Sri Parthasarathi Kodai Uthsavam day 6 : காத்தானைக் காண்டும் நீ காண்.- 2019

8^th July 2019 was day 6 of Kodai Uthsavam and it was Periya thiruvanthathi rendition in the divyaprabandha goshti.

Triplicane, the famed land [Thiruvallikkeni twisted badly by British English] existed since ages ~ however on a web search read an article -  the arrival of the British in 1639 brought Madras to the heart of the maritime trade networks that were starting to emerge in the early 17th century. The British East India Company first settled in southern India in 1611, but moved to the area of Madras in 1639 in order to be near the established textile weavers' communities. Textiles produced in the region were internationally sought-after, and were exported to Central Asia, Persia, and the East Indies. Weavers, dyers and merchants from the region were encouraged to settle around the city, named 'Madras' after the local village of Madraspatnam. Not long afterwards, in 1641, Madras was designated the site of the East India Company's headquarters and went on to become one of the most prominent places .. ..

Triplicane figured prominently during the invasion of the Carnatic in 1740 — 1741. In September 1746 when the French Commander La Bourdannais attacked Madras, a body of French troops encamped on the east side of the temple where they quickly threw up an entrenchment for the protection of their armaments and stores.  In a rough sketch plan of Madras about 1746 the Grand Pagoda of  Triplicane the temple tank and the French embankments have all been marked. ~ நம்ம திருவல்லிக்கேணி ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி திருக்கோவில் தான் ! This plan was taken by Paradis who was sent by  Dupleix on a secret visit to Madras in 1743 to prepare a plan of its fortifications and was reproduced by Colonel Davis,  [HD Love-  Vastiges of old Madras Vol. II Page 356.]

In the latter half of 1749, Madras was finally handed  over to the English. Triplicane, thereafter became the residential suburb of English merchants who built several garden houses, along or near the south bank of the Cooum, then called the Triplicane river.

To us Triplicane is much older – the great antiquity of the temple is borne out by the inscription of Dantivarman the Pallava king (779-830 A. D )   a few  Chola records and a few Vijianagar inscriptions of the 16th Century – if at all one needs one .. .. it is  a temple sung by Azhwars who lived much earlier.  Sri Peyalwar speaks of the waves that make its banks white as the place of Sri Parthasarathi.

Triplicane had so many old vintage houses – almost all of them razed down giving way to modern apartment complex in the recent couple of decades.  There are a row of houses in Kairavini kulakkarai known as ‘Gate aam’ – one entrance is at Tank Square and the other is at the other end – Venkatrangam Street – during Kodai uthsavam, Perumal has purappadu through this gate !!..   Kodai Uthsavam occurs in  the Tamil month of Aani and is a 7 day uthsavam.  Till a decade ago,  Sri Parthasarathi used to visit Vasantha Bungalow. During Kodai Uthsavam, Sri Parthasarathi and Ubaya Nachimar have purappadu in separate kedayams… in those days when He visited Vasantha bungalow, there would be Unjal and on return Perumal and Nachimar would be together in the same kedayam.   Here are some photos taken by me  during today’s purappadu.

சொல்லில் குறைஇல்லை*  சூதறியா நெஞ்சமே,*

எல்லி பகல் என்னாது எப்போதும்,*-தொல்லைக்கண்-

மாத்தானைக்கெல்லாம்*  ஓர் ஐவரையே மாறாக ஆக,*

காத்தானைக் காண்டும்  நீ காண்.

ஸ்வாமி  நம்மாழ்வார் பெரிய திருவந்தாதி

மனித மனம் எளிதில் குழம்பும் தன்மை உடையது. நம்மாழ்வார் அருள்கிறார் -   செய்ய வேண்டியது இன்னதென்றறியாமல் தளும்புகிற மனமே!;  எம்பெருமானை பற்றி அவனது கல்யாண குணங்களை பற்றி  பேசினால் பேச்சில் குறையில்லை; நம்மை காப்பான்  எவன் என கலங்கவும் வேண்டா  ! ~ ஸ்ரீமன் நாரணனது பாத கமலங்களை பற்றிய  நமக்கு எந்த குறையும் இல்லை.   அநாதியான இப்பூமியில் பாண்டவர்களை லட்சக்கணக்கானோர்  (துரியோதநாதிகளுடைய)  சேனையில் எதிர்கொண்டனர்.   பல்லாயிரம் போர்வீரர்கள் திரண்டு கிடக்கிற சேனைகளுக்கெல்லாம் எதிர்க்கக்ஷியில் பாண்டவர்கள் ஐந்துபேர் மாத்திரமே நின்று வெற்றி பெற்றார்களென்று உலகில் புகழ் கிளம்பும்படி ரக்ஷித்தவன் நம் . எம்பெருமான்தானே !  இரவுபகலென்று பாராமல் ஸர்வ காலத்திலும் பாண்டவர்களை ரக்ஷித்துக்கொண்டிருந்தவனை நாம்  இரவு பகல் வாசியின்றி எப்போதும் பூஜிக்க நமக்கு எந்த குறைவும் வாராது.

Swami Nammalwar (in his Periya thiruvanthathi pasuram)  makes us understand : by telling his own heart - Nothing wrong in telling you, O innocent Heart! – the mighty Emperuman’s protection is available throughout – be it Night or day – there is no lull no  interruption, at all times, the Lord offers protection.  Lest one forgets, the Pandavas who fell at the feet of Lord Krishna had to face the wrath of mighty army of marauders.  Millions fought against them, yet Lord Krishna protected them – and all that we need to do is to surrender and take His Lotus Feet.

~ adiyen Srinivasa dhasan [Mamandur Srinivasan Sampathkumar]