You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Oct 2003

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00126 Oct 2003

 
Oct 2003 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Dear bhagavathas,

pranamams.

Adiyen will cover the tour experiences of Thirunangur divya desams
and other divya desams around Kumbakonam in this posting. Please bear
with me as adiyen is having just one more day's trip to wrap up this
series. Sorry for testing your patience.

Some bhagavathas have mentioned that adiyen can include the temple
timings and contact person in that area who can arrange for a
comfortable trip. Adiyen will try to provide this information
whereever appropriate. You may refer to Travel info link under Divya
desam menu of our site http://srivaishnavam.com

We left Chennai by a Fast Passenger, which is currently leaving
Chennai-Tambaram at 11.15PM. Since Broad gauge conversion works in
progress in most of the south, the train routes and timings are
undergoing frequent change. The ideal journey would be to catch a
night train and get down at Seerkazhi in the morning and cover
Thirunangur based divya desams or alight at Mayiladuthurai to cover
most of the divya desams around this town. You can get down at
Chidambaram too to have darshan of Sri Govindaraja Perumal first and
continue the journey to Thirunangur.

Our plan was to get down at Seerkazhi and we have arranged for a car
for two days
(1000 rupees per day for a coverage of maximum of 200 KM). The car
driver is from Oppiliappan Koil and he has become very close to us
due to our frequent trips to various divya desams in Chozha nadu. He
is the same person who took us from Thanjai mamanikkoil to
Thillaivilakam, Vaduvoor and Oppiliappan koil on the earlier trip.

The train left Chennai on time and my friend Sri Santhanam and my
father were with me for this trip. Sri Santhanam is my close friend
and we have lots of common interest to share. He goes on Pilgrimmage
often with meticulous planning all over India and he is the one who
has told us about the poor condition of Thalachchangadu divya desam
after his visit.

Around 6.30AM the train reached Chidhambaram station and we should
have reached Seerkazhi in another half an hour or so. As the train
left the station and gaining speed, some one has pulled the emergency
chain and the train was negotiating from loop line to main line and
the sudden stop by pulling the chain has almost derailed the train.
The connecting rod between the compartments broke and the train came
to a grinding halt and it was every one's guess about further journey
of the train. We can't afford to wait as the car will be waiting at
Seerkazhi station and we had series of planned performances right
from morning until night.

Quickly we got down and walked back to the station along the railway
track
(thankfully the train did not travel much from station), and took an
auto to go the bus stand. We took a bus and went to Seerkazhi and
again took an auto to reach the station. This unexpected travel has
consumed extra one hour and we have to leave out few divya desams due
to this. It's all HIS sankalpam.

Our original plan was to go to Thiruvali and than later come to
Seerkazhi to have darshan of ThadaLan. But since some time has
already been lost, the driver has suggested to have darshan at
Seerkazhi first. We did not make any prior arrangement for bathing
etc at Seerkazhi as our plan was to go to Sri Alinadan swami's
thirumaligai for our nityanushtanam. But since appa had been to the
bhattar's house earlier once, we thought of requesting him to have a
shower at his home.

Adiyen found that the bhagavathas in these divya desams are very
friendly and ever willing to help bhagavathas. The bhattar's house
was just close to the temple and he was kind enough to permit us to
bathe and complete our sandhiyavandhanam etc. Then he took us to the
temple and gave good darshan explaining the Periathirumozhi pasurams
of Sri Thirumangai Azhvar. This temple is being maintained well and
Thoddachchar family are mudhal thiirthakaras here.

Flower plants and tulasi plants are being grown around the prakaram.
There is a separate Thayar sannidhi and a separate Ramar sannidhi.
Being a town there are lots of shops around to buy garlands etc for
the Perumal.

We then went to Thirunagari, the one of the twin temples (the other
one is Thiruvali). Adiyongal are blessed to do nitya aradana
kaimkaryam in these two temples. At this juncture, adiyen should
introduce Sri Aalinadan swami who is actively involved in the
kaimkaryams of Perumal in these divya desams. He is working as a
schoolteacher in Seerkazhi and living in Thiruvali. He is Embar
thirumaligai sishya and his knowledge in Divya prabandham is
unbelievable. His father is serving the temple for more than 60 years
and this swami is in late 80's. Still he is active and accompanied us
for the Thirumanjanam at Thiru Arimeya Vinnagaram for "Kudamadum
koother". Sri Aalinadan swami is also proficient in Divya prabandham
and we have enjoyed his company so much for the entire day. His
untiring efforts to serve Sri Thirumangai Azhvar and Perumal at
Thirunagari and Thiruvali divya desam is to be mentioned and he is
our coordinator for our kaimkaryams in Thirunangur divya desams.

When we went to Thirunagari, Sri Aalinadan swami was in the temple
along with another group of devotees (our trust members Smt
Subhashini and her sister and father etc.) who had different tour on
the earlier day to Therazhundhur, Thiruvelliyangudi and other divya
desams and joined us for Thirunangur trip. In all we had wonderful
company enjoying the Lord in many temples in a goshti as Sri Andal
puts it " Kutiyirundhu KulirndhElOr empavaay".

We had very good darshan of Sri Kalyana ranganathar and the
specicality of this divya desam is that there is big sannidhi for Sri
Thirumangai azhvar and he sports like a hunter man. His aradana
moorthy "Sindhanaikku iniyan" is also kept along with Azhvar. Sri
Manavala mamuni has composed a beautiful pasuram on the beauty of Sri
Thirumangai azhvar.adiyen has the image of Sri Thirumangai azhvar and
soon scan and put it in our site.

Sri Aalinadan swami has explained the history of the temple and
throughout our trip in each temple he has explained the meaning of
the main pasuram of Peria thirumozhi which glorifies that particular
divya desam. His majestic recitation of the divya prabandham was a
treat to listen.

Later we left to Thiruvali the another temple attahced to this twin
divya desam. En route we wanted to visit the place where Sri
Thirumangai azhvar has robbed the Lord, who came along with Thayar as
newly wed couples. This place is called Thirumanangkollai. Every year
Vedupari utsavam is being performed. Sri Aalinadan narrated the
utsavam and we felt blessed to walk on this place where Sriman
Naryanana has done Ashtakshara mantra upadesam to Azhvar.

We came to Thirunagari temple and the narasimhar here is special. HE
is holding Mahalakshmi on the right hand side unlike the other
temples where she sits on the left lap. Our trust is doing nitya
aradana kaimkaryam in this temple too.

Since we have arranged for Thirumanjanam at Arimeya vinnagaram temple
for Kudamadum koothar we rushed over there as we were getting late
for this.

Adiyen will continue the tour in the next post.

Regards,

dasan venkat







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