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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00122 Apr 2002

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Dear Smt Sumithra Varadarajan,

The answer to your question lies in the life story
of Sri Anandazhvan at Thirumalai.

It is well known that Sri Anandazhvan built a flower 
garden in Thirumalai and was performing pushpa 
kainkaryam to Lord Srinivasa. At one time he found 
that some of the flowers were being stolen at night. 
So, he stayed up one night in order to catch the 
thief. Late in that night he found a young couple 
stealing the flowers. They were none other than Lord 
Srinivasa and Alarmelmangai Thayar. When attempting 
to catch them, he was able to catch only Thayar and 
the Lord escaping from Sri Anandazhvan ran in a 
counter-clockwise direction (apradakshiNam) around 
the temple and disappeared inside the temple. Sri 
Anandazhvan tied up Thayar to a tree, at which point 
She told him that She was not at fault and it was 
Her husband that stole the flowers. She also told him 
that if he were to free Her, She would then become 
his daughter. However, Sri Anandazhvan did not free 
Her. In the morning, the archakas and others at the 
temple discovered with shock that the Nacciyar was 
missing in the divine chest of the Lord. Lord 
Srinivasa then informed everyone what had happened 
through an archaka and asked that Sri Anandazhvan 
bring Thayar as his daughter back to the temple and 
give her hand to the Lord in marriage. As such, 
Alarmelmangai Thayar is considered as his daughter 
("alarmel mangai thiruvukku appanar") and Lord 
Srinivasa is considered his son-in-law ("malaiyil 
vEnkadavaRku mAmanAr").

Upon hearing this event, Sri Ramanujar arranged that 
on the seventh evening of the Brahmotsavam at 
Thirumalai, during the Garden Utsavam, Sri 
Malaiyappar be taken counter-clockwise around the 
temple. He also aranged that on the eighth day 
morning, during the Car Utsavam, in front of Sri 
Anandazhvar's garden, Sri Anadazhvar offer clothes, 
etc. as a father-in-law would to his son-in-law.

Now that I hear that Sri Anandazhvar's thiru mALigai 
has been dismantled at Thirumalai, I am not sure 
these events are still being celebrated. Perhaps, 
someone who has been to the Thirumalai Brahmotsavam 
recently can confirm.

Sri Anandazhvar Thiruvadigale Saranam
Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan
http://www.acharya.org

ps: There were also some small typos in the Vazhi
Thirunamam as you typed it. You can find the
correct version as well as additional information
on Sri Anandazhvar at 
http://www.acharya.org/anandazhvar/index.html





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