Thirunindravur,

 Bhakthavatsala Perumal temple is located at Thirunindravur, Tamilnadu. It is revered as one of the 108 Divya Desam Temple dedicated to Bhagwan Vishnu (Varaha Avatar). Here Bhagwan Vishnu is worshipped as Bhaktavatsala Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Ennai Petra Thayar (meaning Mother who gave birth to me) also called as Sri Sudhaa Valli. It is the 58th Divya Desam. This place is also known as Srinivasa Kshetram since Lord Vishnu came here and stayed for some time.

Legend of Sri Bhatavatsala Perumal Temple

Legend is that Sagara (Varuna Deva), who is the father of Devi Lakshmi worshipped Bhagwan Vishnu here. Thiruninravur is considered as the place of Goddess as she settled here first and then Lord came here to Her place. The rarity of this temple is that Sri Bhakthavatsala Perumal is staying permanently at his in-law’s place. As Goddess settled here first, the place itself had got its name after her. In Thamizh, ‘Thiru’ means Sri Lakshmi, ‘Ninra’ means stood, ‘Vur’ means place.

The Devas and Asuras jointly churned the White Sea with a mountain (Mandhara) by using Vasuki the snake as a rope. While churning the sea Nectar came out which has the power of keeping anyone alive without death. At that time Devi Lakshmi came out along with the Nectar from the sea and she got attracted by the beauty and majesty of Bhagwan Vishnu. She decided to marry him and to realise her wish she came to Thiruninravur and did a serious penance.

Bhagwan Vishnu was pleased and came there with all the Devas and got married at this place. The Devas after seeing this memorable incident did not want to leave this place. Hence, they turned themselves into bees and started living there. (Still there are bee hives in the temple that are preserved by the temple authorities).

History  

The temple is said to be built in the sixth century AD by the Pallava kings. There are engravings which reveal that king Nandi Varma had originally built the temple. The earliest inscriptions of the temple are dated between 820 to 890 AD during the period of Nripatungavarman. There are inscriptions from the later Chola kings like Rajendra Chola II (1051–1063 AD), Virarajendra Chola (1063–1070 AD) and Rajaraja Chola II (1146–1173 AD). The Pallava inscriptions mention this place as Ninravur and some of them quote it as Virudhurajabhayankar-chaturvertimangalam.

The main tower is an architectural splendour which is a five decked Raja Kopuram. Opposite to the main temple Gopuram is a temple to Lord Hanuman. The king of all the snakes Adisesha also has a shrine in this temple. Other deities worshiped in this temple are Andal who loved Sri Krishna and got merged with him and other Alwars who are the traditional devotees of Bhagwan Vishnu who have attained salvation by their devotion.

The height of the Main deity is around 10 ft (3.0 m). The Utsava Moorthy (procession deity) is called Patharaavi is made of panchaloha and is accompanied by two consorts as in most Vaishnavite temples. There is a separate shrine for the goddess Ennai Petra Thayar (also called Sudhavalli), the consort of Bakthavasala.

One of the incarnations of Bhagwan Vishnu is ‘Vamana’. During this avatar he took his original shape and lifted his mighty legs that went up to Brahma Loka and Bhagwan Brahma washed the leg and performed abhishekam with the holy water from his kamandalam. A drop of it spilled out and the drop is said to have become the holy pond in this temple which is called as punniyatheertham (holy waters). This holy water is believed to have removed the curse on Moon God when he took bath here. It is said that Bhagwan Vishnu himself took the water and performed Abhishekam to Devi Lakshmi and hence she is also called as Abhisheka Valli.

The Bakthavatsala Perumal temple follows the traditions of the Tenkalai sect of Vaishnavite tradition and follows Pancharatra rituals.

Shaiva Kshetram

Tirunindravur is also the home town of Pusalar, who is one of the sixty-three Nayanar saints mentioned in Periyapuranam. Periyapuranam is a Tamil poetic account depicting the lives of the sixty-three Nayanars, the canonical poets of Tamil Shaivism. It was compiled during the 12th century by Sekkilhar. Among all the hagiographic Puranas in Tamil, Sekkilhar’s Tiruttondar Puranam or Periyapuranam, composed during the rule of Kulottunga II (1133–1150 CE) stands first. Pusalar conceives the design of the temple which he wanted to build for Bhagwan Shiva in his deep worship.

