The
Mylapore Trio Organised "Community Varalakshmi Vritam" in the
Sumukham Flats at RA Puram. Recently The Mylapore Trio - Amarnath, Surendranath,
Aparna Celebrated Varalakshmi Viratam at their Sumukham Flats as Community
Festival. For the First Time that a Pooja of this kind is Organised as a Common
Festival in a Flat system... It's an Innovative Concept and a New Venture
indeed. Of course generally Independence day, Golu and social gatherings are
organised in all other Flats but no where Varalakshmi Viratam is celebrated in
common. The Pooja was a Cultural Get together of all members of
"Sumukham Family" who all
presented themselves in gorgeous South Indian Traditional Attire.
The
Sumukham ILLAM - the Multipurpose Room was Colourfully decorated by the Trio
with Pink and Lotus as the Theme for the backdrop. These silk cotton zari woven
sarees were designed by Suren. (Goddess Lakshmi is known for pink. She is
called Padmakshi, Padmanilayam, Alarmel Mangai). At 6.30pm All Members
assembled at the Trio's Oonjal in their Car Park area. On request of Smt.Subha,
her Oonjal saree was draped on Our Oonjal and Goddess Varalakshmi was placed on
the Jula - a great bhaagyam indeed. Smt.Meenakshi lighted the Kuthuvilakku.
Trio
and other Families individually swayed
the Oonjal and felt it was a blessing and joy to do so. Smt.
Champakalakshmi performed Aarathi and while "Kanyas" - Varshini,
Trisha, Meena and Kum.Ananya sang famous songs like "Bhaagyatha Lakshmi
Bhaaramma and Lakhmi Raavema Intiki" Trio formally Conducted the Goddess
Varalakshmi in a procession with all paraphernalia. "Srimathis" -
Meenakshi, Subha, Sripriya, Hema, Nitya, Champakalakshmi and "Bala Tripura
Sundaries" - Sukriti and Ananya carried the "Offerings" - Silver
Lamp, Flowers, Fruits, Thambulam etc. in procession from Oonjal to Illam.
Then
Mylapore Trio placed the Goddess inside the beautifully carved wooden Mandapam
with a traditional mirror behind. A big fibre Image of Srirangam Ranganayaki Thaayar
was placed atop and antique Varalakshmi doll beneath. Amarnath bedecked the
Goddess with jewelry. Surendranth decorated the the Goddess with handmade
"Thazham poo Jadai" (made by him with cupine flower) & offered
garlands. Aparna made Panjuvasthram Manjal Saradu. While All Women, Members and
Children rendered Lakshmi Ashtakam, Aparna offered Neivedhyam and performed
Deeparathanai. She offered Thamboolam to one and all and tied Majal saradu to
all women and girls. A small antique picture of Varalakshmi (reworked by
Surendranath) was presented to them. Finally all of them offered Flowers to the
Goddess and enjoyed a sumptuos dinner offered by the Trio as Prasadam.
The
Traditional Menu included Akkaravadisal, Puli Sevai, Aviyal, Kal Dosai, Thengai
Chutney, Thayir Saadam and Puli inji and Karuvadaam served on a plantain leaf
and paaku mara thattu. The Sumukham Illam was aesthetically decorated with
Traditional Maayilai, Thoranam, Maakolam with Kaavi by the Trio The Varalakshmi
Mukham is 70 yrs old (it belongs to Trio's Foster Parents Sumukhi Rajasekharan
in whose remembrance the Flat is named as Sumukham). Mylapore Trio since
childhood has been performing these kind
of festivals at home all by themselves trained by their Foster Parents. To
share their rich cultural experience they were conducting Pooja workshops known
as "Pooja Vidhanam" for women, men, children to learn the
"Knowhow" - A - Z of major Poojas and Festivals for more than 20
years under the banner of their Foundation.
That auspicious Friday evening was entirely a "Different Experience and Feel" altogether which residents of a Flat system could not even dream of such kind of a Cultural and Spiritual get together...
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