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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Did Ganges Come For Ayyaval or RK

Ram Ram
Thiruvisanallur:
Thiruvisanallur also called as Thiruvisallur, a small village on the beds of river Cauvery,which is about 10 kms from Kumbakonam is my native place. My grandfather's(dad's dad) sister called Macham (macha paati) was living there in her alone.

I had gone to Thiruvisanallur in my child hood days to Macha patti's house but I very strangely remember those days and what I did. For many years then I never went there and so were my parents.

Ayyaval:
Here comes the best part about this small village. This village is very famous for the Ayyaval Madam(Mutt). Ayyaval was the Second Guru in the Bhajanai Sampradayam. His full name was Sri Sridhara Ayyaval. He was a great follower of Lord Shiva and has composed numerous slogas and songs.It is believed that through his prayers and singing he brought the River Ganga into his house's well.That well is still there.This madam(his house earlier) is just opposite to Macha patti's house. I just remember that once when I had gone in my childhood time, this madam was not having proper shelter and its a vast open ground with only some part covered where the Bhagavathas sit and perform. All the Bhagavathas love to come and sing and perform in front of Ayyaval. This is happening even now.

But now the madam has developed so vast that it has got a proper building,a big hall for the performers, a big hall for taking rest, rooms for Bhagavathas , a big hall for taking food,clean toilets and so on.

Every year to celebrate the auspicious day of when Ayyaval brought Ganges into his well, there is a 10 days Uthsavam called Gangaakarshana Mahotsavam.It comes in the Tamil month of Karthigai and the day when Ganges was believed to have come in to the well is Karthigai month Ammavasai day. So the 10 days Uthsavam would start before this Ammavasi day and would complete on that day.

Now after my childhood, for the past 5 years I ve been going to my native place for this Uthsavam. Every time we receive the invitation as the madam has got a very unique feature that once if you had donated some money be it even Rs 25/-, you will surely receive the invite every year. I had never felt before the last 5 years that I should go to my native place if not for this Uthsavam.It was really blessed in disguise that I got an interest to go to this Uthsavam.

RK:
Now comes the next special thing about this Thiruvisanallur.

A person at this modern days, has these following qualities:
  • Never drinks a spoon of water also outside
  • Can do Bhajanai non stop throughout the night
  • Never sees books for any songs
  • Has an enormous amount of memory to keep all the song's lyrics
  • Extermely talented in Sampradhaya Bhajans but never has come out to become fame
  • Never expects fame,so humble
  • Never omits any charanam in any songs he sings( Need to mention as in the modern days due to time limitation many bhagavathas are not able to sing all the charanams of a song in a Bhajanai)
  • And many more as I have realized only these in the last 5 years
All these are some of the qualities of Brahmasri Ramakrishna(RK) Baghavathar (I call him as Anna). When I type his name really there is something that I feel proud and not able to explain actually.He stays in this madam for the past 18 years and also has been coming to this madam since he was 6 years(this part I knew only when I went this time - one month back). It is really impossible to see a person like him and to live like him. I am very proud that I live in that same age as he has also lives, that I ve met him and I ve spoke to him.

It is after Ayyaval, Thiruvisanallur is famous for Ramakrishna Bhagavathar.In the field of Bhajans I would say he is a King,who can never be defeated till the Bhajans exist. There is nothing that he does not know. Many Bhagavathas and people who write books on Bhajans come to him for rectifying their mistakes in the language and in the lyrics. Anything he does, he will do it whole heartedly and completely. There would be no one in Bhajanai field who does not know him.

It was for my dad(Ramani), he got his job only after coming to Thiruvisnallur once. And I also got a break thru in my career after coming here once for Krishna Jayanthi.It did not stop with that,one of my friend who is accompanying me for the last two years,also got a job after coming here.So it doesnt mean the unemployed lot should run into this place to get a job.... Jokes apart.I mean this place is so powerful and this power for this place has come only throughpeople like Ramakrishnan Anna and his predecessors of this madam.

It is because of this friend,whom i mentioned above I started getting an interest towards Bhajanai and started going with him to many Bhajanai that happens during the weekends in Chennai.And when he came with me to my native place,he started getting interest seeing and hearing Anna's bhajans.

The Divyanamam which is the way of lighting a lamp in the middle and gents dance surrounding the lamp considering the lamp as god Krishna and the dancers as Gopikas. Anna's Divyanamams are very famous that it he will sing for the whole night without any break and taking even a sip of water. And the songs that he sings are very ancient ones which nobody even knows these days or even if they know nobody sings them.But Anna's knowledge is like a Ocean and these songs are just some droplets from that Ocean.Than writings great songs,it is greatest who reach that to people.

