Udayavar at Gangaikondan mandapam 2026

 

Swami Emperumanar Uthsavam – 1E – 2026

Udayavar at Gangaikondan mandapam with Periya & siriya thiruvadi

Udayavar 2026 - Uthsavam started today

 

 

Swami Emperumanar Ramanujar uthsavam 2026 started art Thiruvallikkeni  today

Udayavar in pallakku with neerazhi mandapam & rajagopuram in background 

13.4.2026

nonpareil beauty of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman

 

cosmic cataclysm of divine lustre- non pareil beauty of 

Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman

Panguni Sravanam purappadu 12.4.2026

 

Sri Yadadri Thirumala - Telengana - mighty Aanjaneya

 

Jai Hanuman  ~  Pavana guru Hanumanuki Jai 

The son of Vayu  [Pavana puthra] – Hanumar is the epitome of great virtues ~  a great character – a warrior, mightily powerful, whose body was as hard as a diamond, whose speed excelled fastest flying eagles, who possessed great wisdom, who could organize a group of roaming ones, who can jump hundreds of miles, yet who remained at the feet of his Master, totally committed thinking of their welfare alone – unassuming, yet capable of telling the right things at the right moment 

सर्वकल्याणदातारं सर्वापद्घनमारकम् ।अपारकरुणामूर्तिं आञ्जनेयं नमाम्यहम् ॥

 

ஸர்வ கல்யாண தாதாரம்;  ஸர்வாபத் கன மாருதம் |

 

அபார கருணாமூர்த்திம்;  ஆஞ்ஜநேயம் நமாம்யஹம் ||... 

                    எல்லா மங்களங்களையும் அருள்பவரே, எல்லா ஆபத்துகளையும் போக்குபவரே, அளவற்ற கருணை வடிவான ஆஞ்சநேயரை வணங்குகிறேன்

 

Mighty Aanjaneya darshan at Manepally Hills, Bhuvanagiri, Telengana  - around 50 kms off Hyderabad – at Sri Yadadri Thirumala Devasthanam (Swarnagiri Sree Venkateswara Swamy Devasthanam) taken on 30.5.2024

ThiruNinravur arulicheyal goshti

ThiruNinravur divyadesam – Sri Bakthavatchala Perumal Brahmothsavam – day 6 –- His Holiness  Thirumalai Sri Periya Kelviyappan Sadagopa Ramanuja Periya Jeeyar swami & arulicheyal goshti

ThiruNinravur Bakthavatchalan 2026

 

திருநின்றவூரிலே முத்துத் திரள்போலே எழுந்தருளி ரட்சிக்கும்

ஸ்ரீ பக்தவத்சல பெருமான் - ஸ்ரீவேணுகோபாலன் சாற்றுப்படி - 

ப்ரஹ்மோத்சவத்தில் ஆறாம் நாள் காலை – 9.4.2026

Melukote Thirunarayanapuram treasures !!

 

பருந்தாட் களிற்றுக்கருள்  செய்த பரமன்

~ treasures of Melukote Thirunarayanapuram

Taken a few years ago !!

Chintadripet Sri Adhikesava Perumal thiruther 2026

 

Chintadripet Sri Adhikesava Perumal thiruther ~ 10.4.2026

: https://youtu.be/Oa9gLJ30Wac

Magic flute of Mozart !!! ~ divine flautist of ThiruNinravur

 

The divine flautist – Bhagwan Sree Krishna .. .. ..

