Temple, Travel and Sport

A 23 year old priest’s LIFE TIME COMMITMENT to his favourite Divya Desam

After a high quality Vedic and Agama Education at the Ahobilam Mutt College, Madurantakam, this youngster refused a lucrative move to the city and headed back to his hereditary location to join the Thenthiruperai Divya Desam as a priest at a Three Digit Salary

With a Long Term Vision to serve the Lord at Thenthiruperai, he has just reconstructed his dilapidated ancestral home and delighted his parents with his deep sense of responsibility at such a young age

Surely you cannot find another like Venkata Srinivasan Bhattar (Rahul Bhattar in the temple circles). He had gone through a financially challenging phase in his childhood with his appa serving as an archaka in a remote temple near Thenthiruperai that offered very little financial returns. His interest in temple service began at a very early age. Even as a school boy, he had supported Ananthu Bhattar, the lead priest at the Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kathan temple by carrying the torch during the street processions at the big utsavams. Pleased with the devotional conduct of the young boy, Ananthu Bhattar encouraged and motivated him into temple service through his teenage years. That constant motivation inspired Rahul and created the devotional spirit in him to serve the Lord of Thenthiruperai.

Sanskrit, Vedic and Agama Initiation at Madurantakam

After completing his early schooling in Thenthiruperai, he moved to the Oriental School in Madurantakam aged 11 and then did his graduation and Post Graduation in Sanskrit at the Ahobilam Mutt Sanskrit College there. In addition to becoming proficient in Yajur Veda, he also learned the Pancharatra Agamas tutored by Annadhur Rajagopalachariar. During his teenage years, he also showed interest in Divya Prabhandham, the sacred verses of the Azhvaars and learnt those as well. In his late teens, he was initiated into the Sama Veda by Kalpakkam Kannan, who hailed from Thenthiruperai. During a period of 10 years, he also performed kainkaryam at the madapalli in the Patshala.

Early days at the Madurantakam Patshala

A Life Time Message from Agama Guru

The message from his Patshala Guru Annadhur Rajagopalachariar through this phase was clear “The learning should fructify into developing our Sampradayam, spreading Sanskrit and most importantly taking care of your parents at their old age. Do not succumb to financial temptations and the lures of a city life.”

He has remembered that message each day over the last many years.

The current generation is clearly not bullish on the prospects of an archaka and that too in a remote location and as expected, on completion of his education at Madurantakam, almost all his classmates made their way to the city to pursue a non temple career. But Rahul was very clear even when he had left Thenthiruperai a decade earlier that he would return to the Divya Desam after his eduaction.

Follows the Guru's message - Heads back to Thenthiruperai

While all friends pushed him to join them in Madras and get into Vedic related work, one that they said would fetch him big financial returns given the high demand for Vathyars, 20 year old Rahul did not fall prey to the financial lure and took one of the boldest steps seen in recent years in Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu. As one looks around all the remote Divya Desams in the state, there are not too many in the next gen that have chosen the path of becoming a temple priest given the many challenges that priests in the earlier generation had faced and the current turbulent scenario that exists.

S Ramani Bhattar - Krishnan Garudan Sannidhi

Rahul Bhattar was undeterred for he had been very clear even as a teenager that his future was at the Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kathan Divya Desam and not away from this temple even if other lucrative financial offers came his way. His friends did not appreciate his decision and many warned him early on the challenges that lay ahead of him but Rahul remained firm. His appa, S Ramani, has been an archaka in a Krishnan-Garudan Sannidhi, a temple in a village near Thenthiruperai for the last three decades or so with minimal financial returns and life continued to be financially challenging even as Rahul came out of his teens.

With his mentor Ananthu Bhattar

Given the first two decades of his life and the way he has seen the fortunes of his appa, it would have been acceptable for him to have taken the Northern direction to Madras from Madurantakam. But aged 20, he headed South to Nava Tirupathi to join his mentor Ananthu Thiruvenkatam Bhattar at Thenthiruperai. Soon after, Ajit, one of the most well respected EOs in the HR & CE, handed him the archaka post, albeit a temporary one at Thenthiruperai. Of course, the salary, that was handed based on voucher signature, was only in the three digits. And not a rupee has increased in the last three years. But that does not matter to the devotionally inclined Rahul Bhattar.

