The last of the Azhvaars, Thirumangai Azhvaar was born in Thiru Kuraiyalur, near Sirkazhi, on the Karthigai day in the month of Karthigai.
Out of the 4000 sacred verses (Nalayira Divya Prabhandham), he contributed well over 1300 verses distributed over 6 poems singing praise in over 80 temples. He is also credited with building the huge fort-like walls around the prakaras in Srirangam.
The birth anniversary celebrations at Mylapore’s Sri Vedantha Desikar Srinivasa Perumal on the Karthigai evening on Sunday began with a joint procession of Srinivasa Perumal with Thiru Mangai Azhvaar within the temple campus.
This was followed by a devotional rendition of over 250 verses of the Vaishnavite saint poet by the Prabhandham team members.
Over the first nine days of the utsavam leading up to his birthday, they had recited the first ten cantos of Thirumangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi.
On each of these days, a different variety of fruits was presented to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar during the recital.
On the final evening, they began the recital at 7pm with a presentation of the 11th Canto of Periya Thirumozhi and followed it up with the five other sacred poems of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar – Thiru Kurun Thandagam, Thiru Nedun Thandagam, Thiru Vezhi Kootrirukkai, Siriya Thiru Madal and Periya Thiru Madal.
Following this, Koil Thiruvoimozhi and Desikar Prabhandham verses were also presented at a rapid pace.
Shortly after 9pm, Srinivasa Perumal presented his flower garland and parivattam to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. Even as his birthday celebrations came to an end just after 10 p.m. following the Vedic recital and the completion of the sacred verses, the rain God too seemed to express his happiness with late evening showers.
- Report and photo by S. Prabhu
