Second day, Saturday, on the eve of His union with Radha, Radhakrishna portrait is decorated with different-coloured garlands, ready for the day’s proceedings.
Menu (7.30–10.30 am): Idli, arisi upma, chutney, sambar, local-special side dish kadappa and coffee.
In olden days, sadhus who renounced material life and dedicated their life to the service of god used to sing keerthanas praising god in the streets, going door to door collecting rice for their daily food. Later days, commoners and bhagavathars joined these singing sessions early in the morning for the sake of common good. Rice thus collected is usually given to temple annadhanam. This tradition is followed in functions like radhakalyanam till date.
In the MRK, Unjavruthi session is one of the highlights as it is elaborately done, taking longer than the usual time of around one hour and more number of bhagavathars and bhakthas participate and joyously sing songs praising god. Here not only different bhagavathars lead the group for different songs, bhakthas also take lead in singing.
This year also it started at 8.30 from the mandapam where Pandurangan is present. From there the group led by Udayalur Kalyanarama Bhagavathar visited Vallalar Koil Double Street and sannadhi street. Then the Unjavruthi entered Vallalar koil and had darshan of Vadaranyeswarar, fondly known as Vallalar, the word means one who gives abundantly, and Dakshinamoorthy and proceeded to Single Street. For the first time the youth of kaveri karai burst 5000 wala cracker, much to the amusement of bhagavathars and bhakthas alike. Then Unjavruthi proceeded to South Ramalinga Agraharam and North Ramalinga Agraharam. Finally around 1.30 pm after 5 hours of visiting around 200 houses singing bhajans and collecting rice for annadhanam, bhagavathars and bhakthas returned to mandapam.
Menu (12.30–3.30 pm): Parupu, kadhamba sambhar, tomato rasam, cabbage, beans curry, kootu, thayir pachadi, appalam, parupu payasam, thakkali oorukay, mor.
Menu (4.00–5.30 pm): Gulkand, thool bhajji, sevai variety (lemon, coconut), chutney and coffee.
From 5.30 bhajan padhdhati started and covered songs from Narayana Theerthar’s Krishna leela tharangini, songs of Kabhirdas, Purandara das, abhangs, among other songs. This was followed by Pooja kritis starting with “Baro murare” to “Sri Krishna govinda hare murare” namavali.
Menu (7.30–10.30 pm): Onion sambhar, senai-kondakalai vatha kuzhambu, lemon rasam, vendaikay curry, urulai curry, poosani kootu, thayir pachadi, appalam, aval payasam, puli-inji oorukay, mor.
Nichayathartham (betrothal) followed Ashtapathi rendering. It involves bringing seer (necessary things required to start a family in regular marriage, in this divine marriage, the things brought consisted of clothes, sweets, other eatables brought by bhakthas) confirming the next day marriage.
It is a program of dance presented by specialist bhagavathars for the sake of, primarily, children. Bhagavathars wear relevant accessories like anklets and costumes to dance. The songs usually depict the human pleas to the lord to bless us with enlightenment to cross the samsara saharam. It is a way of attracting children or the younger generation towards bhakthi movement for it to be carried on well into future generations.
Before Ddivyanama Bhajan and Deepa Pradakshinam, at the MRK, we presented Abhinaya Alankaram by the renowned specialists Kumbakonam Srividya Ratnakara Brahmashri Dinakar Sharma and Brahmashri Ganesh Sharma, It started around 9.30 pm and went on until 11 pm. Both of them have the blessings of Kanchi Mahaperiyavar and they are still closely associated with Kanchi Mutt and its activities. The splendid performance this year covered the songs “Nimmadhi adainden”, “Sandana kattukulle”, “Ubachara moolane” and “………”. Their expression, movement and coordination between them kept the audience in a fine devotional mood.
By Vittal’s blessings after a gap of some years the tradition of presenting a saint’s life in the form of role play resumed. This year Ramadas Charitam was presented by our talented bhagavathars team led by UKB anna, along with Balarama Bhagavathar, Jeyatheertha Bhagavathar, Pichumani Bhagavathar and Balu Bhagavathar. Shri Ganesh Sharma and Shri Dinakar Sharma took the role of Ramar and Seetha. It was very difficult to believe that the whole drama was performed impromptu (without planning or rehearsal). Yet the performances were superb and the message of bhakthi got across effectively. Such was the blessing of Pandurangan. The drama was started by around 11 pm and went on till 1.00 am.
It is done with lighted sacred lamp in the middle, considering the lamp as the prime deity bhagavathars sing and dance around it, immersed in divine bliss. This circumambulation is equivalent to going around the earth.
This event took place 1–1.30 am. Lord Vittal was requested to take the form of the light and bestow his blessings. Bhagavathars sang and went around the lighted lamp rejoicing the presence of Vittal among bhaktas.