VERY CLOSE TO THE SEAT OF THE ERSTWHILE GREAT CHOLA RULERS NEAR TANJORE, IS HELD THE RITUALISTIC BHAGVATHA MELA TRADITION ANNUALLY. HERE MEN ADORN EVEN THE ROLES OF WOMEN AND PERFORM IN THE BHAGAVATHA MELA IN FEW OF ITS SMALLER VILLAGES. WHILE SALIAMANGALAM BOASTS OF THE UNINTERUPTED 367TH YEAR OF PERFORMING THE DANCE DRAMA OF PRAHALAD. MELATTUR SURELY EXHIBITS THE GRANDEUR IN STYLE OF THE EPIC DANCE DRAMA, THOUGH ONLY FOR 75 YEARS NOW.STRANGELY THE DIALOGUES ARE DELIVERED IN TELUGU IN THESE ARDENT TAMIL VILLAGES.
BHAGAVADHAMELA ALSO HAPPENS AT OTHER VILLAGES AROUND KUMBAKKONNAM.THE ONE AT SALIAMANGALAM IS EQUALLY POPULAR.THANKS TO THE EFFORT OF SHRI NATRAJAN AND FAMILY THE TRADITION AT MELATOOR CONTINUES SO GLORIOUSLY.
HIRANYAKASHIPU AND HIS WIFE
Melatoor Bhagavatha Mela
2 Days @ INDeco Hotels Swamimalai to Experience the Spiritual History…
24th & 25th May 2016. INDeco Swamimalai, in Kumbakonam,Tanjore.
The 76th Year Bhagavatha Mela Nataka Mahotsav is on 24th May 2016.
Venue: Sri Varadharaja Perumal Sanidhi, Melatoor, Kumbakonam
HIRANYAKASSIPPU, AFTER DEEP PENANCE, RECIEVES A BOON FROM LORD SIVA. HIS LIFE CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY BY MAN OR ANIMAL, DURING DAY OR NITE, IN OR OUT… HE THEN PROFESSES THERE IS NO GOD. HIS SON PRAHALAD DEFIES HIM AND LIVES IN PRAISE OF NARASIMHA. EVENTUALLY LORD NARASIMHA HIMSELF APPEARS IN NARASIMHA AVATAR TO TAKE THE LIFE OF KING HIRANYAKASSIPU. THIS IS ENACTED IN A DANCE DRAMA, AS PER TRADITION BY THE MEN OF MELLATOOR, ON THE NIGHT OF 24TH MAY 2016 @ MELATOOR VILLAGE… JUST ABOUT 13 KM FROM INDeco HOTELS SWAMIMALAI IN KUMBAKONAM.
HIRANYAKASSIPPU, AFTER DEEP PENANCE, RECIEVES A BOON FROM LORD SIVA. HIS LIFE CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY BY MAN OR ANIMAL, DURING DAY OR NITE, IN OR OUT… HE THEN PROFESSES THERE IS NO GOD. HIS SON PRAHALAD DEFIES HIM AND LIVES IN PRAISE OF NARASIMHA. EVENTUALLY LORD NARASIMHA HIMSELF APPEARS IN NARASIMHA AVATAR TO TAKE THE LIFE OF KING HIRANYAKASSIPU. THIS IS ENACTED IN A DANCE DRAMA, AS PER TRADITION BY THE MEN OF MELLATOOR, ON THE NIGHT OF 24TH MAY 2016 @ MELATOOR VILLAGE… JUST ABOUT 13 KM FROM INDeco HOTELS SWAMIMALAI IN KUMBAKONAM.
THE DANCE
DRAMA STARTS WITH PAYING TRIBUTE TO LORD GANESHA.
ALL
TRADITIONAL NUANCES ARE FOLLOWED AS IT WAS LONG LONG AGO
THE TRADITION DEMANDS
THAT EVEN THE FEMALE ROLES ARE ADORNED BY MEN.
INTERESTINGLY THE
DIALOGUES ARE IN TELEGU AND NOT TAMIL.
HIRANYAKASHAPU IS THE ASURA KING IN THE PURANIC
SCRIPTURES IN HINDUISM.
AFTER HIS BROTHER HIRANYAKSHA'S DEATH AT THE HANDS OF VISHNU,
HIRANYAKASHIPU, STARTED TO
ABHOR VISHNU.
