A green parrot. Long flower
garlands. Colourful glass bangles. And a box of soft, creamy palkova.
These four things immediately
bring Srivilliputhur to my mind. And today, on Thiruvadi Pooram, the birth star
of Andal, they come together beautifully to tell the story of a town, a goddess
and a living tradition.
Thiruvadi Pooram, also called Aadi
Pooram, is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aadi, when the star Pooram appears.
It marks the birth of Andal, the only woman among the twelve Alvars of the Sri
Vaishnava tradition.
Andal was born in Srivilliputhur,
the temple town in Tamil Nadu that remains inseparably connected with her.
Andal – the divine girl of
Srivilliputhur
Andal, lovingly known as Kodhai or
Goda Devi, is celebrated for her deep devotion to Lord Vishnu and for her
beautiful Tamil devotional compositions, particularly the Tiruppavai and Nachiyar
Tirumozhi.
But among the many stories
associated with Andal, one has a particularly charming connection with flowers.
Andal's foster father, Periyalvar,
prepared flower garlands for the Lord. Andal, overcome with devotion, would
first wear the garland herself before it was offered to the deity.
She would look at herself wearing
the garland and then return it.
When Periyalvar discovered what
she had been doing, he was upset. How could a garland already worn by a person
be offered to the Lord?
But the Lord accepted Andal's
devotion.
Thus she came to be lovingly
remembered as “Choodi Kodutha Sudarkodi” — the radiant girl who wore the
garland and then offered it to the Lord.
And this story has given the Andal
Malai, the garland associated with Andal, a special place in devotional
tradition.
The long garlands of
Srivilliputhur
Think of Srivilliputhur and its
beautiful, lengthy flower garlands naturally come to mind.
Flowers are carefully selected and
strung together into elaborate garlands. The tradition has travelled far beyond
the temple town, with Srivilliputhur garlands being associated with important
Vaishnavite temples and occasions.
For weddings too, these garlands
are much sought after.
There is something special about
wearing a garland from Andal's town on one's wedding day.
The bride and groom wear flowers
that come from a place associated with the divine bride herself.
A garland is no longer just
flowers. It becomes a story.
And then comes the green parrot
What does Andal hold near her
shoulder?
A green parrot!
The little parrot has become one
of the most recognisable features associated with Andal of Srivilliputhur.
Traditionally made using leaves
and other natural materials, the parrot is carefully crafted and offered to
Andal. Its bright green colour stands out beautifully against the flowers and
ornaments of the goddess.
The image is unforgettable:
Andal, beautifully adorned, with a
green parrot resting near her shoulder.
The parrot has almost become a
visual signature of Srivilliputhur Andal.
A garland of glass bangles
There is another beautiful
offering made to Andal during the festival — glass bangles.
Devotees buy bangles in different
colours and sizes. These colourful bangles are gathered together and tied into
strands or garlands and offered to the goddess.
Red, green, yellow, blue, pink and
other bright colours come together.
The familiar sound of glass
bangles and their brilliant colours make the offering particularly attractive.
A simple bangle, something
associated with a woman's everyday adornment, becomes an offering filled with
devotion and auspiciousness.
Flowers make a garland. Bangles
make another kind of garland.
Both are offered to Andal.
And finally — Srivilliputhur
Palkova
And then, of course, comes
something that belongs not just to the temple town but to our taste buds.
Srivilliputhur Palkova.
Soft, creamy, rich and delicious,
this milk-based sweet has become one of the most famous culinary specialities
of Srivilliputhur.
And there is something even more
special about it.
Srivilliputtur Palkova has a
Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
It was registered as a GI product
in 2019, giving official recognition to a sweet whose dentity is closely associated
with Srivilliputhur.
So when we bring home a packet of
Srivilliputhur Palkova, we are not merely buying a sweet.
We are taking home a taste of
Srivilliputhur.
A celebration in four symbols
So, how would I celebrate
Thiruvadi Pooram from afar?
I would begin with the parrot —
green, delicate and forever associated with Andal.
Then I would think of the flowers
— the long garlands of Srivilliputhur and the beautiful story of Choodi Kodutha
Sudarkodi.
Next would come the bangles —
colourful glass bangles gathered together and offered to the goddess.
And finally, I would savour Srivilliputhur
Palkova — the GI-tagged sweet speciality of the town.
Parrot.
Flowers.
Bangles.
Palkova.
Four simple things, but each
carries a story.
And behind all of them stands Andal
— Kodhai of Srivilliputhur, the poet-saint whose devotion found expression in
Tamil poetry and whose memory continues to live through temples, festivals,
flowers, traditions and food.
Perhaps that is the beauty of our
festivals.
They don't remain confined to a
calendar.
They become part of what we see,
wear, offer, eat and remember.
On this Thiruvadi Pooram, let us
celebrate Andal through the colours of her town — the green of the parrot, the
colours of the flowers and bangles, and the creamy sweetness of Srivilliputhur
Palkova.
Choodi kodutha Sudarkodi
Andal Thiruvadigale Saranam.
Happy Thiruvadi Pooram!
(Srivilliputhur's Andal Temple is associated with the birthplace of Andal and Periyalvar and is one of the important Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams.)
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