Updated by admin on
Tuesday, December 22, 2015 04:17 PM IST
Chennai:
Tamil scholar Dr M A Venkatakrishnan inaugurated the 12-month series on Aazhvaars at Parthasarathy Swamy Temple, Thiruvallikeni, on Sunday, November 22, 2015.
The programmes, organized by Chennai 2000 Plus Trust and Sri Krishna Sweets, would be held at the temple on every Ekadasi day.
Dr Venkatakrishnan, former Head, Department of Vaishnavism, Madras University, in his inaugural address, said God, despite taking several avatars, could not convince man to correct his mistakes and to lead a righteous and chaste life. Therefore, He decided to choose some human beings, give them some Godly powers, and through them spread the message of leading a life on the path of spirituality, and wean people away from the path of vices. Thus, He chose 12 persons, later called as Aazhvaars, to spread the message of God.
Lord Krishna regretted that though Lord Rama and Vishnu took the route of Avatars to change the path of men away from vices, they could not succeed. Krishna Himself regretted that though he was an incarnation of Vishnu, he was often humiliated by human beings and his words of advice were largely ignored, Venkatakrishnan said, adding that He therefore decided to use human being themselves to spread His message.
Chennai 2000 Plus Trust and Sri Krishna Sweets are presenting a 12-month series on Aazhvaars (Alwars) at Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple, Thiruvallikeni, on every Ekadasi day, said the Chennai 2000 Plus Trust President, R Rangaraj, in his welcome address.
Rangaraj pointed out that in the past Tondaimandalam region which was the composite Chennai of today, had four Aaazhvaars born in this area – Poigai Aazhvaar (thiruvekka, Kancheepuram), Bhothath Aazhvaar (Mamallapuram), Pey Aazhvaar (Mayilapur-Thiruvallikeni) and Thirumazhisai Aazhvaar (Thirumazhisai). Therefore, this area is holy and historic whose history goes back to thousands of years. Chennai 2000 Plus Trust organizes programmes to create awareness about the cultural, historical, archaeological, literary and social importance, and antiquity of Chennai city, which is over 2,000 years old.
Mr. V. Srinivasan, GM, Communications, Sri Krishna Sweets, presented Mr Venkatakrishnan, a ponnadai on behalf of Sri Krishna Sweets.