Kanchipuram Varadarajar Kovil Brahmothsavam Day 2 Morning

Namaskaram to All,

 

Very early tomorrow (Tuesday 13^th) morning Devathirajan would leave kannadi arai for santum sanctoram in thirumalai for a very unique event. Perarulalan would head back to have raksha bhandhanam again!! Yes second time. Generally raksha bhandam is done before the start of any major utsavam. As our Varadar is unique, it is done once before the start of brahmotsavam and once again on the 2nd day morning.

 

We need to rewind and go back in time to understand the reason. During the muslim invasion, sometime around AD 1688, to protect our lord, utsava moorties were moved to Udayarpalayam jungle in Tiruchirapalli dist. and substitute moorties were installed and festivals were conducted. After some years once peace prevailed, Raja Todaramalla (general under Saadet-ullah khan - nawab of carnatic) brought back Varadar & his consort from their retreat on the request of Attan Thiruvenkata Ramanuja Jiyar alias Srinivasa dasa. Just then the second day of the annual vaikasi festival was going on. The devotees hastened back to the temple with the original. Rejoiced at the happy event a fresh raksha bandanam was done for the deity & the function continued with the original deities. Till date this tradition is followed.

 

Back to the day's events: After the second kaapu Perarulalan would then reach the vahana mantapam, leaving behind the naachimaar's to ascend on Hamsa Vahanam.

 

Hamsa (divine swan) resides in Manasa Sarovar and processes a high intellectual capability and can distinguish good from bad. The significance of this vahanam comes from the birds special ability, that when water and milk is mixed and placed before it, it can separate both and drink only the milk. Like this swan we should leave the materialistic pleasures and reach eternal bliss. We need not look further, all we need is to look at our Lord riding on the Hamsam.

 

Our Perumal had taken hamsavatharam to pass on the vedas to Brahma. However, during the purappadu Perumal would be dressed (to kill) as a warrior, showing us all how he has fought riding on a hamsam to retrieve the vedas. Tomorrow he would adore a white paavadai.

 

I personally admire his thiruvadi in this perappadu as our warrior would be wearing a decorated joothi, please don't miss this wonderful sight if you are fortunate to be present. I guess Perarulalan should have worn a similar one when he walked along with jagat Acharyan from Vindhya mountains to kanchipuram in one night to safe guard our sampradayam.

 

The Divya prabhantha goshti would recite Boothatthaazhvaar's irandam thiruvanthaathi.

 

Shall cover Soorya prabhai in the next mail.

 

Andavan thiruvadiya charanam

Perundevi sametha Devathirajan thiruvadiya charanam

 

Dhasan,
Kausik Sarathy

 

Note : The pictures attached are file photos and courtesy Sri. Kesavabashyam.