Meanwhile, Rajasimha Pallava, the King of Kanchi had undertaken the task of erecting a temple for Bhagwan Shiva. On the completion of the task, the king wanted it to be named Rajasimeswaram and duly consecrated. Hence the king fixed a date for the consecration. The Lord appears in King’s dream and directs him to meet Pusalar. The King realizes the ardent devotion of Pusalar and builds the temple as conceived by Pusalar and after that he performs the consecration ceremony for the Rajasimeswaram temple built by himself.

Pusalar’s temple for Bhagwan Shiva became famous as Hridayaleeswara temple. The inner roof of the temple is designed like that of a heart divided into four compartments probably displaying Poosalaar’s conception. Parvati here is worshipped as Maragathambika. Poosalaar’s statue is found with folded hands in the shrine of Hridayaleeswara (also known as Irudhayaleeeswara).  Irudhayaleeswara is also worshipped as Manavaleswara. People with an ailing heart are said to visit this temple seeking the grace of Irudayaleeswara for speedy recovery. The temple has a 5 tier gopuram at the entrance and two precincts.

Rama Temple

The Rama temple of Tiruninravur is known as Kaiunakaramurti and Daasharathi and fondly referred to as Eri Katha Rama. This small shrine of Rama facing east is located in a very scenic spot about half a kilometer west of the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple, with the holy tank known as Ksheera Pushkarini on one side and bordered by the vast lake named Varuna Pushkarini on another. The legend associated with Lord’s name as Eri Katha Rama goes as follows.

It is believed that the lake in Tiruninravur was once flooded in a storm and the bunds were in the verge of breaking when the villagers prayed to Sri Rama. Sri Rama is said to have created a fence of arrows around the lake that prevented it from breaking whereby the village was saved. The villagers showed their gratitude by building a temple on the banks of the lake for Sri Rama. Thus, the name Eri Katha Rama, which means Rama who controlled the Lake from getting overflown and flooding the town.

Itihas

There is an interesting episode connected with this temple. It is believed that once, the sister of Sri Ramanuja named Nachiyaramman and her husband Ananta Dikshitar came from nearby Sri Purushamangalam (now called Nazarethpettai near Poondamallee). This couple did not have children for a long time. On their way to Tirumala Hills (Tirupati) they halted for the night in Tiruninravur at the Eri Katha Rama temple.

Sri Rama appeared to Ananta Dikshitar in his dream and bestowed him with a boon that he would get a son who would be His own incarnation. Just as Ramanuja of Sriperumbudur was the incarnation of Adisesha, he was named Daasharathi (Rama, the son of Dasaratha) later known as Mudaliyandan (i.e., Vishwakshena, commander in chief of the army of Bhagwan Vishnu) who became Ramanuja’s very ardent disciple.

This tiny Rama temple, which is built on a slightly elevated level, enshrines the very tall images of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita on the same pedestal. The height of the Rama image, the principal deity is approximately eight feet and the other images are equally tall. The captivating image of Rama is two-armed holding a bow and arrow. His brother Lakshmana is placed next to him. He is seen with his hands in an unusual posture as if holding his bow in a horizontal way.

The graceful image of Sita with a beautiful smile, holding a lotus is placed to Rama’s right. The three deities are made of stucco (composed of sand and hydrated lime mixed with water). The stucco images are fascinating and they are reminiscent of the similar imposing stucco images of Ulagalanda Perumal and few other deities found in the temples in Kanchipuram. The beautiful processional images or utsava murtis of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, and Devi Sita and Hanuman of this temple are kept in a separate shrine very near the main sanctum inside the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple.

