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[sv-rituals] Other Utsavams in Thiruvallikeni

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sumithra varadarajan • April 19, 2002 


Sri Parthasarathi thunai
Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Today is Sri MudaliyandanÂ’s sattrumarai.  Sri
Ramanujar used to call Sri Mudaliyandaan and Sri
Koorathazhvan as his Dandam and pavithram.  From this
we come to know how close these two sishyas were to
the Acharyan.  Sri Mudaliyandaan is also related to
Sri Ramanujar in his Poorvashramam.  Sri Udayavar  was
his maternal uncle.  Sri Mudaliyandaan was born in the
star Punarvasu in the place Pettai(Naserat pettai)
very near to Poondamalli in Chennai.  

In Thiruvallikeni,  On this day Sri Mudaliyandaan has
Thirumanjanam in the morning along with his Acharyan
Sri Ethirajar(Vidhayarthi Utsavam) and Sri
Parthasarathi Emperuman.  In the evening Sri
Mudaliyandan has veedhi purappadu along with Sri
Parthasarathi Emperuman.  After returning back there
will be Sattrumarai ghosti.  During the ghosti Sri
Mudaliyandaan will be accompanied by Sri Emperumanar,
Sri Embar and also Sri kulasekarazhwar who belong to
the same Thirunakshatram.  Finally Sri Mudaliyandaan
gets his blessings from Sri Parthasarathi.

Now that we have seen till now, about the 2 major 
Utsavams, Sri Parthasarathi Brahmotsavam  and Sri
Udayavar Utsavam I will now proceed to give a jist of
all the other utsavams in Thiruvallikeni in the
various months.  

In the month of vaikasi,  there are 3 utsavams, namely
The Vasantha Utsavam(of Sri Parthasarathi and also of
Sri mannathan and vedavalli) ,  Sri Nammazhvar Utsavam
and Sri Gajendra varadar Utsavam.
During  the vasantha utsavam of Sri Parthasarathi he
goes to the vasantha utsava bungalow and earlier used
to have Thirumanjanam etc over there and stay for the
whole day.  But now due to security reasons and the
poor state of the Bunglow he visits only in the
evening for a short duration the other rituals are
done in the temple itself.  In case of Sri Ranganathan
and Sri vedavalli Thayar since Thayar is Padi Thandha
Paththini  both of them have vasantha utsavam in the
madapam opposite to the Narasimhar Dvajastambam.  Sri
Nammazhvar utsavam is done for 10 days.  But no
purappadu for Nammazhvar only Thirumanjanam and ghosti
in the Nammazhvar mandapam(otherwise the Vahana
Mandapam).  Since Sri Gajendra Varadan doesnÂ’t have
Dvajastambam, his utsavam is not so grand but still he
has Thirumanjanam all ten days and purappadu in the
evenings in various small vahanams.  Only on the
Garudasevai day Sri Gajendra Varadar gives darshan on
the Garudan early in the morning.  Great alankaram to
Sri varadar is done on these days.

In the month of Aani, the main utsavam is Sri Azhagiya
Singar Brahmotsavam.  All occasions I have explained
in Sri Parthasarathi Brahmotsavam is there in Sri
Azhagiya Singar Brahmotsavam also.  But instead of
Simha Vahanam (since he himself is a simham) Sri
Azhagiya singar gives darshan on Yali(Yali Vahanam). 
And on Theertha vari day Sri Azhagiya Singar has
Thirumanjanam in the Anjeeneyar temple on the other
side of the Kairavini Pushkarini unlike Sri
Parthasarathi who has Thirumanjanam in Andal Neerata
Mandapam. And during the utsavam on Aani Swathi Sri
Periyazhvar Sattrumarai is also done.  

