of Lord Krishna, this muhurtham attained special significance. As Srivaishnavaites prefix ‘Sri’ with all auspicious things associated with Maha Vishnu, it became ‘Sri Jayanthi’ – hence there cannot be any other Jayanthis – the one and only Jayanthi is that of Lord Krishna.  Just as the birth of Lord Rama is ‘Sree Rama Navami’ – that of Lord Krishna is ‘SreeJayanthi’.

At Thiruvallikkenidivyadesam, after birth in the midnight ~ ‘Sri on the   next day  7th Sept 15  morning there was purappadu of ‘little Krishna’ – the beautiful little Krishna in Seshavahanam ~  dancing atop ‘Kalinga’. During this purappadu, devotees offer loads of fresh butter to Lord Krishna.  Here are some photos taken during the purappadu.

திருவல்லிக்கேணி திவ்யதேசத்தில் இன்று காலை [7.9.2015] ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணர் சேஷவாஹனத்தில் புறப்பாடு  கண்டுஅருளினார்.  தள்ளித்தளர் நடையிட்டு இளம்பிள்ளையாய் மாயக்கண்ணன் புரிந்த லீலாவிநோதங்களை நினைவுகூறும் விதமாக காளிங்கநர்த்தனம் புரியும் அழகான குட்டிகண்ணன் சேஷவாஹனத்தில் பக்தர்களுக்கு அருள்செய்தார்.  பக்தர்களை உய்விப்பதற்க்காக இவ்வுலகத்தில் அவதரித்து,  வாழ்ந்து, நாம் அறிவுபெற நல்லமுதமாம் 'ஸ்ரீபகவத்கீதையை' அருளிய கண்ணபிரானின் திருவடிகளைபற்றியவருக்கு, நிர்ஹேதுக  க்ருபை  உடையவனான எம்பெருமான் எல்லாநலன்களையும் தானேஅளித்து,  நம்மை பாதுகாப்பார். 





"வடமதுரைப் பிறந்த தாதுசேர்தோள் கண்ணனல்லால் இல்லை கண்டீர் சரணே."  :  வடமதுரையிலே அவதவதரித்த,   மாலையணிந்த, தோள்களையுடைய கண்ணனைத் தவிர நமக்கு வேறொரு  புகலில்லை. அவன்தாள்களே சரணம்.

எம்பெருமான் திருவடிகளேசரணம்; ஜீயர் திருவடிகளே சரணம்; 
ஆச்சார்யன் திருவடிகளேசரணம் !!!

AdiyenSrinivasadhasan.


Sunday, September 6, 2015

Celebrating birth of Lord Krishna ~ at Temples, Mathura, Gokul and at home....

வாயுள் வையகம் கண்ட மடநல்லார்* ஆயர் புத்திரனல்லன் அருந்தெய்வம்*;பாய சீருடைப் பண்புடைப் பாலகன்* மாயனென்று மகிழ்ந்தனர் மாதரே.

Today 6th Sept 2015  is a day of great significance, for we Celebrate the ‘Birth  of Bhagwan Sri Krishna’ as Sri Jayanthi.  Ithihasa Puranas are the fundamentals to tenets of Vaishnava philosophy and one can learn everything in Sri Ramayana and Mahabaratha.  The birth of Lord Sri Krishna at Mathura to Vasudeva and Devaki is celebrated with gaiety everywhere.  While some celebrate the coming of Lord Krishna to this Universe on Ashtami day as ‘Gokulashtami’ – in South India, it is more with the star of ‘Rohini’ and the birth day is being celebrated as : Krishna Jayanthi, Janmashtami, Gokulaashtami, Sri Jayanthi and more – all various names celebrating the birth of Bhagwan Lord Sri Krishna in this Universe on the Ashtami (8th day of dark half of Krishna paksha) on the Rohini Nakshathiram.  This year, the festival falls on 8th Sept 2012.  Will post tomorrow on why only this is  ‘Sri Jayanthi’.

Lord Krishna was thus born with parents incarcerated and being moved under heavy showers crossing Yamuna river in spates, being protected by Adi Sesha – to grow up in Gokul with cowherds.  Those there had the fortune of watching Krishna grow up – every now and then revealing glimpses of His identity.  As can be understood from the words of  Periyalwar – ‘ the grand ladies of Gokulam, chased the child with Yasodha chiding Him for eating the earthen sand; when He opened the mouth, they realised and exclaimed with glee ‘ He is no ordinary cowherd child; but the blessed Lord Himself – fully imbued with all auspicious qualities”.

