Late on Thursday evening, on the eve of Kulasekara Azhvaar's birthday, Sowri Raja Perumal goes around the streets of Thiru Kannapuram atop Garuda as part of the Maasi Magam Utsavam
Thenthiruperai's Aravinda Lochanan presents Upanyasam but Araiyar Sevai was missing this year
It was one such devotional evening at the Sowri Raja Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Kannapuram this Thursday, on the eve of the birthday of Kulasekara Azhvaar who presented a decad of sacred verses on the Lord of Thiru Kannapuram.
In the 8th decad, he praises the Lord of Thiru Kannapuram while describing the different events in Rama’s life. He praises Thiru Kannapuram as a temple surrounded by huge fortified walls ingrained with gold and the sacred water being holier than the Ganges. He praises the place as one where Cauvery flowed in full speed. He describes the removal of weeds and the consequent blooming of lotus flowers in the huge tank. Kannapuram was a place where red lotus grew everywhere around the temple. In his Perumal Thirumozhi, he says that Thiru Kannapuram was home to master craftsmen.
கன்னி நன் மா மதில் புடை சூழ் கணபுரத்து என் கருமணியே
களைகழுநீர் மருங்கு அலரும் கணபுரத்து கருமணியே
Early in the morning, he found bees circling around the temple with a buzzing noise that seemed to be in melodious tunes. Kannapuram, he says, was a place where learned sages lived and one where elders resided.Thiru Kannapuram is praised as a temple by the seashore where strong winds washed ashore jewels and the Lord as one who is seen with fragrant flower garland in his crown
காலின்மணி கரை அலைக்கும் கணபுரத்து என் கருமணியே
Thiru Kannapuram is truly a legendary temple for it is one of the only two temples, along with Nachiyar Koil, in the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham to receive a praise of over a 100 verses from Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.
In his 100 verses, he provides great insights into Thiru Kannapuram as a location by the Sea Shore, the unflinching devotion of the people who visited the festivals, the green fields around the temple and the handsome features of the Lord. Clearly it was a vibrant location a thousand years ago. High rise buildings in Thiru Kannapuram seemed to touch the water bearing clouds in the sky. Huge crowds thronged the temple to invoke the blessings of the Lord. Also, one saw love filled devotees during auspicious festival days. The town reverberated with Vedic Chants right through the day. They tended to the sacred fires offering sacrifices and kept the Vedas alive.Situated by the lashing ocean, Thiru Kannapuram had fertile fields where one saw an abundance of Mullai, Karumugil and Sankalunir flowers around the temple. Punnai Trees cast shade and light over the waters.
The vast fertile fields that had a rich growth of flowers spread a sweet fragrance all around Thiru Kannapuram. One could inhale the sweet scented lotus at all times at Thiru Kannapuram. Red Paddy plants were seen waving like fans. There were Pearl like buds that gathered by the waves. There were well grown coral branches. Red corals grew with branches spreading light everywhere. Ripe Paddy grew tall in the fields. The streets were wide with fragrant groves.
The Sacred Tank
In the rain fed lakes, sharp peaked water birds pounced upon Fish which then ran helter skelter in fear of being consumed. The lakes were clear and the fragrant blue water lily seemed liked the eyes of the Lord and the red lotus bright like his face. Swans in lakes learnt the art of graceful gait from the young girls.
The Sea Shore
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to this place as ‘Wealthy Kannapuram’ and says that the roar of the sea could be heard at the temple, praised as one standing tall near the sea shore. Boats seemed to be carrying the riches and crowded the shores at all times. Thiru Kannapuram was lashed by the ocean that threw up great resounding conches. Pearls were washed on to shores following the high waves.
கரை எடுத்த சுரி சங்கும் கணபுரத்து எழு கொடியும்
Peacocks danced around in flocks all over Kannapuram. The harvesters’ sickle brought out the rabbits from their burrows. The huge number of Fish danced in a trance in the fertile fields. Lotus blossomed everywhere thronged by bees that sung in beautiful humming tunes.
வாய் எடுத்த மந்திரத்தால் அந்தணர் தம் செய் தொழில்கள்
தீ எடுத்த மறை வளர்க்கும்
திரு கண்ணபுரத்து உறையும்
Devotees and Celestials flocked to Thiru Kannapuram for worship seeking an elevation of spirit.
