Bhoopathy ( Thai ) thirunal .... continues

Bhoopathi Thirunaal Ezham Thirunaal 24 01 13

Today Purappadu   is only in the evening.

Namperumaal has purappadu around 7:00pm with HIS Ubhayanachimars seated facing each other , in front of HIM. Then they reach the mandapam near Thulabharam and near Sengamalavalli Nachiyar Sannidhi located on the way to Thayar sannidhi from Aryapadal gopuram. In front of Namperumal, near the gate of “Thirukkottaram” harvested Paddy from HIS lands is kept as a heap. Then Namperumal is “informed” on the total harvested paddy kept as a heap, by measuring in a Golden measure ( oru Marakkal ) “Thiruvangam periya koil oru Marakkal” , “Thiruvangam periya koil Pathu Marakkal”,………. “Thiruvangam periya koil kodi Marakkal”, etc., The count keeps increasing from 10 , 100, 1000,and then they call out “ kodi marakkal”

Then Namperumal with HIS Ubhayanachimars goes through the Uthira veedhi in a “Thiruchivigai” vahanam. As usual Aandal elephant  and Hari go in front of HIM. Then HE reaches Thayar sannidhi and has Thirumanjanam in the Navrathri mandapam ( in front of HER sannidhi and reaches Kannadi arai around mid night.

The seventh day of every festival there is “ Nel Alavu Kandu Aruludal” by Namperumal. Also it is to be mentioned that whenever Namperumal is with Ubhayanachimars in a vahanam, the Sripadam thangigal walks gently instead of HIS usual Nadai.

Bhoopathi Thirunaal Ettam Thirunaal 25 01 13

Around 7 am , Namperumal has purappadu and walks through Uthirai veedhi and is seated in the mandapam in Ranga vilas. As customary Aandal and Hari go in front of HIM, through the Uthirai veedhi. HE stays there till about 6:30pm for public darshan. He is dressed in a white vashti, pandiyan kondai and sports about 7 haaras with different pendants.

In the evening Namperumaal goes around Uthirai veedhi on a huge Golden (plated?) Kudirai vahanam. The vahanam is decorated with Red, yellow, Green , Orenge and Blue velvet vastrams. He sits majestically on this huge vahanam wearing a pandiyan kondai and holds the reins of the horse.   HE has Vaiyali in the Uthira veedhi. HIS two VenKodais also are seen in the procession . “Aandal” and “Hari” as customary go in front of Namperumaal.

Bhoopathi Thirunaal Onbadam Thirunal 26 01 13  Thai Ther

The Ther stands fully decorated, just outside the ranga gopuram and there is a platform which connects a mandapam to the Ther. Namperumal has already reached this mandapam and from here He has been brought to the Ther.

Namperumal  is seated with HIS Ubhayanachimars facing each other ,  We go to the Uthirai veedhi around 5:45am in front of Ranga Ranga Gopuram and already a sea of humanity waits there. Thousands of them are standing / sitting by the side of the four huge, long Ther Vadams .  Namperumal and HIS consorts are already on the Ther and on all the four sides, the curtains prevent  one from having darshan.  Sharp at 6: 30am ,

Once the thirai is removed, shouts of Ranga Ranga, and Govinda Govinda rend the skies. The early morning  sees everyone peering into the tops of the trees to see peacocks  perched on the treetops. The crowd pulls the Ther very enthusiastically.

Since this “Ther” Nilai is situated on the northern wall near the SBI and it takes almost 20 minutes for the “Ther” to move from its original place. Thousands of people who pull the “Vadam” and with the proper application of the Muttukattais that are placed on the left rear wheel first and then alternately on other wheels so that the huge “Ther” is moved to its right first and then move about 50 feet and turns to an angle to the left before moving straight on Uthira Veedhi.

Well, people throng the streets to pull the chariot, and the skilled workmen apply brakes with huge but crude wooden blocks, these look very unlikely tools but act efficiently and as the men apply the brakes they also stand on the ropes that bind the chariot to the blocks. This is a swinging motion and they stand on the ropes and hold the blocks too. The whole operation looks very primitive but acts very effectively.    One is left feeling that with so much advancement in science a better method of pulling this Ther could be effected.

The Ther reaches the Nilai about 9: 40am.

