Kanchipuram Varadarajar Kovil Brahmothsavam - Day-1 Morning

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Namaskaram to All,

 

Tomorrow (Monday 12th May) is a very special day as the first purappadu of our Lord would start.

 

Very early in the morning Thiruvaradhanam would be performed for Perarulalan and Ubhaya nachimaar. Our Arulalan would joyfully descend from thirumalai, he would proceed to vahana mantapam. Here after Punyavachanam, the Garudan flag would be blessed by Perumal. This Garudan flag would then be hoisted on the dwajasthambham (flag post) this would act as a sign for all the devatha's that a majestic event is underway. The flag would be hoisted by the Archakar who had the raksha bhandanam done earlier, he would also receive parivattam mariyathai, for his service.

 

Perumal would then get on "Thanga Chapparam" (golden canopy) and proceed to Nammalvar sannadhi. The adyabhaga ghosti would face east and start thirupallandu &  vanna maadangal, symbolizing that Nammalvar himself inaugurates the ghosti.

 

Perarulalan & his divine concerts would adore Venkathadari kondai. This is the kridam worn on first day of all utsavam.

 

A small peek in to history of this abharnam. There once was a devotee by the name Venkathadri who wanted to present a kridam for our Devathirajan. He had no great means to do that and the only way he could do was to set aside an amount from his daily earnings till he had accumulated enough money. He was so involved in this kaimkaryam that if for some reason his daily wage was less than his estimated daily saving then he would forgo his food and keep the entire money for the kaimkaryam. The exact size of the abharnam was given to him by none other than Devathirajan, in his dreams. When he finished the kaimkaryam, our Nachimaar also wanted one for them. Venkathadri continued with his labour of love and got the abharnam done. The Kridam's were presented to on a Punguni Uthiram day. Devathirajan from that day onwards has made it a point to adore this abharnam on the first day of any utsavam.

 

Back to present time, our Lord would reach Gangai kondam mantapam and thiruvaradhanam would be performed. The Divya Prabhadham ghosti would start with the mudhal thiruvandhadhi at Kacchi Street and conclude it in the special mantapam near Vaikunta perumal kovil.

 

The afternoon session would start with Peretharanam and followed by Simha vahanam, details of which I would share in my next mail.

 

Andavan thiruvadiya charanam

Perundevi sametha Devathirajan thiruvadiya charanam

 

Dhasan,
Kausik Sarathy