Venu Srinivasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html), who restored all the Nava Tirupathi temples in the 1990s and who has been handing monthly Sambhavanai to all the service personnel in these temples, organised a monthly Sambhavanai for Rahul Bhattar that was four times his salary. And that has really helped him sustain this early phase at Thenthiruperai as an archaka.

And as luck would have it, within two years of his joining Thenthiruperai Divya Desam as an archaka, he had to face the wrath of the Pandemic that kept devotees away for a large part of 2020. It was once again Venu Srinivasan who offered multiple rounds of ‘emergency’ Sambhavanai that kept Rahul Bhattar (and others in Nava Tirupathi) afloat last year.

Financial Institutions refuse Home Loan

While the Pandemic hit his finances hard, there was more trouble brewing for Rahul Bhattar, this time on the physical infrastructure front. The close to a century old ancestral home, a few hundred yards from the Divya Desam temple, was in a dilapidated state with the roof falling off. His parents have been a great source of strength in supporting his decision to lead his life in temple service as against leading one in the city. Committed to taking care of his parents, Rahul Bhattar went around banks and home finance companies late last year but the absence of a salary certificate and one with a three digit voucher based salary meant that these institutions refused a home loan. Earlier this year, he sought the help of likeminded devotees who reached out to lend him the necessary finances for the reconstruction. However hard his financial challenges, he was to keen to hand them a decent house to live and hence took it upon himself at such an early age to reconstructe the dilapidated house against all odds.

A house reconstruction is not something that a youngster would do in his early 20s but just a month ago, Rahul Bhattar completed the entire reconstruction of his house from scratch, an exercise that delighted his parents. He has his eyes set on serving the Lord at this Divya Desam till the end of his life and that devotional conviction gave him a lot of clarity to have a ‘permanent’ roof over his head.

15 years ago, he was the 'Torch' bearer during utsavams at Thenthiruperai, now he has become an integral part of everyday life at this temple. Over the last three years, he has been initiated into the temple pooja processes by Ananthu Bhattar, from whom he continues to learn the art of alankaram of the Lord and Thayar.

Life Time Commitment to Thenthiruperai

His friends continue to frown on his decision to move to a remote location at such a young age instead of leveraging financially his Vedic learning. One might have thought that the challenges of the Pandemic would have forced him to rethink. But those high on devotion are taken on a different path that is not easy to understand. Financial challenges do not concern this youngster. In a world that is clearly moving towards materialistic pursuits, this youngster has bucked the trend and taken the bold devotional step of moving back to the ancient temple town despite knowing that this may not be financially remunerative, at least in the near term. However, he sees richness in a lifetime service to the Lord of a Divya Desam and not the financial growth. He is also keen to spread Sanskrit among the villagers over the next decade by educating them during his free time.

It is devotionally inspiring to find a youngster refusing such luring financial opportunities and staying back at his hereditary location as a priest. At 23, he has promised to Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kaathan that he would serve him with devotion for the rest of his life for that has been and continues to be his only motto in life. He has the fullest faith in the Lord that he would take care of his Kainkaryapaka.

Madras HC order paves the way for the phasing out of Executive Officers in HR & CE Temples and the appointment of Trustees to take over the management of the temple

“With the elapsing of the tenure of the E.O (period of five years), he becomes functus officio” - Judge Dr. Anitha Sumanth on the role of EOs in TN Temples

Name of the Trustees and their phone numbers should be displayed inside the temple - Judge M.M. Sundresh

Photo: Madras HC Website

The recent Madras High Court Judgment reiterating the maximum tenure of Executive Officers in HR & CE administered temples in Temples has turned the attention back to Trustees. As per the Madras HC order in the Sri Varasiddhi Vinayagar Sath Sangam, Besant Nagar and the HR & CE case, Executive Officers cannot function in any temple in Tamil Nadu for more than five years.

