Kanchi Matam events for February 2017!

1 Feb	Vasanta Panchami
3 Feb	Ratha Saptami
8 Feb	Pradosha Puja
9 Feb	Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Kamakshi Ambal Temple, Kanchipuram
10 Feb	Pournami Puja
18 Feb	HH Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal (Kalavai Parameshti Guru) Aradhanai
19 Feb	Anusham pooja. Time is from 7:10 PM on February 18 to 10:06 PM on February 19
23 Feb	HH Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal Jayanti Mahotsavam
24 Feb	Pradosha Puja
24 Feb	Mahashivaratri
27 Feb	HH Sri Mahadevendra Saraswathi Swamigal (Kalavai Paramaguru) Aradhanai

Source: Kamakoti.org

The magnificent Guruvaara Alankarams in the first picture have been done by Shri Suresh, the husband of Viji Suresh! The beautiful second photo is from last month Anusham pooja in New Delhi, thanks to Satya Narayanan for this.

The penultimate picture is the 65th Kanchi Shakaracharaya HH Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal Whose Aradhana function is on Feb 27th. He is the Parameshti Guru of Kanchi Mahaperiyava. That is a rare picture of Kanchi Bala Periyava Whose Jayanthi celebrations is on February 23rd. Thanks to Shri Vasant Raj for this lovely picture.

And words simply fail me to describe the Guruvaara Alankarams shown in the last picture done by Shweta Srinivasan!

Kanchi Kamakshi Temple Darshan restricted!

Due to the renovation work at the Temple for the upcoming kumbabhishekam on 9th February 2017, Darshan is restricted due to the timings mentioned above until February 5th 2017.

Thanks to Vanjari Shankar for sharing it with us,

Brindavanams and Adhistanams!

Mettur Swamigal's Adhistanam at Govindapuram

Brindavanams of 66th and 67 Kanchi Acharyas at Kalavai

Brindavanam of Kanchi Mahaswamigal at Kanchipuram Shankara Matam

Here is a lovely clarification from Karthi Nagaratnam on Who this close up shot of the Devatha in Mahaperiyava's Adhishtanam in Kanchi is:

It is Lord Krishna. The Samadhis of Mahans will usually be established in Saivaite or Vaishnvaite traditions.

Shiva Tradition--- Vilvam, Linga Adhistanam like we see for Mettur Swamigal's Adhistanam

Vishnu Tradition --- Thulasi, Lord Krishna or Mahavishnu Brindavanam like seen in Mahaperiyava's Brindavanam.

Dwaitham and Visishtadvaitam Mahan's Samadhis are done with the Vishnu tradition.

For Advaita Mahans, Their Samadhis are done both ways, Shiva or Vishnu. There is no difference for Them.

மஹான்களின் சமாதியை சிவபரமாகவோ விஷ்ணுபரமாகவோ அமைப்பார்கள்.

சிவபரம் - வில்வம், லிங்கம் அதிஷ்டானம் . (பூஜ்ய ஸ்ரீ மேட்டூர் ஸ்வாமிகள் அதிஷ்டானம்)

விஷ்ணுபரம் - துளசி, கிருஷ்ணர் அல்லது விஷ்ணு, பிருந்தாவனம் (பூஜ்ய ஸ்ரீ மஹா பெரியவா பிருந்தாவனம்)

துவைதிகள் மற்றும் விசிஷ்டாத்வைதிகள் - நிச்சயம் விஷ்ணு பரமாகவே...


அத்வைதிகள் - இரண்டு விதமாகவும், பேதமில்லை..

Thank you all for the Saffron for Sri Kamakshi!

Just now I got an update from Bharatwaj Srinivasan that Shri Rajesh Venkataraman has collected 480 gms of Saffron so far from you all and he is expecting 400 gms more in the coming days.

Between Rajesh, Kannan and the 350 gms already sent to and taken by Priya Venkataraman, we already have a total in the upwards of atleast 1500 gms of Saffron! What an overwhelming response from you all!

He is stating this is more than enough for the Kumbabhishekam and is requesting everyone not to send anymore.

So here is a Thanks from the Heart to you all for your generous help!

The Kumbabhishekam invitations are uploaded above. Please do plan to attend on Thursday, February 9th 2017 and be blessed.

Here is the original post on this:

http://vandeguruparamparaam.blogspot.com/2017/01/saffron-from-usa-for-kamakshi-amman.html

Shankara.

Kanchi Acharyas return to Kanchi after 8 month Andhra Yatra!

Yatra concludes - Pujyashri Janchi Acharyas returned to Kanchipuram on January 23rd, 2017 

HH Pujyashri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal and HH Pujyashri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal arrived in Kanchipuram this evening after completing the 8 months yatra to various kshetras, villages, towns and cities in Andhra and Telangana. Pujyashri Acharyas left Sri Kalahasti after the Nitya Pujas today. As per customs, Pujyashri Acharya Swamigal were given the traditional reception at the entrance to Kanchipuram town.