மனித மனதை ஆற்றுப்படுத்தும் கலைகளில் முக்கியமானது, இசை. இயன்ற போதெல்லாம் வரம்பின்றி கேட்டு ரசிக்கலாம். இசைக்கு இன்றியமையாதவை கருவிகள். மயங்க வைக்கும் காற்றிசைக் கருவிகளில் ஒன்று புல்லாங்குழல்.  காற்று இசைக்கருவி வகையைச் சேர்ந்தது புல்லாங்குழல். துளை வழியே காற்றை ஊதி இசையை உருவாக்குவதால், துளைக்கருவி எனவும் அழைப்பர். ஸ்வரங்களை அடிப்படையாக கொண்ட துளைகளை மூடித் திறக்கும் திறனுக்கு ஏற்ப, ஒலிக்கோர்வையை வித்தியாசமாக உருவாக்கலாம். இந்தியாவில், இரண்டு வகை புல்லாங்குழல்கள் உள்ளன. பன்சூரி என்ற வகையில், காற்று ஊதும் முத்திரை துளை ஒன்றும், ஸ்வரங்களுக்காக விரல் துளைகள் ஆறும் இருக்கும். இது, இந்துஸ்தானி இசையில் அதிகம் பயன்படுகிறது. மற்றொருவகை வேணு இவை தென்னிந்திய கர்நாடக இசையில்  பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. புல் இன தாவரமான மூங்கில் மரத்தில் செய்யப்படுவதால், புல்லாங்குழல் என பெயர் பெற்றது.  

Of the many instruments associated with  Carnatic music-  Flute is divine. A melodic instrument for the most part, the flute has a clear and bright sound with a distinctive warmth, refinement, and subtlety to its tone.  .. ..in Western world there is another close relative – it is not unusual for a performer who plays the flute to switch to the piccolo, alto flute, or bass flute.  

The greatest of em’ all is of course the divine Flautist Lord Krishna – who mesmerized everyone as He grew up in Gokul. 

In the opera the Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina from captivity under the high priest Sarastro; instead, he learns the high ideals of Sarastro's community and seeks to join it. Separately, then together, Tamino and Pamina undergo severe trials of initiation, which end in triumph, with the Queen and her cohorts vanquished. The earthy Papageno, who accompanies Tamino on his quest, fails the trials completely but is rewarded anyway with the hand of his ideal female companion Papagena.

The Magic Flute is a delightful blend of fantasy and allegory. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, its plot revolves around the quests of Prince Tamino and Papageno, a bird-catcher. They're on a mission to rescue Princess Pamina from the clutches of the wicked sorcerer, Sarastro. Armed with a magic flute and enchanted bells, they navigate through obstacles and tests of virtue.  The story explores themes of love, wisdom, and the quest for enlightenment. Tamino's journey symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and reason over irrationality. The opera ends with the triumph of good, highlighting the masonic ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. It's a rich and enchanting tale with layers of meaning and some of Mozart's most beautiful music!

Mozart! A legendary name, was born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria -  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy and a prolific composer of the Classical period. He wrote over 600 works before his untimely death at the age of 35 in Vienna. His vast repertoire includes symphonies, concertos, chamber music, operas, and choral music. Many of his compositions, such as "The Magic Flute," "The Marriage of Figaro," and "Eine kleine Nachtmusik," remain timeless classics.  His life was a whirlwind of incredible talent and relentless hardship.

Mozart's brilliance as a child prodigy often led to immense pressure. By the time he was just five years old, he was already composing music, and by six, he was performing for European royalty.  While this early fame brought him acclaim, it also came with high expectations and burdens. He was expected to continually surpass his own work, which stifled his ability to enjoy a normal childhood.  Despite Mozart's immense talent, he faced significant financial difficulties throughout his life. He often found himself in precarious financial situations, partly because he valued artistic freedom over secure, well-paying positions in royal courts. This quest for independence frequently led to clashes with institutions and left him struggling to make ends meet. Mozart faced health challenges too. He suffered from various illnesses throughout his life, which were likely exacerbated by the stress and pressures he constantly faced.  Despite these obstacles, Mozart's genius shone through.  

The Magic Flute (German: Die Zauberflöte)   is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form during the time it was written that included both singing and spoken dialogue.  The work premiered in Sept 1791 at Schikaneder's theatre, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, just two months before the composer's death. It was the last opera that Mozart composed.  

Here are some photos of – Thiruninravur Sri Bakthavatchala Perumal alankaram as Venugopalan – the  divine flautist – on the morning of day 6 of Brahmothsavam at Thiruninravur today.

