Kanchi Avathara Uthsavam (5) 

               Before we sit down to have our high lunch let me take you to Desigan and Sundari  mama mami ‘s side of the bungalow. Other than the  2 daughters they have 3 sons. All married and with children . They would all function as a single unit. All cousins and second cousin ‘s children ( Desigan mama’s brother’s grandchildren) upto a certain age would always be fed earlier by one of the ladies. No difference as whose child or whose mom. Yes a successful joint family. 

                 Some  from the neighbourhood would bring us cool iced water. ( that was the age before our mineral water bottles) One year some one even brought rose milk. This tradition of looking after pilgrims ( that is us) is ingrained in the Indian psyche. 

                   The cook and his entourage bring in dish after dish of traditional fare. Always that jangiri , Mysore pak and karasev is served with lunch. Thayir  Sadam and sakkarai Pongal and ven pongal from the temple. Wedding feast . Everything is of high quality. Neighbours, extended relatives, friends . The lunch goes on four to five panthis  long.  People see to it that their drivers are served too. For the past few years I have started taking my prabandham  friends with me . 

                     Our prasadams arrive from the temple . Out come steel dubbas and disposable dubbas. Everything is done surreptitiously😀. We get our share and we give out our Prasadam. 

                       Do we have time to sleep a bit. Earlier there used to be just one fan  what a torture in the heat. The elders would never budge😃 . Now there are some Acs too.

                         The call comes for Thirumanjanam. Goshti has returned . Elaborate ritual of giving the Lord a bath with fragrant powders .  The highlight being the Shower bath. Dressing Him up. Only the favoured get a place to stand inside the Mandapam. What a lot of jostling. Some peep in from the window.( I always manage to squeeze in . After all I am a veteran of getting into crowded electric trains.)  Brahmins stand near the 2 doors and others have to watch from afar. All gents inside have to bare their upper body. 

                         The boys and gents take turns to fan the aalavattam . This is supposed to be a great honour. Yes Thirukkachchi Nambi was famous for just that. More than an hour standing inside and you feel your feet going numb and your insides have melted. Now there in an ac working  there while the doors are open😁. 

                         Just when the Thirumanjanam is over Jayamma’s brothers’ family bring huge wooden plates filled with a variety of fruits  all peeled and de seeded,along with a lot of dry fruits. They have been at it for hours.  Now we get the prasadam as a fruit salad snack . 

                         Sundari mami or one of her daughters in law makes coffee . I am the first to rush for it. Only after drinking mine will I start distribution. Some snack or again that karasev.

                         So many sevas are going on inside and the town’s people come in droves . One boy I am observing for many years. As soon as the Thirumanjanam ends he would bring necklaces of magizhampoo, few garlands of kodi sampangi and other choice most fragrant flowers and leaves. 

                         Now is the time to visit the temple again or go into Siva Kanchi for your silk shopping. Why miss out on that. 

                         The call comes for evening prayers. A resplendent band plays some popular Carnatic tunes. Lord Varadhar is now decked up as a Raja . A king. The band is the kainkaryam of the Janamma family from Bombay. People sit in front of the house on the thinnai etc and listen to this music. 

                         By about 7 pm we get our dinner which in most years is  arisi rava Upma and kathirikai kotsu. 

                         By 8 pm the Lord is ready to leave and all the goshti , boys and gas lights are there. Country made crackers , train vedi, flower pots etc are burst . My children would always get a portion of those fireworks. Then accompanied by the chanting of vedas and prabandham the Lord leaves on his Thiru Veedhi Ula. 

                         Most people leave in their cabs as soon as Varadhar leaves the premises. 

                          The family  elders would however wait. Wait for the Lord to reach the temple by a circuitous route. They would wait at the temple and be duly honoured by the priests. A huge Garland  brought from the temple would always adorn the doors of our Ayanavaram residence every year. 

                             Again a lot of prasadams before the Lord retires for the night. 

                               We however would always leave at 8 pm. The children would wait to reach Walajabad  and clamour for  cool Bovanto . A drink that used to be available only in small towns  then . Their  day would be made. 

                             Home. A little bit of that Jeera and Kancheepuram idli and we call it a night. 

                             

( Foot note. : Some times  Chitra pournami would clash with our function . Then Varadhar would visit Palaya Seevaram as per tradition . We have to wait for his Grace. He would give us a flying visit in the evening.  )