Referring to the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Dr. Subramanian Swamy and Another Vs. The State of Tamil Nadu and Others (Chidambaram Temple) as well as the TN Government’s rules for appointment of E.O where in their tenure has been set at a maximum of five years (G.O.Ms.No.260 dated 06.11.2015), Judge Dr. Anitha Sumanth said “....with the elapsing of the tenure of the E.O (period of five years), he becomes functus officio.”

As per this order, the position of the Executive Officers in TN temples has become untenable and the temple has to be handed back to the hereditary trustees, or a new board of trustees has to be constituted.

When can the E.O come into a temple

Section 23 of the HR & CE act specifically provides for an exigency and proviso thereto stipulates that notice has to be given to the person in charge along with complete particulars of the allegations (against the persons in management (Trustee) prior to any attempt at taking over the management of the temple. Public temple collecting public money in the hundials does not by itself call for interference by the HR & CE department, except if the department has sufficient evidence of mis-management or mal- administration.

Appointment of Trustees in TN Temples

18months ago, Mannar Koil Kulasekara Azhvaar Rajagopalaswamy Temple’s Periya Nambi Acharya Narasimha Gopalan had questioned the transparency involved in the appointment of non hereditary Trustees in Temples. In a letter to the Commissioner of the HR & CE and to the Secretary to the Govt - Religious Endowments Dept, he had requested to make public the qualifications and credentials of Trustees selected for the Temples in Tamil Nadu.

He himself has been fighting for his rights as the hereditary trustee of this temple pointing to historical inscriptions dating back close to a 1000 years that directs the Periya Nambi Clan as the Trustees of the temple.

Trustees name and phone number should be displayed inside the temple

In his order in September 2020, Judge M.M. Sudresh said "The trustees are doing a public duty and are appointed as trustees of the named temples to take care of the interest of the temples to which they are appointed. Therefore, it is not only logical but also proper that their names along with their profession/ avocation will have to be published in such of those temples in which they are appointed and thereafter function as trustees. Their phone numbers also will have to be indicated so that a devotee can have access to them to redress his grievance on the functioning of the temple."

For decades, most temples under the HR & CE administration have had no trustees and the activities of the temples have been administered by “Fit Person” appointed by the Government. There are also cases in temples where the Fit Person and the EO are the same. In many cases, the application for funds is signed by the EO of the temple and the same individual approves the application and signs as the Fit Person.

Temple EOs have to quit immediately - TR Ramesh

TR Ramesh, President, Temple Worshippers Society was instrumental in securing the Chidambaram Sabanayakar temple back to the Hereditary Trustees from the HR &CE referred above in Dr. Anitha Sumanth’s order. For over five years, he has also been fighting the presence of Executive Officers and the Fit Person in HR & CE temples. He is of the view that even in a temple where an Executive Officer is appointed by validly following the procedures laid down in law, the Court has opined that such Executive Officers cannot function in such temples beyond 5 years. "Specifically, in the case of Sri Kapali Temple, the presence of an E.O. is illegal as per the Court’s order. The Management of the temple should immediately be handed back to the Saivite community of Poonamalee Mudhaliars, who are the hereditary trustees, from whose hands the administration was taken over a few decades ago.”

Poonamallee Community's contribution to Kapali Temple

Over three Centuries ago, when the Kapaleeswarar temple was being built in its current location, the Thuluva Velalar community had a significant role to play in its development. AC Kandaswamy, a Civil Engineer, President of the Poonamalee Uyar Thuluva Vellalar Marabinar Sangam had told this writer last year that his forefathers had donated lands for the Kapaleeswarar temple 380 years ago. Several members of the community made large donations in the form of jewels and house properties for the maintenance of the temple. It was with the rental income from these properties that Utsavams were organised in the centuries gone by.

Historically, the Community has been organizing the first day of the Theppotsavam in Thai every year and also the Yaanai Vahanam procession on the sixth day of the Panguni Brahmotsavam. In addition, they have also been organizing the Vayilar Nayanar Utsavam on Margazhi Revathi. Also, their forefathers were once the ‘Kanakkupillai’ at the temple.

