HOLY YATRA

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Nava Thiruppathy

The reason for documenting this trip was that many of my known acquaintances were unaware of the exact route map for this yatra, We left Mumbai on 4th sep 23 to reach Chennai airport as we had to undertake our on ward layover flight to Tuticorin,to reach Tirunelveli.

The entire trip is dedicated to our kula deivam lord Venkateswara , first of all thanks to Nitya & Neeraj , had it not been our Ishaan’s Abthapoorthi Ayushyahomam (Andinarvu) function held on 5th sept we could not have made this trip to Tirunelveli, also thanks to TVS and India cement who have taken up the task of up keeping the temple premises, each temple we visited were serene & clean with lot of greenery and proper approach roads.

Plant of India cement en route to udyaneri

En route from Tirunelveli town to udayaneri

The entire adinarvu function was a unique experience to us ,very well conducted and arranged , we had the function within the temple premises Udayaneri Venkatachalapathy Temple main entrance

Nava thiruppathy temples are 9 of the 108 holy abodes of lord Vishnu located on the Tiruchendur Tirunelveli route on banks of thamirabarani river visiting all the 9-temples on a single day is believed to ensure the blessings of lord maha vishnu.

I recollect 32 years back on my first visit to Tirumala Tirupathi Balaji Temple an real life incident shook me up as I witnessed a needy family from rural side of Tamil Nadu who had come for the darshan and those days we had free and special darshan, tickets had to be collected from the counter by paying cash and I was standing in the que in this family each one had emptied their pockets i overheard the senior gentlemen from the group talking in whispers do you have more cash , we are short of fund a old lady in this group replied back we are meeting the lord everything will be taken care of and removed a tenner note , her immense faith gave a close insight as said by Swami vivekananda “God is to be worshipped as the one beloved ,dearer than everything in this and next life,truly said by Edward Mckendree ”Only god can move mountains but faith and prayer can move god” .

we started our journey on 6th sept at 7:30 Am and completed our yatra by 12:30P.M.

Nava in Sanskrit meaning nine and graha depicting the planet holding or guiding us in our day to day activity ,in India a lot of house warming ceremonies conclude with a Navagraha Pooja as a belief this pooja ie chanting of Navagraha mantras helps in removing all negative impacts in our life, and prevents misfortune also helps to succeed in onces profession .

Each temple have unique identity based on the nava graha depicting the Surya -sun we entered 1)Thiruvaikundam (located around 27km from Tirunelveli city) residing deity vaikundanathan in standing postion ,to note that the deity has a pinch mark over his cheek ,makes you feel that lord is present a marvellous sculpture , most of the temples were erected during the regime of Konerimaikondan and pandyan ruler jatavarman who beutified the temple and surroundings during the period of (1216-1238C.E.)

Entrance depicting the 120ft L main entrance

2)Alwarthirunagari – depicting viyazhan -jupiter -Brihaspati , located 5km away from Thiruvaikundam at T-T road this place is also called as thirusankanni thurai the tamarind tree is called as Lakshmi lakshmanan transformed here as adisheshan and so this place is also known as shesha shethram here lord fulfilled the rishies wishes of granting moksha to a dog here one can witness the positive energy and peace .

The existing water front is known as theertha shethram as a lore goes vaishnavite saint namalwar born in a small town kuruhur as a infant was mute under his early life he attained Divya dirishti ,there exists a tamarind tree beneath this tree as a child alwar used to play around.

3)Thirukkollor depicting sevvai Mars mangala 8Km from Thiruvaikundam birth place of Alwar, as the lore goes where wealth stays permanently moral goes away blessed by lord maha vishnu Mahakavi Alwar was born to vishnunesar as saying goes in this temple pilgrimes who pray with devotion regain their lost wealth.

4)Thenthiruperi depicting sukran- Venus ,is located 12km from srivaikundam residing deity makhara nesunkuzhaikkathan in sitting posture,goddess kuzha ikkatha nachair .

5)Thirukulanthai depicts sani -Saturn located in perunkulam 10km from Thiruvaikundam urchawar and garudan have monoformation in this temple ,a pond named vaasath thadam was excavated through Deva prasannam (mystic calculation)and has been renovated residing deity venkadavaanan standing posture Urchavar mayakoothan goddess alarmelmangai tradition pracises thenkalai .

6)Thirupuliyankudi representing Budhan mercury is 3km from srivaikundam here perumal slept over adisheshan a twelve foot idol while doing our pradakshina rounds we can see through the rare side of the window , here Lakshmi and bhooma devis image are also big, visit to this temple benifits childless couples and prayers are answered ,residing deity boomi balagar .

