Eighty-five year old R.K. Tatachari, a resident of Mylapore and his family members will conduct this year’s Thototsavam for Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram, this Sunday.
Tatachari is the direct descendant of Royadurgam Lakshmi Kumara Tatadesikan, who is a descendent of Nadhamuni, Alavandhar, and his grandson Peria Thirumalai Nambi/Srisailapurna, who was the first Tatacharya and the maternal uncle and first guru of Sri Ramanuja.
The significance of the utsavam is to cool the tapa or temperature of the Lord after his emergence/avataram from Brahma’s Yagna fire. The festival will be held in the cool ambience of the Inam garden, given by the King Krishnadevaraya clan to their royal preceptors — the Royadurgam Tatacharyas.
The utsavam will begin at 5 a.m. on April 21. Lord Varadaraja in the special ‘Venkadri kondai’ with Lord Clive’s Makarakandi will be taken out in a procession on his Golden palanquin along with Sridevi and Bhudevi, accompanied by Sri Vishwaksenar. The procession will go around the four mada streets to the accompaniment of the chanting of Divya Prabandam and Veda Parayanam and reach the garden near Varadaraja Perumal temple.
Around 1 p.m., a grand tirumanjanam will be performed for the Lord amidst kattiyam service rendered by Tatacharya Swami. In the evening (4 p.m.) the deity will be seen in the special ‘Vizhithikappu Sevai’, (anointed with saffron paste) signifying the thotoutsavam. This will be followed by unjal sevai (6 p.m.)
Around 12 a.m. on April 22, Manthrapushpam by five Tatacharyas will be rendered followed by Thiruvaradhanam at around 2.30 a.m. And at 4.30 a.m. the Lord, in ‘Sikkathaadu kondai’ alankaram will be taken in a procession back to the temple amidst the chanting of Sri Vedanta Desikas’ slokas. Two huge umbrellas in the Sannadhi Street accompanying the procession will be a sight to behold. At the ‘Mudhal Thirumaligai’ of Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thatha Desikan, special offerings will be presented by the ‘ubhayakars.’
For details contact 98400 83425/9944777510.