In the month of Aadi,  there are 2 Utsavams, namely
Sri Aalavandar Utsavam and Sri Andal Aadi Poora
Utsavam.  Again for Sri Aalavandar Utsavam there is no
purappadu but Thirumanjanam and Ghoshti will be there,
Purappadu only on the Sattrumarai day and  on this day
Sri Parthasarathi dressed as Gajendra Varadar releases
Gajendran from the clutches of the crocodile.  This
event is performed at the pushkarini where a photo of
a crocodile catching Gajendra is placed in the
NeerAazhi Mandapam and a  Rocket sort of Vedi is sent
from one end in which Sri Parthasarathi stands to the
crocodile.  The beauty of Sri Parthasarathi in this
Alangaram , definitely cannot be explained by words.
Then comes the Aadi Poora utsavam celebrated for 10
days.  Sri Andal has purappadu everyday and after
returning she undergoes Maalai Maatthal with Sri
Parthasarathi eagerly waiting for her at the Mandapam.
 Then she enters the mandapam and joins in the Oonjal
with Sri Parthasarathi.  On the Aadi Poora day a grand
Kalyanam is done to Sri Parthasarathi and Andal and
this Utsavam ends with the Serthi Sevai similar to
that of Panguni Utthira Kalyanam of Sri Mannathan and
Sri Vedavalli Thayar.  The next day is the Oorgola
Utsavam and from this day till the next pooram Sri
Andal stays in Sri Parthasarathi sannadhi itself. 
Only on the next pooram she returns back to her
Sannadhi.
In the month of Aadi  one other important occasion is
the Jheshtabheshekam for the various perumals. 
Starting with Sri Parthasarathi Jheshtabheshekam on
Aadi Thiruvonam, consequently all other Emperumans
have their Jheshtabheshekams on their respective stars
(Sri Ranganathar-Revathi, Sri Ramar-Purnarpoosam, Sri
Azhagiya Singar- Swathi).  Sri Varadharajar doesnÂ’t
have a kavasam and hence no Jheshtabishekam.  Only
recently Sri Varadhar has been adorned by a Silver
Kavasam.

In Aavani we have the Pavithrostavam for 7 days and
the Sri Jayanthi celebrated.  The next day of the Sri
Jayanthi is the Vuriyadi Utsavam.

In Purattasi,  the main Utsavam is the Navarathri
Utsavam of Sri Vedavalli Thayar.  ThayarÂ’s  beauty and
charm in the various Alangarams on each day Is out of
the world.  And the highlighting feature of this
utsavam is the Madal Ghosthi in the evenings.  In
other places on Navarathri days ladies and girls dress
beautifully and visit their friends and relatives to
call them to their house golu.  But in Thiruvallikeni
first preference is only to Vedavalli ThayarÂ’s
purappadu.  Either before or after that the ladies fix
their timings to visit others houses.  It is admirable
to see so much crowd enjoying the amazing beauty of
Sri Vedavalli.  On the Ayudha Pooja day,  the
Navaratri Utsavam comes to an end and that day night
Sri Vedavalli gives Vettrilai paaku for all.  Getting
the ‘Vettrilai Pakku’   from Thayar is regarded the
most auspicious.  The next day is Vijaya Dasami.   On
this day Sri Parthasarathi goes round Thiruvallikeni
in his horse.  He visits many streets other than the
Mada streets also and gives joy to all the bhakthas
who live in those streets other than the Mada streets.
 Then when he returns to the Thulasinga Perumal street
he is joined by Sri Vedanthachariar whose
Thirunakshatram usually falls on the same day.  
Returning back Sattumarai to Sri VedantaChariar is
done.

In Iyappasi we have Sri Manavala Manunigal Utsavam for
10 days.  Like Sri Ramanuja Sri Manavala Mamunigal
also goes to each sannadhi to do Mangalasasanam all
the days of the utsavam.  On the final day a very
special Sevai awaits all the devotees.  Emperuman 
originally  starts in Kaithalam towards Sri Mamunigal
to give him Divya Darshanam.  We being sishyas of
Mamunigal is graced with the same Darshan.  By this
Sri Parthasarathi proves that if his Bhakthas take one
step towards him he takes 10 ten steps towards them. 
And also that for a prapannan there is no other great
gift than the sevai of Emperuman.  So as Sri
Ranganatha gave Darshan to Sri Udayavar in Kaintalam
and Sri Sourirajan of Thirukannapuram gave Darshan to
Sri vibheshanazhwan in Kaintalam, here Sri
Parthasarathi shows his Kaintala Sevai to Mamunigal on
his Thirunakshatram.   This is a rare sevai only on
this day.
Then this is the month in which the Mudhal Azhwargal
took birth and hence the Thirunakshatrams of the 3
Alwars are celebrated.  Since Peyazhwar was born in
Thiruvallikeni/Thirumayilai  here there is a 10 day
Utsavam for Peyazhwar.  But again no purappadu only
ghosthi and Thirumanjanam.  On the Sattrumarai day 
Sri Parthasarathi visits the peyazhwar
Sannadhi(located in the chinna Mada Veedhi outside the
temple) and has Thirumanjanam over there with
Peyazhwar.  One beautiful site is on the Poigai Alwar
sattrumarai purappadu.  On this day in front of Sri
Parthasarathi we can see Sri Poighai Alwar, Sri Pillai
Lokacharya (who was also born on this day) and Sri
Manavala Mamunigal(vidayarthi poorthi) all in a line. 
These are rare sites and very cool to our eyes.
And on the Kaisika Ekadasi day, Kaisika Purnam is read
in front of Sri Parthasarathi.
The Deepavali day in Thiruvallikeni is a day of
enjoyment.  In everyother place everyone celebrates
Deepavali early in the morning.  But in
Thiruvallikeni,the main enjoyment is reserved for the
night when Sri Parthasarathi joins with all the young
folks to celebrate.  The number of 10,000 wallas are
increasing year after year.  All the people join
together irrespective of friends or relatives and
enjoy the Deepavali in unison with the Emperuman.  It
is really a great enjoyment.

