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AdiyEn's trip to India

From the Bhakti List Archives

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan • September 16, 1999 


Dear BhaghavatAs:

It is almost 15 days since I had returned from a wonderful trip to India.  
Thanks to this cyber sat-sangh it added greatly to the enjoyment and 
purposefulness of the trip which rather turned out to be a pilgrimage.  
Through EmperumAn's grace I performed the BrahmOpadesam for my younger son 
at Tirupati and subsequently got the SamasrEyanam done for my two sons at 
the holy feet of Shri Anantha Narasimhachar swamigal (Garudapuram Swamigal's 
acharya vruksham).

Thanks to so many factors,  I was forced to travel via Singapore and what a 
blessing it was.  I was extremely happy to have met Shri Anand and "Abhinava 
Godha" Smt. Praveena and our dear Shri Madhavkkannan.  Through them our 
sampradayam is vibrant at Singapore.  Their example is influencing a lot 
more people and I understand that even some of the local people want to have 
samasrEyanam done.  Thanks to the tireless efforts of this trio, the 
foundation laid by Ramanujacharya and Swami Desika is standing on solid 
grounds at Singapore.  I am indeed happy to have visited that place and to 
have had their sat-sangh.

At India I first visited my Kula Deivam Lord Veeraraghavan of ThiruvallUr 
and their I met Shri KGK Krishnan.  Just a mention of membership of Bhakti 
or Malolan group is enough to get into their 'Antaranga quarters' and a 
lively conversation that follows.  At that time Shri Azhagiya Singhar was 
planning a mega Sudarsana homam at Thiruvaheendrapuram.

Subsequently, I visited Thiruvellikeni, Tirupati, Kancheepuram, Melkote and 
finally Srirangam.  Tirupati is as usual crowded with ever abounding 
Emperuman's glory.  At Kancheepuram I had the bhagyam of witnessing the 
Tirumanjanam of Lord Varada and the Ubhaya Natchiars.    At Mysore I 
obtained the blessings of  Parakalamatam Swamigal, witnessed the arAdhanam 
of Lord Hayagreeva and Swami was extremely appreciative of the contributions 
of the electronic medium in restoring the essentials of Sri Vaishnavistic 
principles .  Thanks to TVS Inc., Parakalamatam is now beautifully renovated 
and is shining with Swami Desika's glory.

Subsequently at Srirangam I was there for Yajur Upakarma and Shri Hayagreeva 
Jayanti (Sravanam).  Poundrikapuram Swamigal  gave a brief Anugraha 
Bhashanam on Lord Hayagriva.  When I had the bhagyam of speaking to him 
personally, Swami kept emphasizing the need for regularity in Sandhya 
vandanam and anushtAnams in general.  This is important for a Sri Vaishnava. 
  Shri Anantha Narasimhachar Swamigal spoke very eloquently about Lord 
Hayagreeva.  This was followed by a talk on "Hastigiri Mahatmyam" by Shri 
Rangamani Swamigal.

All-in-all a very satisfying trip.  I see a few changes in my children.  
They proudly wear Urdhvapundram at home and during socio-religious 
occassions.  I hope all these effects last till we undertake our next trip 
to India!

There are many things about our Divya Desams that I thought I should share 
with you all.  I hope to do it under the title "Divya Desams - Prioritizing 
our Efforts'.

I am happy to be back and be part of the Bhakti net once again.  I am also 
happy to learn about the Desika Jayanti celebration at Pomona and 
Manavalamamunigal Jayanti at the Bay area.  May EmperumAn bless these 
efforts.


Vijayaraghavan

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