During this period of time, the doors to the three entrances to this temple are shut and no one is allowed to have darshan of Periya perumal. Around noon, the doors are opened for darshan as Namperumal reaches the Navrathri Mandapam in front of Periya Thayar Sannidhi. In the evening HE has Thirumanjanam there and reaches kannadi arai later in the night. There is no vedhi purappadu this evening.

Also today being Punarvasu ,   Sahasranama Parayanam by a local group, takes placein the Kothandaramar Sannidhi in Sesharayar mandapam opposite the 1000 kaal mandapam.  Sharp at 6pm , there are about 40 people in this sannidhi who start reciting Vishnu Sahasranamam. We are told that this is lead by an engineer from BHEL, Trichy. This troupe recites 1000 nama daily, for the past 30plus years… some days about 100 people join them . Till date , they claim that they have recited over 32 crores times !!!!!. They recite this in various places in Srirangam, Trichy  and even outside Trichy. They communicate their program by mail, mobile, mouth etc., to members and non-members.

Bhoopathi Thirunaal Pathaam Thirunaal 27 01 13

Around 7:00am Namperumaal has purappadu from Kannadi arai. HE has only flower maalai and no jewels at all excepting the Koustubham and a simple Kireetam which has diamonds resembling thilakam. HE goes through the Raja Mahendram churru and is seated in Santhanu Mandapam and has Thirumanjanam around noon. While going through the Rajamahendram Churru, as customary HE gives darshan and mariyadai ti to Vishwaksenar, Hanuman and Vibheeshanar on the southeast corner of this praakaaram.

Around 6:00pm Namperumal gets ready for the Uthirai veedhi purappadu. (Sabhdaavarana sevai). This procession is carried out rather silently with one kottu here and there  throughout the veedhi with two big ven kudais and two small ven kudais, with golden tassles which glittered in the Ghee pandham which was almost the only vilakku around HIM ( Which lent a very historic feeling to the entire affair) and HIS golden kudai just above HIM. What is surprising is Namperumal wears pendants studded with rubies and diamonds and walks like a king. Everyday the main pendant is changed , one day it is the Ranga mandapam padakkam, one day it is Thayar padakkam, another day Rockodi padakkam.  Aandal and Hari go in front of HIM. Whenever Namperumal goes through the veedhi  , he is protected from sunshine or cold by a mobile tent.

After the Uthira veedhi ula, HE reaches Thayar Sannidhi through Azhwan churru ( From Chakrathazhwan sannidhi ). At Thayar sannidhi HE stays facing Thayar sannidhi in the Kamba Ramayana Mandapam and has Thiruvandhikappu. HE then moves to Udayavar sannidhi with HIS entire entourage via the 1000 kaal mandapam. This evening Namperumal hears Ramanujar Nooru Andhadi and reaches Udayavart Sannidhi. There Udayavar utsavar waits in the hands of Archakas ( Kaithalam) and once Namperumal nears the sannidhi, Udayavar goes to Namperumal and has Parivattam, Maalai and Shatari.

We are told , The idea of this utsavam is  that Namperumal wants to hear about the Thai Thirunal from the Sthalathars when HE goes around the Uthira veedhi and Udayavar is happy hear that the Utsavams went off well !!!! HE then retires to HIS abode with Periya perumal.

Bhoopathi Thirunaal Padinoram Thirunaal 28 01 13

On this last day of the Thai Thirunaal festival, Namperumal comes out of HIS abode around 3:00pm and reaches the  Ranga Vilas Mandapam for public darshan.  Namperumal looks resplendent ,kingly and friendly all at the same time …in  White Pattu Vashti,with about 7 to 8 padakkams. With his usual virukshi poo malai, HE is giving audience to everyone and once again we can hear People muttering Ranga ennappaney, ranga ranga ennapanney.

After a while He moves over to the Vahana mandapam where HE is set in a Adum pallaku.

This pallakku or palanquin is huge, covered in  silver foil, with a HIS padam in front ,a sangu chakram on either side as decorations, and very funnily  a big man sized figure of a man holding the pallakku in the front and the back. HE stands majestically in a wooden cradle like fixed peetam which is mounted on the Adum pallakku.

So as one enjoys the beauty of the palanquin, one is surprised to see Namperumal standing inside this contraption .

This palanquin is borne by many sripadamthangighal, and is carried with a sway. It is as if the pallakku sways from side to side and hence is called AAdum pallaku. This vahanam is about 25 feet long.