7)Thiruvaragunamangai depicting chandran- moon located in a small village called as natham 2km to thiruvaikundam(Srivaikundam) here the lord is in sitting postion it is believed that visit to this temple and prayers do benifit aged people seeking moksha residing deity vijayaasana perumal under hood of sheshan in sitting posture goddess varagunavalli Thayar traditional practises thenkalai.

8)Erattai thirupathi (Thirutholaivillai Mangalam Raghu (North node of moon)from perunkulam you can reach mangalakurichy 0.5km here residing deity is dewarpiran standing posture after all the rishis and dewas prayed to thirumal appeared before them you witness the deity dewarpiran

9)Eratti thirupathi depicting kethu(South node of the moon where recently chandrayaan has landed) here moolvar is arvindalosanar sitting posture Thayar karunthandankanni situated 10km from srivaikundam here tradition and practices thenkalai

Route map for Nava Thiruppathy

We completed our yatra @the feet of nellaiappar temple ,dedicated to lord Shiva worshipped as venuvananathar here Parvathi Devi is depicted as kanthimathi Amman mahavishnu, is also worshipped here having witnessed the wedding ,hence this temple is regarded as abhimana kshetram of Vaishnavism built in 700C.E. entire temple complex covers an area of 14.5 acres .

Do visit this iconic shop iruttukadai halwa sells wheat halwa sweet made in clarified butter that melts in your mouth unlike the Karachi halwa the one we get in mumbai as stiff and very chewy situated at 14,E car St just opp nellaiappar temple do visit and carry memories of Tirunelveli

Art a form of expression

Author Sneha Iyer welcomes you to her blog .

Hailing from Oakville Toronto with deep Indian roots, born and brought up in Mumbai, as an investment banker by profession driven by passion it was always a thrill to express ones instinct through art .

As a child I was introduced to a book life beautiful written by MP pandit had a great impression on my belief system Shri MP pandit was personal secretary to the Mother (Mirra Alfassa),as per Mother Flowers speak to us when we know how to listen to them ,it is a subtle and fragrant langauge a spontaneous movement a very special vibration if one feels it one receives an impression which may be translated into feelings .

I dedicate my painting with a bouquet of flowers at mother’s feet seeking her blessings .

As an artist I had no such professional training though had an eye on detailing with a lot of emphasis on texture and shade .

As a child I had a brief opportunity to glimpse through the greats of Mario Miranda and it was fun that is where I was introduced to cartoons,it was then thrilling to understand the great artists work whom I refer to as my guru.

As of now I aspire to display art depicting compassion ,expressing more on grace and love my style of painting has always been close to mother nature in various forms of art ,one is the renowned indian art of warli painting ,is of tribal art mostly created by the tribal people from north sahyadri range of Maharashtra walls are covered and painted through done during marriage ceremonies, harvest, festivities ,the art form depicts basic geometric shapes,circle triangle and square painted on walls coated with brick red as the background.

The circle represents the sun and the moon ,the triangle depicts mountains ,the paintings are done inside walls of village dwellings normally to reflect happiness .

Recently I ran a campaign on art made easy “Even a child could draw that”

Ancient Chinese artists who used tea in their art works and coffee as a medium inspired by David schomer , tried to depict coffee painting on lord Ganesha and lord Krishna .

As history goes Kerala mural art work can be traced back to the ancient temple & churches and places around Kerala in India ,dating back between 9th to 12th century C.E. depicting Hindu mythology in Kerala.

Lord Krishna shreenathji pichwai(pichvai) is a style of painting that originated 400-years ago in the town of Nathdwara udaipur Rajasthan depicting tales from Lord krishna’s life an attempt made by me to capture shreenathji’s grace.

Kamadhenu -The magical wish granting cow

A touch on scenario painting inspired on my official trip to London.

London skyline on a sunny day captured by me .

A leisure trip to Istanbul Turkey concluded in sketching out Galata Tower built by Byzantine emperor justinianos 507-508AD as per Romans belief a man and woman who go to Galata tower together for the first time will definitely get married.

My trip concluded with a ride in Cappadocia giving a view of the unique landscape and a perfect weather conditions.

In Toranto down town on my local stride gave me an opportunity to have a close look near the spot of little Italy a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh considered as the greatest Dutch painter renowned for his exceptional feel for bold ,harmonious color effects and infallible instinct for choosing simple but memorable compositions ,never was he recognised during his life span and he regretted and a note “I feel a failure thats it as far as I’m concerned -I feel that this is the destiny I accept that will never change”.

Iyer Kashi yatra

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