The first day of NamPerumal’s Viruppan Thirunal was celebrated at Sri Ranganathaswamy Divya Desam, Srirangam on April 18, 2014; Jaya Varusha Chitra Kettai. It is so called because it was started by Viruppana Udayar of The Vijayanagara kingdom. During Muslim attack NamPerumal was carried out of SriRangam. NamPerumal returned to SriRangam after sixty years. The temple was ruined and in a bad state. At this point of time Viruppana Udayarof The erstwhile Vijayanagara kingdom was weighed with coins of gold (this is called Thulabharam). 17,000 gold coins were thus given to the temple. NamPerumal’s Chitra utsavam was resumed. Since these celebrations were taking place after many many years people from the near-by villages came in large numbers to participate in this utsavam Even today this tradition continues and huge number of devotees come to SriRangam for Chitra Ther from the surrounding villages. During this utsavam two cobblers totally unconnected with each other bring in a footwear each for SriRanganatha and this is kept in the Tirukottaram or granary. The villagers carry with them paddy, vegetables,fruits grown in their farms as offerings to NamPerumal.Many bring cows and calves with them.
Thirumulai or Mrith sangahanam took place two days back when Senai Mudaliar and Siriya Tiruvadi (Hanuman) collected mud for sprouting nava dhanyams from under the Bilva tree in Thayar Sannidhi. On the previous day, Nagara sodhanai was done by Visvaksenar (Senai Mudaliar). In the morning NamPerumal blessed devotees in the mirror hall(kanadi arai) from morning to 12.00 noon.In the evening, He came in Purappadu with Ubhaya Nachimars at 6.30p.m.The purappadu was in Tirushivikkai(Tent). Dressed in royal blue silk with unparalleled dazling ornaments, along with the two Ubhaya nachimars dressed in sik checked pavadais and covered with jewellery, NamPerumal did the rounds of the four Chitra Veedhis along with His Parivaram -Divya Prabhandha,goshti, Veda Parayana goshti, different kainkarya paras and devotees all along the route waiting to offer their prostrations.At night there was Thirumanjanam at the yaga shalai where panchakunda homam will take place.
On April 20, 2014, as part of the ongoing utsavam, purappadu for Namperumal took place on Pallakku in the morning.
The following are some of the photographs taken today morning…
Write-up by Smt Vyjayanthi Rajan
