That is where Andal imagines her wedding to the Lord. In its ten verses it is an unparalleled description of a traditional wedding. And perhaps because of this, it has lent itself to countless dance interpretations, ranging from school plays to presentations by eminent artistes. In my view, the 6th decad, which begins with Varanam Ayiram, is an excellent introduction for children to the wonders of Andal. And I am delighted that a book that is meant just for this has recently come out.
My colleague-in-business and my-brother-in-many matters, R Sridhar, when he is not designing top class test rigs at the cutting edge of technology, is busy with Vaishnavism. And he has brought out a slim book dedicated to the 6th decad. It is titled An Album of Vaaranamaayiram and is profusely illustrated. Each page is dedicated to one verse which is provided in Tamil and English script, followed by the meanings in both languages. Each page has a large format illustration that is a delight to see. If you are the kind that (still) believes in books for children and one of those who love to read no matter what their age, this is a book for you.