Date:06/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/06/stories/2005050615890300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Celebrate `Arulalar' Day

Staff Reporter

Special `homams' to be performed for three days

TIRUCHI: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has directed temple authorities to celebrate the birth anniversaries of Nayanmars, Azhawars and Acharyas as `Arulalar Day' by organising special programmes, discourses and pujas.

In tune with this directive, the 988th birth anniversary of Sri Ramanuja, which falls on May 12, will be celebrated as `Arulalar Day' at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam.

Addressing presspersons here, the Joint Commissioner (in-charge) of the temple, T. Jayaraman, said special `homams' would be performed for three days at the 1,000-pillar mandapam of the temple.

Sri Vishnu Sahasranama parayanam and aradhana would be performed on May 10, followed by Sri Suktha Homam the next day and Sri Maha Sudarshana homam on May 12.

He said this was the first `Arulalar Day' to be celebrated at the temple and similar arrangements would be made to celebrate the birth anniversary of other Azhwars and Acharyas.