Yagnas commence at Kalahasthi -19/1/2017

His Holiness Pujya Shri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal blessed the commencement of Ati Rudra, Chandi, Sudarshana, Soura & Subrahmanya Yagnyas being performed as a part of dedication ceremony of newly renovated Gaali Gopuram at Kalahasthi Kshetram. Amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras by hundreds of Vedic Pandits His Holiness performed Harathi announcing the commencement of the rituals.

The previous Gopuram was disturbed in May 2010 due to a lightning strike. CRV Group of Engineering Company took up the onerous task of rebuilding the Gopuram and have completed the task singlehandedly and dedicated to Kalahasteeshwara Swamy. The Kumbhabhishekam of the Gopuram & also the Kalahasteeshwara Swamy temple is going to take place on 1st & 8th Feb with the divine blessings of Kanchi Acharyas.

As a prelude to the Kumbhabhishekam a ten-day Vedic event is being organised with the blessings of His Holiness. A Guruvandana function was conducted in the evening. Vedic prayers signalled the start of the event. Shri Rosiah, FMR CM of United Andhra Pradesh & Fmr Governor of Tamilnadu, Shri Baapi Raju, Fmr MP & Chairman TTD, Shri PVRK Prasad IAS Retd, Shri Vishveshwara Rao, Chairman CVR Group, Shri Avadhanam Nagaphani Sarma & Shri Bala Sudhakar Sarma joined in the dedication ceremony. After a brief introduction to the function by Shri PVRK Prasad, HH blessed Anugraha Bhashanam. Kumbhabhishekam invite of Kanchi Kamakshi Temple was extended to the gathering by Shrikaryam of the temple. Shri Nagaphani Sarma rendered Avadhanam. Later Shri Baapi Raju & Shri Rosiah spoke. The programme concluded with Shanti Patham.

Source: Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam

Golden Spire for Sringeri Sharadamba on February 1, 2017!

As per the direction of Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam, the dedication of Swarna Shikhara above the sanctum sanctorum of the temple of Goddess Sri Sharadamba will culminate with a historic Kumbhabhisheka at Sringeri on Februrary 1, 2017.
In accordance with the traditions of the Sringeri Math, many Vedic rituals will be conducted in conjunction with the Kumbhabhisheka Mahotsava from January 28, 2017 to February 13, 2017. These include the Laksha-Modaka Ganapati Homa, Ati-Rudra Mahayaga, Sahasra-chandi Mahayaga, and Koti-Kumkumarchana. Cultural programmes featuring eminent artistes will also be conducted every evening at the Math premises.
All devotees are cordially welcomed to participate in this historic function and be the recipients of the Grace of Goddess Sharadamba and the Ubhaya Jagadgurus.
Further details of various functions, rituals and programmes during the fortnight-long celebrations are given in the invitation brochure that can be accessed in this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BziSWahcH3DZYWhwTHN3aEJRZFU/view?usp=sharing

*****

Source: Sringeri.net

Those nearby, please do attend and be blessed.

Anusham Pooja tomorrow at New Delhi!

Hi Everyone:

Please note the Venue for this month  Anusham Pooja  :

Pooja is at  795 , Sector - 4, R.K. Puram, NEW DELHI 110 022  (Shri.S.Lakshmie Narayanan's residence) on January 22, 2017 - Sunday... ( தை 09)

Time : 6.00 PM to 7.30 PM  { Veda Parayanam followed by Ashtotra Archana , Mangala Aarthi & Namaskara Ashtakam }.

The beautiful pictures are from last month's Anusham.

Thanks to Satya Narayanan for sharing this with us.

Anusham function in Hyderabad on January 22nd, 2017!

Namaskarams to all,

This month Anusham Ustavam at Hyderabad is on Wednesday 22-Jan-2017.

Requesting all our Paramacharya devotees to participate, also invite devotees by communicating about this monthly event.

Date	22-Jan-2017
Timing	5:30 PM onwards
Address	Smt Manibala & Sri Pisupati Vijaya Kumar's Residence 204, KBR Manicoms Residency Landmark: Opposite HDFC Bank, Srinagar Colony, Hyderabad – 500073
Contact Nos.	+91 96663 29 624 +91 98665 03 743

Please see flyer for more details about the function, Those nearby, Please do attend and be blessed.

Thanks to Umesh Sadasivam for letting us know.

"Political parties promoted Thirukkural in Parliament!" --- Shri Tarun Vijay

Statue of Thiruvalluvar at Kanyakumari which is the southermost point of India.