In front of the main sanctum of the Rama temple of Tiruninravur there is a small-pillared mandapa. In this small mandapa is enshrined a unique image of Hanuman who is seen carrying Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders with the legs of the heroes hanging on side, front and back. Hanuman holds a scepter and a shield in his right and left hand respectively. He is seen treading on the writhing figure of a demoness. This image of Hanuman very much conforms to the episodes of the legends and myths.

At the time of the Brahmotsavam in the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple, the processional image of Perumal visits the Rama temple in Mohini avataram. This shrine, just like the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple, follows the Pancharatra rituals of worship.

Pilgrims going to Tirunindravur can visit all the three temples, Viz., Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Hridayaaleswara and Lord Rama as they are located very near to one another.

indhu = chandran

 

Thiru Indhalur Divyadesam Parimala Ranganathar Temple is one among the Pancha Ranga Kshetrams. The remaining four are Trichy Divyadesams Srirangam Aranganatha Swamy Temple, Koviladi Appankudathan Temple, Srirangapatnam Ranganathar Temple in Karnataka and Kumbakonam Sarangapani Temple. The temple is located just 2 KM north of Mayiladuthurai with a 5 Tiered Raja Gopuram. Chandra Bhagwan worships near the face of the Lord, where as the Sun at the feet and Lord Brahma Devar from His naval. Since Chandran underwent a penance, the place is being called in his name Thiru Indhalur - Indhu means Chandhran. Taking bath in River Cauvery in the Tamil Month of Aypasi is more sacred than bathing in River Ganges Moolavar   :   Parimala Ranganathar Blessing Posture   :   Veera Sayana Posture Facing East Thayar   :   Chandra Shaba Vimokshana Valli , Pundareekavalli Nachiyar Utsavar   :   Maruviniya Maindan Utsava Thayar   :   Parimala Ranganayagi Vimanam   :   Vedhachakra Vimanam` Theertham   :   Indu Pushkarini Thiru Indhalur Divyadesam Parimala Ranganathar Temple River Cauvery worships the Almighty on His head side where as Mother Ganga His feet. Yama Darma and King Ambareeshan also worship Parimala Ranganathar at HIS feet. Cauvery has greater importance here than River Ganga. The Almighty is blessing as Maruviniya Maindhan, Sugantha Vananathan and Andhiya Rangan in Kidantha Thirukkolam ( Reclining Posture ) in Veera Sayanam Facing East with Four Hands Ekadasi Fasting - Once there was a King named Ambareesan followed Ekadasi Vradha very meticulously. Finally he was about to complete his 1000th Ekadasi Vradha. People of his country felt very happy that their King is about to complete the great Vradha for 1000th time and made arrangements for the celebrations. But it was an Unhappy news for those who lived in the celestial world. Because once a person complete his 1000th Ekadasi Vradha, then he would be elevated equal to the person in the celestial world. They approached the Sage Durvasar to help them out. Durvasar, familiarly known for his temperament agreed and came down to the King’s place. By that time the Ambaresan just finished his Ekadasi Vradha and was about to have his food in a particular auspicious time. Ekadasi Vrada becomes complete only when the devotee has his food the next day in a prescribed time. By seeing Sage Durvasar, King Ambareesan felt glad and gave him a warmth welcome. Durvasar requested the King that he would be back to him for the lunch after a bath in a river and went. The Sage’s plan was to pass on the time. King Ambareesan waited for a long time and the time for fasting was nearing. Everyone near by forced him to have food. But King Ambareesan knows the temperament of the Sage and got afraid. Chief Acharyas asked the King at least to have few drops of water to complete the Vradha and the king was about to have. By knowing this through his power, Durvasar sent a ghost to kill the King. Frightened King ran away and sought asylum at the Almighty’s feet here. To save his adherent devotee, Paranthaman looked the Ghost and the Ghost ran away. Durvasar understood the power of Ekadasi Fasting. He begged the Almighty for the pardon. When the King was asked by the Almighty of his wish, he requested HIM to bless the devotees here as Parimala Ranganathar. When Devas and the demons churned the milk ocean to obtain the Nectar, Chandra appeared before Sree Mahalakshmi, hence enjoys the status as Her elder