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Thiru NaRaiyoor - Sri Pakshi Raajan - Ursavam and Real Experience - Part 2C

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • January 27, 1997 


Dear bAgawathALs, this is only a repost of last year'a article.

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DevEndran once gave Garudan a vimaanam and vaira mudi and requested Garudan to
present it to the most suitable Lord. Garudan presented the vimaanam to
thErezhundoor thEvaathi Raajan and Greedam to Chellap pillai of thiru naarayana
puram. Hence Garudan is seen near to the Lord in Therezhundoor. However, it was
said that one of the stone of the greedam was missing and since Garudan felt
that it might have got dropped in maNImuththaa river and he stayed here in
thiru naRaiyoor permanently it seems looking for the gem. The other version is
that at that time a silpi was carving his silai or statue and wished that this
statue should get the life and then suddenly Garudaazhwaar came to this statue
and gave life and flew. Since he came as the messenger to look for vanJuLa
vaLLI he stayed here. His thirumEni is dressed with the nava naaganGal as
aaparanankal.

Maargazghi sapthami, and paNguni thasami this utsavam takes place. If one wants
a boon they may pray to this pakshiraajan for 4 thursdays, and make amutha
kalasam using payaththam paruppu paayasam and offer him .It is believed that
Fourth thursday he will bless them their request. Garudan has a separate
sannithi here.

A Real Experience with Sri Garudaazhwaar

It was evening in naachiyaar kOil, and I was standing in the pOdium near the
sannithi of Pakshi Raajan. Nearly around 8 people, carried his thiruvuruvam
(statue made of stone) and placed him on the urtasava pOdium. This ursava
pOdium is mounted with unusually long ie approximately 20 to 30 feet on either
side, longitunal wooden members (logs). After alankaaram for purappaadu is
over, the aarathi sEvai is offerred to garudmaan. (deepa aaraathanai). At this
juncture, around 120 strong men struggle and somehow lift him. More people jump
in between and give "shoulders" and carry him from the "hill" (sugantha giri -
name of naachchiyaar koil karuvaRai) down to urasava mandapam. I was with my
video camera and suddenly an instinct pushed me into this and I offerred my
shoulders as well to carry him. When we lift something around 35 to 40 Kgs we
cannot stand in one place and we tend to move back and forth and balance
ourselves. Exactly that is what happened as the entire strength of all these
200 people put tohether struggled (more people jump in) to help balance cannot
simply hold him and stand with him steady and instead move (run) back and
forth for about 25 to 30 feet !

Some people may fall down but the standing by bakthaas are very watchful and
will pull them immediately to avoid stampede. After running few times 30 feet
forward and 30 feet reverse, the attempt comes to a halt with the help of
pedestal supports applied to supporting the main longitudinal log member at few
places. Even then the weight is so much that after an aarathi it comes to a
bearing limit. At this time of aarathi people shout his name and witness
"sweat" all over his face and dripping through the tip of his nose. What
science can proove this? What logic can explain this ? This is not a story of
milk sucking idol of Lord Ganesa, but a urtsavam being celebrated for
centuries.
There are mystical stones that can store water in it for years and ooze them
at certain temperature conditions. But many of such stones are not used for
making our idols as per the sirpa shaasthram. The Sweating is profuse and it
happens twice a year on this day of garuda sErvai. Even if science pundits will
attempt reasons for the sweat, as above , the weight change can never be
explained. I EXPERIENCED IT MYSELF BY CARRYING HIM AND recommend every one to
get his blessings by participating in this occassion. However I also challenge
anyone who may deny that, to do so themselves as I strongly believe that Sri
Garudmaan physically comes in his statue at this time of the urtsavam. This
year the panguni garuda servai is on to-day and as of this time people in India
must be getting ready for this sEvai ie (8.00PM).

praana dEvathaa, panchaathmaa panchathaa thiru pakshi raajan thiruvadikale
saraNam

Sampath Rengarajan