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| outside 1000 pillar hall, Srirangam Ranganathar temple, TN. Alamy.com |
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| Srirangam temple gold horse mount. Vadu Pari ritual anudinam.org/ |
The legend is as follows: Born in Thiru Kuraiyulur, close to Thiruvali-ThiruNagari Divya Desam near Sirkazhi (Tiruvarur District), Thirumangai Mannan (King), fell in love with a beautiful woman Kumudavalli of Annan Koil. She wanted to initiate him into Vaishnavam, a Hindu sect and one of her conditions was to feed 1008 Vaishnavites daily. The task being an expense one, over a period of time, the king became poor, however, neither his desire to marry the woman nor his dedication to serve lord Vishnu showed any decline. With no money, now, he resorted to way- laying rich people to fulfil his promises. One night, near Vedarajapuram when lord Lord Ranganatha of Thirunagari taking along with him his consort Amruthavalli Thayar of Thiruvali Thirumangai tried to waylay the lord in disguise by flashing his sharp weapons. Upon collecting the jewels in a small bag, he tried to lift it and run away. He could not lift the bag, not even an inch, because it was too heavy. Thirumangai stood there dazed. Then, the lord in disguise whispered the ‘Astachara Mandiram’ into his ears and appeared with his consort in Thiru Kalyana Kolam (in wedding dress). 'Thirumangai Mannan'' (ex ruler) became a blessed soul and got the name Thirumangai Azhvaar. The 10 day ‘Era Pathu’ festival called ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal’ was specially created for the Lord to listen to the beautiful Tamil composition of Nammazhwar.
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| Srirangam temple gold horse mount. Vadu Pari ritual anudinam.org |
was brought on “Kuthirai Vaganam” (gold plated horse) on the ‘Manalveli’(open sandy ground) inside the temple premises marking the commencement of the event. The lord began his journey at Santhanu mantapam and it was around 5.15 pm the deity was brought to the Manaveli though the Aryabhattal gate. At Manaveli temple honors were presented to the descendants of Thirumangai Mannan - Theeppakka Kula Thoppu family members. There was a brief anxiety among the devotees when one of the bamboo poles on which the deity was taken in a fast paced procession (Vaiyali Vagaira Kandarulal) accidentally broke. Suspecting Deiva kuththam (blemish) the processional idol was shifted to the Thousand Pillar Mandapam in the 5th Prakara where special rituals were performed to correct it. The event continued thereafter as it was. On account of this ritual, the 'paramapada vasal' was closed on the 13th. Pagal pathu began in the Arjuna mandap in the 2nd prakara last month. The Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival came to an end with the last ritual called Namazhwar Moksham (Namazhwar reaching the abode of the lord -'Vaikuntham').
http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/08/108-divya-desams-thiru-indhalur.html) and Thiru Ninravur Divya Desams
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/vedupari-event-held-at-srirangam-temple/article30567760.ece
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