It was Sunday, day 9 of the Brahmotsavam, crowds gathered at the back of the temple to witness the "Chakra Snanam". Bhattars arrived carrying the idol of Sri Sudarshana and getting ready for the Thirumanjanam (abishekam) before the chakra snanam.
Sri Sudarshana, himself being addressed as Chakrath-azhwar (the Chakra – being the prime divya ayudham of Sriman Narayana and as its amsam in Swami Thirumazhisai Azhwar), has the power to burn and destroy all evils, obstructions and negative forces, it is portrayed as a power of the Lord himself to destroy one's karma leading to Mukthi. It is a representative of Sriman Narayana and always worshipped in equal terms. In fact Sri Sudarshana even precedes to the Lord, as he has the power to wipe out all the negative forces to ensure safe passage of the Lord during procession (purappaadu). Becasuse of this vaibhavam, it is tradition and customary to have Chakrathazhwaar in the front side and Perumal at the back side of the same vigraham (both for moolavars and utsavars). Perumal at the back side will always be in the form of Nrusimha, representing through His ferocious and burning (jwala) side to destroy the negatives and evils (theeyinil thoosagum).
I was standing near the temporary water tank, facing the back side wall of the temple snapping the chakrathazhwar at the far end, but could not capture the Nrusimha Perumal at the back of the Chakrathazhwar. However I was getting myself ready and waiting for an opportunity to take a close up shot of Nrusimha Perumal in the gap when our Bhattar dips himself holding the Chakrathazhwaar away from his body. To my disappointment, he came right in front of me showing his back while he took the dip, thereby ensuring that I had no chance what so ever to capture Nrusimha perumal at the back of Chakrathazhwaar. Why is He eluding Himself so that the devotees can't see Him in a picture? Sun is blazing and its getting hotter and hotter, couldn't see any clouds in the sky and I was thinking why did I choose this place to stand in the hot sun..?
Bhattar goes into the water for the Chakra Snanam and comes out holding the Chakrathazhwar ready to be handed over to the other waiting bhattars. At this moment the idol took a 90 degrees turn towards me (at the hands of the standing bhattars) and Lord Nrusimha decided to show His sevai. Earlier He doesn't want His devotees to see his "jwala roopa ugra sevai" but waited till He was dipped inside the water so that His thirumeni, thirupparyattam (cloth) were drenched in water and thereby His thiru-ullam was cooled and offered us His sevai. I was right in front to capture this moment and made me to think that it was His sankalpam to choose this spot for me so that He can be captured straightaway after He comes out of the holy dip with water still dripping out, so that we all can get His "kulirntha kannaal kataaksham".
Engum naadi naadi Narasinga!
By,
Ramesh Raghuraman