His Holiness Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Jeeyar

 

His Holiness Sri. Sri. Yadugiri Yathiraja Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, fondly “Abhinava Ramanuja”. 

the current and 41st Pontiff of Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt

standing infront of Triplicane branch of Yadugiri Mutt Sept 2016.

Triplicane Vanamamalai Mutt

 

திருவல்லிக்கேணி ஓர் அற்புத புண்ணிய பூமி ..

பார்க்கும் இடங்கள் எல்லாம் தெய்விக அழகு கமழும்.

 

Thiruvallikkeni Vanamamalai Mutt taken during Corona time when peoples’ movement was extremely restricted

the glorious bakthi culture of Thiruvallikkeni - బ్రోవ భారమా రఘురామ !

Thiruvallikkeni the abode of Lord Sri Parthasarathi is a divine place, a place where culture thrives, is replete with places of bakthi moment.  Divinity  is spread through bhajans and keerthanas ! 

Triplicane is famous for its lanes and by-lanes too .. .. for those who have lived in Triplicane for decades – kuthirai vahana mantap at the intersection of Car Street / Singarachari street is too wellknown .. .. of the many roads (lanes) that lead to Barathi salai [should it not be Mahakavi Barathiyar salai aka Pycrofts road] – there is ‘Easwaradoss Lalah Street’ !  (sounds a bit peculiar !!) The great saint Thiyagaraja wrote many keerthanas – and many of them on Sree Ramachandra murthi.    .. .. can you spot or have you observed a religious place here ?!?

எங்கள் எம்மிறை எம்பிரானே !  ஸ்ரீவாசுதேவா!  -  புவனங்கள் யாவும் நீயாகவிருக்க, என்னொருவனைக் காத்தல்  உனக்கு ஒரு  பளுவா?  நீயே பெருந்தெய்வம்.  நீயே கோடிக்கணக்கான அண்டங்களை உனது திருவயிற்றிலே கொண்டவனவல்லவா !!  .. .. பாற்கடலில், தயையுடன் அமரருக்காகவும், மேலும் கோபியருக்காகவும், மலைகளைச் சுமந்தவன் நீ அன்றோ !!  -  புவனங்கள் யாவும் நீயாக  இருக்க - இந்த பக்தனை காப்பது ஒரு வேலையா!!   பளுவா? ஸ்ரீராமபிரான் மீது மனமுருகி  தியாகய்யர் பாடிய இந்த கீர்த்தனையை கேட்டு இருக்கிறீர்களா ?

Though this is dedicated to Sree Rama, here is one most beautiful Krishna !!

Rai Raja Ishwar Das Lala Dayavant Bahadur as he liked to be referred to lived off Pycrofts Road (now Bharati Salai) where a street is named after him. A parallel street is Raja Hanumantha Lala Lane, taking its name from a kinsman. It was in this street that Ishwar Das built a temple for Kamakala Kameswarar, installing a white Shiva Linga in it. Following his death in the late 1890s, his son Lakshmi Chand took over the management.  (thanks to historian V Sriram)

The Greatest of Ithihasa purana   ‘Sri Ramayanam’  is the undiluted history of the Greatest Person who descended on this Universe, on the banks of river Sarayu, in a prosperous country called ‘Koshala’.    Lord Rama descended on earth for the purpose of upholding righteousness and rewarding virtue.  Lord Rama is the epitome of all virtues and the perfect human being who abandoned the throne and served exile in the forest for the sake of honour of his beloved father.  Lord Rama  came in the dynasty of Iskshvahu.

ஸ்ரீராமச்சந்திர மூர்த்திக்கு குலசேகராழ்வார் பாடிய பிள்ளை தமிழ் தாலாட்டு பாசுரம் இங்கே:  

மன்னுபுகழ் கெளசலை தன் மணிவயிறு வாய்த்தவனே!

தென்னிலங்கை கோன்முடிகள் சிந்துவித்தாய் செம்பொன்சேர்*

கன்னி  நன்மாமதிள்புடைசூழ் கணபுரத்தென் கருமணியே !

என்னுடைய இன்னமுதே இராகவனே தாலேலோ

 

நிலை நின்ற புகழையுடைய கௌசலை தன் அழகிய வயிற்றிலே திருவவதரித்தவனே!;  தென்னிலங்கையை அரசாண்ட  ராவணனுடைய பத்துத் தலைகளையும் சிதறப் பண்ணினவனே!; செம்மையான தங்கத்தினால்   செய்யப்பட்டதாய், அழிவில்லாததாய்,  நல் விலக்ஷணமாய் பெரிதான  திருமதிள்களாலே நாற்புறமும் சூழப்பட்ட திருக்கண்ணபுரத்தில் எழுந்தருளியிருக்கிறஅழகிய நீல ரத்னம்  போன்ற எம்பெருமானே! எனக்கு போக்யமான அம்ருதமாயிருப்பவனே!-  இராகவனே!  ஸ்ரீராமனே!  உமக்கு தாலாட்டு என படுகிறார் குலசேகர ஆழ்வார்.  

