As part of the ongoing Brahmotsavam at Sri Varadaraja Perumal Thirukkoil, Kanchipuram, purappadu of utsavar Sri Devaperumal took place in Thiruther yesterday (May 28th 2013; Tuesday) and on Thanga Chapparam & Yanai Vahanam on May 27th, 2013; Monday.
ThiruTher
Tuesday morning it was the ther that gets a change to bring Varadar close to us.
As per shastharam, Perumal should climb on to ther thattu within the same muhurtham of him leaving the temple. Generally in all the temples the ther is parked/stationed very close to the temple so this condition/clause is not a concern. However, in Perumal kovil the ther is stationed about 3 km from the temple.
Thepperumal would only stop at Hanumar Kovil once he leaves the kovil. Our sripadam thangies would literally run and it would be wonderful sight to watch.
Our Perumal would adorn red sikkuthadai and would add beauty to Robert Clive khandi necklace. For the benefit of new readers let me give a quick look in history about this khandi.
Around AD 1751 Robert Clive (East India company) was going round in Kanchipuram when he came across Perarulalan on his Garuda vahanam. He commanded the purappadu to stop. At that time one archakar informed the durai that it is hot and Varadar should be heading back to kovil. Durai sarcastically wanted to know what effect heat would have on an idol. The archakar was furious and told the englishman that Perarulalan is not an idol but a living god. As expected clive wanted proof. Immediatly, archakar got a fresh vastharam and wiped the back of Perarulalan and handed the vastharam to clive, who was astonished to see a wet towel. Immediately he offered a necklace to our Lord.
Another version. During the second carnatic war the British troops were stationed in Kanchipuram, preparing to attack Arcot. One day Robert Clive was seriously ill and doctors have given up hope. One asthiga mentioned about our Perarulalan. Clive wanted to test the power of our lord and prayed to our Lord in the night. To everybody’s surprise Clive had completely recovered in the morning. Later he went on to capture Arcot and gifted Arcot rani’s necklace to our Lord.
Irrespective of the version, the fact remains that Robert Clive gifted a necklace to our Perarulalan. The necklace is known after its donor till date.
Devathirajan would bless this thiruabharnam on important occasions and on couple of purappadu‘s during Brahmotsavam. Even this year our Devathirajan has been graceful enough in accepting a new navarathna oddiyanam, have attached the picture.
Thiruvezukoorrirukkai of Thirumangai alvar was recited by ghosti. The construction of verse in this unique composition consist of 47 lines and follows the pattern of a temple car (Ratha bhandam) of seven decks.
Yanai Vahanam
Monday evening our Varadar blessed all riding on his favorite vahanam.Perarulalan is closely associated with Yanai. Varadar resides on top of Hasthigiri. Hasthi, in Sanskrit, means elephant. Some say that Iravadam, elephant of Indra that appeared during churning of the milky ocean and was given to Indra to ride on, took the form of a hilllock so that Varadar could reside and bless us all. It is also Varadar who had rushed to save Gajendaran from the claws of the crocodile. It was elephant, Gajendaran, who had worshipped Varadr in treta yugam.
The Yanai in the vahanam in our kovil is unique!! In all other temples you would see the elephant either sitting or standing but in all the case you could see the legs of the elephant but in our kovil the legs of the Yanai is not visible. The reason being, the legs of the Yanai are under water at the time of Gajendra Moksham.Devathirajan’s beauty in this vahanam is unparalleled. Swamy desikan in his Thiruchinamaalai had praised the beauty of this vahana purappadu by singing “Aanai pari mel Azhagar Vanthar”.
While on the subject of gajendran, Sri Parasara bhatter in his commentary on Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam, Bhagavatguna Darpanam, faithfully reflects the greatmess and grandeur of Lord’s traits. He had identified 34 names referring to Gajendra Moksham.
Nacchiyar thirumozhi was recited during the purappadu.
Thanga Chapparam
Monday morning our Varadar came out as Krishnar in Thanga chapparam.
Our Varadar is granter of all boons and this sometimes works to his disadvantage!! When we know our lord is the king of all we could, at sometimes, feel let down as we would not be sure if someone at that level would listen to our request and grant our wishes. With that iota of doubt we would start to go around elsewhere with our wishes, this would make Varadar sad as he likes our company and would miss us. How best to attract us towards him, so today he would exhibit one of his other character – sowlabyam, and assure us he is one among us.
In some temples, during Brahmotsavam, the Lord would come as kutty krishnar, crawling with butter in his hands. Varadar on the hand comes out as venugopalan. I guess if Varadar would have come as kutty krishnar we would have no doubt enjoyed the beauty but would not have requested anything, thinking he is a small baby. So Varadar has combined both the attributes of sowlabyam and granter of wishes in one thirukolam.
In the chapparam a cow and calf would accompany Varadar and nacchimaar. This calf would not be there during the third day purappadu during dhavana utsavam when Varadar would be in Venugopalan thirukolam.
During the purappadu Thirupallandu and Thiruchanda viruththam was recited.
The following are some of the photographs taken during these utsavams…
Day 7 Morning Thiruther (May 28, 2013)
Day 7 Evening Purappadu (May 28, 2013)
Day 6 Evening Yanai Vahanam (May 27, 2013)
Day 6 Morning Thanga Chapparam (May 27, 2013)
