missing purappadu and Emperuman - Thavana Uthsavam Azhagiya Singar 2020

A great day today  (24.7.2020) ~ the concluding day of Andal Uthsavam – Thiruvadipuram.  இன்று 'திருவாடிப்பூரம்,' மிகச் சிறந்த நன்னாள் !   AT Thiruvallikkeni, thirumanjanam of Sri Andal and Sri Parthasarathi took place this morning occurred and through live streaming all were able to have darshan. One’s heart cries in not being able to have darshan of Emperuman – all thirukovils have been closed from 20.3.2020 in the State but in the morning there was an announcement of another religious function occurring and this was made in the presence of Dist Collector and Police High Official – all in the Secular state.

க்ஷணகாலமும் பிரியமாட்டாமல் நிக்தியாநுபவம் பண்ணிக் கொண்டு இருப்பவர்கள் நித்யஸூரிகள்.  திவ்யதேசங்களிலே வாசம் செய்வோர் அனுதினமும் எம்பெருமான் சேவை  கிடைக்கப்பெற்றவர்கள்.  கொரோனா எனும் தீ நுண்மி அனைவரையும் பரிதவிக்க செய்துவிட்டது.  திருக்கோவில்கள் மூடி உள்ளன.  எம்பெருமானை சேவிக்கும் வாய்ப்பு இல்லை.

It is yet to sink in ~ we feel as if it was just yesterday.  2020 started well with Irapathu Uthsavam, then came Pongal, Ekkadu Thangal, Masi Magam, Ratha Sapthami, Theppothsavam, Thavana Uthsavam of Sri Parthasarathi, Sri Varadhar and Sri Azhagiya Singar and that was to be the last purappadu.   On day 1  there was morning purappadu to Dhavana Uthsava Bungalow, Azhagiya Singar  had Thirumanjanam; evening purappadu inside the bungalow and at around 0630 pm periya mada veethi, kulakkarai purappadu back to sannathi; second day He rushed back to His sannathi in the evening and on day 3 – no morning purappadu.  Evening after a brief halt at Thavana Uthsava bungalow, periya mada veethi purappadu was completed – the next scheduled purappadu was Ekadasi [also Thiruvonam] on 20.3.2020 – it did not happen.  Sadly, Temples were ordered to be closed – whole Nation went  under lockdown.  From thence on  there have been no purappadu and we have already missed out Pallava Uthsavam, Sree Rama Navami, Brahmothsavams of Sri Parthasarathi & Azhagiya Singar, Varadhar uthsavam, Nammalwar uthsavam, Vasantha, Kodai Uthsavams, and now Thiruvadippuram uthsavam. 

We are yearning to have darshan of Him and partake in purappadus at divyadesams.  Let us keep our faith and pray to Emperuman for all good things for this Universe and for Ourselves.  While the Corona and the precautions to be undertaken are well and truly understood, please step outside, walk on the road to see how ‘the lockdown’ is .. .. In Triplicane, it appears that all shops are open – be it vegetable market or any other shop in Barathiyar Salai or Triplicane High road – you see crowds everywhere – some with masks, some sporting it as if a garland around neck ! .. .. no social distancing as people would brush one another when picking up vegetables – wonder why many of them venture out and buy them daily .. ..

The relaxation has been given or taken for everything else – only Metro, EMU, MRTS trains and Transport Corporation buses are not running – with Public transportation not on, most have stayed away from their offices – otherwise it appears normal way of life but you turn any TV channel, read any newspaper or browse social media – everyone tries to reel out statistics of Corona victims, how it is affecting the people and every WA Research Analyst dishes out medicinal remedies and precautions one should take .. only for others  !!

Here is a beautiful pasuram from Nachiyar Thirumozhi of Sree Andal : கோதைப்பிராட்டி தனது நாச்சியார் திருமொழியில் :

தெள்ளியார்  பலர்   கைதொழும் தேவனார்*

வள்ளல் மாலிருஞ் சோலை மணாளனார்*

பள்ளி கொள்ளுமிடத்து   அடி  கொட்டிட*

கொள்ளுமாகில்   நீ கூடிடு கூடலே

கூடல் தெய்வமே!  எங்கள் இனிய கண்ணபிரானே !  ~  தெளிவுடைய பக்தர்கள் பலர்

கைகளார வணங்கப் பெற்ற ஸ்வாமியாய்,  சிறந்த வள்ளல் பரமோதாரனாய்,  திருமாலிருஞ் சோலையிலே எழுந்தருளியிருக்கிற மணவாளப் பிள்ளையாகிய பரமபுருஷன்  பள்ளி கொண்டருளுமிடத்திலே    அவ்வெம்பெருமானுடைய  திருவடிகளை நான்  சிக்கென பிடிக்கும்படியாக,  அவன்  திருவுள்ளம் பற்றுவனாகில்  நீ கூடவேணும்  என விண்ணப்பிக்கிறார் கோதாதேவி.

The Thavana Uthsava purappadu of Sri Azhagiya Singar in the morning is the shortest – from His sannathi to the bungalow – would take a few minutes and less than 10 pasurams of Iyarpa depending on the day.  Here are some photos of morning purappadu of Sri Azhagiya Singar to Thavana Uthsava bungalow on 07.03.2018 and one photo of evening purappadu in Murali Kannan thirukolam.

We pray to Emperuman that all pains and fears of Covid 19 become a thing of the past, the World recovers sooner and we are able to continue our normal life, having darshan of Sri Parthasarathi and other Emperumans daily.

Aadiyen Srinivasa dhasan

Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar

24.7.2020