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Showing posts from 2014

Moolathara tragedy, 5 years ago

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It was again a Sunday on November 9th 2009. It was raining all the way from 8th November. Hardly did anyone think the tragedy that could struck them. Earlier the day Moolathara Dam regulator-cum-bridge broke away due to heavy rain waters gushing into it from Aliyar. Though this was not a major setback as it happened in 1992 (If I remember correctly there were human casualties too then), lot of farmers had to give up their cultivable land to river in Chittur.

Kramaparayanam 2014

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Kramaparayanam will be held in Thirunellai village from 17th November 2014 to 30th December 2014. Donations to this event are welcome. Please forward your donations as mentioned in the notice.

Unchavrithi by Thiruvisanallur Ramakrishna Bhagavathar

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Sri Thiruvisanallur Ramakrishna Bhagavathar is on a visit to Palakkad from today, taking part in Unchavrithi at few main Agraharams within Palakkad. Unchavrithi on Thirunellai was conducted on 17th October.  Picture of his visit to Kodunthirappully Agraharam is provided below: Information Courtesy: Kiran Sahasranaman

Thirunellai Gramam Sthala Mahathmyam

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Palakkad Thirunellai Gramam, Sri Chandrikapuri,  Ayyappa Swamy Kovil Sthala Mahathmyam (History) Sri Sastha Mahathmyam Magazine May 6th 1991 Asmadkuleswaram devam mohinisha sutham prabhum Sri chandrikapuri natham swayambuvamaham baje. Ila nadi thate ramye swayam hariharatmaja bayovanakya the kesmin aaviraseecha kerale. Sri chandrikapuri praanthe saasthakshethre manohare sri poorna pushkalabyaam pathneebyaam saharaajathe Aalayayeladwala virajethe poorva paschimayordishi viprai rathyushitho gramaha thayor madhye virajathe Dwadashapdeshu karyamsyaad aalayasya naveekrithihi noshedsannidhya haanisyaadhu janaamsha subham baved; punaha prathishta karthavya sarvairabhi mahajanaai aikamathyena karthavyam ashtabandhana karmacha avasyam karma karthavyam vaikaana samitham matham sarva sowkyakaramnroonam aayuraarogyatham baved.

Palayam Mariamman Kovil Kumbabishekam Procession

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Sharing pictures from procession of Thirunellai Palayam Mariyamman Kovil as part of Kumbhabhishekam celebrations held on 22nd June 2014. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan

Theru 2014 Curtains down

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Radhaprayanam of 2014 has come to a close. Its a years wait for another grandeur like this. Wishing all villagers for a happy and prosperous year ahead. Wait is on...

Theru 2014: Day 10-Kodiyirakkam

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19th May 2014 Photos from Day 10 of Theru Festival in Thirunella i. 

Theru 2014: Day 10-Aarattu

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19th May 2014 Photos from Day 10 of Theru Festival in Thirunella i.  Manjal Neerattu Manjal Neerattu

Theru 2014: Day 9-Theru Videos

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18th May 2014 Photos from Day 9 of Theru Festival in Thirunella i.  Paarvettai (Just after fireworks)

Theru 2014: Day 9-Theru Morning Photos

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18th May 2014 Photos from Day 9 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai.  Poorna Pushkala Sametha Hariharaputhra Swamy being taken out of temple towards Theru Periya Theru

Theru 2014: Day 8 Photos - Kuthirayottam

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18th May 2014 Photos from Day 8 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai.  Kuthirayottam Day (Double Thayambaka) Swamy Ezhunallathu at morning

Theru 2014: Day 8 Cultural event Photos

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17th May 2014 Photos from Day 8 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Andal Kalyanam by Kalpathy Sisters

Theru 2014: Day 7 Cultural event Photos

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16th May 2014 Photos from Day 7 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan   Kutcheri by Vaikkom Vijayalakshmi

Theru 2014: Day 7 Photos

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16th May 2014 Photos from Day 7 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan  

Theru 2014: Day 6 Photos

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15th May 2014 Photos from Day 5 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan   7th day Morning

Tragic news from Thirunellai

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Theru 2014: Day 5 Photos

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14th May 2014 Photos from Day 5 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan  

Theru 2014: Day 4 Photos

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13th May 2014 Photos from Day 4 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan  

Theru 2014: Day 3 Photos

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12th May 2014 Photos from Day 3 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan  

Theru 2014: Day 2 Photos

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11th May 2014 Photos from Day 2 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan   Utsava Moorthi of Poorna Pushkala Sametha Hariharaputhra Swamy

Theru 2014: Day 1 Photos

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10th May 2014 Photos from Day 1 of Theru Festival in Thirunellai. Photo courtesy:  +Lakshmi Narayanan

Flag hoisted for Theru 2014

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It is the time of year we villagers are in festive mood. The stage is set, the flag is hoisted. Today is first day of nine day long celebrations. Wishing everyone a happy theru 2014. Theru is the main festivals in Tamil Brahmin Agraharams/Villages in Palakkad. The festivals in villages in Palakkad town start with Kalpathy village and culminates with Thirunellai village's theru festivals. Flag hoisting/Kodiyettam in Thirunellai is done during month of Chithira/Medam, Uthram star. Uthram star should be present during night time for the kodiyettam. Kodiyettam will be done only on night time.  The day in which kodiyettam is performed will be Day 1 and until Day 9 every day Ayyappa swamy will come to the gramam in theru. For the 10 days the celebrations are termed as Vasanthothsavam. The festival is organized to promote unity among the villagers, for celebrating the love to their village deity. This festival is considered to be done to please the deity of the villag...