தொண்டரும் அமரரும் முனிவரும் தொழுது எழ
That was a thousand years ago. The greenery is still intact. As one walks through the one km newly laid road from Thiru Pugalur to Thiru Kannapuram, one finds huge fertile fields on either side. However, there is no hint of any the temple’s glorious past with most of the original inhabitants having left the shores of Kannapuram. The Raja Gopuram and the huge walls wear a faded look with the last repair works having taking place over 15years ago and it should be time for Thiruppani to start in the near future.
Upanyasam on Pillai Lokachariyar's Artha Panchakam
Bhagavathas from across Tamil Nadu gathered for this big occasion in Maasi. The huge temple complex allows them to sit in different corners and there were those reciting slokas through the evening. Following the pathi ulathal just after 4pm, Thenthiruperai’s Aravinda Lochanan, now residing in Thiruvallikeni, has been presenting upanyasam at this Divya Desam for the last many years during the Maasi Utsavam. This time, over five days, he presented Pillai Lokachariyaar's Artha Panchankam describing Jeevathma and Paramathma, ways to attain moksham, causes for this materialistic life and things to perform after attaining vaikuntam.
Aravinda Lochanan
No Araiyar Sevai this year
Centuries ago, Araiyars resided in this town. Their house still exists but their descendants have stayed away from their traditional art of presenting before the Lord. In recent times, Araiyar from Srivilliputhur had made it to this Divya Desam during the Maasi Utsavam. As in previous years, the expectation of the devotees was to watch the Araiyar Sevai but the Araiyar from Srivilliputhur did not turn up this time on the Garuda Sevai day much to their disappointment.
Bhattar confined to bed
Raghava Bhattar, now in his 70s, had performed archaka service at this Divya Desam for a few devotees from the 1980s in financially challenging times. His daughter secured well over a 1000 marks in her SSLC examination. And yet she could not fulfil her educational dreams for want of an institution in the temple town. A paralytic attack has confined him to the bed and over the last decade, it has been his brother, Sampath Bhattar, who has taken his place at the temple. The revered Sowri Rajan Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/11/thiru-kannapuram-sowri-rajan-bhattar.html) who has been at the temple performing kainkaryam for five decades was away through the evening with his service at the Kannapuram Thayar Sannidhi. For almost two hours, Sampath Bhattar decorated Sowri Raja Perumal atop the Garuda Vahana while devotees enjoyed the group dance presentation on the Northern prakara.
Raghava Bhattar
Sacred food had been organised at the Ramanuja Koodam for traditionalists and ahead of the procession, the visiting devotees had a sumptuous puliyotharai and dhadhyonam.
The devotee family that has been taking care of the Garuda Sevai during the Maasi Utsavam for generations arrived just after 8pm. An hour later, devotees had further gained in strength. Sri Patham personnel who belong to this Divya Desam arrived in large numbers for this occasion and carried Sowri Raja Perumal around the prakara in a majestic display. The legend has it that Perumal asked Vibheeshana to come to Kannapuram to have darshan of his 'Walking Beauty'.
Its past 930pm when the Lord made his way on to the North Street where Prabhandham members including those from Kesava Perumal Koil, Mylapore and Thiruvallikeni were waiting for Thodakkam.
The four sacred streets have been newly laid making it easy for the Sripatham to carry the Lord on their shoulders. It’s been a tradition on the Garuda Sevai evening in Thiru Kannapuram for the Lord to be carried till the Chariot by the Sripatham and then for him to be mounted on to a specially designed chapparam. Devotees were waiting in large numbers near the Chapparam to watch the Sri Patham load Sowri Raja Perumal on to the Chapparam. Bhagavathas who had come a long way for this utsavam began their Bhajans while the Prabhandham members led the procession with the presentation of the sacred verses.
The original inhabitants in the agraharam that had been vibrant till the 2nd half of the previous century have all gone away seeking greener pastures and they were missing on the night but the devotion of the villagers was beyond measure as they sought the blessings of the Divya Desam Lord with folded hands. The delight of a Garuda Sevai darshan could be seen in their eyes as they began pulling the rope to move the chapparam along the streets of Thiru Kannapuram.