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan

Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar

9.4.2026

 

ThiruNinravur Bakthavatchalan brahmothsavam 2026

ThiruNinravur Sri Bakthavatsala Perumal - Sri Venugopalan thirukkolam

: https://youtu.be/jJ01eiEe3oE

Cygnus atratus ~ Black Swan theory ....... Mamunigal Hamsa vahanam

 

Here is a picture of a Black Swan – have heard -  popular theory called – Black Swan theory.   

 

Everyday we must think of our Greatest Acharyar – Periya Jeeyar - Saint Vara Vara Muni, the last of the ‘Poorvacharyars’ in the grand galaxy of preceptors, known as Azhagiya Manavala Nayanar, before he was ordained the holy order of  Sanyasa.  It is none other than our most adored Acharyar  “Swami Manavala Mamunigal” - the reincarnation of Sri Ramanuja who was himself an incarnation of Adisesha. 

“Yathindra Pravana Prabhavam” is an ancient work on the biography of “Sri Manavala Mamunigal” written by Swamy Pillailokam Jeeyar, (a sishya of Manavala Mamunigal)  - it  details  the lives of Swami Nampilai, Pillai lokachariar,Azhagiya Perumal Nayanar, 24,000 padi, and birth of 36,000 padi, Thiruvaimozhi Pillai and Swamy Manavala Mamunigal.  Our most reverred Acharyar lived for 73 years on this earth performing many Kainkaryams and undertook  pilgrimages to many Sri VaishNavite Dhivya dEsams. Most of his life was spent however at Srirangam . His devotion to Udayavar (Yatheenthirar); Swami Nammalwar and Namperumal was extraordinary.

 

Today 8.4.2026 is Moolam nakshathiram in the month of Panguni.  Reminiscing our Acharyar ThiruAvathara Uthsavam   at Thiruvallikkeni – here are some photos of day 7 purappadu of Mamunigal in   Hamsa vahanam on 24.10.2025.

 

Pictured at the start is a Black Swan -  Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus.  The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks.  There are six living and many extinct species of swan; in addition, there is a species known as the coscoroba swan which is no longer considered one of the true swans.  The hamsa  is an aquatic migratory bird,  referred to in ancient Sanskrit texts which various scholars have interpreted as being based on the goose, the swan,  or even the flamingo.   Bird Hamsa is the vahana of Brahma, Gayatri, Saraswati, and Vishvakarma.  

Jean Vogel, in 1952, questioned if hamsa is indeed a swan, as  Dutch ornithologists George Junge and E.D. van Oort he consulted, swans were rare in modern India while bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) were common. According to Vogel, Western and Indian scholars may have preferred translating hamsa from Sanskrit to swan as the indigenous goose appears plump while the swan (and, Vogel adds, the flamingo) appears more graceful.   However, some Ornithologists have criticized Vogel's view as being over-reliant on artistic representations from south India and Sri Lanka, where the white swan is rare.  American ornithologist Paul Johnsgard, in 2010, stated that mute swans (Cygnus Olor) do migrate to the northwestern Himalayan region of India every winter, migrating some 1000 miles each way.   The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae.  

The term black swan primarily refers to the Australian waterbird (Cygnus atratus), but it is also a widely used metaphor in philosophy, finance, and pop culture for unpredictable, high-impact events.   In Western Australia, the black swan is a major regional symbol, appearing on the state flag and coat of arms.

The term  “Black Swan theory” -  was popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. A "black swan event" has three key traits:  -  Rarity: It is an outlier that lies outside the realm of regular expectations. Extreme Impact: It carries massive consequences (e.g., the 2008 financial crisis or the 9/11 attacks). Retrospective Predictability: People concoct explanations after the fact to make it seem like it was predictable.  

Interesting !
 
adiyen Srinivasa dhadan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
8.4.2026

 

vintage photo - allikkeni arulicheyal goshti

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.   

 

Yesterday got this photo from Mr KV Rangarajan – Thiruvallikkeni Adhyapaka goshti standing near Sri Thelliyasingar gopuram, presumably taken somewhere in late 1970s or early 1980s – thiruther purappadu with Blue house chathiram / CK Stores / Gandhi book centre name boards visible.

