Thiruppavai -
Its that time of the year... the month of Maargazhi in our tamil calendar.
Brings back fond memories of my childhood when we used to go for Bhajans in the streets early in the morning in the December cold... We finally go to the temple and recite all the 30 Thiruppavai's... We leave with a handful of prasadham (usually pongal) at the end of it.... Now being in the US, you dont feel whether its maargazhi or kaarthigai or aadi unless you really follow it with the tamil calendar.... Back in India, you feel its kaarthigai maasam when the loudspeakers start playing ayyapan songs in the morning... You know its maargazhi when people go for bhajans or you hear thirppavai on the radio early in the morning.. You know its aadi when the loudspeakers play amman songs... anyway long story short, I thought of starting this thread to post Thiruppavai for each day. I will also add the english meaning provided by Dr. Raghavan.
Introduction to Thiruppavai:
The Saint-poetess ANDAL , the avathAram of BhUmi DEvi observed Paavai Nonbhu ( Paavai vratham) to attain Lord KrishNA as Her Husband (BharthA). She observed a Vratham ,which is a variation of the KaathyAyini Vratham described in Srimath BhAgavatham.The Month chosen for the vratham was Marghazhi or Dhanur Maasam.This vratham takes a whole Month to complete. ANDAL became one of the Gopis of Gokulam -- who observed the Marghazhi Vratham --and joined Her young friends to obtain the PurushArtham ( the choicest /Highest boon) of Nithya Kaimkaryam (eternal service to the Lord )and to have Him as their BharthA. ANDAL addresses Her play mates and fellow Vratham observers as ' yElOrempAvAi' . Sri UtthamUr Swamy has explained that this 'yElOrempAvai ' refrain found in the 29 of the 30 paasurams of ThiruppAvai as Yel+ ohr+ YempAvAi ( Oh My dear friend ! I will describe the facets of this Paavai Nonbhu and please understand them , accept their meanings and practise them ).