brother. He occupies the second place next to Sun in the planetary line. The other story is that he was born to Sage Athiri and his wife Anusuya, according to Puranas. Moon is handsome and is the disciple of Jupiter and well versed in scriptures. He conducted a yagna called Raja Suya which was attended by a huge number of Rishis and Thara wife of Jupiter. When they looked at each other in the event, Chandhran and Thara began to love each other. Shocked Deva Guru Jupiter reported this to Lord Vishnu and cursed his disciple with leprosy. Meantime, a son was born to Moon and Dhara named Bhudhan ( The Planet Mercury ). As advised by Lord Vishnu, Moon returned Thara to his Guru. Later Budhan became one of the planets. Moon Committed His Next Mistake - He married the 27 daughters of Dakshan promising him that he would treat each one with equal love. But he did not. He was very fond of Rohini alone and ignored others. The aggrieved daughters approached their father Dakshan and narrated their condition. Angry Daksha cursed that his handsome face will depreciate day by day. Full moon began to face the impact of the curse. Chandran had to suffer a double curse. To purify himself from his sins, Moon apologised and requested his Guru Brahaspati to suggest remedy and he was directed by his Guru to undergo a three phased parikaram. It was to appeal to the blessings of Lord Vishnu for punishment for his sins. Moon as the first step in his three phased parikaram, Moon undertook bath at the Chandra Pushkarani and performed poojas at Srirangam Divyadesam, Thiruindhalur Divyadesam and Thalaichangadu Kshetram and undertook severe penance invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu who appeared here in a Chandra Vimanam along with Shengamalavalli Thaayar and liberated Moon fully from all his curses. Hence the Lord here is also referred to as Chandra Saabha Haran. Chandran then requested the Almighty to fulfill the wishes of the devotees who pray here in this temple, just as he did and to relieve them from the curses and Dhoshams. Argument between Thirumangai and Parimala Ranganathar - Once Thirumangai Azhwar came down to worship Parimala Ranganathar here at Thiru Indhalur Divyadesam, the Almighty had an idea to play with Thirumangai and HE shut the doors. Alwar was not able to see the beauty of the Almighty reasoning that Alwar was late to the temple and the Darshan time was over. Disappointed Thirumangai got into an argument with the Almighty and told Him that he had come all the way to see HIS Beauty, since the doors was shut let HIM have all HIS beauty with himself and enjoy on HIS own. He also added that the whole world will talk ill about HIM as he shut the doors and not permitted the devotee who had come all the way to see HIM. But HE ignored everything and kept a long silence and told Alwar that he need not worry about all those things and HE will take care of all the ill feelings. Eventhough Thirumangai attempted repeatedly to pacify Perumal so that to worship Him, all went in vain. Finally Alwar was about to leave without even praising Him. By sensing that Alwar may leave without any praise. Parimala Ranganathar asked him to praise on HIM. Alwar rejected HIS request and told HIM that when HE was not even allowed to see HIS beauty, he was not ready to praise. Almighty asked him if he was able to praise on other Perumals just by sitting in his own place, why not here in his temple?. Fnally compromised Thirumangai Alwar praised Lord Parimala Ranganathar with his 10 pasurams. and pleased Almighty gave him Darshan. Since Chandran underwent a penance, the place is being called in his name Thiru Indhalur - Indhu means Chandhran. Taking bath in Cauvery in Tamil Month of Aypasi is more sacred than bathing in Ganges

Vedupari.

 How a king turned minstrel. 

The story of Tirumangai Mannan is enacted at the Srirangam temple .

Tirumangai Mannan as Azhwar after the Vedu Pari event. 

The last of the Azhwars- Thirumangai Azhwar - made a significant contribution, visiting and singing the praise of Lord Vishnu in over 85 temples (Divya Desams). While all other Azhwars got things done by showing love and devotion to the Lord, Thirumangai Azhwar alone was different. The only Azhwar with a spear in his hand, he was aggressive, even threatening in his interactions with the Lord, who sometimes had to come down a step to please Thirumangai and to get him to sing praise - a couple of cases in point being Thiru Indhalur and Thiru Ninravur Divya Desams.