DECIDING TO KILL VISHNU BY GAINING MYSTICAL POWERS, HE
UNDERGOES MANY YEARS OF GREAT
AUSTERITY AND PENANCE, BY
WHICH HE BELIEVES BRAHMA, THE CHIEF AMONG THE DEVAS
WILL AWARD TO HIM.
.
O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will
kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any
of the living entities created by you.
Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any
residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky.
Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by
you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.
Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or
nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or
by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the
battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I
too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and
presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position.
Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the
practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.
HIRANYAKASHIPU
BECOMES SO ANGRY AND UPSET AT HIS SON'S DEVOTION TO
VISHNU THAT HE DECIDES TO
KILL HIM.
PRAHLADA CLAIMS THAT VISHNU IS ALL-PERVADING AND OMNIPRESENT AND
REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE
HIS FATHER AS THE SUPREME LORD OF THE UNIVERSE.
"O most unfortunate Prahlada, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a
supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and
who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not
present before me in this pillar?"
PRAHLADA
THEN ANSWERS, HE WAS, HE IS AND HE WILL BE. HIRANYAKASHIPU,
UNABLE TO CONTROL HIS
ANGER, SMASHES THE PILLAR WITH HIS MACE.
FOLLOWING
A TUMULTUOUS SOUND, VISHNU IN THE FORM OF NARASIMHA
APPEARS FROM IT AND IN
DEFENCE OF PRAHLADA MOVES TO ATTACK HIS FATHER.
THE
BAFFLED ASURA KING STILL ARGUES WITH NARSIMHA
AND IS CONFIDENT ABOUT HIS
IMMORTALITY.
IN ORDER TO KILL HIRANYAKASHIPU AND NOT UPSET THE BOON
GIVEN BY
BRAHMA, THE FORM OF NARASIMHA WAS CHOSEN.
THE ARGUMENT CONTINUES AND HIRANYAKASHAPU PROVOKES
NARASIMHA.
THE FURY OF NARASIMHA WAS INVOKED.
Narasimha, a
part-human, part-animal, comes upon Hiranyakashipu at
twilight (when it is neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard
(neither indoors nor out), and puts the demon on his lap (neither earth nor
space). Using his nails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon.
THE FALL OF THE ASURA KING.
GOD TRIUMPHS AND GOODNESS PREVAILS.
Even
after killing Hiranyakashipu none of
the present demigods were able to calm Narasimha's fury. So
all the gods and goddesses called His consort, the goddess Lakshmi, but she
was also unable to do so. Then, at the request of Brahma, Prahlada was
presented to Narasimha, and
finally, he was calmed by the prayers of his devotee.
ALL
THAT BEGINS WELL…ENDS WELL…
The great Bhagavata Mela tradition, a rare temple/theatre art
in a unique blend of Bakti, music, dance & drama in vogue over 4 centuries,
is the only surviving link today in Tamil Nadu that connects us with the
ancient Sanskrit theatre. The Bhagavata Mela natakams, composed by Melatoor Venkatarama Sastry (1743-1809 A.D), are performed annually, in adherence to the
Natya Veda, in the sannidhi of Lord Sri Varadaraja, the presiding deity of
Melatoor village as part of Sri Narasimha Jayanti Vasantotsav.
Come let’s experience the
historic event. And also visit some rare, unknown and most beautiful
Temple’s on 24th &
25th.May 2016. Here is the programme:
24th may 2016: Arrival
into INDeco Hotels Swamimalai and Relax.
Night(9 pm to 3 am.) witness Bhaktha
Prahalad Natya Natakka @ Mellatoor.
25th may 2016: Visit
the following temples guided by Sri. Seetharama Iyer and Sri. Kannadasan
1. Adhi Kumbeswara Temple or Nageshwara Temple @
Kumbakonam
2. Parimala Ranganathar & Veera Hannumar Temple @
Mayavaram
3. Brahmapurisvarar Temple @ Iyampettai
4. Panchavan Madevi Temple @ Cholan Maligai
5. Sri Somanatha Swamy Temple @ Pazhayarai
At INDeco Hotel Swamimalai, Its
50% Off on rooms specially for the Bhaghavathamela guests.
