The Garuda sevai festival in Nava Tirupathi, the nine Vishnu temples in Thoothukudi region, particularly at at Thirukollur Vaithamanidhi Perumal and the Araiyar Sevai (recitation of Thiruvaimozhi) during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival in Srirangam temple are dedicated to Tamil vaishnava saint Nammazhwar. The His pasurams and other azhwars are reverberated as part of daily prayers and during festive occasions in most Vishnu temples in South India.
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| Garuda Sevai in Thirukkoluren.wikipedia.org |
Nammazhwar is regarded as the one of the top three Hindu mystics in India, with the other two being Manickavasagar and Kabir. He is considered the greatest among the twelve azhwars and his contributions of 1352 devotional hymns in glory of God Vishnu among the 4000 stanzas in the Nalayira Divya Prabandam bear testimony to his intellectual capacity, spiritual moorings and hid depth of knowledge in Vaishnavism. In the realm of Vaishnava religious literature, he has reached the dizzy height which other saints can't think of.
The spectacular Garuda Sevai utsavam (festival) in the month of Vaikasi (May-Jun) witnesses nine Garudasevai, an event in which festival image idols from the nava tirupathis temples namely, Mayakoothar Temple, Makara Nedunkuzhai Kannan Temple, Rettai Tirupathi - South Temple, Rettai Tirupathi North Temple, Vaithamanidhi Perumal Temple, Adhinaatha Perumal Temple - Thirukkurugur, Kaaisinavendhan Temple, Vijayaasana Perumal Temple, Sri Vaikuntanatha(Kallapiran) Temple are brought on Garuda vahana.
In order to honor the processional idol of Nammalvar is also brought on Anna Vahanam (palanquin) in a religious procession accompanied by the recitation of his pasurams dedicated to each of these nine temples. The utsavar of Nammalvar is taken in a palanquin to each of the nine temples, An interesting thing is the idol of Nammazhwar is taken in a palanquin through the paddy fields in the area. This festival attracts thousand of devotees every year. The festival idols of god Vishnu from all the nine shrines will be riding Garuda Vahana, the mount of God Vishnu.
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Tirukoilur Vaithamanidhi Perumal temple tirunelveli.toda y |
Festivities at both Srirangam Namperumal temple and the one at Thrukollur near Azhwar Thirunagari every year pay rich tributes to one of the most prolific poet Nammazhwar who al last reached the heavenly abode of Vishnu -Vaikuntam. Hence the Nammazhwar Moksham (liberation) is an important, but poignant event on the last day of Vaikunta Ekadashi at Srirangam temple.