Born in Thiru Kuraiyulur, 2 km from Thiruvali-ThiruNagari near Sirkazhi, Thirumangai Mannan (king), who belonged to the Kallar Community, fell in love with the beautiful Kumudavalli of Annan Koil (another Divya Desam near Sirkazhi). To get Thirumangai Mannan initiated into Vaishnavism and devoted to Lord Vishnu, Kumudavalli laid tough ‘wedding’ conditions, one of which was to feed 1008 Vaishnavites every day. Thirumangai Mannan, in this attempt, lost a lot of his wealth. But determined to fulfil her conditions, he turned a thief and resorted to ‘stealing.’

One night, Thirumangai saw a newly married couple, decked with jewellery, coming his way. It was Lord Ranganatha of Thirunagari taking along with him Amruthavalli Thayar of Thiruvali. In that darkness, in Vedarajapuram (the village between Thiruvali and Thirunagari), Thirumangai waylaid the couple threaenig idisguised Lord Ranganatha and threatening them with his spear.

Having relieved the two of their jewellery, Thirumangai put the booty in a bag and found it too heavy to even lift it from the ground. Lord Ranganatha revealed himself and initiated the bandit king into the ‘Ashtakshara Mantra.’ The divine couple appeared in their wedding splendour.

‘Thirumangai Mannan’ thus became ‘Thirumangai Azhwar.’

Thirumangai Azhwar wanted the Margazhi Festival to be a Tamil Divya Prabhandham festival as against just the Vedic recital that existed before his time. The 10-day ‘Era Pathu’ festival called ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal’ was specially created for the Lord to listen to the beautiful Tamil composition of Nammazhwar.

It was a night filled with fervour and nostalgia at Thiruvali-Thirunagari, a divyadesam about 10 km from Sirkazhi, with over 5,000 devotees gathering to witness the unfolding of the Vedu Pari utsavam on the streets of Veda Raja Puram, a remote village near Thiru Kuraiyalur, the birth place of Thirumangai Azhwar. While Vedu Pari is performed at different divyadesams, the one at Veda Raja Puram is special because it was here that the episode took place and hence re-enacted in a traditional manner.

Vedu Pari relates to the late night robbery that brought about a transformation in Mangai Mannan who later came to be hailed as Thirumangai Azhwar.

Tirumangai Mannan as Azhwar after the Vedu Pari event.

The last of the Azhwars- Thirumangai Azhwar - made a significant contribution, visiting and singing the praise of Lord Vishnu in over 85 temples (Divya Desams). While all other Azhwars got things done by showing love and devotion to the Lord, Thirumangai Azhwar alone was different. The only Azhwar with a spear in his hand, he was aggressive, even threatening in his interactions with the Lord, who sometimes had to come down a step to please Thirumangai and to get him to sing praise - a couple of cases in point being Thiru Indhalur and Thiru Ninravur Divya Desams.

Born in Thiru Kuraiyulur, 2 km from Thiruvali-ThiruNagari near Sirkazhi, Thirumangai Mannan (king), who belonged to the Kallar Community, fell in love with the beautiful Kumudavalli of Annan Koil (another Divya Desam near Sirkazhi). To get Thirumangai Mannan initiated into Vaishnavism and devoted to Lord Vishnu, Kumudavalli laid tough ‘wedding’ conditions, one of which was to feed 1008 Vaishnavites every day. Thirumangai Mannan, in this attempt, lost a lot of his wealth. But determined to fulfil her conditions, he turned a thief and resorted to ‘stealing.’

One night, Thirumangai saw a newly married couple, decked with jewellery, coming his way. It was Lord Ranganatha of Thirunagari taking along with him Amruthavalli Thayar of Thiruvali. In that darkness, in Vedarajapuram (the village between Thiruvali and Thirunagari), Thirumangai waylaid the couple the disguised Lord Ranganatha and threatening them with his spear.