Thiruvallikkeni Veda Adhyapaka goshti is extremely organized ~ doing kainkaryam in exceptionally meritorious manner.  In the present goshti, there are  people more than 90 and some in their 60s, 70s & 80s, a few  of them below 60 !!  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) 

In this historic photo – I could figure out in the first line – Swamigal – Sri U.Ve :  Sthalasayanathuraiyavar, Kuvalai Ramanujachar, Sathabhishekam Govinda Narasimhachar, Desur Srinivasachar, Ashtagothram Nallan Chakravarthi Parthasarathi iyengar, Athichozhamangalam Ramanuja Iyengar (my mathamahar); Vinjamur Narasimhachar, Kuram Bashyam, Vanamamalai Sampath [will add more names as and when my Triplicane friends identify and inform me] 

Those days, chinna mada veethi purappadu would take around 20 minutes and periya mada veethi purappadu approx 45 mins.  Brahmothsava purappadus would take around 2 hours.     

This is no chronicle of purappadu and divyaprabandha goshti of Thiruvallikkeni – more of my remembrance of grandfather and others known.    

                   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.  

This place ‘Athichozhamangalam’ is really a very small tinydot village nearer Thanjavur – Thiruvarur.    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

 

~ adiyen Srinivasa dhasan -  S. Sampathkumar.
8^th Apr 2026

 

Hamsa Vahanam ~ Madhuramangalam

 

Eye-captivating, colourful, beautiful Hamsa vahanam @

Sri Vaikuntha Perumal and Sri Embar thirukkovil, Madhuramangalam

"ராமானுஜனே தெய்வம்" ~ celebrate Udayavar Uthsavam 2026

 

Srivaishnavaite life is exquisitely woven to Emperumanaar Udayavar Ramanujar.  Udayavar uthsavam starts on 13.4.2026 – Sarrumurai is on 22.4.2026 

ஸ்ரீ ராமானுஜ ஜயந்தியை மிகவும் விமரிசையாகவும் கோலாகலமாகவும் கொண்டாடுவோம்!   எம்பெருமானார் திருவடிகளே சரணம்! 

"ராமானுஜனே தெய்வம்" எனப் போற்றும் இந்த பாடல்                                                             ஸ்ரீ உ.வே.தனுர்தாஸ ராமானுஜ ஜீயர் ஸ்வாமி அவர்களுக்கு சமர்ப்பணம்.

:  https://youtu.be/CogNPdPzfY8

Allikkeni arulicheyal goshti – Ekadasi July 2016 (a decade ago!) –

 

 

Allikkeni arulicheyal goshti – Ekadasi July 2016 (a decade ago!) – in the first line

 from L-R :  Sri U.Ve :  Thiruvenkadachari (Murali); Rajappa; TA Raghavan;                                   MA Venkatakrishnan; Kavanur Srinivasaraghavan; Deivanayagam; Kuram Bashyam; Vinjamur Raghavan; Kuvalai Kannan, Sowrirajan & Madapusi Vasu - Swamigal. 6.4.2026

Sri Thelliya Singar divyasevai ~ Panguni Swathi 2026

 

Today  Panguni Swathi (4.4.2026) ~  Sri Azhagiya Singar purappadu

Shri Thelliya Singar thiruvanthikappu @ Thiruvallikkeni

 

Today is Panguni Swathi (4.4.2026)

Sri Azhagiya Singar thiruvanthikappu – video taken  on 15.2.2020

: https://youtube.com/shorts/KtU1XIFdfhc

Embar Jeeyar Swami at Sri Adhikesava Perumal kovil, Mylai

 

His Holiness Sri Perumpudur Appan Parakala Ramanuja Embar Jeeyar Swami

coming out of Thirumylai Sri Adhikesava Perumal thirukkovil

picture taken a decade ago !

Panguni HaStham - Sri Varadharaja Perumal @ Thiruvallikkeni

 

Panguni  Hastham –   Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam   purappadu of

Sri Varadharaja Perumal.

