srirangam sriranganathar
The temple is one of the foremost pilgrimages among” 108 Divya Desam” dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Srirangam is also titled as “Boologa Vaikundam” meaning (Heaven on Earth). In this temple, the month of Margazhi is divided into two segments of 10 days being honoured as “Pagal Pathu” and “Ra Pathu”. Though utsavam takes places at Srirangam temple on all the 365 days in a year, yet, the Margazhi month Utsavam is considered to be a most significant one!
The important festival of this month is the recital of thiru pavai (the poems composed by “Andal” an important lady devotee of lord perumal). Next to this comes the vaikunda ekadasi festival in which perumal use to be seen in dasavathara alangaram (symbolizing the ten incarnations of the lord Vishnu).
Margazhi Utsavam is grandly celebrated at kannadi arai sri Andal sannadhi, Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, Srirangam.
Goddess Andal has beautifully decorated in the kannadi arai and chanted Thiruppavai 1st paasuram in the sannadhi.
Many devotees participated to get the blessings of Sri Andal at kanndi Arai sannadhi during the Margazhi Month.
Thiru Ranganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Perumal and is located in Thiruvarangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. This Temple is constructed by the Tamil kings (Cholas).
Andal is the female Alvar, and she is also a great poet and a saint, who has dedicated her entire life towards the worship of Lord Vishnu, by considering him as his holy avatar Lord Krishna. She is believed to have been born during the 7th century AD at Srivilliputhur.
Andal was brought up by Periazhwar, who was a sincere devotee of Lord Vishnu, and he used to wear garland to Perumal every day. It is believed that one day, Andal has worn the garland before dedicating it to the God. Periazhwar, was very much upset with this incident. And then Lord Vishnu appeared on his dream, and asked him to dedicate the garland which was worn by Ma Andal.
It is also believed that Sriranganathan(Lord Vishnu) married Andal, and who later merged with the God. We can hear wonderful songs sung by the devotees of Ma Andal during mornings, in the Perumal and Krishna Temples of Tamil Nadu, especially during the Tamil month Margazhi, similar to Sri Venkateswara Suprapadam.
“OM SRI SUNDARI SOUNDARI NIRANDARI ANDAL NACHIYAARE NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR