thoo nilA muRRam - part 21 - KalyAna puram

From the Bhakti List Archives

• May 31, 1999


thoo nilA muRRam - part 21  - KalyAna puram

Dear bAgawathAs,

	The holy  temple  city thiru kudanthai is also known as Sri
kalyAna  puram.  Since  sarvEswaran Sriman nArAyaNan got married to
Sri komaLa vallith thAyArt  in  this city,  this  place  is  called
kalyANa puram. ie., kalyAnam Ana puram.

ramEshayOrhi kalyAnam yasmAthAseeth muneeswara
kalyANa puramithyEva vihurdEvA muneechvarA:
		--- 52 nd chapter, kumbakOna mahAthmiyam

	For many reasons even today  the  practice   of  conducting
the marriages for their family members  is  very  prevalent in this
city. ie., Many Srivaishnavas from all over the country and perhaps
from  abroad too, consider kumbakoanm  as the number one  place for
conducting the marriages of their daughters  and sons  and  others.
They  may  be  from kumbakonam originally or their relatives are in
kumbakonam.

	There are several kalyAna mandapams in kumbakonam that they
are busy all through out the year. The Big street or  periya  kadai
theru is a  street  that is outside the western prAkAram of Sri ArA
amuthan temple. Of course the kadai veethi is all around the temple
complex. There is a proverb that  is  very  common in the towns and
cities around kumbakoanam. If one goes around  in  pradakshinam  of
the Sri ArA amudan  temple,  they  will  be  able  to  conduct  the
marriage  of  their son or daughter very easily and soon. There are
all kinds of shops that are situated around the temple that one can
order from thiru  mAngalyam, koorai saree, jewelries,  flowers  and
other garlands, vessels of all metals, both traditional and  modern
dresses for everyone including the bride and the groom and printing
presses for  invitations,  nAdhaswaran  ghOshtis,  contractors  for
cooking services, panthal, lighting, vegetable markets and may more.
What ever  one may need for a marriage is available here.  All that
they need to go, is to go around Sri ArA amuthan's   temple   in  a
pradakshinam and they will find everything  there  in   one circle.
In many ways the people from  around  all the neighboring  villages
and  towns  come  to kumbakonam for marriage shopping.

	This "kadai theru" around Sri ArA amuthan temple is similar
to a modern Super shopping "mAl" that  houses  everything  in  one,
especially for marriage shopping. It is more  than  true  that very
sincerely praying to Sri ArA amuthan  and Sri  kOmaLa valli  thAyAr
by  doing  a pradhashinam will  fulfill  the desire for a marriage.
The most important thing is that these two divine couple are  never
separated  and  that  to symbolise this there is a sEvai that takes
place as one of the ursavam. The name of  this  ursavam  is  called
"kodu mudi sEvai". Sri kOmaLa valli thAyAr's pinnal or back  combed
hair is tied to perumaL's anga vastharam to depict the togetherness
of these   divya  dampathigaL.  Every  srivaishnava  newly  married
Srivaisahnava couple around this area, will be given with  a  photo
of perumal and thaayaar in "kodumudi sEvai" to bring  harmony  into
their matrimony.  This  photo  may  be  seen  in many SriviashnavAs
houses even today. bakthALs who have some problem in their marraige
either  not  able  to seek an alliance any sooner  or a  persistent
problem of in their married life may want to  pray  to  Sri  kOmaLa
valli thAyAr and Sri ArA amuthan in kodu mudi sEvai.  They may want
to vow to sponsor this sEvai such that all mangaLams can take place
smoothly in thier iLLams. Some may  even  name  their  daughter  as
kalyAni, after Sri kOmaLa vaLLi thAyAr.

Sri  kOmaLa  vaLLi  thAyAr  samEtha  Sri ArA amudhan  thiruvadikaLE
saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan

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