Among the thousands of temple dedicated to Him – some that readily come to mind could be :  Thiru Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Badrachalam, Rameswaramn, Thriparayar, Thillaivilagam, Vaduvur, Maduranthakam, Thiru pullampoothangudi, Thiruvelliyangudi,   .. … … and more.   This is not a post on any divyadesam but on a beautiful ancient Bhajan Mutt  associated with Lord Sree Rama. 

I have walked in Easwaradas Lala Street hundreds of time, may be in hurry to catch bus, hurry to reach home .. .. have seen this holy place – could never go in – recently was fortunate to go in and have a glimpse of Sree Rama in an evening and this morning provided another great opportunity to go and converse with Sri Vijayaraghava bagavathar.  This gentle man is well know to Triplicanites, especially to all those who come to Sri Parthasarathi swami thirukovil regularly.  He is deeply immersed in Azhwar pasurams and has been hearing vyagyanams / kalakshepams from many renowned Srivaishnava scholars.  

Sri Kothanda Ramaswami Baktha Jana Sabha for sure was steeped in glory in its heydays with regular bhajans and occasional purappadus too.  This beautiful mutt houses centuries-old Thanjavur art painting of Sree Seetha Rama Lakshmana murthis- one big beautiful painting as Moolavar and another as Uthsavar.  There are invaluable paintings of NamPerumal and Sree Kothaipiratti too – should not be calling them paintings – they are manifestation of our Perumal, so aesthetically drawn that even eye-brows of Andal look so real and the pirabhai of Namperumal is exquisitely drawn with intricate details.  It has some inscriptions that are centuries old too .. ..

Vijayaraghava bagavathar’s family has been maintaining this bajanai mutt for centuries – the rich tradition now being carried by the present torch-bearer.  Thre is a painting  of Thiyagarajar too – as Vijayaraghavan proudly claims their music heritage .. ..have heard from elders that Thigayya visited Sri Parthasarathi Swami temple and performed in front of Him during Ekantha Seva. 

It was such a nice day – having darshan at this well maintained Bhajanai sabha and conversing with its keeper.  Also visited his house and had darshan of Thiruvaadhana idols, especially the very exquisite Krishna (VEnnaikku aadum pillai)

Kakarla Tyagabrahmam  famously known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya, was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music.  He    was born in 1767 in Tiruvarur. தன்னுடைய வாழ்நாளில் இரண்டு கோடி முறை ராம நாமத்தை உச்சரித்து, ராமனின் தரிசனம் காணும் பேறு பெற்ற தியாகராஜர் 1847-ம் ஆண்டு   இராமன் திருவடிகளை அடைந்து, முக்தி பெற்றார்.

For sure, you have heard many famous singers singing this Thiyagaraja keerthana ‘ Brova bharama’  - In this beautiful keerthana , Sri Thyagaraja swamy pleads with Lord Rama to  protect him too among the millions of human beings living in this Universe.  

బ్రోవ భారమా రఘురామ  !  భువనమెల్ల నీవై నన్నొకని

brōva bhāramā, raghu rāma  !  bhuvanamella nēvai, nannokani

ப்3ரோவ பா4ரமா ரகு4 ராம பு4வனமெல்ல நீவை நன்னொகனி (ப்3ரோவ)

Before concluding, some of film buffs would remember Sivaji Ganesan starrer- Kavari Maan (musk deer) released in 1979  directed by S. P. Muthuraman and produced by B. H. Rajanna. Maestro Illayaraja scored the music and here is a mellifluous rendering of the keerthana sung by K Jesudoss. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfxn-P_lj7w

adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar

10^th Oct 2021.   

Mint Street - Sreeman Alluri Venkatadri Mutt

Few decades ago – marriages were elaborate rituals, family conglomerations – though they used to be conducted in small choultries with little facilities, families assembled together, stayed overnight and were happy in company of their cousins and relatives.  Many such small marriage halls have gone out – its brick and mortar  falling to hammer.    There were  so many Marriage choultries in and around old Chennai area in the busy congested streets of Sowcarpet  

                       From NSC Bose Road, Flower bazaar PS to Elephant gate area, there are so many narrow lanes and bylanes in what is known as Sowcarpet, a sprawling neighbourhood, far different than the other parts of North Madras.   Now the  Pookkadai [flower bazaar] nearer Kothawalchavadi [once the vegetable hub]  -  have all  since shifted to Koyambedu – there still exist many flower sellers in Badrian Street selling marigold, rose, jasmine….. in strands or in kgs.  Walking inside narrow streets would by itself be an experience – there would be so much fragrance around.

