Srivilliputtur Sri Andal Sannidhi Adhyabaga Kramam

Sri:

Srimathae Ramanujaya namaha

Srimath VaraVaramunayae namaha

English Translation of 

Srivilliputtur Sri Andal Sannidhi Adhyabaga Kramam

Article written originally by

Sri Astagothram Thiruvengadathammal - Srivilliputtur

We shall now enjoy the greatness of Srivilliputhur first. Swami Sri Manavala Mamunigal has given the following adjectives to Srivilliputhur.

1. Minnu Pugazh villiputhur
2. Seerarum villiputhur

Minnu Pugazh

"Pugazh" represents the fact that the sannidhi is always celebrated by all and sundry during all the time. "Minnu pugazh" represents being the first and foremost among such sthalams. Among the 108 Divya Desams, this sannidhi gains prime  importance because of being Varaha kshetram. Sri Vadaperunkoviludayan archa moorthy, was performed arathanai by devars and rishis after ascending down to honor their requests to kill rAkshasha named kAlanEmi, then by Sri Periazhwar and last by Sri Andal. Because of the three avataras, Srivilliputhur acquired Minnu pugazh.

In Thirupavai sung by Sri Andal, She Herself has recorded as "Ani Puduvai".While doing vyakyana for this verse, Sri Peria Aachan Pillai has mentioned as "This town is like ornament made of maNi, muthu & pon". Here, maNi, muthu & pon have the following internal meanings.

MaNi	Vada Perun Koviludayan Malae MaNivannanaar
Muthu	MinnuNool VittuChithan
Pon	Soodi kodutha sudarkodi

Note that MaNi & Muthu will not have glory without Pon. 

There are no other divya desams where Perumal, Azhwar and Naachiar had done thiru avatharam in the same place.

We notice that during all times of divya prabandha sevakalams in all places by all bhagavathas, divya prabandham is commenced using Thirupallandu & Thirupavai and concluded by holy verses "chiRRam Sirukalae & Vanga Kadal Kadaintha". This corresponds to the second Minnu pugazh.

Above this, pattarpirAn got His Name as Periazhwar because of the Pongum Parivu He had towards emberumAn. Also Sri Andal is celebrated before Sri MadhuraKavi Azhwar as 'pAril Madhiyarum Andal'. The reason being that Sri MadhuraKavi Azhwar being shy in seeing Emberuman as 'Thirithanthaakilum', but Sri Andal having abimugam towards Emberuman as  'vittu chithar  thangal devarai vallaparisu varuviparel adhu kaandumae' {Emberuman being celebrated here as Acharyar ugantha vishayam}. Also Sri Andal is celebrated owing to the fact She is complete with respect to Acharyan as "Acharya Paryantham" (going upto Acharya/bhAgavathAs) and She celebrates other Bhagavathas as "Narselvan thangaai" & "kovalar tham porkodiyae".

She also has the glory of being referred to as "Perumboothur Maamunikku Pinaanal vaazhiyae". Andal, even today, stands in Karba Gruha to remember the incident, She came from Moolasthanam to karbagruham to welcome Sri Emberumaanar. Also, during margazhi utsavams, she daily does aruLapAdu to Emberumaanar as " aruLapAdu Koil Annan" to ensure that this did not happen some years ago and She is still calling him as Anna, and gives permission to  all Sri Vaishnavas to recite 'Naal Paatus' that She has sung before Villiputhururaivaan.

Because of this athyavasaayam of Sri Andal, (being called as Sister to Emberumaanar who Himself was born very much later than Her) Sri Manavaala Mamunigal has adored Her as 'pAril Madhiyarum Andal'

Srivilliputhur has been given to Sri Andal as 'Sri dhanam' by Sri Varaha Perumal (Adhipathi of the kshetram), Sri Vada Perunkoviludayan (referred to as 'Kannan' by Sri Andal) & 'oru magal thannai udayavarana' Sri Periazhwar. Even today, all the houses in Srivilliputhur are called as 'Nachiar Thirumaaligai' as the Sannidhi is also be called as 'Nachiar Devasthanam', and other shrines attached to this Devasthanam as 'Nachiar Devasthana Vakaiyara', not like Adhinathar azhwar Devasthanam, etc.

Not like other Nachimaars, for whom birth place is different from the husband’s place, Sri Andal has both as the same place. This is another specialty for Sri Andal.

Also, Sri Andal has given ‘sama asana, Thiruvaradanam, amudhu seithal together’ to Sri Garudazhwar. By this, She proves the kalayana guna “thamaiyae nalum vanaki thozhuvarku thamayae okka arul seivar’. The way Sri Andal is there in moolasthanam represents Pranavam, and the avathara also represents Pranavam.