At Thiruvallikkeni Sri Parthasarathi Swami temple, His birth would be celebrated at around 9 pm today with Krishna in ‘Kaithala Sevai” - later there will be ‘Thirumanjanam’.  Tomorrow morning there would be  purappadu of Lord Sri Krishna dancing on kalinga.  Tomorrow  there will  be purappadu of Lord Parthasarathi in Punnai tree vahanam.  On this occasion, ‘uriyadi’ – the game of hitting the hanging gifts with sticks when others fiercely throw water is played. The photo above is Sri Parthasarathi in Vennnai Thazikkannan – on day 8 of brahmothsavam.

It is not in Temples alone -  devotees  all over celebrate this day in a manner that Lord Krishna is born in every house.  They paint the footsteps of  little Krishna in their houses, have the vigraha of Krishna adorn new clothes and offer choicest dishes to the Lord, many of which are referred to in the Naalayira Divyaprabandham also.  Sri Periyazhwaar has sung songs celebrating all aspects from the birth of Sri Krishna, to His crawling, His toddling, requesting him to adorn ear rings; offering Him various flowers; bathing Him and more… Lots of fruits are also offered to Krishna at every home. 

கண்ணன் பிறந்த இந்நாளை எல்லா திருகோவில்களிலும், எல்லாரது இல்லங்களிலும் சிறப்புற கொண்டாடுகிறோம். யசோதை ஸ்ரீக்ருஷ்ணருடைய திருப்பாதங்களில் ஒன்பது விரல்களுக்கு நவரத்ன வர்ணத்தையும் மற்றொரு விரலுக்குப் பொன்னிறத்தையும்  இட்டு கண்ணனை கொஞ்சி சீராட்டி வளர்த்தாக பெரியாழ்வார் பாடியுள்ளார்.  அந்த குழந்தை கண்ணன் நம் இல்லங்களுக்கு தவழ்ந்து தளர்நடையிட்டு வரும் அனுபத்தை ரசித்து, இல்லங்களில் கண்ணனின் திருப்பாதங்களை வரைந்து,  பூஜை அறையில், கண்ணபிரானை நீராட்டி, புது ஆடை உடுத்தி, அவருக்கு பலவித பழங்களையும் பக்ஷனங்களையும் படைத்தது நாம் கொண்டாடுகிறோம். 


பெரியாழ்வார் கண்ணன் பிறந்தது முதல் ஒவ்வொரு பருவத்தையும் கொண்டாடி மகிழ்கிறார். ஓரிடத்தில் "செந்நெல் அரிசி சிறு பருப்புச் செய்த அக்காரம் நறுநெய் பாலால்" என -  செந்நெல்லரிசியும், சிறு பயற்றம்பருப்பும்; காய்ச்சித் திரட்டி நன்றாகச் செய்த அக்காரம் என்கிற கருப்புக்கட்டியும்; மணம் மிக்க நெய்யும்; பாலும் ஆகிற இவற்றாலேயும் "கன்னலிலட்டுவத்தோடு சீடை காரெள்ளினுண்டை”    எனவும் அப்பம் கலந்த சிற்றுண்டி,  அக்காரம் பாலில் கலந்து என்பதாகவும் சிறந்த சிற்றுண்டிகளை பெருமாளுக்கு சமர்ப்பிக்கிறார்.  தவிர பெருமாளுக்கு சிறந்த பழங்கள் பல சமர்ப்பிக்கப்படுகின்றன. இவற்றுள் நாவற்பழமும் சிறப்பிடம் பெறுகிறது. 

Mathura is the holy place where Lord Krishna was born…. ~ the centre of what is fondly referred as Braj bhoomi.  Remember Lord was born in a prison cell at Mathura, the capital of Surasena kingdom ruled by Kamsa, the maternal uncle of the Lord.  This is a very old place dating back to Ramayana days.   At the place where Lord Krishna was born now exists a Temple popularly known as ‘Janmasthan temple’  -  Kesava Deo Temple considered most sacred for all Hindus.  There is a huge complex comprising of a small temple, the Janmasthan, gallery, a huge temple later built by Dalmiyas – the prison cell – the exact place where Lord Krishna was born is under a doom – all heavily fortified and guarded these days.  At the Janmasthan is the most beautiful  Kehsav Dev(Krishna), the worshipped  deity of this temple. According to traditions the original deity was installed by the  great-grandson of Krishna.

This temple is considered a monument of Gupta period (320 to 550 CE)which was destroyed in 1661 CE by Aurangzeb. Vrindavan is the twin town of Mathura and there are other holy places of Gokulam and Govardhana giri – all in the vicinity. 

Our Ithihasa purana extols  the living of Lord Krishna at every stage of his life – right from his birth in prison cell, to moving across river Yamuna during the heavy downpour; to his growth of every stage at Gokulam, his plays at Vrindavan to the Great battle at Gurukshetra and more……….

