Chithirai Ther at Kumbakonam Sarangapani Temple

May 4, 2012

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Chithirai Ther at Kumbakonam Sarangapani Temple is scheduled to take place on the 5th of May 2012, Saturday.

Updated video from this year’s Ther:

Sarangan Ther from Srinivas on Vimeo.

The 2000 year old Sarangapani Aaraavamudhan temple is housed between two rivers, Cauvery and Arasalaaru, in the heart of Kumbakonam, once the capital of the Chola Kingdom. 3rd Tallest Temple Tower. This temple has the third tallest temple tower among the Divya Desams at 150ft after Srirangam(236ft) and Srivilliputhur(192 ft). Some parts of the temple is believed to have been built in the 7th Century AD by the famous Pallava King Mahendra Varma but the real construction of the temple is said to have been done by the Cholas and later renovated by the famous Vijayanagara King Krishnadeva Raaya.

After listening to the Tamil hymn ‘Aaraavamudhe'(3418-27) composed by NammAzhvaar and totally swarmed by its content ” Aayirathil Ippathe”( 10 verses in 1000), Vaishnavite savant Natha Muni wanted to listen to the 1000 verses of Divya Prabandham. Not knowing where to go to collect the entire Prabandham, Natha Muni is said to have prayed here and Lord Aaraavamudhan asked him to go to Azhvaar Tirunagari, near Tirunelveli, to meet NammAzhvaar and to compile the works of the Divya Prabandham. Having searched for the 1000 verses, Natha Muni actually got to compile all the Nalaayira Divya Prabandham.

ThiruMazhisai Azhvaar and ‘Slightly Raised Reclining Posture’ of the Lord-Uthaana Sayanam
Seeing the sleeping posture of the Lord, a curious ThiruMazhisai Azhvaar questioned if his tiredness was the reason for him to be lying down in his sleeping posture. After hearing this, it is believed that the Lord slightly raised his posture to greet the Azhvaar. Feeling the guilt of having caused strain on the Lord, ThiruMazhisai Azhvaar asked him to remain as is. And the Lord remained so ever after. To this day, one can see the Lord in a slightly ‘raised reclining’ posture(Uthaana Saayee).

A Detailed stalapuranam can be read from: http://anudinam.org/2012/05/04/thirukkudanthai-sri-saarngapaani-detailed-stalapuranam/