adiyen's humble pranams, I was reading with interest the postings on " Color of Srichurnam " While it is an individuals right , wish, will and pleasure to adorn whatsoever color he pleases, the debate and controversy arises only when he tries to justify what he adorns is right. The earlier day Vadagalai Acharyas / Acharya Purushas who used the Red Srichurnam definitely would have been authorities in Sashtras, pramanams, anushtanams etc. Hence, it is definitely not inferior to apply Red nor superior to apply Yellow which is the present mass practice. Learned members will agree that superiority and inferiority does not arise out of external appearance. My colleague and friend who belongs to Ahobila Mutt Sampradayam never applied the Srivaishnava mark years back. On way back from office he started visiting SriParthasarathy temple along with me. Slowly he started to adorn the Red Srichurnam at my house and then go to SriParthasarathy temple along with me. Suddenly, a year or so back he started using the Yellow Srichurnam. When I asked him the sudden change, he told me that this was under the advice of elders. Though initially he could not explain the reason, finally he admitted that this was to distinguish!!! I persisted and then he told me that all including Bhagavatas also use the red, hence nowadays we have been told to shift to Yellow only!!! Yet during recent Samprokshanam of a Divya Desam in Nangur, I saw a Bhagavata - a millionaire from Coimbatore - with Vadagalai Thiruman and Yellow Srichurnam. During, adyayana utsavam, I visit Srirangam and invariably used to visit my friend's uncle who is Vadagalai. As I am seeing him for the past 12 years or so I have always seen him in Red Srichurnam only. Recently about 2 months back I met him in a marriage function and he was with Yellow Srichurnam. I asked him the reason for this sudden transformation. His reply was - I did not have Red so I borrowed it from a relation who had only Yellow !!! >From the above I mean no insult or hurt to anyones feelings or affliations. I am stating facts as observed. Regarding Vaikhanasa archakas - it is fact which learned members will agree, that they cannot be classified as Vadagalai or Thengalai. Their Acharya is SriVikhanasa Muni, though they may respect Srivaishnava acharyas. However, since they are archakas of Srivaishnava temples, when the Srivaishnava population was assertive and strong, they adorned the Thengalai Thiruman with Red Srichurnam. This has been continuing for ages and it is a fact that most of Southern district Srivaishnava temple Vaikhanasa archakas adorn the Thengalai Thiruman. This is also the case in staunch Srivaishnava tradition following temples like Thiruvallikeni, Sriperumbudur, Srivilliputhur etc. This has been their tradition as followed by their forefathers. In my hometown, Sholinghur(Ghatikachalam) temple, the main archaka mirasi wears Thengalai Thiruman while many of the gumasthas use 'U' with Yellow Srichurnam. Whereever Srivaishnava population migrated or became weak, the later generation Vaikhana archakas sometimes changed. However, I must admit with guilt, that while a majority of Srivaishnava population have deserted the temples in their hometowns some Vaikhanasa archakas have held on and in some temples they have reluntlessly toiled to renovate and conduct utsavams - a duty which we Srivaishnavas should be doing. In some southern district temples I have heard that Vaikhanasa archakas are instrumental in arranging adyayana utsavam - so dear to the heart of Srivaishnavas. Of late, many younger generation Vaikhanasa archakas have started applying the Yellow Srichurnam with 'U' Thiruman. In case of migration of the Srivaishnava population the Thiruman has changed to that worn by the Vaikhanasa archakas. In such cases, there has been erosion and in some cases total abandon of the exclusive Srivaishnava traditions. Again this is my observation only. The Vaikhanasa archarka mirasis of Thirumalai temple adorn a Thiruman which resembles the Vadagalai Thiruman that is 'U' with yellow Srichurnam. But again, learned members will agree that their Sampradayam is not Vadagalai, though many people take pleasure in pointing out that Thirumala archakas of Thirumala adorn Vadagalai Thiruman. It may be noted that even in Thirumala the Vaikhanasa archakas who are from southern districts wear Thengalai Thiruman with Red Srichurnam.It is for Vidwans of Vadagalai Sampradaya and Vaikhanasa Agama pundits to sort it out whether Vaikhanasas are Vadagalai and viceversa or not. The above are my observations and I think I am accurate to the extent. However, learned members may point out any discrepencies and I will correct myself. Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE sharanam adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan S.A.Narasimhan. --- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Srinivasan Narayanan <malaseen@xxxx> wrote: > Sri: > Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama: > > Pranams to all. > > Adiyen would like to thank Sriman Pattangi for the wonderful explanation > regarding the color of Sri Churnam. As he correctly said, there should > not be any strife on such a trivial matter. We must take pride in > wearing the Urdhva Pundram, weather it is vadagalai or Thengalai > sampradayam. One must try his best to serve with single minded > devotion, the lotus feet of Perumal, Thayar, our Acharyas and pray for > their divine katAksham. > > Regards > > Dasan > Srinivasan > > Pattangi wrote: > > > Sri: > > Humble pranam to all devotees of the LORD: > > > > Since adiyen received some mails regarding this, it is my duty > > to make sure this clarification also gets posted here, > > > > Adiyen wrote:===================================== > > The yellow color is also used by Vaikhanasas Vaishnavas who do not > > undergo > > Bharanyasam, (They undergo panchasamskaram while in thier Mother's womb) > > End original note======================================= > > > > This was in clarification to sri Srinivasan Narayanan's qs, that after > > Bharanyasam yellow srichurnam > > is adorned, > > > > The point adiyen made above is that there are others who do not > > undergo Bharanyasam > > and still adorn yellow sriChurnam. > > > > PS: There are Vaikhanasa priests in many many DhivyaDesams who wear > > RED Srichurnam. > > > > Adiyen wrote:===================================== > > All the Thengalai sampradaya wear red SrIChurnam. > > End original note======================================= > > > > I have heard from others that some Y based thiruman adorners also wear > > the yellow Srichurnam. > >
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