AC Kandaswamy

Till the middle of the 19th century, there were two trustees and one overseer (supervisor) on the board of the temple. Even after the HR & CE took over the administration of the Kapali temple, three members of the Thulu Vellala community were appointed as trustees and this went on till 1976.

When this right was taken away, the community approached the court that in 1980 directed the appointment at least one representative from the Poonamalee Uyar Thuluva Vellalar Marabinar Sangam to the Board of Trustees of the temple. For three decades, there continued to be this representative on the Board. Earlier last decade, the trustee was done away with and ‘Thakkar’ was appointed by the HR & CE. And the same Thakkar has continued for several years now.

The HR &CE has on Saturday (Oct 30) called out for the Poonamallee Uyar Thuluva Sangam to apply for the post of the trustee at the Kapali Temple.

As the order extends to all HR&CE temples in TN, it is expected that such Trustees will soon be appointed across all the temples in the state.

The Next Steps

District Committees are likely to be appointed soon for selecting trustees for temples under the HR & CE administration across the state. TR Ramesh and his team are working towards creating likeminded groups in the state. He is also creating a document on who could apply for the post of trustees in temples across the state so devotees can start applying for the post in their respective hereditary locations.

Will devotees take to this opportunity in 1000s and apply for the post of Trustees in each of the so far HR & CE administered temples in TN. Also, will the corporate chieftains, who enjoy credibility of having established long standing institutions, take to this and anchor the transformation in temples. One will have to wait and watch if people will come in large numbers and take up the Trusteeship in historical Paadal Petra Sthalams, Divya Desams and Purana Sthalams that had thus far been administered by the HR & CE.

In the close to two decades at the Eri Kaatha Rama Temple, he contributed significantly in the development of the Villages around Madurantakam training the uneducated and reviving the school drop outs

The Priest who has served in multiple temples over the last 35years hopes to start a Vedic Patshala in his home town to create the next generation of Vedic Students

Villiyambakkam K Rangarajan Bhattar has for a large part lived an independent and fulfilling life as a temple priest. Once upon a time, he was the all dominating priest at the Eri Kaatha Rama Temple in Madurantakam with his devotional aradhanam capturing the attention of the visiting devotees. Belonging to the Swayam Acharya clan, his forefathers performed Samasrayanam for sishyas. However, into the 2nd half of the 20th century, when things turned for the worse, financially, his appa Krishnamachariar left Madurantakam to perform archaka service in Pushkaram where he performed service for over 15years from 1961.

Rangarajan did his early schooling in the late 1960s in Kanchipuram before completing his Class X exam in Madurantakam. He then went to Srirangam for Shakai Veda Adyayanam at the Thiru Kudanthai Andavan Patshala and later also underwent Sammidhas initiation at the Patshala in Madurantakam.

Glory Days at Valparai Temple

By the time he was 22, he began his first temple Kainkaryam at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Valparai. It was 7 glorious years for Rangarajan Bhattar, financially for the emergence of Valparai as a tourist hot spot led to big crowd at the temple.

At HR & CE salary of Rs. 60 per month - Madurantakam

It was likely that his life would continue at Valparai for long but when his appa returned to Madurantakam to take charge of the Eri Kaatha Rama Temple, he asked for his son to return to the temple town to support him in his daily kainkaryam. And thus Rangarajan Bhattar quit a high paying service in Valparai to join the Madurantakam temple at a monthly salary of Rs. 60 as a paricharakar, assisting his appa.

It was a troublesome phase for him for in the mid 90s there was a theft in the temple and Rangarajan Bhattar was accused of being part of it. He recalls the challenges he went through “I was clear that I had not done anything wrong and I stood my ground through the entire enquiry. There were many devotees who began prayers for me and my well being. I had the fullest faith in the service I had performed and it was Lord Rama who protected me helping me come out clean and unscathed.”

In 2002, when his appa retired from archaka service, Rangarajan Bhattar was elevated as the priest. “The pre condition at the temple was that the priest would not be paid a salary and that I would have to manage my living with the ‘Thattu Kaasu’ that came my way.”