Not far away, may be around 10 kms away from the birthplace Mathura across river Yamuna is the mystic Gokul, the quaint village.  People here are simple and totally believe that it is the sacred earth where Krishna and Balarama spent this childhood blissfully.  On a casual conversation, one small shop owner remarked – that the milk at Gokulam would only be sweet, for it is the bhoomi of Lord Krishna, whereas Mathura is Asura boomi – the land of demon.  These areas are known as Brajbhoomi, land of Krishna derived from Sanskrit word Vraja.

Shri Thakurani Ghat is believed to be the place where Vasudevar carrying Lord Krishna on his head, reached Gokul.  There is this temple nearby, which locals say that Shiva waited for few days to have darshan of the Child Krishna.  Brahmaand ghat is believed to be the place where little Kannan ate dust and whence Yashodha had the fortune of seeing the Universe in His mouth and understanding the greatness of the Lord.

Gokul is a Srivaishna divyadesam, sung by Sri Periyalwar, Andal and Thirumangai Azhwar.  Books describe the Moolavar of this sthalam as Navamohana Krishnan in standing posture with Rukmini and Sathyabama piratti. The temple sung by Azhwars do not exist now – there is purana mandir and many other places considered holy.  The land, the village is considered holy and for us believers, it does offer great sense of happiness to be there for a few minutes in life.
 the  streets of Gokulam 
Sri Nand Yasodha Mandir

crossing Yamuna river bridge to reach Gokul.



Jai Sri Krishna

Adiyen Srinivasadhasan.


6th Sept. 2015.

Friday, September 4, 2015

the bells that reverberate at Temple [gaanda mani !]

Temple  bells are part of rituals ~and are considered sacred.  At the holy Thirumala, as is in all Temples, the bells toll every day during temple rituals.  Devotees would observe the two huge bells [Gaanda mani] within the precincts of the temple, upon coming out of the sanctum sanctorum of Thiruvengadam Udaiyan. 

It is believed that the twin bells in the Temple were installed in 1417 by a king of Vijayanagar empire.   The bells reverberate during the pre-dawn rituals like Thomala Seva, Archana, Koluvu and more importantly during the time when the priests offer ‘Thiruamudhu’ [neivethyam – offering of food].  As the history of the temple goes, the ornate Mukha Mandapam also called as ‘Mani Mandapam’ where the two-bells are installed to a huge beam was built in the year 1417 by Vijayanagar king Amathya Mallana.The kings were said to have built a chain of Mani Mandapams between the Tirumala temple and the Chandragiri fort with such an engineering symmetry that they served as ‘relay stations’ to carry the sound-waves from the bells from one place to another.  It is believed that the Vijayanagara kings, while on their sojourn in the Chandragiri fort, located around 12 km from Tirupati down the hill, used to take their food only after the bells were tolled.

Today’s the Hindu report that the Welding Research Institute (WRI) of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchi, has repaired and handed over a vintage temple bell belonging to Arulmigu KaligaParameshwari Temple at Periya Kammala Street in Tiruchi.
At a function held at WRI today, S. Gopinath, Executive Director, BHEL, Tiruchi, handed over the bell to the temple trustees led by S.Rajendran.A special puja was performed by the temple priest at WRI for the bell which is over 100 years old, in the presence of Mr.Gopinath and other senior officials. The original tone of the bell has been restored. Describing the complex repair welding process, R. Easwaran, General Manager, WRI & Labs, said the bell made of brass, weighing over 75 kg and about 1.5-foot tall had been out of use since 1988.It had developed a large crack of over 150 mm in length due to prolonged usage and needed repair.
this photo credit : The Hindu 

A special fixture and heating burner were developed and the temple bell was welded at controlled temperature using special consumables and flux. The welding was done by the young welders of WRI, who had been mentored by welders with experience in such intricate welding. So far, over 50 such bells belonging to various temples and churches in Tamil Nadu have been re-conditioned by WRI including the one at the Rockfort temple, a BHEL press release said.

Thousands of mile away, lies the Hanshan Temple (literally: "Cold Mountain Temple"), a Buddhist temple and monastery inSuzhou, China. Traditionally, Hanshan Temple is believed to have been founded during the Tianjian era (502–519) of the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, in the Southern and Northern Dynasties period.

There are two bells currently used at Hanshan Temple, both dating from the late Qing Dynasty when the temple was last rebuilt. One was forged in China in 1906, and the other was forged in Japan at around the same time. The dedication on the bell was written by Japanese Prime Minister ItōHirobumi.

A few years back a  new 108 tonne bell was made in a foundry in Wuhan; the bell is 8.5 metres high and 5.2 metres in diameter at its widest. Here is a photo of the bell in transit – courtesy Dinamalar.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar

4th Sept. 2015.