Learn Sanatana Dharma - Lesson 1

Sanatana Dharma also known as Hinduism is unlike other religions which are practiced across the globe. It is not a religion. It conveys a broader aspect of culture itself. It tells us how to live and what to attain in one's lifetime. Before starting to learn Sanatana Dharma, one must understand that everyone in this world is following these dharma, knowingly or unknowingly. To state an example, all people who consider that there is only one God automatically follows one aspect of Sanatana Dharma. Though it is widely believed that Sanatana Dharma teaches there are multiple gods, unlike its belief it teaches that there is only one God. The Vedas preach: एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति ekaM sadvipraa bahudhaa vadanti ekaM  means One sad  means exists vipraa  means the learned/people/sages bahudhaa  means multiple vadanti  means calls/tells Thus it means "Even though there exists only ONE, people call it by multiple names". This is the ultimate truth ev...

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, Bangalore

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In the middle of Bangalore city. Situated in Gavipuram, this temple is believed to be built around 9th Century AD. The main attractions of this temple are many. Gavi means cave in Kannada. Lord Shiva is the principal deity in this temple. The temple is famous for a scientific reason too. Being a cave, the presiding deity Shiva is inside the cave. There is no way the sun rays could enter the cave. But on Makarsankranthi day (starting of Utharayana kala) the suns rays falls on the Shiva linga. The temple has been carved out and the deity has been placed in such a manner that only on this occasion that sun rays enter the temple. People throng in huge numbers to witness this marvellous sight. Apart from this wonder, the cave temple is a must watch. The cave is believed to be at least 3000 years old . It is also said that Sages Gowthama and Bharadwaja has done penance in this cave. This natural cave formation is a great place to visit. To circumvent/do a pradakshina of the deity one...

Our Ayyappa Swamy in Bangalore

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They say that God is everywhere. The story of Prahlada is famous, where his father challenges him to show the god in the pillar. To his surprise Lord Vishnu in the manifestation of Narasimha emerged from within the pillar. Yesterday I was stuck with such a surprise. I was in Basavanagudi, Dodda Ganesha Temple in Bangalore. We were doing pradakshinam of Naga deity in front of the temple and found a familiar photo on the Banyan Tree. The laminated photo was none other than our village deity. Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa.

Vishu 2014

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It is New Year again. "Jaya" year has born today (14th April 2014). Though only in Chingam (August-September) Malayalam new year comes in Kerala, Vishu is also celebrated synonymous to New Year. Eventhough 14th April is the New Year day and usually Vishu is celebrated this day, in 2014 Vishu is celebrated on 15th April. This is because the equinox occurs after 7am on first day of Medam. Vishu signifies significant changes as Sun transits itself into Meda Rasi (first zodiac) according to Indian astrological calculations. During this time day and night will be equal in length, hence the name Vishu which means equal in Sanskrit. The main festivities of Vishu include "Vishukani" where Konnapoo (treated as Srikrishna's kolusu), fruits, vegetable, rice, paruppu, gold, new currency and coins are arranged in front of Puja Room in an Uruli. In Kerala Krishna statue is a must, whereas we keep mirrors instead. The mirrors are kept to see one's reflection surround...

Pankuni Uthram 2014 (Today)

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Lord Ayyappa's birthday was celebrated with full glory today. The occasion was graced with swami ezhunnallathu (എഴുന്നള്ളത്തു). Ayyappa Swamy Ezhunallathu (Photo Credit:  +Lakshmi Narayanan ) It is a very auspicious day that has marked: Marriage of Lord Ram and Sitadevi. Marriage of Lord Siva and Parvatidevi. Marriage of Lord Murugan and Devianai. Marriage of Lord Rangamannar and Aandal. Also birth day of Lord Ayyappa. Read more about the importance of festival from Wikipedia .

Ratholsavam 2014 Notice

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Thanks to  +Ramani Kalpathy  for the notice photos. Request you all to participate in this years Theru/Ratholsavam event from 10th May 2014 to 19th May 2014. Donations for Ratholsavam may be sent in favour of: Secretary / Treasurer, Thirunellai Grama Samooham, 24/280, Thirunellai Village, Palakkad - 678 004 email: tgspalakkad04@gmail.com

Plus One student died in Checkdam

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News courtesy : Malayala Manorama

Bhakta Kavi Jayadeva - Story of real devotee

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Jayadeva had not only the name ‘deva’ (God) imbibed in his name, but God Himself is seated on a large throne within his heart. Jayadeva, known for his Gita Govindam, was popularly known as Bhakta Kavi meaning (Devoted writer). His undaunted devotion for Lord Krishna turned him into a poet and made him pen down many Ashtapadis on Krishna’s Raasa Leela. Krishna’s ‘Leela Vinodam’ could be observed in Jayadeva’s life. Jayadeva was a blessed soul and that was revealed to the public even in his youth. Jayadeva’s father was Bhoja Deva and mother was Vamadevi. They were settled in Kendubilva village in Bengal. Jayadeva lost his parents when he was a child. He was turned to a Haridasa. He had his education with the meagre earnings. He prayed to God not for material comforts but to seek His blessings. How villain got converted The world is full of cheats and villains. One such cheat Niranjan’s vicious eye fell on the house of Jayadeva. Luckily for him Jayadeva’s father owed him a li...