HH Bala Periyava at the school during Ayudha Pooja in 2014. Pic courtesy Kamakoti.org

HH Pudhu Periyava blessing the students in that school some years back.

The verses of Thiruvalluvar remain a cultural constitution of India, said former member of Parliament Shri Tarun Vijay in Tambaram on Sunday January 15th, 2017.

Addressing a gathering of the students and academicians as part of ‘Thiruvalluvar Day’ celebration at Sri Kanchi Mahaswami Vidya Mandir in Rajakilpakkam near Tambaram in Madras, he said understanding India without understanding the ancient Tamil treatise would be incomplete.

Honouring the prize winners of competitions commemorating the birth anniversary of Thiruvalluvar, he also recalled the services rendered by Adi Sankara, Kanchi Paramacharya and poet Subramania Bharathi in promoting Indian unity through Their religious works and poems. To promote the cultural heritage of south India to other parts of the country, the Centre announced competitions in Thirukkural for schools and colleges.

Mr. Vijay said political parties with diverse ideologies came together to promote Thirukkural in Parliament in December 2015.

Member of Parliament Ela. Ganesan and Managing Trustee of Sri Kanchi Mahaswami Trust V. Shankar participated.

*****

Source: The Hindu.

Thiruvalluvar is a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher whose contribution to Tamil literature is the Thirukkural, a work on ethics. He is thought to have lived between 4th century and 1st century BC.

Saffron from USA for Kamakshi Amman Temple!

Dear Everyone,

This is related to Sri Kamakshi Amman Kumbabhishekam this Feb 2017. A devotee Bharatwaj Srinivasan spoke to temple priest Suresh Sastrigal and it seems they are in need of 1kg of Saffron for Ambal Abhishekam. He also feels it would be good if we can send some from USA because of the high quality avaliable here. Suresh Sastri's sister's son is flying from USA on Feb 4th and he is also ready to carry saffron if anyone give it to his address. 

Devotees living in the US, you may please ship the Saffron to him at the below address:

Rajesh Venkataraman (Suresh Sastrigal Sister's son)
Address: 111 Hana Road, Edison, NJ 08817
Email: Rajesh_v5@yahoo.com
Leaving to India: 04-Feb-2017

or to

Kannan Ramanathan (Suresh Sastrigal's another relative's son)
Address: 8714 Newcastle bend
Irving, TX 75063
Email: Kannancr@hotmail.com / Kannancr10@gmail.com
Leaving to India: 26-Jan-2017

or to

Priya Venkataraman (phone: 510 676 5506)
Address: Residing in Fremont California.
Leaving to India on: January 19th, 2017


Saffron brand: Any Spanish Saffron like this brand "The Gatherings of Saffron".

 Please check your local Indian Stores or you can buy the saffron brand from Costco or Sam's club near you. That is also a good quality one.

This is the original post on this: http://vandeguruparamparaam.blogspot.com/2017/01/saffron-needed-for-kamakshi-amman.html
Please do note the dates mentioned above before sending them. Thank you Everyone!

Saffron needed for Kamakshi Amman temple kumbhabhishekam!

As many of you know, the Kumbhabhishekam of the world famous Kamakshi Amman temple in Kanchipuram is coming up in early February, 2017. They are in need several kilograms of Saffron for the function.

Saffron can be handed over to Sri Kamakoti Suresh or to other Sthanikams of the temple. Shri Suresh Sastri's contact number is 9791545422. Please do your bit and be blessed. Thanks to Shri Kamesh Bavaratnam for sharing this with us.

The above picture is of the Pournami Ambal pooja conducted by Praveena Krishnan at her home in Los Angeles. How Beautiful it is. Words fail me. Shankara. The other is the picture of Kashmiri Saffron. *****

