Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Paramacharya Tirunakshatram Celebrations and Srirangam Program details

Dear Saranya family member,

Two great programs were conducted by His Holiness Sri Swamiji in November, 2010.

Tirunakshatram (Birth Anniversary) of the Paramacharya of the Trust - Sri Saranyacharya Swami varu was celebrated for five days from 14th to 18th November in the Asramam. Sri Saranyacharya Swami varu was acharya of our beloved His Holiness Sri Swamiji and hence Paramacharya for the Trust and all HH's disciples.

About 300 devotees registered for the Ashtakshari Maha Mantra Japa Yajnam for all the five days and more than one crore Mantra Japam was performed by all of them. Sri Ramayanam, Sundara Kanda, Tiruvaimozhi Divya Prabandham were recited every day. On the final day, a palanquin procession was taken out carrying the picture of Sri Paramacharya Swami varu in the Temple and Asramam.

On the night of 18th, His Holiness Sri Swamiji accompanied by about 200 devotees proceeded to Srirangam for darsan of Lord Ranganatha. It was an excellent experience as all devotees enjoyed a pleasant journey, peaceful darsan multiple times, witnessed annual Deepotsavam (Chokka Pan) and a very rare kaiththal seva, participated in beginning ceremony of Tirukkaarthe and a wonderful dip in Kaveri waters. Sri Swamiji personally showed the Lord for all the devotees and it was an unforgettable moment.

A Water Tank was constructed by the Asramam trust at the request of Temple authorities to provide water for the Srirangam temple premises. Sri Swamiji gave every devotee of the Asramam for the last 18 months to contribute even a little amount for the Water Tank.  The project is complete now and Sri Swamiji inaugurated the Water Tank on 23rd Nov.

When Sri Swamiji mentioned our desire to perform any kind of clean up in the premises, Temple authorities readily agreed and allotted the mantapams of Sri Sudarsana Perumal (Chakrattalvar) and Sri Ramanuja sannidhi. All the devotees enthusiastically worked and cleaned both the mantapams to their hearts' content.

There was not much opportunity to capture many pictures but hear are a few glimpses of both the functions.

Tirunakshatram decorations -
http://picasaweb.google.com/muralivideo/ParamacharyaTirunakshatram?authkey=Gv1sRgCPaEwPmnwa6GMA&feat=directlink

Srirangam Pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/muralivideo/WATERINAAUGURATION?authkey=Gv1sRgCKb2iuj3ktuekQE&feat=directlink

The Chokka Pan festival, details of an interesting training class taking place from 1st December, programs calendar of Sri Swamiji in 2011 will be updated in the next posting.

Best Regards,
Murali Ramanuja Dasa.