Guruvayur Ekadsi thozhuvan ... praying Lord Krishna

                                       Think of  Lord Krishna, the supreme God   - one is instantly reminded of Sri Parthasarathi, Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam,  great Krishna temples like – Mathura, Dwaraka, divyadesams -  Kabisthalam, Thirukkannamangai, Thirukkannapuram,  His Mathura, the places He grew up – Gokulam, Govardhanagiri, Vrindavan .. .. and there are many other famous Krishna temples like -  Udupi, Guruvayoor.   

Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Sriman Narayana  worshipped  in Kerela. He is the presiding deity at  Guruvayoor temple, Shri Krishna in His child form (Balagopalan), popularly known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan. The presiding deity in this beautiful temple is chatur bahu (four handed) Sriman Narayana.  The Bala Krishna Guruvayoorappan represents the purna rupa (full manifestation) of four-armed  Maha Vishnu revealed by baby Krishna to His parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, immediately after His advent in Kamsa’s jail.  

 

Photo from Wikipedia -   -  https://commons.wikimedia.org  - and you most likely would have heard this beautiful Malayalam  song on Guruvayurappan rendered by K Jesudoss or other famous singers.   

குருவாயூர் ஏகாதசி தொழுவான் போகும் போல்

வழிகாட்டுக வழிகாட்டுக நாராயண ரூபம்!    

தளரும் போல் ஆத்மாவாம் பசுவே நின் நாவில்  

அம்ருதம் போல் ஊறிடுக நாராயண நாமம்!  ஹரி  நாராயண நாமம்!!  

 

நெய்யுண்ணு,  பீதாம்பரம் ஈ சந்த்யகள் ராவாம்

பையெல்லாம் வார்க்குன்னு பால் மாதுரி அல்லோ? 

ஓடக்குழல் ஊதுன்னு காடெல்லாம் பகவான்

சூடுன்னு ஒரு  பீலி திருமுடியோ மழை மேகம்?, திருமுடியோ மழை மேகம்?

 

கருடன் போல் ஆகாசம் சிறகார் நீடும்போல்

வனமாலைகள் தீர்க்குன்னு மழை வில்லுகள் இப்போல்! 

நிற கண்ணால் காணுன்னேர்  எங்கெங்கும் சுவாமி

குருவாயூர் அப்பா நின் கிருஷ்ணாட்டம் மாத்ரம்..... 

நின் கிருஷ்ணாட்டம் மாத்ரம் !!  நின் கிருஷ்ணாட்டம் மாத்ரம் !!  

Ekadashi is dedicated to Sriman Narayana. Guruvayur Ekadashi falls in the Shukla Paksha of the Malayalam month Vrishchikam, and it is observed in the famous Guruvayoor Sri Krishna Temple in Kerala, the abode of Guruvayurappan who besides every other wealth owns largest number of elephants. On the day of Ekadashi, a grand procession of elephants is carried out. The temple does not close the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum on Ekadashi day. The temple door which opens on Dasami, the day before Ekadasi, is only closed at on Dwadasi Day.

 

Guruvayur Ekadasi in Guruvayur is the 11th day of Vrishchika.  On Guruvayur Ekadasi a memorial is held for Gajarajan Guruvayoor Kesavan and the Chembai Sangeetholsavam. The Karanavar or head of the elephant family places a wreath at the statue of Kesavan in front of Sreevalsam guest house while the other elephants stand around and pay obeisance.  

Now focusing on this song  (I read to have been written by S Ramesan Nair)-  

Guruvayur ekadashi thozhuvan pokumbol,

Vazhikaattukka vazhikkattukka Narayanaroopam,  

The version that went viral in Dec 2022 and has been heard thousands of times is sung by a simple person who in fact works as a catering assistant in temple. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaUbzxOTrPw  

 

“I feel like I have sung 100 film songs already as such was the response I received for just one song, that too, about Guruvayurappan,” said Guruvayur Krishnan, a noted singer and caterer based in the temple town to Indian Express news reporter.  The video was shot on the eve of Guruvayur Ekadashi, when Krishnan and his family were slicing vegetables for the Ekadasi meals offered at Mammiyoor temple. “We have taken the contract for conducting ‘Prasada oottu’ at Mammiyoor temple. I was singing the song for a time pass while cutting vegetables. My daughter Meera then shot the video and posted it on Facebook. I never though it will have such a huge response from people,” said Krishnan.  

At 53, Krishnan is active conducting devotional music fests in temples across the state. Settled in Guruvayur, Krishnan has music in his blood as the roots of his paternal family lies in the Chembai family in Palakkad. Though Krishnan attended music classes when he was young, he is actually not a trained singer. And all the singing comes from practice and talent. “Earlier I used to perform for major ganamela troupes. But later it became boring and I shifted to devotional music fests. I am happy doing it,” he added. Krishnan devotes his music to Guruvayurappan, his favourite deity. He also believes that Lord Guruvayurappan is behind all his success.  

“Many people called me after the video went viral. I am extremely happy and blessed to hear the appreciations,” he added.   

Lord Krishna is with His devotees at all times and we at Thiruvallikkeni are so fortunate to be living near and having darshan of Sri Parthasarathi.

 
Adiyen dhasan – Srinivasan Sampathkumar
8.2.2023.