Temple of love :A visit to Srirangam

temple on the Panguni Uthiram day is

said to relieve one of all sins, says S
Prabhu who traces the history of the
Uraiyur temple and the love story of
Lord Ranganatha and goddess
Kamalavalli. Located between the two
famous rivers – Cauvery and Coloroon –
and spread over 150 acres, is
Ranganatha Swamy Temple in
Srirangam. It is considered the most
sacred among Divya Desams (Vishnu temples praised by the 12
saint poets called Azhvaars). This place is also called Bhoologa Vaikuntam (heaven on
earth). There are 21 towers in this temple and the biggest temple tower in Asia (236ft) is
at Srirangam. In the third week of March this year, Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam will
travel across the Cauvery to meet his beloved goddess Kamalavalli in Uraiyur (Trichy). A
few days later, in the same week, at the Srirangam temple, one can witness the event of
goddess Ranganayaki shutting the door on Lord Ranganatha for having visited goddess
Kamalavalli and gifted her his ring.
The love story: Uraiyur was the first capital of the Chozhas and is also the birth place of
Thiruppaan Azhvaar who composed 10 famous verses on Lord Ranganatha called
Amalanaathipiraan. Uraiyur temple is built in
memory of goddess Kamalavalli‟s love for
Lord Ranganatha. The story goes that
Chozha king Nanda Chozhan was childless.
Pleased with his prayers, Lord Ranganatha
asked goddess Lakshmi to be born as the
king‟s daughter at Uraiyur. Being born from
a lotus, the goddess at Uraiyur is called
„Kamalavalli‟. As years went by, Kamalavalli
grew up into a beautiful young girl. One
day, while she was playing with her friends, her eyes fell on a handsome lad, Lord
Ranganatha of Srirangam, and fell in love with him instantly. King Nanda Chozhan was in
a fix as his daughter had fallen in love with the man, who had blessed the king with the
child. The Lord accepted the king's prayers and agreed to take her as his bride. Delighted
at this, Nanda Chozhan built the temple at Uraiyur to celebrate it. On March 18, Lord
NamPerumal (Ranganatha), the utsav deity of Srirangam temple, in all his splendour, will
leave Srirangam at 4 am across river Cauvery in a golden palanquin to meet his beloved
goddess Kamalavalli for the Kalyana Utsav (marriage festivities). On this auspicious day in
the Tamil month of Panguni (mid March-mid April), the entire marriage formalities
between Lord Ranganatha and goddess Kamalavalli will be enacted at the Uraiyur temple.
Here, one can see Kamalavalli in a grand sitting posture all set to get married. A unique
feature of this temple is that this is the only Divya Desam (out of the 108) where the
goddess is facing the Northern direction or in the direction of the Srirangam Ranganatha
temple. After the marriage festivities are enacted, Lord Ranganatha will take the trip back
to Srirangam across the Cauvery that same night at 1.30 am. The story goes that goddess
Ranganayaki of Srirangam came to know about the Lord‟s trip to Uraiyur. This angered
goddess Ranganayaki.
A couple of days after his return from Uraiyur, on
the occasion of Panguni Uthiram, the Lord visits the
goddess at her Sannidhi. With the temple elephant
leading the way and hundreds of temple priests chanting
the Naalaayira Divya Prabhandham (4000 songs of the
Azhvaars), the Lord goes from house to house asking for
money to buy a ring so that the goddess doesn‟t come to
know that he has presented his ring to goddess
Kamalavalli. After over three hours on the street in the
hot summer sun, the Lord reaches the Sannidhi of
goddess Ranganayaki. Goddess Ranganayaki shuts the
door on the Lord and refuses to allow him entry into the
Sannidhi. Despite repeated attempts to force his way
into the Sannidhi, the door is shut on the Lord.
For the next couple of hours, there is a war of
words between Lord Ranganatha and goddess
Ranganaayaki (reenacted by the priests from both the
sides). It is then that NammAzhvaar, the greatest of
the Azhvaars, is brought in to settle this fight.
NammAzhvaar advises the goddess not to insult the
Lord and to save him from further embarrassment.
After this intense debate, goddess Ranganayaki
finally relents. With the debate ending successfully,
the Lord enters the Sannidhi of the goddess, goes
to the „Serthi Mandap‟ and is seen together with
the goddess for the rest of the day and night. This is the only
day in the year where Lord Ranganatha and goddess
Ranganayaki are seen together and hence considered a
sacred occasion. There are special poojas performed
through the day and night for the Lord and the
goddess. At around 5.45 am the next morning,
Lord Ranganatha bids good bye to her. It is
believed that a visit to the Srirangam temple on
this day will relieve one of all sins and the Lord
and the goddess are said to forgive devotees for
all their wrongs.
FESTIVAL DETAILS *March 18, 4 am – Lord
NamPerumal of Srirangam leaves for Uraiyur across
the Cauvery.
*March 19, 1.30 am – Lord leaves Uraiyur for Srirangam.
*March 21 – The only day in the year when the goddess Ranganayaki and Lord
Ranganatha are seen together. *March 22, 5.45 am – Lord Ranganatha leaves the
Goddess for another year. http://deccanherald.com/Content/Feb242008/finearts2008022353835.asp
sent by Sri. Dr. Oppiliappan Koil Sadagopan Swami, NY.