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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