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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