TODAY IS AADI POORAM/ANDAL JAYANTHI/GODA DEVI'S BIRTHDAY

O5-08-2016, is the great festival of Aadi Pooram - also known as Aandal Jayanti /Goda Devi’s birthday, who is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. Pooram is one among the 27 Nakshatras in Hindu Astrology and Karkataka masam pooram nakasthram is the star of Andal/Goda devi. This festival is Celebrates in all Over TamilNadu (Especially in srirangam), Kerala (Especially in Palakkad), Karnataka, and Andhra pradesh. Aadi Pooram is also dedicated to Goddess Shakti and it is believed that the Goddess comes down to bless the people on this day.

HISTORY:-

Andal a young girl who attained sainthood by choosing the lord himself as her beloved.Andal was known better as “chudikodutha” Nachiyar, meaning the lady who presented flowers to her beloved after having worn them.She was the adopted daughter of Periyalvar, he found Andal in a casket from the earth and named her kodai.Her dedication and service towards the lord knew no bounds from her childhood.

Periyalwar used to offer flowers to the deity.One day he found his daughter wearing the garland, which was meant for the deity.He was outraged and reprimanded her.But Lord Vatapatrasayi conveyed to Periyalwar in his dream that he wishes to wear only the garland worn by Andal.Though taken by surprise, Periyalwar’s joy knew no bounds.Andal told her father that she would marry only the Lord SriRanganatha and no one else.When taken to Srirangakshetra by the king himself, the wedding took place with pomp and galore!As a surprise to all the people around Andal merged in the lord.

She has a temple in Srivilliputtur where the garland worn by her is worn by lord Vatapatrasayi the next day.

GODHA DEVI/ANDAL is the youngest and dearest of all the Alwars,  the most extraordinary personalities in religious history and she is the only woman in the 12 Alwars of srivaishnava sect. In  native tongue of Tamil an Alvar, means one who is "immersed" in the depths of enjoyment of God. Her writens Tiruppavai and Nachiar Thirumozhi, are known to all vaishnavites. In her hymns, Andal has incorporated all the essence of four Vedas, Puranas and all spiritual knowledge about God. Even though the hymns in Tiruppavai are only 30 in number, they contain the full knowledge of God's essence and means of attaining Him.

She was one of the finest poets I have ever known, who  has mastered the technique of using the simplest of words to convey the profoundest of meanings. Her verses are not about religion, but they are about love and her Valentine was the Almighty Himself! Through her poems, she disclosed her passionate yearning for Lord Vishnu. Even though she compiled the poems in her teenage years, they display a high level of literary and religious maturity.In Aandals verses we see Bakthi in its purest form. It is not the Bakthi as we see today where people trade with God, making God as their instrument to fulfill their desires.

Goda devi taught to the world that Whatever learned at early age remains forever.Through her own way of life, she showed the people how to possess God's grace with a true longing desire, pure love, and devotion for Him.Her message to the world is God accepts those things which are offered with Good intention. one should surrender themselves to God and think and believe that God is the only way of their life. He is there to save them from all problems of their life. 

She is a shining example to show the world the power of True love.

Let us now pray to Aandal to help us understand her great works. 

"KarkatE pUrva phalguNyAm thulasi kAnanOdhvhavAm
pANdyE visvambharAm gOdAm, vandE srI ranganAyakIm".

I worship Sri Ranganatha's consort (Andal), born in a Tulasi grove in the month of Karkatka Masam, in Pooram Naksthram, in the Pandya desam. This Andal is the  manifestation of BhudEvi (Supporter of the universe).