Category
|
Published Tariff
|
Special Tariff
|
Heritage Deluxe
|
Rs. 3500 + Taxes
|
Rs.1750 + Taxes
|
Heritage Suite
|
Rs. 5000 + Taxes
|
Rs. 2500 + Taxes
|
Heritage Royal
Suite
|
Rs. 7500 + Taxes
|
Rs. 3250 + Taxes
|
Zamin Suite
|
Rs. 5000 + Taxes
|
Rs. 2500 + Taxes
|
Zamin Royal Suite
|
Rs. 9000 + Taxes
|
Rs. 4500 + Taxes
|
Palace Suite
|
Rs. 6000 + Taxes
|
Rs. 3000 + Taxes
|
Palace Luxury Suite
|
Rs. 7500 + Taxes
|
Rs. 3250 + Taxes
|
For Reservations:
Contact:
+91 9444410396 / +91 9444410389 / +91 9444405369/ +91
9444410391
From: INDeco Leisure Hotels Swamimalai, Kumbakonam
HERE IS A LISTING OF SOME OF HIS BLOGS:
NDTV news story of PIGEONS TO POST,a coffee table book authored by SB
On the 4000 odd years of postal history.Applauded as one of the best tributes to POSTS world over.
View Steve Borgia’s recent book on stands at www.pigeonstopost.blogspot.com
This comprehensive blog created by one of SB’s students is a one stop shop to know the man and understand the work he does. And more importantly his agenda for the future
View introduction to STEVE BORGIA at www.steveborgia.blogspot.in
View introduction to STEVE BORGIA at www.steveborgia.blogspot.in
An Haviland Puss Moth of the 1920s,one of the first civilian aircrafts to land In Madras Presidency. Here is the acquisition and restoration story.
View Steve Borgia's Aircraft Museum at www.stevesindianaircraftheritagemuseum.blogspot.in
INDeco often Museum Shows as a part of its conservation programme. The blog contains a good documentation of an event conducted in Chennai.
View INDeco’s MUSEUM at www.indecohotelsmuseum.blogspot.com
Every hotel of INDeco has a story and a connect with history. Here are blogs on the creation of each hotel.
www.indecohotelsmahabalipuram-creation.blogspot.in
www.indecohotelsmahabalipuram-creation.blogspot.in
Kumbakkonam near Tanjore ,where INDeco Hotels Swamimalai exists with about a 1000 temples and 3 UNSECO SITES around. INDeco is in a mission to document the ones of importance.
Bhagavathamela is dance drama enacted by local men in the melatoor village,close to INDeco Hotels Swamimalai.A tradition since a few hundred years.The BHAKTHAPRAHALAD Natya natak is something to experience.
INDeco Hotels continuously documents temple history with the hope that one day one is able to renovate,restore and conserve atleast the ancient dilapulated temples.
Rural Tourism Society not only aims at offering rural experiences to the seeking tourist But also doubles as an economic development tool taking their percapita income up.INDeco Hotels has proved this point in INDeco Hotels Swamimalai.
http://ruraltourismsocietyofindia.blogspot.in
http://ruraltourismsocietyofindia.blogspot.in
SB plays a very active role in national bodies that deal with Ecology and Heritage.He is the current President of ECOTOURISM SOCIETY OF INDIA and the VICE PRESIDENT of THE INDIAN HERITAGE HOTELS ASSOCIATION.
www.indianheritagehotels.com
This comprehensive blog created by one of SB’s students is a
RECENT TALKS / PRESENTATIONS/ LECTURES & BLOGS:
This comprehensive blog created by one of SB’s students is a
one stop shop to know the man and understand the work he does
And more importantly his agenda for the future.
And more importantly his agenda for the future.
www.steveborgia.blogspot.in
RECENT LECTURES / INTERVIEWS:
RECENT LECTURES / INTERVIEWS:
SB lectures worldwide on a varied subjects to a wide range of audiences.
Most often he talks with powerful image support.A few on youtube links are here.
SB presents to architects of India the manifestation processes of his creations.at Delhi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDKF2KFEg4&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDKF2KFEg4&feature=youtu.be
SB on TEDx YOUTH talk @ annaikatti. On MAGIC & MANIFESTATION.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikHVP_Wmkso
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikHVP_Wmkso
SB on a marathon talk to THE MADRAS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION on
MANIFSTATION OF HUMAN DESIRES.
ECOTOURISM SOCIETY and MOT signs an MOU to execute a ten year road map for india.
NDTV news story of PIGEONS TO POST,a coffee table book authored by SB On the 4000 odd years of postal history.Applauded as one of the best tributes to POSTS world over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiOucQyfSS4
Indian Heritage Hotels Association
Indian Association of Tour Operators
International Sustainable Tourism @ GUJARAT
Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Associations of India