Margazhi matham - Reminiscence of Mylapore days !
Yesterday when I was watching Star Vijay TV , a Tamil Channel , they announced a week long program for Margazhi matham. A live program at Kancheepuram with the oldest charm of margazhi kolam , pandi and dayam games etc….. On seeing that I called Suganthi, my wife, to see the program and recalled my olden days, school and college days ( 1960s to 1970s) spent in Mylapore during this auspicious month.
It’s a God’s gift to all human to travel fast to the past ! My mind travelled very fast to my past Mylapore days of this special matham . So I decided to write and share my reminiscences of the happy moments spent with full of energy , life and fun enjoyed during the full month of Margazhi in my old Mylapore , Madras ( 16,T V Koil Street ).
The first thing to speak is about the big kolam in front of everyone’s house in Mylapore. We lived in Thiruvalluvar koil street, where the great Saint Thiruvalluvar born ) having very good neighbors . We will be very eager to see in the early morning , the kolam of Babu’s mother ( next door neighbor ) who ‘s colourful kolam will be the largest one covering the whole width of the street in front of her house. Of course all other houses also adore with kolam of their own design and colours , but none will meet the standards set by her and no one broke the record till today I believe !!!
On the first day of Margazhi , after the start tune, All India Radio plays “ Margazhi thingal mathi niraintha nannalal…” Sri Andal’s Thiruppavai , and Thiruvempavai . We in our childhood never sleep after sunrise , and particularly we will be very eager to see the Margazhi matha Bajanai in the early hours in our street. Dhoppa ( Periappa ) used to take us , me and my brother Gopi , sometimes even before taking bath , to Kapaleeswara koil mada veethi to watch Sri Papanasam Sivan’s Bajanai and another leading team’s ( I forgot the musician’s name ) , on many days during this auspicious month. We used to go behind the bajanai goshti upto Fund office from Ambika Applam end and enjoy the rich bajans with instruments playing along with the singers. While returning many others who come across us, ask us , “ where is the bajan troupe ?” with equal keen interest like us to join the goshti . Our dad used to wear a woolen muffler , to cover around the neck in this season. I love to have it around my neck too.
In all mada veethi also you can see big big kolams in front of all the houses and we enjoy seeing different types of colourful kolams of Mylapore mamis’.
We cannot see a dull scene in our street or any street in Mylapore , as all the houses are decorated with kolam in front and mamas, mamis , all young and old people will be moving busily in the streets. In our street also two or three bajani goshti pass through reciting Andal’s pasurams , Thruvempavai and Thirupalli Ezhuchi.
In Sri Madhavaperuma temple , loud speaker will beam the pasurams. In 1960s’ and 1970s’ we could hear the koil mani of Sri Madavaperumal , Sri Kapaleeswarar and the hourly bell of Mylapore Fund Office. People may not believe if I say that in our terrace , we used to hear the movie dialogs of Kamadhenu cinema theater , during second shows ( night shows), as there are no sound barriers like high rise buildings ! Santhome church’s bell also can be heard in our terrace in those good old days.
In our house verandah grill , cows used to be tied by the milk vendor Mr.Raja , and fresh cows and buffalos milk he used to sell from 4 am.with hand punch monthly cards. Hope not much water they add to thefresh milk !
Another important festival during Margazhi is Thiruvathirai , Arudra festival in Mylapore . Sri Kapaleeswarar temple and Sri Velleeswarar temple’s Arudhra darisanam is very famous and even in all small shiva temples , they perfom this utsavam.
Our great grandmother Smt. Baggiammal , wife of great thatha Sr. Deivasigamani , had donated a sum to Sri Velleeswarar temple to perform Arudhra darisanam to Sri Nataraja perumal on Thiruvathirai day in Margazhi and the proceedings of malai and maryadhai to be given the santhathiyinar. This was dated back to 1915 and last 95 years we are blessed to have the pooja done to Sri Velleswarar and take away the prasadam. Early morning mum and dad will attend “ vellai sathupadi – deity is covered with a white veshti and stand face to face – Ishwar and Ambal and some rituals they do. Later after the thituveethi ula , alangaram will be removed and the big pushpa mala will be put to the upayagartha, my father , and now to me and my brother( photo attached ). We wish to do it in a big way with God’s blessing for the centenary Arudhra festival in Sri Velleeswarara temple .
Kali , venpongal, sundal are very tasty and we used to share to all relatives and friends in the neighborhood. In our home also we celebrate and make kali, a sweet pongal like.
Goodaravalli is another auspicious day in Margazhi , and our amma make special pooja at home. All the thirty days we read the pasurams with a handbook .
The chillness of this month , we cannot enjoy in any other tamil month. After Margazhi , Thai matham starts and by Bogi on 13th of Jan , the chillness goes away and summer starts !
We , the only three life members of “3D Society “ – me , Gopi and Suresh , used the watch the kolams from our terrace parapet wall and commenting with fun and joy !
The reminiscences of Margazhi , I wish to share to all old Mylaporeans . The glory of the past is always remembered , cherished and now felt missing in the present Mylapore days !
Chander.M.D. ( now not a resident of my birthplace , old Mylapore )
91-9444063837 / 9176606125
Thank you for sharing the wonderful memories - I was born and brought up in Mylapore and share similar memories of my childhood and teens
ReplyDeleteYes that big garland will come to your house and adorn the main door of your house Raja
DeleteThank you Raja, for your reading of my blogs. You said rightly about the big garland which adored Mylapore Sri Velleeswarar on Arudhra festival sponsored by my great grandmother, the inscriptions are in the temple in a plaque,right side of Sri Selva Vinayagar, in that temple.
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