This year's Uthsavam started on Nov 26th and ended on Dec 5th. Since this year had two Weekends I planned well in advance to go for both the weekends but my wish is to stay for the entire 10 days of Uthsavam.So as planned I went on Nov 26th (taking leave to office as it was Thanksgiving day Friday In US,not much of work was there in offfice). This time I was able to actively participate in helping in the Operations work to post the Prasadam to the bhakthas. Though I had gone for the last 5 years only this year it reached my mind that Y dont I too help when so many people are doing such a good work. Usually I go listen to bhajans, sometimes help in serving food. But only this time I felt I was doing some good work to certain extent. Though I was not able to be there for all ten days and serve,which is my wish and motto.While doing some of the work,one of the person passed a comment to Anna saying that we all are doing all this work and service only for Anna and not for Ayyaval. really I was feeling the same but I was not able to express but that guy did it-hats off to him. I like Anna a lot and respect him a lot but that respect many a times gets converted as fear and I dont talk to Anna as I have much fear. But this time to certain extent I did speak to Anna and I was very happy about it.Though it might sound very funny or childish to the readers.But this is the fact and can be felt only in person and not through reading this.

I also went the next weekend Dec 3rd.Actual plan was my whole family parents,sister,aunt and her husband were to accompany me to the native place but sudden demise of one of my aunt Laitha Athi,who was suffering with Brain Tumour for almost a year made only me and my sister to travel for Dec 3rd weekend.My sister has come to this madam before but has not stayed for couple of days like this time.She too enjoyed all the happenings there as it was new to her.

The Ammavasai Day:
On Dec 5th this year was the auspicious day of the Ganges coming to the well.Usually I make it a point that I dont sleep the previous night as usually Anna's divyanamam will be there. But this time it was Sethalapthi Soundararaja Bhagavathar,who is also a Stalwart in Bhajans but an elderly person.And also I slept for a couple of hours and suddenly one of my friend there woke me up at around 5 o clock.All were ready to go to take snanam(snan) in Cauvery. And so was I with half sleep joined Anna and the crowd to Cauvery. There Anna recited many prayers but I was not able to enjoy them as it was shivering cold and I was also half sleeping.After the prayers then with all the people and Anna again came back to madam and then there was some pooja to Ayyaval which Anna did. Then comes the Ganga snan and the Ganga pooja. After Ayyaval's pooja Anna came with specs and the prayers written on a paper covered with plastic folder as it was raining to the well.He has prepared this putting it in a plastic folder last night itself.When Anna was doing Ayyaval pooja itself I came near the well as there was lot of crowd.

Anna started reciting the slokas which we should repeat after him.I seriously did not understand the slokas as I dont know Sanskrit and also not that great to understand the meaning of slokas.But those slokas which Anna recited with so much of importance to pronunciations and stresses on words,suddenly I got a feeling that "Did really Ganges came for Ayyaval in the past" or the "Ganges is coming now for Ramakrishna Anna"-for reciting those slokas so well with so much of passion. Seriously tears started pouring from my eyes seeing and hearing those slokas from him. It is all said that Ayyaval brought Ganges to his well..... But we have not seen it..... it is just followed as belief..... But i really felt Ganges came to that well when Anna recited these prayers on Dec 5th.

I still would say Ganga would have come for Ayyaval on those days.... but to show that in Kali yug, Ayyaval has sent Anna in his form to make people realize and to get the blessings. May all those people who has patience reading this blog get Anna's and Ayyavals blessings.

But I m very sure Anna would really scold me and mistake me to have made this blog on him.He is that humble and Down to earth person,very difficult to meet a person like this. I just started to create this blog on the highlights of Thiruvisanallur (also had a different title before) but happened to explain Thiruvisanallur where Anna is living.Sorry Anna.
Ram Ram

22 comments:

  1. Wow, that so really true... Its seriously impossible to see someone like Anna... Also, his harmonium skills, the way he plays it, one can literally hear the lyrics!! Amazing...

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  2. The narration, indeed, tempts a reader to visit the shrine and the sage. :)

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  3. @Aishwarya:Yes as u said,his harmonium skills are extraordinary and the way he plays jalra,no one can beat that....

    @Shankar : Thanks... Hope u visit soon.

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  4. unnecessary flattery about a living person who is also like us. Please have belief on God and God only and not on persons.

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  5. Mr/Ms Anonymous.... This is not an unnecessary falttery about him.... Its the real fact.If people cannot even understand that difference,I really pity them.There is a song like this in tamil.... "Ulagathil oru varayum nambathe... Guru nathanai thavira"... The meaning of this line is... "Dont believe anyone other than ur Guru"... I treat him as my Guru and so I will believe him.

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  6. RAM RAM :) ... RK anna encapuslated ..

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  7. Ram ram. Ramakrishna Bhagavathar is really a unique person in this age. Radhekrishna.

    http://namasankeertanam.blogspot.com
    Gopala Krishna

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  8. Thanks for sharing.
    Such experiences when shared, create more awareness in us about our treasure and help us to move towards the Supreme.

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  9. More reasons to visit Thiruvisainallur:

    2nd July 2012:
    I created a blog post http://shanthiraju.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/sri-ayyaval/ with the following note in it:
    ""An inmate of the mutt narrated the life history of Sri Ayyaval with very much devotion and he himself was looking very pious and very proud to be part of the mutt. He was so devoted that he refused for a photo, saying "only Sri Ayyaval should be there" but I took the photo and published it here also. I didn't know anything about this person and my interaction with him was less than half an hour but he was so humble and pure that prompted me to mention him here.

