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tiruvEngadam

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sudarshan • September 3, 1998 


Dear friends,
On the subject of "most favoured divya desam" we have had wonderful posts.
I am glad I stirred the hornet's nest (it's amazing I have'nt been bitten
to death yet!) with the quip on "pacchai-ma-malai-pOl meni". Many of you
have countered it with a great deal of fuming conviction (arising no doubt
out of "full-baked knowledge of  "vakkAlats and tarka-sastra) that the
"malai" in question could never have been 'tiruvEngadam".
Two days ago I paid my "danda-samarpaNams" to Azhagiya-singar who is
presently camped here  atNanganalur for the "chAtur-mAsya" and gently
broached the subject.
He had a hearty laugh listening to my exposition!
Then he too told me that the idea was "clever" ("chAtUryam") but
unfortunately would not stand the severe rigours of poetic or pedagogic
critique.
My disappointment must have shown on my face for His Holiness quickly
added,"Why do you worry, Sudarshan, about your "tiruvEnga-mudaiyAn's
"kurai" (Tondar-adi-podi cold shouldering Him)! Every "kshetram" if you
look at it will have some "kurai" or the other. Why did Nammalwar, the
great one in our guru-parampara, come all the way to tiruvEngadam to
perform "saranAgathi" while living in the very shadow of Ranganathan? It's
difficult to explain these quirks of history... So fret not.... you are
born in a good "vamsham" from Tirupati.... rejoice... cease all retort !"

In deference to our "AchAryan" I am prepared to re-consider my views on
"pacchai-mA-malai-pol-mEni".
All my other views on the subject however remain unchanged.

adiyEn,
sudarshan