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Rangi mandir, Brindavanam

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Narasimhan, Arvind (CTS) • February 17, 1999 


Sri
Sri Mathe Ramanujaya Namah
Sri Mathe BAla Dhanvhi Maha Guruvae Namah

Respect devotees,

Adiyen had the great fortune of visiting Shri Andal sametha Shri
Rangamannar, Brindavanam last year for Bhramoutsavam held during March..
There were some articles posted about this kshetram in this discussion group
earlier, by some devotees who had visited the shrine. 

Having stayed in Brindavanam for about a week during Bramhoutsavam and again
for about 5 days during Udaiyavar utsavam in May, adiyen had the blessed
association of Shri Govardhan Rangachar Swami( son-in-law of Kanchi PBA
swami). Swamiji was kind enough to explain the history of this shrine. 

In the the middle of the 19th century(1850's), Shri Andal appeared in the
dream of one highly exhaulted devotee named 
P. B. Srinivasachar , had a dream(swapanam) where in which Shri Andal
expressed her desire to enjoy Govindhan personally at Thiruayarpadi which
she did not get when she sang the Thirupaavai at  Shri Villi Puttur. She
requested Swamiji to come to Giri Govardhanam( akin to Shri Laxmi Narasimhan
inspiring our Adhi Vann Satagopa JIyer to come to Ahobilam !!??). 

The Swamiji started pada yathiri from Agaram( near KAnchipuram) to
Govardhanam  visiting all divya desams en-route. Finally having reached
Govardhanam, Lord Narayanan asked him in a dream to dig a particular spot.
Its said that for 17 days the digging was done and in each of the nights of
those 17 days Sriman Narayanan commanded Swamiji to dig the same spot more
and more. On the eighteenth day, a beautiful archa of Lord Laxminathan was
found under the water. The archa and the place where the digging was done
can be seen at Laxhminathji temple at Govardhan, near Manasa Ganga. 

In Govardhanam, Andal again appeared in his dream describing Swamiji how
exactly Arangan came to marry her, and how the temple is to be build and
asked him to come to ThiruAyarPadi( Brindavanam).  In Brindavan at that
time,  a rich Jain merchant had a dream that his guruji( achariyan) whould
be coming to Brindavan soon. The Swamiji and the Jain merchant meet each
other at Brindavan and the Jain mechant was thrown into expressible joy
seeing the swamiji bursting into tears,. Seeing this strange change in this
merchant's behavior, his elder brother held a dicussion with  the Swamji,
who in turn convinced him about Shri Vaishnava siddantham and initiated both
the brothers into the Sri Vaishnava fold. The brothers in turn gave all
their belongings( some 80 villages)  to swamji, which was used by him to
build the grand temple at Brindavanam as it stands today.

On another occassion, Andal expressed to Swamiji, her interest to serve
landoos to Rangamannar(Kannan). Accordingly, 108 ladoos are offered daily to
the Rangamannar and this practise is carried till date. Those blessed
devotees who visit the temple will be given this special ladoo prasadam, if
available.

The Present Govardhan Swamiji's  grand-father is the grandson of the Swamiji
who established the shrine.

The purpose of posting this article is that, devotees of this mailing group
should feel greatly encouraged to visit this shrine. Accomadation and
prasadam is not a problem. Its available, at the request of Swamiji. During
Bhramoutsavam ( this year it falls in March, exact date, i would clarify) we
may have to inform the concerned earlier. Those needing furthur information
can contact adiyen at the following address :-

53/6 Soundarya colony
Anna Nagar West Extn
Chennai - 600 101.
Phone 6264793.
e-mail :- narvind@dbss.com
	

Adiyen 
Arvinda Lochana Ramanuja dasan.

Azhwar Emperumanar JIyer Thiruvadhighalae charanam