Having relieved the two of their jewellery, Thirumangai put the booty in a bag and found it too heavy to even lift it from the ground. Lord Ranganatha revealed himself and initiated the bandit king into the ‘Ashtakshara Mantra.’ The divine couple appeared in their wedding splendour.

‘Thirumangai Mannan’ thus became ‘Thirumangai Azhwar.’

Thirumangai Azhwar wanted the Margazhi Festival to be a Tamil Divya Prabhandham festival as against just the Vedic recital that existed before his time. The 10-day ‘Era Pathu’ festival called ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal’ was specially created for the Lord to listen to the beautiful Tamil composition of Nammazhwar.

At the Ranganatha temple in Srirangam, the story of ‘Vedu Pari’ is enacted every year as part of the eighth day celebrations of the Era Pathu festival. The episode took place last week. Namperumal seated atop a golden horse was brought to the sand expanse on the eastern side of the temple. The deity held in his right hand a sword, javelin and arrows while his left hand held the reins. A speciality was the performance of Kona Vaiyali (zig zag fast paced procession).

The gathering was also treated to an enactment of Vedu Pari as young members of the Kallar community armed with long sticks surrounded the deity. Thirumangai, who earlier in the evening walked in as the king (Mannan) with a bow and arrow in hand, was seen in a completely different form at the end of the Vedu Pari, dressed as Azhwar, one who had just received the initiation of the Ashtakshara Mantra.

The drama was followed by a ceremony, where the list of the Lord’s jewels was read out. This is the only day in the year when the list of jewels is read out.

Veena Ekantham

The events of this annual Vedu Pari Utsavam came to an end with Veena Ekantham, a unique and the only one of its kind veena presentation. Srirangam is the only Divya Desam where this Yaazh Isai tradition of waking up the Lord and putting him to sleep is followed.

Namperumal listened in peace for almost an hour from 1 a.m. to the sweet tunes of the four-member Sathya Kootam Veena Vidwans (Srinivasan, Ramanujam, Govindan and Gopalakrishnan) and their presentation of Thirumangai Azhwar’s pasurams.

One could almost visualise the Lord nodding in happiness when they presented ‘Vaadinen Vaadi Varunthinen Manaththal …..Narayana Ennum Naamam’- the first song of Thirumangai Azhwar after he identified the disguised Lord Ranganatha during Vedu Pari.

Thirumangai, in this first Periya Thirumozhi Pasuram, expresses his wilting mind and wavering thoughts and how he finally found that chanting the Narayana Mantra gives one the peace of mind in life. Their final song on the Vedu Pari night – ‘Eth Sariga Sathanambu Ekantha Ranga’ (Vijaya Ranga Sokka Nathar’s composition) put Namperumal to sleep after a long and tiring evening with the Lord entering his sanctum at around 2am.

Vedu Pari Highlights

8th Day of Thiruvoimozhi Thirunal celebrated as Vedu Pari

900 year old ‘Veena Ekantham’ puts Namperumal to sleep

Only occasion of Kona Vaiyali inside the temple

The story of 900-year old Veena Ekantham

Ramanuja, who returned to Srirangam after his exile, laid down very specific processes to be followed in each area of service allocating a role for people from different walks of life.

Origin

Having found reference to Yaazh Isai (Veena Recital) in several pasurams including in Thirumangai Azhwar’s Periya Thirumozhi-‘Pannin In Mozhi Yaazh Narambil Petra’, NamAzhwar’s Thiruvoimozhi praising the sweetness of Veena recital – ‘Soozh Kandaai En Thollai Vinaiyai Yaazhin Isaiye Amuthey Arivin Payaney Arierey’ and Thondaradipodi Azhwar’s Thirupalli Yezhuchi – ‘Etham Il Thannumai Ekkam Matha Thali Yaazh Kuzhal Muzhavamodu’, Ramanuja wanted the Veena Recital to be an integral part of the daily routine at the Srirangam temple and gave it the most sacred role- that of both waking up the Lord as well as putting him to sleep.

