Pongal/Sankranti

[N. Ganesan]

<<<
 This paasuram
is the first of naacciyaar tirumozi:

   tai oru tingaLum tarai viLakki
     tan maNDalam ittu mAsi munnAl
   ayya nuN maNal koNDu teru aNindu
     azhaginukku alangarittu ananga dEvA!
   uyyavumAnkolO enru Solli
     unnaiyum umbiyaiyum tozhudEn
   veyyaDOr  tazhaL umizh cakkarakkai
     vEnkadavaRku ennai vidikkiRRiyE

Rough translation:

Throughout the month of tai (mid-Jan.  to mid-Feb.), every day
let me purify the place where I am going to worship kAmadEvan and
draw beautiful kolams (drawings). Then in the first half of mAsi
(second half of Feb.), I will fill the street on which he is
going to walk over to come and bless me, with smooth sand so that
he will not feel any roughness on his feet. After he comes to my
house and sits on the seat arranged for him, I will pray to him
and to his brother, sAman, together. Both of them will be
compassionate to me and bless me with the great opportunity to
personally serve tiruvEnkaDamuDaiyAn, who is carrying in His hand
the cakrAyudham which is emanating hot fire sparks.
>>>

 What is the poem next to this and its translation?

 Taken together, ANDAL might have used the common
 Pongal preparations to suit her purpose. Indeed,
 the prayer to kAma/manmata is rare and she might
 have used the Pongal festivities to talk about
 her prayers to kAma.

 Regards
 N. Ganesan


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