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| Thirumangai Azhwar and his consort Sri Kumudavalli.youtube.com |
Above image: Thiru Nangur near Sirkazhi, TN 11 Garuda sevai. Thirumangai Azhwar is seated on gold plated Hamsa (swan mount) vaahana, along with his consort Kumudhavalli Thayar receiving blessing from the lord- Sri Vishnu. An interesting ritual is the Utsavar (festival deity) of Thirumangai Azhwar and his consort Sri Kumudavalli Nachiyar are taken in a palanquin to each of the 11 temples, through the paddy fields in the area...............,
Thirunaangur, a small village near Sirkazhi, in TamilNadu, is home to 11 Divya Desams and the Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam every year, is celebrated with bhakti. The eleven temples are part of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to god Vishnu.
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| location map Thirunaangur flickr.com |
Above image: Thiru Nangur near Sirkazhi, TN -There are11 Vishnu temples - forming a group near Nangur in Mayiladuthurai district where every year Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasanam Utsavam is quite popular.........
The festival falls in the Tamil month of Thai (January–February) attended by a large number of devotees. It begins on the second day after the New moon in the month of Thai (mahara), i.e, Jan 15th -Feb 15h.
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| Thirunangur 11 garuda Sevai,amil.oneindia.com |
The main event is fascinating 11 Garuda Sevai in which 11 nearby Vishnu temples actively participate.The utsava murthis of the temples mounted on the gold-plated big Garuda vahanas (mounts) from these temples converge at the temple to give darshan to Thirumangai Azhwar, one among the most prolific Tamil Vaishnava saint, who composed lots of devotional hymns in honor of Vishnu in chaste Tamil. He is seated on the gold plated Hamsa (swan mount) vaahana, along with his wife Kumudhavalli Thayar receiving blessing from the lord,
Bejeweled idols on the decorated vahanas and Thirumangai Azhwar get the attention of the devotees who come from far off places to get blessed by the deities.
On the final weekend of January, the quiet town of Thiru Nangur comes to life and is reverberated with chants of soul-stirring hymns of Divya Prabandham. The grand 11 day festival event takes the devotees back in time to the days of Thirumangai Azhwar when devotion to God and bhakti were in full flow. Normally, some social events would take place toward the end of January near the temple, recalling the famous debate between two scholars Thiru Mangai Azhwar and Thiru Gnana Sambanthar in Sirkazhi.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is taken to the banks of the Cauvery in Thiru Nangur for the ‘Manjal Kuli’ utsavam on the Amavasya day in Thai month. The tradition has it on this occasion, the priests conduct Choron Abhishekam to Thiru Mangai Azhwar and honor him with a beautiful flower garland and a Parivattam sent from Srirangam and Nachiyar Koil temples. In the latter place the saint was initiated with the Pancha Samaskaram.
About Manjal Kuli’ utsavam (bathing in turmeric water), Srirangam perumal quite pleased with his devotional presentation of Thiru Nadu Thandagam, blessed Thiru Mangai Azhwar with the anointment of the sacred Turmeric that was so special to the Lord. This was done to take care of the saint's throat for singing hymns for a long time. God Ranganathan suggested to Thiru Mangai Azhwar that he celebrate this Manjal Kuli Utsavam in his home town so the devotees too could get blessed and be free from throat problem.
At Srirangam after completing the Adyayana Utsavam, Lord Ranganathar, in a special ritual on the banks of the Cauvery, is anointed with a special Manjal Kuli.
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