Anchored Revival of Utsavams

The Thai Parivettai Utsavam was revived during his stint as the archaka and the Pancha Samskara Vaibhavam was restored to its glorious past with Bhagavatha Thathiyaarathanai topping 100. He created the interest in the Villagers and got them to make the Parivettai utsavam an integral part of their annual calendar where the Lord visits the villages in Thai.

For close to a decade, he managed the Eri Kaatha Rama temple in quite a dominating way as has been his style everywhere. His knowledge of the agamas and the aradhana krama was so high that he could not be touched.

Also, during the two decade period from the mid 1990s, he began performing social service in the villages around Madurantakam “When I was a young boy, one of the pre conditions that my amma laid was to listen to Upanyasam every week. On those days, I would be fed only if I listened to the Upanyasam, especially on Ramanuja and his service and narrated the gist of the story. It was a great early initiation that led me to my interest in community service.”

Social Service - Uplifting the Uneducated

In the 1990s, he created Hari Saranam, a service organization to lead people in the path of Ramanuja’s teachings. He joined as a member of the Society for Integrated Village Animation (SIVA) and became its Secretary. Through a Government programme, he helped create 350 women self help groups in the villages. To those that did not have even basic education, he led them to read and write. To the school drop outs he motivated them to return to school and revived their educational life. He himself became a trainer and helped women set up vegetable, fruit and flower stalls in the villages around Madurantakam.

During the afternoon break at the temple, he would visit the villages and return in time for the evening aradhanam at the Rama temple. For years, this had become his daily process. He had made such a significant contribution in educating them that one of the groups won the best SHG award from the TN Govt in 2007. His social contribution also extended to running the Srihari Nursery school in Madurantakam for over 15years as its correspondent.

From Madurantakam to the Delhi Temple

By the turn of the last decade, his two girls were growing up and the income from the Eri Kaatha Rama Temple was not enough to run his family and to take care of the education expense “That is when I decided to move out of the temple town and took up the offer at the Srinivasa Perumal in RK Puram, Delhi.”

It was a phase when he used the free time to refresh his knowledge of the Prabhandham, Vedas and Agamas. Once again it was a financially rewarding phase for Rangarajan Bhattar and like in Valparai could have continued his life at the Delhi Temple. But he had a vision for the future and was keen to set up a Vedic Patshala to create the next generation of students.

However, when he returned to Madras, both his home town temple in Madurantakam and the Vedantha Desikar Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Mylapore were keen to have his archaka service. With the Mylapore temple taking a quick call, he chose to opt for the city temple. He then took a short break from the temple and spent two years in presenting Upanyasam and writing short books. He is also working on a book on Pancharatra Agamas. He has also been refreshing his knowledge on Sri Bashyam and other literary works. During the Pandemic, he then rejoined the Vedantha Desikar Temple in Mylapore in 2020 and has been at the temple since.

Doctorate for Social work

57 year old Rangarajan Bhattar was last month honoured with a Doctorate from the Global Human Peace University in recognition for his social work over two decades in villages around Madurantakam.

In the 1990s, Rangarajan Bhattar began creating Self Help Groups that focused on helping school dropouts get back to academics. He also focused on improving the medical facilities in these villages. Later he helped agri labourers with farming support and secured funding for them from NABARD and nationalized banks. During the Pandemic, he was involved in organizing food as well as rice, dhal and veggies for people in 12 villages.

Rangarajan Bhattar has now served as a temple priest for 35years. It has been largely fulfilling and he looks back with a great deal of satisfaction that he has been able to hold his own in every temple that he has served. His long term vision is to head back to Villiyambakkam and start a Vedic Patshala and initiate the Vedic lessons in young students in the Village. He is hoping that this will happen one day soon.

