Andal Thiruvaadipooram (Birthday of Andal or GodaDevi)
Goda Devi – Incarnation of Bhumi Devi
Goda Devi, hailed as Sri Andal is an incarnation of Bhumi Devi. She was bought up by Perialwar named Vishnuchittar in the temple town of Sri Villiputtur, Tamil Nadu. She is considered one of the 12 Vaishnava Saints known as Alwars who are devoted to Lord Vishnu.
Click here for the Google Maps Location of Sri Villiputtur, Tamil Nadu
Adding auspicious to Aashada month, she came to earth as a cute baby girl lying near the Tulasi plant. Perialwar was extremely happy to get the girl and brought up with care. She was raised like a Gopika of Vrindavan.
Andal Thiruvaadipooram – Auspicious Aadi month Pooram Star
In Tamil, the birthday of Goda Devi is celebrated as “Thiruvaadipooram” means “Auspicious Aadi month Pooram Star”, this little superstar was born to eradicate all our ignorance in our lives.
Andal Thiruvaadipooram is celebrated by walking up early in the morning, cleaning the house, putting nice kolams, decorating that with flowers, and then taking a holy bath.
Clean the puja room and decorate it with flowers. Sri Andal is decorated with a new dress especially green as she is Mother Earth, offering flowers Sandal Paste and Scented water. As Andal has lengthy hair, the hairdressing for Andal is made in a style.
She also carries a parrot in hand, so one can make a parrot out of leaves to decorate her. Then, offer her with bangles and donate to women. Fortunate to get those bangles as they give prosperity, a good family, good progeny, health and blessings.
Andal Thiruppavai & Goda Stuti
“Kalkandu Rice”, sugar candy rice can be prepared to be offered to Goddesses and distributed to devotees. “Andal Thiruppavai”, “Goda Stuti” etc can be recited. Young girls dress up like Andal and perform “Kolaatam” with sticks and dance with garlands in praise of Lord Krishna and Sri Andal.
Sri Villiputtur, Sri Rangam and many Vishnu Temples celebrate with pomp and glory.
One Among 12 Alwars
“Thiruppavai” and “Naachiyaar Thirumoli” sung by little Goda Devi were the essence of all the philosophies to attain Lord Krishna. Eleven Alwars were men, but Sri Andal was the only girl Sri Vaishnava Saint who surpassed all of them as her songs reached out even to the common people.
The simple style and positivity of the verses boost our minds with more self-confidence, energy and enthusiasm. That is the reason, “Thirupaavai” is famous and recited by all of them.
It is a known incident, where Goda Devi used to decorate herself as a Gopika and wear the garland that is meant for “Vatapatrasayee Perumaal”. When Vishnuchittar found this, he was very much upset.
But Lord himself told, that he loved the garland that is worn by Sri Goda Devi. She is hailed as “Andal” because she ruled the Lord. She decided not to get married to a human and started observing “Kartyayani Vrata”.
Thiruppavai
“Thiruppavai” has 30 songs that talk about the Vrata, way of living, hails Lord Vishnu and his incarnations, prosperity of the mother earth, how one should always be united and the blessings to be celebrated in groups highlighting the “Bhaagavatha Sangamam” – “Union of Satsang -the wise”.
The second set of Paasurams is “Naachiyaar Thirumoli”, where she talks about the Lord’s beauty, the weapons of the Lord, the Divine Marriage through a dream, Vrindavan’s infant-Little Krishna, the messenger, the Divya Desams etc.
As she is the incarnation of Mother Earth – Bhumi Devi, always wanted the residents of Earth to be happy. She was born to show us how easily one can get the blessings of the Lord. In Varaha Avatara, Bhumi Devi gets a promise from the Lord Varaha that he should always bless the devotees despite their time. Thus, is the affection shown by Bhumi Devi to her children.
Paasuram’s of Andal talks about
The paasuram’s of Andal talks about the Supreme Lord who prevails everywhere. Hence, all are prosperous, and she prays for the well-being of all. The verses say about the good rain which makes the crops grow healthily, ultimately fills the fields with plants where humans are hunger-free, and the animals and birds enjoy nature flooded with food which finally leads to a healthy environment.
The animals serve humanity by giving good milk in terms that give more health. She says, getting up early in the morning is good. Taking a bath early in the morning is good. Doing good things with friends, and teaching friends all good things that each of us knows leads to a healthy society.
She describes the beauty of nature, flowers blooming, flooded rivers, clear waterfalls, honey overflowing, cows milking themselves without a milkman, crops growing tall, churning of buttermilk, and temple bell sound during naivedhyam.
To complete the Vrata, she says, she will dress up nicely, decorated with flowers, adorned with ornaments and will eat jaggery rice filled with ghee flowing from her hand to elbow. She enjoys going with her friends and calves to the forest to graze cows, shares food with her friends, and prays to Lord Krishna to be with her always.
She proudly says that she is the daughter of Vishnuchitta and as per his guidance (as Guru), she overcame this mundane life. Thus, Goda Devi talks only about the positivity that is needed for today’s life to come out of depression.
Final Word
As per Sri Andal’s wishes, let this World be filled with Joy, let this World be filled with prosperity, let this World be filled with Devotion, let this World be filled with Peace and Harmony.
