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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00261 Apr 2007

 
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Dear Sri Sadagopan prabhu, Sri Vasudevan prabhu ,Sri
Sudharsan prabhu and Respected Bhagavathas,
        
Dandavats Pranams!

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah!

This year adiyen was fortunate  to participate in the
Sriperumbuttur Festival, the Thirunaksatiram
celebrations of Sri Ramanujar.  The festival began on
13th of April.  Devotees from various parts of South
India slowly poured in to take part in the grand
celebrations.  As we got closer to the day of
Thirunakshatram Celebrations thousands of PILIGRIMS
thronged Sriperumbudur.  

On the 21st of April, thousands of devotees pulled the
giant temple cart that was adorned with the  deity -
Sri Bhasyakarar.

The Srivaishnavas present on occasion hailed from
different parts of South India. Several knowledgeable
and erudite scholars and committed devotees
participated in the Thirunakshatram celebrations.  It
was unfortunate that I did not have my digital camera
at that moment to take pictures.  

If one were to familiarize oneself with the ecstatic
rapport between a devotee and the acharyan, one could
see it directly at Sriperumbudur and not just imagine
as to how it would exactly be.

As I took a look at the devotees present there, I
understood that most of them hailed from small
villages of South India.  I am at loss of words when I
feel the need to describe their to devotion. I was
awestruck with their devotion to the Lord and the
Acharyan.  

A walk around the temple praakaaram and nearby areas,
one could see groups of devotees sitting and singing
the naamasankirthanam, talking about the Acharyan,
discussing and speaking about glorious pastimes of Sri
Ramanujar.  Tears swelled into the eyes that saw their
simple devotion.   It is not realized, nor can one
really understand the concept of Bhagavatha Sat
Sangam, but here in this place at the celebrations,
one could literally see the unembellished Bhagavata
Sat Sangam.  

There are very few dharmashalas in Sriperumbudur,
which could accommodate probably only 1000 devotees. 

 But there were thousands of  devotees and they all
slept outside the temple under the open skies.  
Though the water at the temple tank was dirty due to
lack of maintenance, people still took bath in the
waters of the temple tank and evolved beyond the
concept of worldly body needs and requirements.  They
were content with the prasaadam served from the
Vaishnava dharmashaalas (Bhagavatha Thadiyaaraathanai)
and used the toilet facilities (constructed by us) to
attend nature?s call. Apparently, we set up these
toilet facilities last year.  

Their(Vaishnavas) sole purpose of being at
Sriperumbuttur  was to celebrate the great day and the
inconveniences and worldly needs mattered very little.
 Attending the Thirunakshatram festival and taking the
blessings of the Lord and Acharyan was utmost.  


Several Vaishnava groups served prasadam to the
bhagavathaas attending the celebrations.  Adiyen too
was fortunate and had the honour of distributing
prasaadam to various Vaishnava groups.  This paricular
group that I joined comes from Aarani ? Dharmavaram
and is team comprising of 30 elderly bhaagavathaas. 
They have been conducting the Bhagavatha
Thadiyaaraathanai since the past 15 years, in which
the team personally collects money from friends and
relatives, personally cook the prasaadam and
distribute it to Bhagavathaas present there.  While
talking to the team leader, he mentioned to me that
the bhagavataha thadiyarathanaia is the most pleasing
service to Sri Ramanujar.  I could not even see any
kind of discrimination at the prasadam distribution
service.  Every devotee was fed to his heart?s
content.  

The toilet Project:  Hundreds of devotees constantly 
used  the toilet facilities constructed by all of us. 
We had extra cleaners for the festival to ensure
proper cleanliness of toilets and facilities.  We also
took necessary care to open and close the toilets to
avoid misuse of any facility.  We had to close the
toilets sometimes as we had encountered power cut and
water shortage.  Sometimes the cleaners were also
exhausted.  Despite many internal challenges and
discrepancies, we took it upon us to deliver the best
of our services to the Bhaagavathaas.  



Most devotees, who used the toilet facilities,
appreciated the kainkaryam and expressed their
feelings before using the premises.    Many 
VaishnavaS did mention that this facility was much
more of a priority than the distribution of prasadam. 
One could resist hunger but how could one ever control
the call of nature.  They were extremely happy to use
the facilities and adiyen had the opportunity to speak
to many of them regarding the maintenance and upkeep
of the facility.  Many has their suggestions about
keeping it open for 24 rs during the festival when
several devotees would grace the festival.  

Some vaishnavas did mention that this service, which
we had, all jointly perfomed for the pilgrims would
bring greatest joy and happiness to Bhagavath Sri
Ramanuja as he sees his devotees being provided with
most basic,essential facility and comfort.  

Vaishnava Seva is itself Sri Narayana Seva and is more
important than the Sri Narayana seva itself.

Vaishnava dasanu dasan,

Manoram.


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