Re: thiru allikkENi

From the Bhakti List Archives

• August 13, 1998


                          Srimathe Narayanaya Namaha

     Further to what Sri Narayanan has wrote on this DIVYA dEsam I would
     like to add to list the most beautiful of all sevai's, the KAITHALA
     SEVAI on the Aippasi Moolam day, the thirunakshathiram of our great
     AchAryan Sri MaNavALa mAmunigal. Is there anything equal to it.
     Especially when our PerumAL is fully adorned will all the Diamond
     jewels and brought out to the Thirumanjana Mandapam from the Sannidhi
     by ArchakAs.

     Any body will certainly sing "dhorakuna ituvanti seva"

     To add further to the list, the best thirukkOlam or Saathuppadi is
     being done to the PerumAL only in ThiruvallikkeNi. Is there anything
     equal to the saathuppadi of "Paramapadhanaathan" on the 2nd day of
     Brahmotsavam in the Sesha vaahanam and on the 6th day of the pagal
     pathu utsavam. One would certainly feel as if they are really in
     Paramapatham.

     The VeNugopAlan thirukkOlam will really bring before one's eyes the
     KrishNan of AyarpAdi.

     On the fifth day of the Brahmotsavam of Azhagiya Singan when the "Yoga
     Narasimahar" Saathuppadi is done one would be spell bound on His
     beauty.

     After the pathi ulAthal during the Brahmotsavam, finally when the
     PerumAL is to enter the vaahana mandapam, the "OYYALI" sevai, where
     the PerumAL dances to the NAdaswaram notes is the best anywhere.

     Last but not the least is the YEsal during the GaruDa vaahanam, YAnai
     vaahanam and the Gudhirai vaahanam. Once again here the OYYALI is done
     with the vaahanam, a beautiful sight, just not to see but not to be
     missed.

     I will certainly say and argue that such beautiful thirukkOlams are
     not being done in any of the other Divya dEsams.

     Well this is all okay. However the heated debate on which is the No.1
     Divya DEsam has not ended. Please do remember that the ARGUMENT is
     only between Thiruvarangam and Thirumalai as the case had always been.
     However when it comes down to the DISCUSSION on favourable Divya
     dEsam, I would also vote for my ThiruvallikkENi.

     But forget not that Srirangam gets the No.1 place amongst all the
     Divya DEsam, particularly over ThiruvEngadam going by the count of
     paasurams and the way the AzhwArs and AcharyAs have thronged in
     Srirangam.

     In fact the centre of Sri VaishNavA philosophy was at Srirangam which
     is why Sri ALavandAr wanted Sri RAmAnujar to come down to Srirangam to
     take up the job and not to continue from Kanchipuram.

     Sri RukmiNi samEtha Sri VEnkatakrishNa swAminE namaha
     Sri RanganAyaki thayAr samEtha Sri RanganAthan thiruvadigaLe saraNam.

     adiyEn RAmAnuja dAsan


     Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh