Vaikaasi Visaakam

The Pournami day of the Tamil month Vaikasi (May-June) coming under the Visaakam star is called Vaikaasi Visaakam.What's special about this day?

It's the day Lord Subrahmanya, or Murugan as He's called by the Tamils, incarnated.The story of His birth from the fiery third eye of Lord Shiva is well known.

This 10 day festival involves the worship of the Lord with prayers and pilgrimages to temples, especially the 6 divine abodes-"ArupadaiVeedu" in Tamil. On Vaikaasi Visaakam day, Valli Kalyaanam, the celestial wedding of Murugan to Valli, takes place with fanfare.

During this festive season, devotees satisy the common man's thirst by erecting stalls providing buttermilk, as this is a very hot period of the year. Charitable activities are undertaken, as helping others is a good way to elavate oneself spiritually by cleansing the mind. Sundal (Cooked
pulses) and SakkaraiPongal (sweet cooked rice) are offered as Neividyam and distributed among the people.

This is Lord Murugan from the Thirupparankundram temple, on the horse, coming to grace devotees at the workplace of the writer. Sorry, Lord Murugan who's seated on the horse is not visible properly in this poor cell phone camera photo. :)

This festival is also very special to the Vaishnavas.To the south of Madurai, is a place called Aazhvaar Thirunagari near Thirunelveli. This is the birthplace of one of the most important
Vaishnava saints, Nammaazhvar, and Vaikaasi Visaakam is His birthday. This is also celebrated as a 10 day festival, and the Garuda Sevai on the fifth day, in which the Lord MahaVishnu comes on His divine vehicle Garuda, is a spectacle indeed.

Chithirai Thiruvizha of Madurai

This is THE festival of Madurai that attracts huge crowds every year.Chithirai is the first month of the Tamil solar year (April-May) and Thiruvizha in Tamil means festival.What takes place in this 10 day festival is indeed a spectacular exhibition of religious fervour.

The celebrations begin with the ceremonial hoisting of the flag (Kodi Yetram). Most festivals atleast in Tamilnadu and Kerala have this as the beginning.This is followed by the Pattaabhisekam, or the coronation of Mother Meenakshi as the queen of Madurai.Then, She starts on Her DigVijayam, or conquest of the world.After this happpens the much awaited celestial wedding of the divine couple-Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.Following the wedding is the Ther Thiruvizha where the devout take the richly adorned chariots in procession through the city of Madurai.

With all the spotlight on the divine couple, here comes another VIP to the scene-Azhagar. Lord Vishnu, who is present as Azhagar in the Azhagarmalai hills, some 30 km from the city starts His journey to Madurai, for attending His sister Meenakshi's wedding. He is carried by devotees on a golden horse, and this welcoming is called EdhirSevai.
Finally, as He tries to cross the Vaigai river en route to the city, He gets to know that His sister's wedding is already over. Furious that He is not able to attend the wedding, He gets into the river, and then proceeds back home. This event, called "Azhagar Aatril Eranguthal", is the climax of the festival, and brings the city to a standstill, as Bhaktaas pour in to see this event. In fact, people gather near the place the previous night itself, in the thousands!

This ends the Chithirai festival, on Chithira Pournami day, whcih is very auspicious. One may also get the Darshan of Azhagar the next day, in Vandiyur, a place on the way to Azhagarmalai.
The true festive spirit of such an event cannot be described by words, one must take part in this to actually realize the excitement coupled with devotion. Also, this is a unique festival that's special for Shaivas as well as Vaishnavas!

Goddess Meenakshi and Her parrot

Those who have visited the temple in Madurai would have seen Meenakshi with a parrot in Her right hand. A visit to the Andaal temple in Srivilliputhur made me realize that Andaal, the lady Alwar (One among the 12 Tamil Vaishnava saints) also has the same in Her right hand!
So, what does the parrot signify?

The parrot is pure love personified. It is the love Meenakshi shows to Her beloved Sundareswarar. In the case of Andaal, She sends Suka Rishi in the form of a parrot as the messenger of Her love for Lord Vishnu. The parrot is Kaamadeva’s Vaahana (vehicle).

Near the Meenakshi Amman Sannidhi, there is a hall called the Kilikkoodu Mandapam (Parrot cage), where until recently, there were a lot of parrots raised by the temple authorities, which used to chant the holy name of the Goddess!
This may remind one of the village in modern day Bihar, Mithila, the birthplace of Sita, where even parrots spoke in Sanskrit.:)
Offer Ashotra Archana to Meenakshi Amman at the famous Madurai MeenakshiAmman Temple

Lord Vaidyanatha, the doctor!

There is a famous temple near my native place dedicated to the Mrutyunjaya, Lord Shiva who relieves the faithful of diseases. Vaitheeswaran Kovil, situated about 15 km from Mayilaaduthurai in Tamilnadu, is a temple where the presiding deity is Vaitheeswaran, meaning the “Lord of medicine”. One of the Navagraha temples situated in this region of Tamilnadu (Mars, Angaaraka is worshipped here), this is the Kshetram where Angaaraka was cured of leprosy. Also, there is a pond here, called jataayu kundam, where Jataayu, the vulture was cremated by SriRaama after the former was killed by Raavana.
Relief from diseases:
Thiruchandu Urundai, or balls made of ash from the Homam, are provided here. These, when taken along with the sacred mud from near the neem tree in the temple, and some water from the Siddha Amrita Teertham, can cure diseases. The devout also donate salt, pepper and silver images of body parts to get relief from ailments. The Prasaadam given here is sandalwood powder mixed with Kumkumam, after Abhishekam to Lord Subrahmanya who is present here as Muthukumaaraswaamy.
Reciting the Vaidyanatha Ashtakam, an octet describing the glory of the Lord, thrice a day, is helpful in maintaining good health, and this is mentioned in the last Shloka in the Ashtakam itself:
Sri Baalaambikesa Vaidyesa Bhava Roga Haredisa
Japen Naama Thrayam Nityam Maha Roga Nivaaranam.

Interestingly, there is a majestic, but curiously not-so-well-known temple very near to the famous Andaal temple in Srivillipputhur near Madurai, dedicated to the same Vaidyanaatha Swaamy. I visited this Vaidyanaatha temple recently, when I went to Srivilliputhur, and found that this temple also has a place from where devotees take sacred mud!

Andal Temple, Srivilliputhur

Two hours from Madurai, Srivilliputhur has one of the most famous Vaishnava temples of South India.
I had the fortune of visiting this holy Kshetra recently.
The majestic Gopuram of this temple is prominently shown in the Tamilnadu Government's official logo. The town is famous for the delicious "PaalKhoa", a milk sweet.

Lord Vishnu bestows His grace in the form of VadabhadraSai, and Andal, the prominent lady saint who becomes Lord Naaraayana's consort through her devotion, is the Thaayaar(mother) deity here.

Andaal and Periyaazhwaar are 2 great Tamil Vaishnavite saints who were born here.
Periyaazhwaar made a garden near the Vishnu temple, from where He took flowers for Pooja for the Lord everyday. It is in this garden that Andaal was born, and Periaazhwaar took care of Her. This is why Periaazhwaar is called the father-in-law of Lord Vishnu! The garden, with the icon of Andaal, can still be seen today near the temple.

Within the temple complex, there are shrines for SriRama, SrinivasaPerumal and Chakrathaazhwaar, another Vaishnavite saint. Exquisite paintings of the Lord adorn the Mandapams leading to the Garbhagraha/Moolavar Sannidhi or Primary shrine.

In the Moolavar Sannadhi is Aranganathar (Vishnu), accompanied by Andal and Garuda. Unlike most Vaishnava temples where Garuda is found facing the Lord, here He's with Him. This is in the top floor, and there's a floor beneath this, where Narasimhar and the 12 Azhwaars (Vaishnava saints) are worshipped.

Definitely a great temple to visit if you happen to travel in South Tamilnadu!

Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Koodal Azhagar Temple, Madurai

The Koodal Azhagar temple is located at the heart of the holy city of Madurai. (Not to be confused with the more famous Azhagar Kovil in AzhagarMalai, outside the city.)

The gigantic Ashtaanga (octagonal) Vimana and the ornate walls of the temple make it a very unique architectural marvel. Situated right next to commercial buildings of today, this Vishnu Sthala is more than a millennium old!
Koodal" means "coming together", and Madurai has been a city where people of different communities have lived together for centuries.
"Azhagu" in Tamil means beauty and Azhagar is how Madurai locals call Lord Vishnu who gives us Darshan in all his splendour. Thus the name for the temple.
Here, Koodal Azhagar is in the sitting posture, and the Thaayar (Lakshmi) is Goddess Madhuravalli.

Specialities of this temple:
1. Here, Lord Vishnu is seen in 3 postures-sitting (Koodal Azhagar), standing (Sooryanarayanar) and reclining (SriRanganaathar). Another temple which has Him in these 3 postures is the Vaikuntha Perumal temple in Kanchipuram.
2. This temple has a shrine for the Navagrahas! While the Navagrahas are found only in Shaiva temples, this unique Vishnu Sthalam houses them.

So, the next time you come to Madurai to see Meenakshi Sundareswarar, pay a visit to this temple also-it's very near to the Meenakshi temple!