Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai

By Superstitious belief :

The month of December is well known for all, as the whole month has been used for chanting the hymns- “Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai” in all the temples in the early mornings. It is believed that the unmarried girls had to perform the chanting for the glorious happy wedding. But the truth is different, which is revealed here as below.

Back ground of the belief :

In fact, Andal had sung these hymns on God for celestial wedding with Him according to her wish.

Real meaning of Pavai:

Pavai means not the woman or girl, it is the EYE

Pavai – Kanmani – Eye ball - Lens

Usually Andal adorned with the garlands was constantly viewing her face and her beauty in mirror, it was believed by the entire world and her father Perialwar that she was viewing and admiring her beauty with garlands on the mirror. But the reality is; she was viewing and admiring the beauty of the sacred feet of God and adorned Him with garlands.

Eyeball – Pavai – Kanmani – referred as the sacred feet of God in Thiruppavai. A yoga practitioner can realize the same in his/her highest echelons of consciousness. Hence much importance is accorded to it and hymns are praised on the floral feet of the God.

Hence, Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai are the hymns sung in praise of sacred feet of God. It symbolically puts request by the yoga practitioners for taking them to the Golden worlds of consciousness (Golden floral feet) and have a sacred union with God through Meditation.

National poet Bharathiyar also described the same in his popular lyrics as “Kannan and Kannamma” which refers to the sacred feet of the Lord, and not the physical human beings, it is only the personification of the organ - Eye.

What a world of difference between the origin of thoughts and the understandings??

BG Venkatesh