    4th July 2012:
    I got the following mail from him:
    ""Dear Sri Raju Sir,
    Ram Ram. Thank you for your email and photos taken in our Mutt. On that day itself, I requested you not to take my photo. Today also I request you to delete my photo form that file. Please! Everybody should know only Ayyaval.
    Thanking you now itself
    Ram Ram
    Ramakrishnan""
    I haven't sent any mail to him directly but possibly one of the readers who knew Sri Ramakrishnan might have sent my blog article and my mail ID. So I deleted his photo but kept my above comment on him with a mention that the photo has been removed on his request.

    9th July 2012:
    I was speechless and fell flat on reading your article on Sri Anna.

    11th July 2012:
    I've updated my blog article with this series of comments on him. I'm sure I'm going to get a mail from him today itself to remove all these but I won't. For people who used to the city life with only empty pots (but showing up greatly!!) around us, this man is
    A SYMBOL OF HUMILITY and PURITY - A MODERN DAY GEM OF HINDUISM!
    The more he wants to hide, the more Sri Ayyval will bring him to light.
    ............. Certainly I have another reason to visit Thiruvisainallur.

    >>>>>

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  10. God is inside you as well as inside me. To reach him, self surrender to him. Ayyaval did the same. Even Anna mentioned by you is doing so.

    Try self surrender to God. Following whom surrenders to God will not help you much.

    Thiruvisainallur is famous for the Thevaaram Temple sung by Saint Gnanasambandhar.

    விளங்கும் பிறை சடை மேல் உடை விகிர்தன் வியலூரை,
    தளம் கொண்டது ஒரு புகலித் தகு தமிழ் ஞானசம்பந்தன்
    துளங்கு இல் தமிழ் பரவித் தொழும் அடியார் அவர், என்றும்
    விளங்கும் புகழ் அதனோடு, உயர் விண்ணும் உடையாரே.

    Follow this to attain salvation.

    If my comment hurts you, am extremely sorry. Almighty is connected to everyone directly. Find him in yourself and realize him.

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  11. Namaskarams! Excellent article on the Mutt and Sri Ramakrishnan mama. Had been to the mutt myself a few weeks before with family and friends who are devoted to the mutt. Very true that Sri mama is indeed humble despite his knowledge. He was so kind in spending almost an hour with us all and explaining things about singing 'Dhyaanams' during bhajans - in particular and about sampradaya bhajans - in particular. Very noble soul indeed. Ram Ram!

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  12. Hi Sridhar...

    Thanks for reading my blog and acknowledging.It is really a great mutt to go and get the blessings of Ayyaval and Anna.I would say you dont need anything in life other than getting the blessings from Anna.Rest all God thru him will take care for us.I have experienced it.Good that u went there with your family.

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  13. Hi Selva

    Thanks for your comments and I was certainly not hurt by your comment.

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  14. Hi Shantiraju...

    You are 110% right. Anna does not like taking photos,recording his songs,writing blogs like this about him.He will say no human is sasvadham so why to have unnecessary praises... But we people since unable to hold our devotion towards him, start doing all these which he does not like to the core.It is very nice that you have been to the mutt and have got Anna's blessings.Thanks for reading my blog.

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  15. Hi Vasantha

    You are most welcome.Thanks for reading my blog

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  16. Gopalakrishna

    Thanks for sharing that blog. Ram Ram

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  17. I have attended two radhakalyanam done by him
    he is ok, not to praise much

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  18. I visit Thiruvisai nallur on the gangotsvam days. i normally carry a bottle full of the water and i keep it in poojaroom.
    its more than a year the ater is clean and un polluted. one small request. i honestly has not kept to check that. but just coincidence and finally to day i took that since i can't come to thiruvisainallur.

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  19. You are true nothing in this world can change anna's sincerity he never does anything for money.

    Yesterday anna did Seetha kalayanam at Tnagar on for the golden jubliee radha kalyanam of Panduranga Bhajan Mandali.

    Last night at 9 PM anna started the bavalimbu and it was over by 9 AM today. Not even once he stood up in that 12 hours gap and even at 9 AM he had the same energy . Nothing can be equal to anna's bakthi.

    We should be really proud to have met anna and spoke with him. All that anna know is sampradayam , his anushtanams and bakthi bakthi and bakthi only .

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  20. Thanks for sharing the information about Shri RK Anna thro this blog.. I have been attending his Bhajans at Chennai, the recent one on 30 11 2014 at KG Sabha. It was a supreme experience.. can some one share the detail about another young bhaghavathar who accompanied anna who was equally well versed in Sampradhaya bhajans.. With Shri Udayalur , the Trio on that day simply took us to Lord's abode........ S V Radhakrishnan

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    Replies
    1. It is Mr.Gopal one of the ardent man devoted to Sampradhaya Bhajan and to Anna.
      https://www.facebook.com/gopal.ananthanarayanan.9

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