Ramanuja assigned ‘Sathya Kootam’, a clan that belonged to a village near Srirangam for the Yaazh Isai performance. Thus began the Veena recital at the Ranganatha temple in Srirangam. Over nine centuries, this has come to be included in the Limca book of records for paternal service at temples and its longevity and the now 76-year old former National College (Tiruchi) Vice- Principal, Veena G. Rangarajan features in the Limca records as the 45th descendent of this tradition.

Different Ragas of Thirupalli Yezhuchi

Every morning at around 5.15, the veena vidwans present for about 30 minutes Thondaripodi Azhwar’s 10 beautiful verses called Thirupalli Yezhuchi to wake Lord Ranganatha from his sleep. They have broken up these 10 verses of Thondaradipodi into five different ragas, one raga for every two verses- Roopalam, Bilahari, Dhanyasi, Malaya Marutham and Saveri.

Similarly in the evening for about 20 minutes beginning 10 p.m., they present Kulasekara Azhwar’s Pasurams to put the Lord to sleep. The evening presentation has been composed in 4 different Ragas starting with Neelambari, going on to Ananda Bairavi, Sahana, Revathi and ending again with Neelambari.

They present this daily Veena Recital for 262 days (there are no recitals on some special festival days) in the year. In addition to this daily service, they also present the Veena recital on another 29 festival days. They were paid Rupees3 Paise48 every month for their divine service! 

900-year history

During the 10 day Era Pathu festival, they present Yaazh Isai for about an hour every evening. Interestingly, while the daily morning and evening recitals are solo performances presented in a sitting posture, Veena Ekantham during the Era Pathu Thiruvoimozhi festival is presented as a group in a standing posture with the Veena tied to their shoulder. In all, they present around 250 pasurams during this Tamil Prabandham festival. In addition, they also present Kritis composed by Thyagaraja, Dikshitar, Arunachala Kaviraya, Adi Shankara, Purandaradasa and Venkatathri Swamigal in languages such as Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit.

The tunes composed by them are elegant and simple in its presentation and in a conversational style. Perfecting this Veena recital takes at least 10 years, the first 2-3 years, in perfecting the vocal music, the next few years in learning the Veena and finally learning the art of presenting the pasurams through the Veena.

This is the only Divya Desam in India where this Yaazh Isai tradition of waking up and putting the Lord to sleep has been followed, and that for 900 years now

Anvikshiki

 Anvikshiki is a term deeply rooted in the intellectual traditions of ancient India, especially in its philosophical and ethical thought. Derived from Sanskrit, "Anvikshiki" means the science or method of inquiry, often translated as "critical thinking" or "logical reasoning." It forms a crucial part of ancient Indian epistemology and is most famously associated with the Arthashastra, a seminal work on statecraft attributed to Kautilya (Chanakya), who considered Anvikshiki essential for wise governance.

The concept, however, is not limited to statecraft. Anvikshiki embodies the philosophical pursuit of truth, knowledge, and ethical reasoning. It is the foundation upon which various Indian schools of thought, including Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and even aspects of the Upanishads, build their understanding of the world, logic, and ethics.

Historical Context

Anvikshiki was considered one of the most critical disciplines of study in ancient Indian universities such as Nalanda and Takshashila. It was often regarded as a complementary discipline to Vedas, economics (artha), and statecraft. Kautilya, in his Arthashastra, specifically defines Anvikshiki as the study of three distinct branches of philosophy: Samkhya (metaphysical dualism), Yoga (practical philosophy of self-discipline), and Lokayata (materialism or empirical thinking).

Anvikshiki was recognized as a necessary tool for governance, justice, and moral conduct. It helped rulers and scholars develop sound reasoning and the ability to make decisions based on evidence and logic rather than superstition or mere tradition.

The Role of Anvikshiki in Indian Philosophy

The role of Anvikshiki in Indian philosophy can be compared to the role of logic in Western philosophical traditions. It provided the intellectual tools to analyze, critique, and refine the arguments of different philosophical schools. For instance, the Nyaya school, one of the six classical schools of Indian philosophy, is particularly known for its rigorous use of logic and debate. Nyaya philosophy uses a systematic approach to reasoning, emphasizing the importance of inference and deduction in understanding the nature of reality.