Sri Parasara Battar while praising Sri Ranga Nachiar, celebrates as ‘Oh Sri Renga Nachiar! Please consider us as persons of Midhila Desam, your birth place’. Then there is no need to say explicitly anything about Srivilliputhur residing persons. 

Mahans say that they will wear the ‘Kazhar Kamalam’ of persons who says Villiputhur just once. 

So far we have seen ‘Minnu Pugazh’

                 Sri U.Ve. Vadapatramayangar Swami (Arayar) & Sri . U. Ve. Vinjimoor Alwar Swami

Seerarum villiputhur

Now, we shall enjoy ‘seerarum viliputhur’. Seermai of a town means prosperity. Sri Vadaperunkoviludaiyan summoned the three holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna & Saraswathi & and washed Thiru Aazhi Azhwan after destroying kalanEmi. These rivers is in still in Srivilliputhur in the name of Thirumukkulam. Srivilliputhur has "Natkamazh Poompozhil" gardens enriched by the rivers that originate from Mandooka Parvatham, music generated by bees that are at "minnanaya nun idayar virikuzhal", and nadamaadi thogai virikinra maamayilkal, paadum kuyilgal, annangal, kola kiligal that always sing nice songs, and puravimugam seithu senalongi kalanikal, vinthoi mathil kopurangal, venkavi naliyaamal semanangamarum ponthigal maadankal, machani madam and Thirupoora nandhavanam, nithya kainkaryas who are veda vAi tholilAlargal enhance the prosperity of Sriviliiputhur.

Seeing all these, Sri Rengamannar forgot about Cauvery & vandina muralum solai and lives here in Srivilliputhur. This corresponds to 'seermai'

Even today,  aruLapAdu  to Sri Vaishnavas (emberumAnar adiyArs) during Periazhwars thirumanjanam is done as "veda vaai  tholilAlargal '

Nithya Kramam

First Viswaroopa Seva will be performed at Sri Andal Sannidhi after fetching 'theertham' from Thirumukulam. After that the garland that was worn by Sri Andal will be taken as procession with Mela to Sri Vadaperunkoviludayan sannidhi and He accepts this Garland worn by Sri Andal. This practice is followed daily, even today. Thiruvaradhanam Kramam during sayarakshai is also the same (first Sri Andal Sannidhi, then Sri Vadaperunkoviludayan). 

Thirunaal Vaibhavam

Chithirai	Sri Andal Mannar, NeerVavi Kodai utsavam 10 days, Sri Emberumaanar utsavam with theerthavari, Purapaadu & Mangalaasaasanam – 10 days
Vaikasi	Nammazhwar Utsavam – 10 days Sri Andal Mannar Vasanthothsavam – 10 days
Aani	Sri Periazhwar Brahmotsavam with Dwajarohanam
Aadi	Thiruadipoora utsavam with Dwajarohanam
Avani	Sri Kannan Utsavam with Dwajarohanam Sri Vadaperunkoviludayan Thirupavithrothsavam
Purataasi	Sri Vadaperunkoviludayan Brahmotsavam with Dwajarohanam Sri Andal Navarathiri utsavam
Aippasi	Oonjal Utsavam (7 days for Sri Andal and 1 day for Sri Perumal)
Karthikai	Thirumangai Mannan utsavam with 4000 sevaa kaalam
Margazhi	8 days Neeraatha utsavam 20 days Thiru Adhyayana utsavam
Thai	Fridays having speciality
Maasi	Theppotsavam 3 days in Thirumukkulam
Panguni	Thirukalyana utsavam with Dwajarohanam

alwar in parathva nirnaya thirukolam

mAsa purappAdu

Samayam		Aruli Cheyal
Ekadesi	Sri Andal	Thiru Vasiriyam
Amavasai	Sri VadaPerunkoviludayan	Thiruyelukootrirukkai
Thiruvonam	Sri VadaPerunkoviludayan	Thiruyelukootrirukkai
Revathi	Sri Renga Mannar	Siriya Thirumadal
Swathi	Sri Periazhwar	Siriya Thirumadal
mAsa pirapu	Sri VadaPerunkoviludayan	Thiruyelukootrirukkai
Puram	Sri Andal purapAdu to thiru nandavanam	nAchiAr thirumozhi

It is customary practice to recite periAzhwar thirumozhi, for four days (100 pAsuram per day) ending with swAthi.

During Anadhyayana period, it is customary practice to sing Upadesa Rathina Malai during Purapadus and Ghostis.

