Good KR IRS 14822 On Sat, 13 Aug 2022 at 21:06, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 < [email protected]> wrote:
> *UPAKARMA* > > Dear friends, > > This is a nostalgic writing about some past upakarma performed by me. > Nothing serious other than nostalgic memories. I was writing it in parts > for three days and today only I could complete. > > Gopalakrishnan 13-8-2022. > > *1. Period till college days over (till 1964) after upanayanam* > > It was practice to perform all functions related to upakarma in samooha > matam on those days in my home town. The local sasthrikal would come with > his hand written book and spectacles early morning by about 8 AM to conduct > functions. My home samooha matam is on the western side of Achhankovil > River. > > *1A. Haircut* > > It was a must all Brahmacharis to have hair cut in the morning. The local > barber would come, some- times with his son for assistance , and after > haircut we had to take bath in the river, come home, perform prathasandhya, > and reach samooha matam with new single dhoti, to perform Kamokarshi japam. > > > *1B. Kamokarshi japam* > > It was a must to apply holy ash wetted with water as three lines in > forehead, arms, chests etc. On other days most of us used to apply the > sandal paste prasadam given from Krishna temple. Since there was some > irregularity to all to come together periappa used to conduct in three > batches sankalpam and kamokarshi Japam. All dharbham, pavithrams and > poonool were bought by Periappa. > > My mother ensured copper and brass thambalam were well cleaned, pancha > pathram and uddirini were arranged all in the family. Rarely my eldest > brother was there on upakarma day. My eldest brother was employed even when > I was about 10 years. > > On those days elders used 2nd cloth only to wrap around waist, though > rarely it was used as upper cloth while coming/ returning after > upakarma. > > *1C. Kamokarshi japam* > > Those few residing at a distance used to come only for upakarma, > performing sandhya and kamokarshi japam at home. I recollect one such > person was my teacher in middle school, Late Mr. Ramaswamy iyer; He would > come with his sons. He was very close to my late father, probably not by > working in same school, but both married from Kidangoor (near Kottayam) > area. > > Incidentally, by correspondence initiated by our member Sri APS Mani, I > could understand Mr. Ramaswamy was his eldest co- brother. > > The local sasthrikal was not fully pledged satirical, often he referred > book. Even now I do not know his name; he was kochumadathil periappa/Anna > for all. He was always serious person; I have not seen a smile on his face. > A strict person, fearsome for even elder boys. > > Most elders came with Double dhoti and Uthareeyam, having haircut and > shave at least within a week. Most important- *Keeping mustache my > Brahmins was unknown among iyers on those days. * > > After kamokarshi japam, all departed for tiffin, and instructed to > assemble by 11. 50 AM, for upakarma. We had to carry additional dress for > bath in the river. Bathing in river was compulsory. > > My late father, permanent president of samooham, till he became too aged, > would ring the big bell at 11. 50 AM. It is ensured all assembled to start > Maha sankalpam. We had about *33 Brahmin families* in home, and ensured > all arrived, unless otherwise intimated absence. My elder brother took > charge as president after him. By the time the number of Brahmin families > had reduced to *mere nine*, most settling in other states and countries. > > *1D Mahasankalpam* > > Wearing pavithram mahasankalpam was performed. After Mahasankalpam, > pavithram was removed and achamanam done. I recollect our sasthrikal was > reciting during maha sankalpa > > Narmada Sindhu Kaveri > > Godavari Namosthuthe. > > As boys we could not control our laugh looking at him, *his wife’s name > was Kaveri.* We used to say, purposely he was including Kaveri??!!. > > On this title, in later time I wrote about rivers in India, some members > gave correction to Mantra, how it has to be recited. > > The Pavithram was removed and achamanam done. > > *1E . Bath in river* > > After bath in river with head bath, applying holy ash, wearing new dhoti > all youngsters performed *namaskaram to elders* before wearing new > Yanjopaveetham. *I have never seen this practice in Tamilnadu and Kerala > in later periods. * > > *1F Yanjopaveetha dharanam* > > Now Periappa will issue Yanjpaveethams. Boys who had performed upanayanam > were given one, married were given two, those who lost father were given > three. I am not sure how many where issued to boys who lost father. > > Small naughty boys were issued one upaveetham. It was called > *kallapoonool.* I do recollect even myself worn such, before my > upanayanam. I have seen this practice continued even now. > > Holding the knot of yanjopaveetham at top with left hand palm, using > right hand palm with yanjoopaveetham touching water, it was worn > standing in knee deep water. Elders repeated two/three times. > > Now with mantra old yanjopaveetham was removed and put in flowing water. > > It was not uncommon some elders and youngsters not able to remove > folding correctly and make out the full length. Such persons were given > a new set. > > *1 G Kandarshi tharpanam* > > For *Kandarshi tharpanam performed by all,* wetted rice was spread on > left hand and tharpanam was performed taking rice from hand using both > hands and performed tharpanam using both hands, holding new holy thread > through > right hand. Tharpanam was done three times. > > To tell the fact, what is meant by Kandarshi, was known to me very late- > Those who wrote various Kandas. > > Most used to bring raw rice and if required thil from home for tharpanam. > > *1 H Pithru tharpanam* > > After kandarshi tharpanam, pithru tharpanam was done by those whose father > had his unfortunate death. Periappa used to make a close watch, *someone > having father, not listening to his announcement standing for tharpanam > especially elder boys*. For pithru tharpanam thilam mixed with raw rice > was used. > > *1I . Vedarambham* > > Again coming back to samooha matam vedarambham was performed. The first > line of different Vedas recited with other items etc. were taught and > recited. Probably not able to digest as a young boy, all details were clear > to me in later period only. > > *1J Homam* > > Homam was performed participated by those boys whose upanayanam was done > in that year. *As like today no person departed after Vedarambham > leaving it only to few after offering dakshina. * > > *1K Dakshina* > > After offering daakshina by all and performing Namaskaram to sasthrikal > all departed to home, after worshipping in local temple by about 1.30 PM. > Those came from distance went back by bus. Like today *no cars or bikes, > not even cycles were used by the persons*. Those who are more affordable > gave more dakshina. Surely Periappa had a smile on seeing more Dakshina- > Natural. > > Nowadays dakshina is collected by some representative and given to > sasthrikal in my area in Chennai, he is sure minimum from a member would > be above Rs 100-00. Upakarma is the only day sasthrikal does not quote > dakshina amount, even today. However nowadays the representative quote > minimum dakshina with a smile. 95% offer minimum double his quoting amount. > > *1L AArathi* > > At home elder sumangali waited with aarathi, after aarathi people > entered home. *Good feast would be waiting*. Night only tiffin, being > amavasya day. Only plantain leaves were used to take food and night tiffin. > > Regarding Gayathrijapam, later period upakarma, I will continue in another > posting > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/823030059.888483.1660404978885%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/823030059.888483.1660404978885%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZorpoMfRor%2B%2BOj4QGLdPojTcGJg52CnhL4O_nCxuU%3Da9HQ%40mail.gmail.com.
