Athithi Sathkaram Committee honoured children who had learnt Swami Desika’s stotras. Children from Sainikpuri Hyderabad are in SriRangam on a spiritual camp. About ten children are exposed to SriRangam life. They wake up early in the morning and do Veedhi pradakshinam. Boys are taught sandhya vandhana mantrams. These children learn Swami Desika’s stotras on a weekly basis in Hyderabad. Koothapakam Ubha Ve Ranganathachar a salakshana ganapadi in his eighties examined the children. He would start the beginning lines of Swami Desika’s stotrams and children had to complete the verses. Sri Hayagreeva Stothram, Sri Gopala Vimsathi , Shodashaya stotram were taken up. A girl who has appeared for the10th boards and a boy followed the instructions and chanted the verses with correct pronunciation. These two were given silver lamp as prizes. All the kids chanted Sri Garuda Dandakam and Kamasikashtakam together. Questions pertaining to Swami Desika’s stotrams were asked and were answered correctly. Swami Desika’s stotrams should be taught to more and more children as these are potent and fruit bearing. All participants were given a silver shield as a token of appreciation.
Writeup & Photography by Vyjayanthi & Sundararajan