This is no post on History, marriage, marriage choultires, vegetables, winding lanes but of the many beautiful ancient temples that still exist in Sowcarpet area – though not many devotees visit them all.  Of the many temples in that area which one could walk and have darshan attending marriage in those choultries would include :  Chennai Pattinam Kovil (Perumal Kovil and Sivan kovil adjoining), Kandha Kottam, Ekambareswarar, Bairagi Mutt Balaji temple, Kalikambal temple, Chenna Malleeswarar, Pavazhakkaran theru Krishnar Kovil, many famous pillaiyar temples,  Sri Varadharaja Manavala Mamunigal temple  .. .. and recently had darshan at a couple of temples more –  recently had posted on the  beautiful Sri Ranganathar Temple in an obscure Mulla Sahib street running parallel to Mint St at one place.. .. and today, a century old Mutt on Mint Street housing beautiful Sree Ramar temple.

Understand that the ‘sowcar’   comes from the Hindi word sahukaar, merchant or native banker, which now refers to a money-lender.  Though its earliest inhabitants were diamond and silk merchants, marwaris, Rajasthanis and other North Indians arrived later and settled here.  Of the many winding lanes, designated as Streets - Mint Street,  is one of the oldest and longest thoroughfares stretching from Park Town near the Central Station to Vallalarnagar terminus, at Washermanpet.  This area had many washers and bleachers employed by the East India Company for its cloth business, settled here.  In mid 1800s,   East India Company moved its coin making facility to this street. Later this became the Government Press which still functions. Next to the Press stood Crown Talkies, one of the city’s earliest cinema theatres.   

The great culture of our Nation is intertwined with grandeur temples, Sages, saints and scholars.  They were blessed with unique wisdom and embroidered with different modes of approach to divinity. Some resorted to learning and realization, some through penances and there were diverse schools of philosophical pursuit.  Among these thrived devotional music, keerthanas and bhjans.    They encapsulated the purport and purpose of scriptural learning and ritual labour in their simple, sweet and soul-stirring compositions, which were impulsive outpourings of craving and grace.  In this musico-spiritual lineage, there have been many  like  Meera, Sant Tukkaram, Annamacharya, Thiagaraja Swamy, Bhadrachala Ramadoss and more.   Akin to  musical trinity of Thiyaga brahmam, Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Sri Shyama Sastri,  - Talappakkam Annamacharya, Bhadrachalam Ramadasa and Alluri Venkatadri Swami lived their lives singing beautiful keerthanas on Lord Rama & Krishna.

Alluri Sri Venkatadri Swami  was born as Venkatadri, to the blessed couple Sri Venkaiyya and Srimathi Venkamma in year 1806  at a village called Alluru in the Jajuru Paradala taluk of Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Sri Venkatadri Swamy had a strong yearning to uplift simple and suffering community by influence of his compassion, divine love and holy music.  He  went to Bhadrachala and stayed for five years immersing himself in Hari Nama Sankeerthan. The collective auspiciousness of divine abode, sacred Godavari and devout association inspired Swami to inscribe one crore Rama namas and shower numerous keerthans in glory of Rama.   He proceeded to Thirumala, on the Bagulasapthami day of the month of Chithra in the year of Dharana (1824) and engrossed himself in floral service for a few years, along with his Divyanama Sankeerthans.  By divine grace, he was summoned to Thirukachi to serve  Devaraja perumal  - it is stated that one day he was bitten by a snake while gathering flowers; yet  he calmly went with a smiling face to the Sannidhi of Sri Devaraja and sang Keerthans like 'Kaapaadaraa Nannu' and finally fainted, was saved by the Divine.

From his early pushpa kainkarya (floral services), he expanded to sandalwood paste, boiled milk and the like.   It is stated that he undertook renovations including Vilakkoli perumal sannathi mantapam.   He visited Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam,  took bath in Kairavani and sang 'Parthasarathy pada bhajana cheyave manasa' offering it to the Lord Parthasarathy.  He was instrumental in the glorious offering to Lord Devathirajar, diamond studded crown  designated as  'Sri Venkatadri kondai’.   He lived a simple austere life taking us sanyasa – his memorial is   established on the banks of Aalavandhar Padithurai of Cauvery.  

In the congested Mint Street, now stands this ‘Allur Venkatadri Swami Mutt’ dating back to 12.2.1898 - housing beautiful Sree Ramar sannathi, Ramar padam, Chakrathazhwar sannathi and Hanumar sannathi.  Recently had the fortune of worshipping here and here are some photos taken by me. 

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
21^st July 2021.