Aramula Sri Parthasarathi Kovil ~ Thiruvaranvilai divyadesam

Sri Parthasarathy Perumal Thirukkovil  (Aranmula) was  built by Arjuna, who came here at the end of the Mahabaratha war.   Lord Parthasarathy is the owner of 39 villages in and around Aranmula and people in these villages consider Lord Parthasarathy as their protector. 

For Sri Vaishnavaites, this place is of great significance – it is a Divyadesam situate in Malai Nadu – it is ‘Thiruvaranvilai” sung by Swami Nammalwar. 

Aranmula is   around 120 kms away from Trivandrum,  and almost the same distance from Cochin too ... this place is near Chenganoor.  Aramula is the place where the 'Thiruvabharanams’ (ornaments) Ayyappa Swami at Sabarimala, were originally kept

 

Aarattu purappadu at Thiruvaranvilai, taken few years ago !

Thiruvallikkeni Kannadi Garudan Sevai 2026

 

Panguni Uthiram ~ Thiruvallikkeni Sri Ranganathar Kannadi Garuda SEvai 2026

background edited !

 

 

Thirumazhisai Samprokshanam 2022

 

திருமழிசை ஸம்ப்ரோக்ஷணம்

- ஆழ்வார் சன்னதி ப்ரோக்ஷணம் முடிந்து யாக சாலை கும்ப தீர்த்தம்,

ஆழ்வார் கோபுரத்திலிருந்து, பக்தர்களுக்கு தெளிப்பு - 23.3.2022

ice-clad Himalayas at Thirupriti, Joshimath

 

The Nanda Devi range is a massive, two-peaked mountain massif in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. It is centered around Nanda Devi West (7,816 m), India's second-highest peak and the highest mountain located entirely within the country.  

The range is famous for its unique geographical formation—a natural "protective ring" of peaks known as the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. This barrier consists of 12 peaks exceeding 6,400 meters, effectively encircling the main massif.  

 

A picture of ice-clad Himalayas   at Joshimath, taken by me in 2019 on the way to Badrinath dham.  

The story of Yayati  is mentioned in Bhagavata Puranam as also in Maha Baratham. Yayati,  the son of king Nahusha,  one of ancestors of Pandavas. He ruled over this place.  It is here that the most important rivers of the Nation ~ the Ganges and Yamuna originate. It has the religiously most significant places of  Sri Badrinath and Sri  Kedarnath.   It is Uttarakhand known  "Land of the Gods" due to the many holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres. 

The Katyuri kings were a medieval ruling clan of present-day Uttarakhand, India. They ruled over the region now known as Kumaon from 700 to 1200 CE. They called their state Kurmanchal, the land of Kurma, avatar of Sriman Narayana. The Katyuri dynasty was founded by Vashudev Katyuri  and the oldest stone temple in Uttarakhand - is attributed to him. Later the  Kingdom was then named Jyotiryana, and had its capital at Joshimath in the Alaknanda Valley.  Adi Shankara actively toured these places in his short span of life. 

Joshimath is nestled in the Himalayas at a height of 6150 feet above sea level, enroute to Badrinath from Rishikesh.  Joshimath is considered to be a center of great significance for pilgrims traveling in the Garhwal region of Uttarpradesh. ‘Thirupiruthi – Thiru pireethi’ – aka Joshimut is a divyadesam for Srivaishnavas. Joshi mutt is  home to one of the four cardinal pīthas established by Adi Shankara. 

The Srivaishnava divyadesam of Thirupiruthi is in fact a temple of Lord Narasimha – a beautifully ornate simple temple surrounded  on three sides by the snow clad Trishul (7250m) in the south, Badri Peaks (7100 m) in the NW, and Kamat (7750m) in the north. 

Joshimath, Uttarakhand, serves as the "Gateway to the Himalayas," offering some of India's most dramatic views of ice-clad peaks. Sitting at an altitude of approximately 6,150 feet (1,875 m), it provides a clear vantage point for several major massifs, most notably the Nanda Devi range.  

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
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