Vazhuvoor Gnanasabesha!

I wrote this in honour of today being the masa Sivaratri.It is on the Gnanasabesha in Vazhuvoor. I hold that town very close to my heart, for it is where the late Shri. Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai came from. It is from him that the Vazhuvoor style evolved, and it is from one of his prime disciples who teaches me dance.

VAZHUVOOR GNANASABESHA

Jayasudha Purivasa!'

That is the beginning of the thodaya Mangalam in dance class. For every programme, this is the very beginning in our dance school. At that time, all I knew was that it was on Lord Shiva. I didn't know or get the meaning behind the song. The song was composed by my Guru's teacher, Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai, who was the propagator of what is today known as the Vazhuvoor style of dancing.

The real significance of it came to me much after I had finished giving my arangetram and a few programmes of my own. This happened around the Sivaratri time this year. A few of us, along with our teacher and the musicians had gone to Mayavaram for a dance programme for the Natyanjali festival held all over South India. As we had time in the morning, my dance teacher wanted to take us to Vazhuvoor. After all, this is where our roots came from. She kept telling us that the Gnanasabesha temple there is one of the oldest temples.

We finally reached the temple. What a marvelous structure the temple had. Old, and beautiful. All of us were awestruck by the beauty of the temple. Our dance teacher knew the temple like the back of her hand.

After a 3 minute walk, we finally reached the outer part of the main sannidhi. The priest there was waiting for us. The moment we reached the inner door of the sannidhi, he opened the doors.

And there He stood, in all His radiance. One leg on the head of the dead elephant, one curved like that of a dancer's. His body faced the side, but His perfect face faced us devotees, showing us that He will always watch over us. To His left stood the ever loving, ever motherly Ma Parvati, in the form of Bala-ambika, holding an infant Karthikeya on her hip. In that second, without having to look at each other, all of us burst into song,

Jayasudha purivasa, jaya maha Gnanasabesha,

Jaya Gaja Samharesha, Jaya Kriti Vaasesha,

Jaya Jaya

Shri Kritivaa Seshwararukku Jaya Mangalam,

Shri Bala Ambikaikku Shba Mangalam,

Pancha Brahma, Tirtha Hasra, Divya Nithya Mangalam,

Bhakta Swami Nathanukku Kripashaya Nithya Mangalam,

Shri Kritivaa Seshwararukku Jaya Mangalam

After the pooja, we all left the temple, not wanting to leave. Instead, we wanted to stay there and stare at His Lotus feet. But the world of reality was calling us. We, however, left satisfied, as His face assured us that He will reside within us forever.

Happy Sivaratri!

NOTE:

If you have anything to clarify, please do ask :)

It is so beautiful and divine, your descriptions of the Lord are always so spot on perfect!

Loved reading this piece, feeling total bliss right now.

I didn't know you learn bharatanatyam! I learned for about five years in my childhood, but quit because my teacher moved. I loved it. ❤️

After reading your description, I could not resist myself from sharing this

Though not on Gyanasabhesha, it is in honour of Chitsabhesha

Thank you Meena 🤗

Thank you Nyna 😳

I still learn Bharatanatyam 😳

Thank you Sayu 😳

Thank you so much Janu 🤗 You know how much I love your comments 😳

I love it :) It is my life. I would be nothing without dance ❤️