The Two Former India Openers seem to have made a quiet exit from the TN cricket scene

Vijay played over 60 Tests for India, while Abhinav Mukund played over a 100 Ranji matches for TN

Abhinav has made a bright start to his commentary career this year just as he had with his playing career

M Vijay and M Abhinav (Abhinav Mukund) made contrasting entries into international cricket. While Abhinav began playing cricket at the age of five, coached by his father, Vijay was a late bloomer making his mark in cricket well after he was 20. Abhinav made his Ranji Debut as a teenager and within the next few years, he also made his Test Debut. Though Vijay started out late, he went on to make a big impact playing over 60 Tests and was a regular in the India squad for a long time over the last decade.

Abhinav did not enjoy the same success at the international level. After a debut in the West Indies, he opened and performed well against an English pace attack at its best in home conditions. But was out once again for another three years. In his last test match, he made 80 getting out in the last over of the day against Sri Lanka.

Vijay made an impact in T20 cricket as well making important contributions at the top of the order along with Mathew Hayden early on for CSK. Abhinav remained a non starter in T20 but he did have a remarkable run in domestic cricket amassing runs especially in the first half of his career. He went on to play over a 100 matches for TN.

Vijay into a 'Silent' period

After Vijay was dropped from the India team after the tours of England and Australia and then subsequently from the CSK team as well, he made himself unavailable for the domestic season last year citing personal reasons which the selectors have held have not yet been elaborated. Since then, over the last 12 months he has not played much cricket including in the local first division league and has also not been considered for TN for the T20 tournament. In his case, the fact that he has not been vaccinated has made him ineligible for Selection.

With the focus of the new Selection committee led by former Ranji Trophy winning captain S Vasudevan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html )being on identifying and grooming youngsters, it is unlikely that the 37 year old Vijay will get another look in and the non selection in the TN T20 team could signal the end of the road for him in cricket.

Makes a bright start as a TV Commentator

With the Pandemic leading to just the T20 and One day domestic tournaments last year, Abhinav has eased into the role of a TV commentator and has made just as bright a start to his commentary career as he had as a player way back in 2007. It is heard that Abhinav (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/01/abhinav-mukund-100-ranji-matches.html) has moved to Bombay and it is likely that he will be focusing on a career in TV commentary where he has already begun impressing the viewers with his expert views like his best friend DK.

It is interesting that these former India openers, who both opened together for TN and India in the same year, are making a quiet and almost unannounced exit from TN cricket giving way to the next generation of openers. Over the last decade or so, both M Vijay and Abhinav Mukund have made significant contributions to the TN team but it is now time to move on and both have quietly let go of domestic cricket. In Abhinav's case, he seems to have made a clear move into commentary and bigger days await him in this new phase in his career.

The 72 year old Bhattar has now performed archaka service at this historical Divya Desam for over five decades - He began at Rs. 40 per month, moved up to Rs. 750 per month and now in 2021 performs Kainkaryam without any Salary from the HR & CE!!!

The two centuries old Sthaneegam Rights have been taken away from him by the HR & CE. His one remaining wish is to secure back in his lifetime the rights that had been recorded and handed to his forefathers in 1827

The Previous Samprokshanam had taken place in 2005 and the Temple wears a forelorn look

Thiru Kannapuram Sowri Rajan Perumal Divya Desam is one of the only two Divya Desams to be praised with a 100 verses by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, the other being Nachiyar Koil praised at Thiru Naraiyur Mani Maada Koil. Azhvaars called it ‘Wealthy Kannapuram’ and ‘Gold Walled’ City. The roar of the Sea could be heard at the temple. Kulasekara Azhvaar says that Thiru Kannapuram was Home to ‘Master Craftsmen’.

"கரை எடுத்த சுரி சங்கும் கணபுரத்து எழு கொடியும்"

"நன் போன் ஏய்ந்த மதில் சூழ் திரு கண்ணபுரத்து அன்பன்"

"காலின்மணி கரை அலைக்கும் கணபுரத்து கருமணியே"

The once popular Veda Patshala that functioned from the North Mada Vilagam was demolished last decade. Several Vedic Scholars had graduated from here with a couple of the renowned Hindu school (Thiruvallikeni) teachers hailing from here. The South Street behind the South Mada Vilagam too resonated with Prabhandham recital. Close to Sirpathingals served at the temple just over half a century ago and this has come down to single digits now.