Anvikshiki is also associated with skepticism and critical inquiry, which were significant aspects of Indian intellectual tradition. Unlike dogmatic approaches, Anvikshiki encourages an open-minded and questioning attitude, fostering a culture of debate and dialogue among different philosophical schools, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and various Hindu traditions. This pluralistic exchange was fundamental to the growth of Indian philosophy, ensuring that ideas were constantly examined and refined.

Anvikshiki and Statecraft

In Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Anvikshiki is highlighted as an essential tool for the ruler. It is through the application of critical inquiry that a king can make sound decisions regarding governance, economics, and diplomacy. Anvikshiki enables rulers to think rationally, foresee the outcomes of their policies, and maintain justice and order in the state.

According to Kautilya, a ruler who masters Anvikshiki develops the ability to remain detached from emotions, superstition, and bias, thus ensuring that decisions are made based on rational analysis. In this sense, Anvikshiki is not just a tool for intellectual exploration but also a pragmatic guide for governance, as it provides a framework for ethical and strategic decision-making.

Contemporary Relevance

In the modern context, Anvikshiki’s emphasis on logic and critical thinking resonates with contemporary ideas of rationality and evidence-based decision-making. In an age where misinformation and irrational beliefs can spread easily, Anvikshiki serves as a reminder of the importance of critical inquiry, not only in philosophy but also in everyday life, governance, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Moreover, in a world that faces complex ethical dilemmas, Anvikshiki’s principles of objective analysis and ethical reasoning are particularly valuable. As we grapple with issues such as climate change, technological ethics, and global governance, the ability to apply critical thinking in a systematic and disciplined manner is more crucial than ever.

Conclusion

Anvikshiki, the art of inquiry, remains a testament to the intellectual rigor and philosophical depth of ancient Indian thought. Whether applied to philosophical debate or statecraft, it offers a timeless methodology for approaching complex problems with reason, logic, and ethical consideration. In a world that increasingly values critical thinking and rational decision-making, the ancient wisdom of Anvikshiki continues to offer insights into how we might better understand and navigate the challenges of the modern world.

Cold coffee.

 Don't leave anything for later.

Later, the coffee gets cold.

Later, you lose interest.

Later, the day turns into night.

Later, people grow up.

Later, people grow old.

Later, life goes by.

Later, you regret not doing something...

When you had the chance. 

Life is a fleeting dance, a delicate balance of moments that unfold before us, never to return in quite the same way again.

Regret is a bitter pill to swallow, a weight that bears down upon the soul with the burden of missed chances and unspoken words.

So, let us not leave anything for later. Let us seize the moments as they come, with hearts open and arms outstretched to embrace the possibilities that lie before us. For in the end, it is not the things we did that we regret, but the things we left undone, the words left unspoken, the dreams left unfulfilled.

   — *Before the Coffee Gets Cold*, 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Nothern lights.

White aura Finland.

 

Alaska.

Iceland colour splash.

Below preparing for the event. 

Other nothern regions. 

The northern lights are an atmospheric phenomenon that's regarded as the Holy Grail of skywatching.

The northern lights, or the aurora borealis, are beautiful dancing ribbons of light that have captivated people for millennia. But for all its beauty, this spectacular light show is a rather violent event. 

The northern lights are created when energized particles from the sun slam into Earth's upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph (72 million kph), but our planet's magnetic field protects us from the onslaught. 

As Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles — there are southern lights, too, — the dramatic process transforms into a cinematic atmospheric phenomenon that dazzles and fascinates scientists and skywatchers alike.

At any given moment, the sun is ejecting charged particles from its corona, or upper atmosphere, creating the solar wind. When that wind slams into Earth's ionosphere, or upper atmosphere, the aurora is born. In the Northern Hemisphere, the phenomenon is called the northern lights (aurora borealis), while in the Southern Hemisphere, it's called the southern lights (aurora australis).

The stylist. Takorji.

 Few photos.