Ma:munigal Thirunakshathram Festival Starts at Thiruvallikke:ni (triplicane)..

Reported by: Sri:ma:n Lakshmi Nrusimhan svami, Chennai, 6th November, 2007

Ma:munigal thirunakshathram Festival at tiruvallikkENi.. began in a grand way - first day of the festival was a Sunday(day before yesterday) and temple was filled with adhya:paka:s. In fact the crowd was overflowing.

Ma:munikal seemed to be enjoying the aruliccheyal go:shthi (Congregation that eulogises with sanctioned praises) since afternoon. 4PM to 6PM was the boxed for periya:zhwa:r thirumo:zhi. The se:va:ka:lam was just fabulous. The hall infront of Ra:ma:nuja's Sanctum was where the se:va:ka:lam happened. The hall that is capable of accomodating 60 to 70 could not handle the crowd of 120 to 130. Many of us sat outside. I sat before tha:ya:r's sanctum and is blessed to see both tha:ya:r and ma:munigal. That too, I was able to see both Procession Paragon(vigraham) and Sanctum Paragon of ma:munigal. The se:va:ka:lam was very slow and steady - the typical worship procedure of tiruvallikke:ni. It was just awesome.

Later in an hour, street procession with (ma:munigal in swarUpa(sesha- The supreme Serpent) vehicle) started and they recited mudal thiruvanda:di (The first Divya Prabandam). Purappa:du was a little too fast as only ma:munigal was there.

Back at the temple, it was A:stha:na se:vai of tiruvaimozhi mudal patthu. Again another 1 hour slow and steady se:vai - the hall was completely full. The se:va:ka:lam is still reverberating in my ears.

I was too lucky this time to attend the second day tiruva:imozhi se:va. The day being EkAdasi(monday), Lord Pa:rthasa:rathy joined ma:munigal for hearing aruliccheyal (words of eulogy). Later, after saathumurai, we were able to get an Eka:ntha se:vai from Lord Pa:rthhasa:rathhy and ma:munigal. It has been wonderful two days of celebration.

Jai Srima:n Na:ra:yana!