Aipasi Sathayam (Sat., Nov 13) was a long day of celebration at Sri Kesava Perumal Temple for it marked the birthday of the Mylapore-born Vaishnavite saint-poet Pey Azhvaar.
Trustee N C Sridhar who was suspended a few months back was seen in the thick of action through the day anchoring the birthday celebrations. The templeoffice remain closed through the day.
The evening session was packed with events. Following the Thirumanjanam, the prabhandham members presented the final verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Prabhandham – Thiru Kurunthandagam and Thiru Nedunthandagam.
It was past 10pm and the Sripatham had not yet turned up and it required a reminder call from the Trustee to get them into the temple for the final procession of the ten-day Avathara Utsavam.
Just after 10.30pm, the personnel from Sri Parthasarathy Temple turned up with the Mariyathai for Pey Azhvaar to the chanting of Ramanuja Nootranthathi verses.
It was well past 11pm when the Prabhandham members, who showed much devotion through the ten days presenting the entire 4000 verses, began the presentation of the final Canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi verses.
The clock had ticked past midnight by the time the final verses were recited bringing to end Pey Azhvaar’s birthday celebrations.
Typically, this would have a day of street processions including to the Azhvaar’s Avathara Sthalam. However, given the restrictions on processions, the entire celebration was conducted inside the temple complex with devotees staying back in good numbers right till the end.
- Report, photo by S. Prabhu
