You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - Mar 2002

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00035 Mar 2002

 
Mar 2002 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]



MYSORE MARCH 25. Amidst chanting of vedic hymns, Chellapillai
(pampered son), the darling of the masses at Melkote, the historical
temple town near here, kept his annual date with devotees on Sunday
night.

Decked with Vairamudi (the diamond crown), Lord Cheluvarayaswamy,
who is fondly called Chellapillai, the presiding deity, with his consorts
gave a glimpse that the devotees were anxiously waiting for during the
Vairamudi festival.

The flower arrangements for the procession had been so done that the
figures of Vishnu and his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi, seemed to be
floating just above the heads of people.

The Lord named as Chellapillai by the Vaishnavite saint,
Ramanujacharya, looked resplendent as thousands of devotees, who
had thronged the town from far-away places to witness the annual
spectacle, watched in reverence.

The procession started around 9 p.m., the auspicious time fixed by the
archakas. Decked up grandly with flowers and jewels, the presiding deity
and his consorts were slowly taken around his abode.

According to belief, a darshan of the Lord will relieve the devotees from
all bondage and bring them salvation. Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala visit the temple town during the
festival that is held on the fourth day of Brahmotsava. The temple
authorities claim that pilgrims from as far as Nepal and Kashmir visit the
temple during the festival. Melkote has a history of over 1,000 years. It
sheltered Ramanujacharya when he fled Srirangam to avoid persecution
by the local chieftain.

The aged among the devotees, who could not witness the spectacle,
waited till the procession returned to the temple precincts around 3 a.m.
after passing through the thoroughfares. The temple town began
receiving devotees from Saturday afternoon.

In a break from tradition, the nadaswara which is played all through the
procession was missing this time. It was played only during the
crowning ceremony of the Vairamudi on Lord Cheluvarayaswamy.

Legend has it that the Vairamudi or the diamond crown belonged to Lord
Anirudha who resided at Kshirasagara. The Vairamudi was stolen by
Virochana, son of Prahlada. Garuda was asked to bring the crown.

Garuda vanquished Virochana and took the crown. On the way, he
found Krishna playing in the Brindavan with his friends and cows and
offered it to him and went back to narrate the incident.

Krishna offered the crown to the presiding deity here that is known as
Vairamudi or Vajramukhi. People believe that the Vairamudi should not
be seen during the day.

According to scholars, the festival symbolises the mastery of Sri
Cheluvarayaswamy over the Vedas, the storehouse of knowledge. Lord
Cheluvarayaswamy sitting on the Garuda, believed to be the very
personification of the Vedas, shows that it is the former who gives all the
splendour to that knowledge.

The Vairamudi that is kept in the Mandya treasury was brought under
heavy security and opened in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner,
L.A. Ateeq, and the SP, A.K.Pandey. Special bus arrangements had been
made to Melkote from Mandya, Mysore, and Bangalore for devotees





[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list