Tiruvembavai

**Eastern Mind** · 08 January 2012, 06:12 PM

Vannakkam: Today was the last day of a major Sivan festival in Tamil Nadu called Tiruvembavai. It is traditionally an early morning festival, and is celebrated in Siva temples of the south. For those interested, here is a link about it as it is around Tiruvannamalai I observed it this AM here, along with about 40 other devotees.

http://hindupad.com/hindu-festivals-...shwara-temple/

Aum Namasivaya

**Flowing Along** · 10 January 2012, 06:37 AM

Vanakkam EM
Thanks for the reminder. It is wonderful that you observed this.
Day before yesterday [ 8 th Jan] was special for Shiva as the Arudra star fell-called Thiruvadirai in Tamil as you may know already.
Thiruvempavai a collection of verses by Sri Manickavachakar [ who lived may be in 1 st cent or 2 nd cent CE , dont know for sure.He assumed the
" Nayaki bhava" loved Shiva like a woman, with a woman's sense of surrender and fasts and undertakes austerities to attain the Nayak /Lord.
Same way another Vaishnavite saint called Sri Andal [who was a born woman] wrote Thirupaavai in praise of Sri Krishna and reached him through the Nayaki bhava /Mathura bhava type devotion.
This month of Margazhi is special [ Dec 15 th to Jan 15 th] and well suited for serious aspirants to pursue their chosen Devata.
Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai are sung in Vishnu and Siva temples respectively early mornings this month.

**Eastern Mind** · 10 January 2012, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by Flowing Along

Vanakkam EM
Thanks for the reminder. It is wonderful that you observed this.
Day before yesterday [ 8 th Jan] was special for Shiva as the Arudra star fell-called Thiruvadirai in Tamil as you may know already.
Thiruvempavai a collection of verses by Sri Manickavachakar [ who lived may be in 1 st cent or 2 nd cent CE , dont know for sure.He assumed the
" Nayaki bhava" loved Shiva like a woman, with a woman's sense of surrender and fasts and undertakes austerities to attain the Nayak /Lord.
Same way another Vaishnavite saint called Sri Andal [who was a born woman] wrote Thirupaavai in praise of Sri Krishna and reached him through the Nayaki bhava /Mathura bhava type devotion.
This month of Margazhi is special [ Dec 15 th to Jan 15 th] and well suited for serious aspirants to pursue their chosen Devata.
Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai are sung in Vishnu and Siva temples respectively early mornings this month.

Vannakkam: My temple is lucky in that we have a very decent singer. So he'd lead a verse, then aarti, then a verse, then aarti, like that. These Tamil songs, although I don't understand the language, always strike an inner chord.

Aum Namasivaya