In karthigai, we have the karthigai deepam.  After 
the Thirumangai Mannan Sattrumarai Thailakappu is done
to all the Moolavars. Again Thirumangai mannan has 10
day Utsavam here with ghosti and Thirumanjanam and
purappadu only on the last day along with Sri
Parthasarathi.  The next is Thirupannazhwar
sattrumarai.  No purappadu due to Thailakappu.  

In Marghazi, we have the Pagal Pattu and Rapattu
utsavam .  On the Vaikunda Ekadasi day there is very
heavy crowd and Sri Parthasarathi early in the morning
gives darshan to Sri Nammazhwar in the Vaikundha
Vaasal.  In the pagal pattu utsavam Sri
ParthasarathiÂ’s alangarams are extraordinary.  You
could have never seen such beauty in any other divya
desam.  I stop with saying this since I feel it is
beyond my capacity to really explain about this
utsavam.  
Next is Sri Andal Neeratam for 10 days.  Sri Andal
goes to her Neerata Mandapam and undergoes Neeratam. 
The way the archakas put thailam to Sri Andal's hair
and then comb it etc should be seen in person.  No
words can give the real joy.  This Utsavam actually
ends with the Bhogi Kalyanam.  On this day marriage is
done between Sri Parthasarathi and Sri Andal and then
Serthi Sevai and then Sri Andal remains in Sri
parthasarathi Sannadhi for a month just like Aadi
poora kalyanam.  On the Kanu day Sri Andal first keeps
the Kannu pidi and only seeing her do so the other
ladies in Thiruvallikeni follow her in their houses.  

In Thai,  We have Thirumazhisai Alwar Utsavam for 10
days.  And on the sattrumarai day Thirumazhisai Alwar
has purappadu with Sri Parthasarathi.  Embar
Sattrumarai and Thai poosam are other important days
in Thai.  On the Thai poosam day Sri Parthasarathi
goes to the Big street in Thiruvallikeni to cut the
new ripe grains.

Then Sri Koorathazhwan  sattrumarai is done on Thai
Hastam day.  Then Sri Parthasarathi visits
Ekaduthangal in the same month.  This is a place very
far from Thiruvallikeni but it is supposed to have
been the property of Sri Parthasarathi which he visits
once a year even now.

In Masi,  on the Radha saptami day Sri Parthasarathi
gives darshan on Soorya Prabhai.  On Masi Makam Sri
Parthasarathi goes to the beach in garuda sevai and
has Thirumanjanam over there.  The chakrathazhwar dips
in the sea water on behalf of the Emperuman.  And  in
this month Thirukkachi Nambi Sattrumarai and
kulasekaraalwar sattrumarai are done.
The next Utsavam in this month is the Dhavana utsavam.
 During this utsavam Sri Parthasarathi goes to the
Dhavana utsava Bunglow where the mandapam is decorated
with Davanam.
On Masi Dwadasi day,  Kalyana utsavam for Sri
Mannathan and Sri Vedavalli Thayar is done.

Then the next Utsavam is the Theppotsavam which
continues for7 days 3 days for Sri Parthasarathi, then
one day each for Sri Azhagiya Singar, Sri Ranganathar,
Sri Ramar and Sri Varadharajar.
In Panguni there is an important occasion.  The
Pallava Utsava followed by the panguni Uthiram.  This
is were I started my postings and probably Sri
Parthasarathi wants me to end with the same. The last
Utsavam in Panguni is the Sri Rama Navami Utsavam.

With this I conclude my postings on the utsavams in
Thiruvallikeni.  For this year's Utsava schedule
please visit the site  www.geocities.com/sumivaradan/

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasyai
Sumithra Varadarajan  


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