Today is Avani Hastam on the traditional Tamil calendar. The Thirunakshatram of HH, the 44th Azhagiyasingar Sri Satagopa Vedantadesika Yathindra Mahadesikan.
If you want to learn how to revive Dharma in this day and age, his life is a real inspiration!
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Popular as 'Mukkur' Azhagiyasingar, he got the construction of the grand Rajagopuram in Srirangam.
It was under his strong will and able guidance, such a mammoth project was achieved! The story of its history still gives goosebumps!
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In the long and illustrious spiritual lineage of his Parampara, only he was addressed as 'Vedanta Desika', in honour of the original Saint.
His achievement in the modern times is no lesser than Swami Desika's in his era!
Both fought for the upliftment of Dharma!
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Under his able guidance, over 200 workers toiled day and night for almost eight years to construct the majestic Rajagopuram. At 236 feet height with 13 tiers, the Srirangam Rajagopuram is the tallest temple tower in the world!
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The Rajagopuram's base is 166 feet by 97 feet and the crown is 98 feet by 32 feet making it a modern construction and engineering marvel!
But beyond all this was the Jeeyar Swamy's Vajra Sankalpam! Only that could have achieved this kind of feat in today's times!
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Some rare footage of HH Sri Mukkur Azhagiyasingar at the historic inauguration ceremony of the Srirangam Rajagopuram.
The devotion and determination on his face is so evident! It should inspire several generations to come!
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Even at his age, you can see his enthusiasm! Not a bit of fatigue!
Truly, a miracle, what he achieved!
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Some day, someone should write the detailed story behind the making of this majestic Rajagopuram! It will make for a fantastic book!
It needs to be documented for posterity!
And whenever we think of it, HH, the 44th Azhagiyasingar will be remembered!
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The great Srivaishnavaite scholar Shri MA Lakshmi Thathachar swami attained Sadgati today. He was 84. He ran that brilliant Sanskrit library in Melukote till it ran into unfortunate problems. I remember meeting him in Thiruvaiyaru and later in his home in Blore.
Atma Shanti 🙏
He was the President of the Samskriti Foundation in Mysore and a wonderful orator. You can listen to some of his lectures on YouTube. Check this :
I will never forget this scene. He stood in Thirumanjana Veedhi in Thiruvaiyaru, holding his palm to his face, sobbing and wiping his tears looking at an empty space before him. They had torn down what was the home of Sadguru Tyagaraja Swamy. He was heartbroken!
Let me add to the old thread, #AkshayaTritiya is also the annual Chandanotsavam for Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy in the ancient temple of Simhachalam in Andhra! 😊🙏
In many Vaishnav Kshetrams, they take the lord out in a grand procession on the Garuda Vahana Seva today. This beautiful silver Garuda of Simhachalam is ❤️❤️❤️
For all those curious, it is a delicious pudding made from Ragi, coconut milk and jaggery. Mostly popular in coastal Karnataka.
Long tedious process of preparation! Especially if you want to get it perfect! 😅
But good time pass in lockdown! 🤷🏻♂️
Soak Ragi for 5 hours, grind, put into muslin cloth and extract the milk. Extract coconut milk. Add jaggery powder. Put these three on low flame and keep stirring. It will turn thick and pastey in an hour. Take off stove, pour into dish greased with ghee. Sprinkle cardamom powder
With great sadness we got the news that the dreaded virus took our dear friend, eminent Sanskrit scholar Shri Venkataramana. Venkata, as we fondly addressed him, was serving as the principal of the Medha Dakshinamurthy Sanskrit College in Gokarna.
Atma Shanti 🙏 😔
Venkata studied Vyakarana from the great Brahmasri Kompella Satyanarayana Shastri Garu in Rajamundry. He passed the Tenali and Rajamundry Maha Parikshas. He went on to study Nyaya Shastra from Prof KE Devanathan in Tirupathi. He wrote numerous research papers.
He was blessed by the Sringeri Jagadguru with the honour of 'Vyakarana and Nyaya Vidwat Pravara'. He was also blessed by Pejawara Shri for his extensive research on Dwaita. He was born in 1980! Not an age to go! 😭
The grand old matron of Thillaisthanam Agraharam, in Thiruvaiyaru, Smt Rukmani Ramachandran made her final exit. She was 94!
For years and years, whenever we went for the Tyagaraja Aradhana, she was our gentle host, welcoming musicians at all times.
Atma Shanti 🙏
She must have seen at least 5 generations of great musicians. Hailing from a family of great Vedic scholars, she belonged to the Thillaisthanam Sishya Parampara of the Saint. Her Jatavallabar House, is where generations of scholars have performed the difficult Jata Parayanam.
She witnessed close to a century of history of Thiruvaiyaru and the surrounding regions. She trained both her daughters Vidushi Rama Kausalya and Mrs Meenakshi Rajmohan in music.
A great devotee of Lord Rama, Rukmani Ammal had a fabulous memory.
Jammalamadaka Balatripurasundari Devi garu of Guntur is no more. She donated her entire property to construct a huge 'Tyagaraja Mandiram' which was the venue of all major music festivals for over half a century! She conducted Tyagaraja Aradhana regularly.
Atma Shanti 🙏
She was a great Rama Bhaktha. She wanted to create another Thiruvaiyaru type Aradhana in Guntur. She turned her property, worth few crores, into a huge auditorium. Behind that a guesthouse for visiting musicians. A great host, gentle soul whose devotion is very inspiring! 🙏
I had absolutely no clue there was a video! This was my last visit to Guntur. I visited her Tyagaraja Mandiram and it was evening time when she offered her daily prayers. I am still searching for the song she sang that day! Thank you @Indishout for this!