Srirangam Vasantha Utsavam 2024

Celebrated in Vaikasi, the 9day Vasanthotsavam festival in Srirangam sees Namperumal, the Utsavar deity of Lord Ranganatha temple, enjoying the evenings at the Vasantha Mandapam in the middle of the water pool in the beautiful Nandavanam created by Thondaradi Podi Azhvaar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/01/thiru-mandangudi-thondaradipodi-azhvaar.html). The Nandavanam was so beautiful that when Thirumangai Azhvaar was in the process of building the now famous ‘Mathil’ of Srirangam, he slightly changed the direction of his construction on the Western side so as to not destroy any part of the Nandavanam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/12/dasavatharam-temple-in-srirangam.html).

Vasantha Kaalam is a period that brings in a nice breeze in the evenings, flowers including the colourful Vritchi blossom and a time that is neither too hot nor too wet with rains. It is believed that Namperumal's stay amidst the breezy trees and in the middle of the tank in the Nandavanam gave Lord him a lot of happiness. The belief is that one will be liberated from his curse if he drinks the sacred water of the Lord during the Vasantha Utsavam. For this reason, it is said that those who visit and offer their prayers to Lord Namperumal during this festival will find a new sense of happiness.

In centuries gone by, people belonging to the Daasi Community were honoured during the Vasanthotsavam with a garland of the Lord. They were believed to have lit the lamp and performed a special dance in front of the Lord at the Vasantha Mandapam. They resided on the VOC Road in Srirangam, but do not anymore and hence this special performance during the Vasanthotsavam does not take place these days.

The original programme on the last evening of the Vasantha Utsavam was for Namperumal to go on a procession on the golden horse vahana around the Chitrai Streets, experience the Thiruvanthikaapu at the Thayar Sannidhi before continuing on the Chitrai street procession. Coming back to the temple via the Therku Vasal, Theerthavari was to be performed at the Chandira Pushkarani before he makes his way to the Vasantha Utsavam Mandapam for Thirumanjanam.

A light drizzle in the evening led to the cancellation of the Chitrai Streets procession much to the disappointment of the devotees who gathered in good numbers. Namperumal, atop the Golden Horse Vahana, left his abode at 5pm with the Prabhandham Thodakkam taking place by the side of the Ranga Vilas mandapam and he made his way alongside the Nandavanam on the Western side to the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi for Thiruvanthikaappu.

A short burst of rain while he was in front of the Thayar Sannidhi meant that the Theerthavari could not be performed at the Chandira Pushkarani and Namperumal made his way alongside the 1000 pillared mandapam and the Ramanuja Sannidhi to the Garuda Sannidhi. Harish Bhattar, the hereditary archaka of the day who carried the Sacred Shatari, was escorted with a twin canopy so as to protect the Shatari from the drizzle.

Temple Maniyakarar R Sridharan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html) told this writer late on Thursday night that since the seventh prakara procession  could not take place because of the rain, Namperumal made his way a full circle around the fifth prakara.

Theerthavari was performed in front of the Garuda Sannidhi even as the Prabhandham Ghosti members continued their presentation of the Ramanuja Nootranthi Verses. It was past 8pm when after the satru murai of these sacred verses Namperumal made his way to the entrance of the Garuda Sannidhi.

It was 9pm when the Rakshana Bandana Bhattar Sridhar began a highly devotional two hour Thirumanjanam for Namperumal in front of the Garuda Sannidhi watched by about 50 devotees. It was to be a glorious night of Thirumanjanam at the Vasantha Mandapam amidst the tall trees on this Pournami Night. The full moon gave a glimpse of herself once in a while before going into hiding behind the clouds.

With the Thirumanjan performed and completed just after 11pm, Veda Vyasa Bhattar, in his loud and strikingly clear voice, began an elaborate 45minute Kattiyam presentation that included several verses from Azhvaar’s paasurams. And then he was back again for a detailed Veda Vinnappam that sent the clock ticking well past 1am.

It was 1.30am when Namperumal began his return trip to his abode  led by the tunes of Pilot Araiyar Baradwaj Krishnan with his cymbals (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/01/barathwajan-araiyar-srirangam-goair.html) but it was not over yet. As seen in a story a few months in this section, Padippu Sridhar began a 25minute presentation highlighting the greatness of the Ranganatha temple and the utsavam in his Padippu in front of the Dwajasthambam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/02/srirangam-brahmotsavam-padippu-sridhar.html).

After over 9 hours, Namperumal made his way through the Naazhi Kettan Vaasal reaching his abode at 2.15am bringing to end the nine-day Vasantha Utsavam and also an end to the year’s utsavams at Srirangam.

The next big street procession will be to mark Aadi 18 when Namperumal makes his way to Amma Mandapam.