Here below is a beautiful incident involving our Kamakshi and Saffron paste: Kanchi Mahaperiyava was once running a high temperature. His chest was congested with phlegm. Vengudi Doctor usually attended on Periyava and prescribed medication. This time Periyava did not take his medicines. The fever did not subside nor did the phlegm decrease. A lady who came every day for darshan arrived. Having seen Periyava’s condition she had made a paste of saffron flower on the stone used for grinding sandal paste and heating it to the right temperature and had brought it. Periyava was then seated inside the Mena. The lady offered the costly medicine reverentially. Taking it casually as if it were a common object, Periyava placed the leaf-cup in a corner of the Mena. Sri Kamakshi Amman was then arriving outside Sri Matha in the ceremonial procession down the streets. “Kamakshi has arrived in front of the Matha. Why don’t you go for darshan?”, said Periyava to the Lady. The lady went out on Periyava’s suggestions. No sooner did the lady go out than a young peasant woman came in. It needed no insight to know that she was very poor. She carried a baby, which was struggling to breathe through a severe chest congestion. "The baby has a bad cold… I am not able to buy medicines… Sami must give me some sacred ash!”, prayed the mother, almost in tears, to Him. Periyava picked up the leaf cup (given by the first lady, containing Saffron paste) hurriedly and gave it to the young woman and instructed her to take it home and apply it on the baby’s forehead twice or thrice during the course of the day. The woman left at once. Even as she did so, Periyava issued another instruction. “The dust from the roads may fall into the medicine. Take it home carefully covered with your cloth.” The very next minute, He took some kumkum, which was there in the mena, and mixing a little water with it applied it on his forehead as if it were a poultice made from saffron-flower! Shankara. What Compassion for Everyone. The lady who had brought the saffron-flower paste for Periyava came back after Kamakshi’s darsan and stood near the Mena. There were a red paste on Periyava’s forehead. “Iswara! Periyaval has accepted the saffron-flower paste that I had brought and has applied it on His forehead!” The lady was very happy and came back the next day. “The phlegm has reduced and the fever went down because of your saffron-flower poultice!”, told Periyava to her. The lady was deeply moved. Periyava did not say, "'My' phlegm decreased because of your saffron-flower” After all her medicine had been useful. Besides, what other occasion could have been more suitable to acknowledge and praise the lady’s sincere devotion? But the attendants who were witness to this divine sport knew that the expensive saffron-flower removed the distress of the child of the poor family, for such divine secrets fell to the share of their experience. Source: Smt Sujatha Vijayaraghavan 'In the presence of the Divine'. That is a beautiful drawing of the Two Kamakshis by Meenakshi Ramamoorthi

Note: Poultice is a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flour, applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth. Address of Kamakshi Amman temple (if it is required :))) New No. 6, Old No. 144/A, Kamakshi Amman Sannathi Street, Big Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631502,

Adi Shankara's birthday Star --- Interesting details!

The Holy Birthday of Sri Shankaracharya Swami (Adi Shankara) is Panchami of Sukla Paksha in Vaisaka. On that day, the Star would be either Thiruvadirai (Arudra) appropriate to Shiva or Punarvasu, appropriate to Sri Rama!

*****

Kanchi Mahaperiyava in Deivathin Kural.

The beautiful painting of Periyava offering Lotus to Nataraja is by Shri Narayanan Bala. The colourful dancing Nataraja painting is by Smt Girija Jayaraman!

Rare pictures of Pudhu Periyava and Bala Periyava!

Thanks a ton to Shri Satya Somayaji Dendukuri for the four colour pictures!

Precious. Shankara.

"Want to Leave the World with Mahaperiyava's Darshan!" --- Shri Krushnan!

Shri Krushnan is seen with his wife on his right and Smt Rajalakshmi Vittal Mami of Nochiam on his left.

Swamigal with a Coconut

Beautiful picture of Adhistanam of the 65th Kanchi Acharya HH Mahadevendra Saraswathi Swmigal, at Ilayathangudi. He was also called as 'Ilayathangudi Periyava'. Picture courtesy Kamakoti.org

The 65th Kanchi Acharya. Pic courtesy Kamakoti.org

I recall the Viswarupa Darsanam of Kanchi Mahaperiyava Sarweswara at Ilayathangudi in 1962. I was 19 yrs old then, Accompanied by my Mama who told Him that I wanted to discontinue my studies due to family problems.

To which Mahaperiyava asked me, "Where are you studying? Nee Poi Padi, You go and study!" and then moved on to Kulam Pond for Snanam.

I was ordained to visit Ilayathangudi two days afterwards. After finishing Puja Mahaperiyava signalled me to come with my father and asked me to take the smaller portion of broken coconut and for my father, the bigger portion of the broken coconut and signalled to join both the portions, with that great smile of His towards me indicating He has blessed me with my wishes!

Shankara. What an unique thing from Swamigal to ask them to join the two broken portions of the coconut!

He blessed me with Kamakoti free scholarship in the subsequent year for my 2nd year of study at MIT (Madras Institute of Technology) in Chrompet, Madras.

I recalled these to Him when I went to have His Darshan in some remote village in Karnataka many years later during His Satara Vijaya Yatra.

He asked me to repeat the word " KAMAKOTI!".

Shankara.

So Ilayathangudi is a Very Great Name for me in my Life. Of course I had few more Darshans of Periyava in subsequent years. Whatever I could get in my life is only because of Mahaperiyava. I keep praying that my Life ends with "MAHAPERIYAVA SARWESWARA" Nama in my memory/mind and lips, along with Darshan of Mahaperiyava. 

How Touching. Shankara.

HARA HARA SANKARA JAYA JAYA SANKARA.

*****

How beautifully narrated by the Supremely blessed and very humble Shri Krushnun Sattaraman! How many countless Lives I need to take to be blessed like this. Our Namaskarams to you Sir.

Shankara.