Placing some sweet rice and boiled chickpeas that my wife made on Pongal day today before our altar as a thanksgiving to the sun that sustains us, and sitting down to sing the praise of Lord Surya Narayana both my wife and I were surprised that we could connect with nature having gone beyond the idol and image and the rituals. To my amazement opening up the book of prayer titled Thinasari Prathanai Manthirangal published by Narmatha Publications, my finger was on the very page which carried the songs on Sowram (Saurism) the 6th of the 6 sects or denominations. This book carries the other 5 too namely Ganapathyam (Ganapatism), Saivam (Shaivism), Vaisnavam (Vaishnavism), Saktham (Shaktism), and Kaumaram.
A particular song captured my attention.
காசி நீ இருளை நீக்கும் கதிரொளியாகி எங்கும்
பூசனை உலகோர் போற்றிப் புசிப்பொடு சுகத்தை நல்கும்
வாசி ஏழுடைய தேர் மேல் மகா கிரிவலமாய் வந்த
தேசிகா எனை ரக்ஷிப்பாய் செங்கதிரவனே போற்றி
Though I held the book in my hands I could not bring myself to sing. I had to try hard. We knew our offering was accepted.