Among all the utsavams, Margazhi PiriyaVidai utsavam is very special. On the night of 22^nd Margazhi, Sri Andal will go to Sri Periya Perumal to get leave. The beauty of this utsavam will be hair-raising. Sri Andal will go to Sri Periya Perumal Sannidhi and will have Thirumanjanam there, then will go to Moolasthanam in Kaithalam with Chatra-saamaradhis. This will give us feeling as if Sri Andal is not Archai but Vibhavam!

Then Sri Andal will give  aruLapAdu to Sri Arayar Swami to sing the 30 songs of Thirupaavai Deva gana. For the first song (Margazhi Thingal) Vykyanam will also be sung before Sri Andal on her niyamanam.

Even though there may be lot of Vidwans who can rent vyakyanas for Thirupaavai, it will not be equivalent to this Vyakyana recital done in front of Sri Andal. {This does not negate other’s glories; but this is due to the fact that Sri Andal herself is hearing the vyakyana}

The special Etram of Sri Andal in Srivilliputhur is that, Sri Periazhwar has done ThiruAradhana to Sri Andal here. This is the specialty compared to other Sri Andal sannidhis.

On the next day, early morning, when Sri Andal will awake pancha laksham kudi pengal of Srivilliputhur and will go to Sri Vada Perun Koviludayan Sannidhi and sing “Maalae MaNivanna” , even the achetanas will be affected. One cannot explain the beauty of Sri Andal going to Thirumukkulam for Neeraatam, with sangu, vilakku, parai, kodi, vidhanam, and Vedha Vai Tholilalars (Pallandisaipar) and sutrathu thozhi mar being gifted by Sri Vada Perun Koviludayan!

Photo courtesy: Sri. U. Ve. Venkatachaariar Swami (please visit https://picasaweb.google.com/100504773999521452566)

During 6^th day Thandiyal utsavam, our ullam will be melted on hearing Sri Arayar singing “vanthu thalaipeithom”, “inganae Pontharuli”, “kiaariyam araintharul” during Naal Paatu.

Legend goes that while Sri Manavala Mamunigal came to do mangalasaasanam to Sri Andal, Neeraata utsavam was finished. Then for Sri Manavala Mamunigal Sri Andal did neeraatam on Thai month first day. Because of this, even today, Sri Manavala Mamunigal welcomes Sri Andal in His Sannidhi Vasal in Kaithalam. During that time, Adhyabaga Swamigal will sing ‘Inro Thiruvadipuram’ repeatedly. It will be like “udalumurugum yen seiven ulagatheerae”.

Sri manavAla mAmuni mangalAsAsanam during sankarAnthi to Sri andAl.

All these utsavams should be enjoyed in person.

Thirukalayana utsavam is also very special. Sri Mannar will go for ‘Paradesam’ and Sri Periazhwar will submit ‘thengAi’ with Poorna Gumbam. Sri Andal will be then go for Purapadu with ‘sri dhanam’ then Thirukalyanam will proceed as sung by Sri Andal in Varanamaayiram,

• ·         Malai Matruthal
• ·         Kaapanithal
• ·         Submiting Madhuvarkam
• ·         Agni Valarthu pravaram seithu Sri Periazhwar Kannikadhanam seithal
• ·         Thirumangalyam anivithal
• ·         Ammi mithithal
• ·         Arunthathi paarthal
• ·         Angi valam seithu Poriyidal

Daily morning Sri Periazhwar, will do managalasaasanam and Pallandu in Kaithalam, after Thirumanjanam, Thiruman Kaapu, uduthu kalainthana uduthu, soodi kalainthana soodi, Thirupallandu Thirupaavai Ghosti. Kalathathu undu, after theertha ghosti.

This is ‘asaradhanam’ here. Because of this only, Sri Pillai Logachar says “Ivarkku idhu nithyam”. {Sri Vachana booshanam}

During utsavams and other days, arulicheyal will be started by Sri Arayar Swami; both starting and ending paasuram with thAlam. Except Iyarpa 1000 verses, for all other Divya Prabandhams this is the case.  Theerthakramam in this temple is as follows,

1. Arayar
2. Periya Nambi   
3. Veda Piran Bhattar      
4. Appan      
5. Thaathuayangar       
6. Nallar Ayyangar
7. Jeeyar, (other Theerthakaaras)

after this, Theertham will be distributed to all others.

Swami Manavala Mamunigal did Mangalasaasanam as ‘seerarum villiputhur’ owing to the fact, panja kaala poojai is done as per Vaikanasa Agamam and Thenkalai sishtaachaaram.

Appendix

This section is dedicated to explain the glory of the author (Sri Thiruvengadathammal). Instead of using adiyen's punsol adiyen would like to copy the Mangalasaasanam of Sri Ubaya Vedanta Vidwan Kanchi Annangaracharya Swami in His grantha "Than Sarithai Surukkam"