'Srirangam is like any other town of heritage and tradition'--if you are able to say this I can only envy you, for, it is an impossibility with me. The whole town is so palpable and seems to speak from every stone and sing from every twig. 'I will rather be a stone inlaid on the steps towards your portals and enjoy the blissful sight of your sweet lips'---so sings the Kulasekara, the Alwar from the hilly regions of the South India. He was right given his involvement, drowned in the love of the Divine, reclining in between the two rivers, the Cauvery and the Kollidam.
See the original fervour of the Alwars and the Teachers like Alavandar, Ramanuja running thru the participants in the foray in the picture capturing a scene that happens every year in November-December on the 7th day of the Nights of ten - Iraap pattu. The occasion is about a theft that happened, involving one of the 12 Alwar saints of SriVaishnavism, viz., Thirumangai Alwar or Kaliyan or Parakaalan. This Kaliyan seems to have been a chieftain of the place Thirumangai before being chosen by the Divine Recliner in Srirangam, that is before becoming an Alwar and he was a terror to his enemies and also at times to the wealthy, plundering them to feed Vishnu's devotees, so it is told in the chronicles of old. Why he chose to become a militant communist for the cause of SriVaishnavism at those times is elusive and awaits careful analysis. But this anamoly between precepts and practice was perhaps brought home to him and he was put in proper tracks, it seems , as hinted by this story handed down thru tradition and the old chronicles.
The story is : Kaliyan, in his usual plundering spree, seems to have one day laid upon an unusual couple, newely wed and returning back with their retinue of relatives and matrimonially ceded wealth. The unique couple were unresenting in parting with their riches, much to the surprise of the waylayer. Ofcourse he had a lingering doubt that behind all these docility there may be afterall a play of magical charms or binding by mantras. But everything went ok and it could have been left at that. But it was not to be. While tying the final knot of flyoff, a ring at the finger, somehow seems to have escaped the scrutiny, was glinting as if mocking the expertise of decades. It was too much and the bridegroom at least could have volunteered. So smug He stands thinking he can make off with this jewel. But He seems to hesitate to part with even after threatening and smilingly suggests that he can take the ring if he can remove it from the finger. All this audocity and keeping cool, something is wrong from the start! But Kaliyan bent on his perfection even tried with his teeth to get a purchase on the slippery ring.
But in a moment,.... what happened to him?, something is wrong from the start, is it so ? , after all he may be wrong; only now everything is becoming ok, what am I doing all these days? why ? for what ? What is this change of mind that is happening? Is this person real ? or is he adept in some black magic or is it black magic or revealing magic of wisdom that I have been in search in vain all these days. Is he the one blessing me by the chance contact I ventured. So childlike he seems but this calmness and the sure air about him is something odd but I have to give it to him that he is bewitching.
Hey.. you..what mantra have you been chanting? come on... what is the magic? You can't move away without telling me. Suddenly I am loosing all the interests in my old ways and a change is coming over my mind. Comeon, tell me that mantra! That mantra,.. hey you!
The bridegroom beckoned him to come near, for, he can spell the mantra only in his ears, which should not be audible to others if at all it has to be effective. Reluctantly the plunderer went near his prey and lent his ears and the chronicle says that he never came away from that delicate vicinity and not only his ears but his all soul, mind, words and actions he dedicated to the mantra he heard at the decisive moment.
The chronicle says that it was the plunderer who became the plundered at last, plundered in more than one ways and pledged to new realisations, which he was postponing by himself all these days.
The overture just before the said moment is the kinesthetic foray that is captured by this picture[shot by Surendar]
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