Join us to celebrate Thiruppavai at Mandir on Sunday, December 30th at 10:00 am
Dhanurmasa Puja with Recitations of Thiruppavai of Godha Devi followed by Bhajans and Prasad
Thiruppavai
When December comes around, it is not only time for snow and snow holidays but also time for Thiruppavai Recitations and the delicious ven pongal prasadam. Kothai also known as Andal has set an example for us by practicing this vratam for thirty days with one poem for each day. People get up very early in the morning, bathe, get together and recite “Thiruppavai” the thirty poetic gems of Andal followed by short meditation or bhajans and Prasadam. This season of spiritual reflection also consists of the music season in India with concerts as well as the time for many spiritual and intellectual lectures on different topics. We in Columbia, Missouri, also got together and conducted the recitations, music, and discussions. On the New Year day, Jan 1, 2008, we celebrated it in the Shanthi Mandhir with meditations and recitation of selections from Thiruppavai and a short discussion of Andal and her example in leading the women (and men) of her day to take charge of their lives and work towards their goals confidence and on, confidence and unwavering focus. Indeed, Andal learned it from the example of the young women in Vrindavan and Gokulam who were friends of Krishna and she and her friends decided to pretend to be ( and become) those girls in Vrindavan in their quest for attaining Krishna. Talking about the best in everything, Krishna says n Gita that “maasaanaam maargashirsho aham” meaning “among the months, I am Margazi” (dhanur in the current north Indian calendar). With this began the tradition of this great month of spiritual reflections through music, dance, and poetry. Cast in today’s world, it is not mere recitation of Thirppavai verses that happens in this month of Margazi or margasheersha (or December –January) but this is the month where people get together and renew their commitment to work together for their common good.
Thiruppavai – Sunday, Dec 30th