The greenery referred to in the praise of the Azhvaars is still intact. As one walks through the newly laid tar road from Thiru Pugalur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/11/thiru-pugalur-agneeswarar-temple.html) to Thiru Kannapuram, one finds huge fertile fields on either side. However, there is no hint of any of the temple’s glorious past. The original inhabitants have long left the city selling their lands at dead cheap rates. At the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, the Melam artiste who presents every day during the pooja occasions hails from Thiru Kannapuram but he too like several hundreds of residents had moved into larger cities several decades ago and has almost never gone back to his native town. The devotee crowd is sorely missing with the Maasi and Vaikasi festivals being the only two where some of these traditionalists visit their home town. In recent times, even the conduct of these festivals has hung in the balance with the lack of people to carry the Lord on street processions and issues surrounding that. It is now 16years since the last Samprokshanam. The towering Raja Gopuram wears a forelorn look, the walls inside the temple have faded but a renovation exercise does not seem to be starting anytime soon. The Brahmotsavam itself that had come to a halt was only recently revived but with the Pandemic that too has not taken place in the last couple of years.

An Exception at 72!!!

72 year old Sowri Rajan Bhattar is an exception at this historical temple town for he has spent almost his entire seven decades at Thiru Kannapuram. He has been serving Sowri Rajan Perumal for the last 52 years having joined the temple at a monthly salary of Rs. 40 in 1969. For the first sixty years of his life, he lived in a thatched hut on the North side of the huge Temple Tank that one finds right in front of the temple.

Sthaneegam cum Archaka service for 200 years

His forefathers had performed Kainkaryam at the Divya Desam since the early 19th century with a record of 1827 in Olai Chuvadi handing them the rights of Sthaneegam at the temple. In the first half of the 19th Century, his Great Great Grand Father, Venkatapathi Iyengar, had managed the entire activities at the Divya Desam. For over 100 years this family performed service as the exclusive archaka at the temple taking care of both the Perumal and Thayar Sannidhi as well as all the utsavams. When the temple came under the ‘Scheme of Arrangement’ in 1863, his Great Grand Father, Sowri Perumal Iyengar became a trustee of the temple. It was during the period of his Grand Father, Raju Bhattar, who died very early at the age of 35, that the family also took the support of another archaka family to split the kainkaryam between Perumal and Thayar sannidhis.

Sowri Rajan Bhattar’s appa, Srinivasa Bhattar, performed kainkaryam as an archaka for 60years having joined the temple service at the age of 13.

Dedicating a Lifetime to Sowri Raja Perumal

Sowri Rajan Bhattar did his SSLC in Thiru Kannapuram following which he learned the agamas from Vanathirajapuram Srinivasa Bhattar. He was not interested in higher education and did not purse college. He was initiated into Veda Parayanam at a young age by TS Rajagopalachariar Ganapadigal. Despite the financially challenging times of the 1960s with all the Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu going through a torrid phase, Sowri Rajan Bhattar was clear that he would dedicate his entire life to serving Sowri Rajan Perumal.

How did he manage to lead a happy life at a monthly salary of Rs. 40 “We led a contended life with our requirements being minimal. I spent almost each day of the year at the temple with my mind focused on serving the Lord and not on the financial returns. Not once did the miniscule salary bother me and never did I think of leaving the temple kainkaryam to join work elsewhere” says Sowri Rajan Bhattar looking back at his early days at the temple.

No Oil to light lamp at the temple

He recounts the first decade of his service at Thiru Kannapuram Divya Desam “As a teenager, I found that there was no oil to even light the lamp. I would light the lamp, but when the oil dried up, there would not be another packet to refill. Such was the state of the temple 50years ago."

His appa had passed away in 1983 leaving Sowri Rajan Bhattar all on his own at the temple. 25years after he joined the temple service, by when he had had three children, his monthly salary had increased to Rs. 750!!! By this period, the once vibrant Divya Desam that was once home to 100s of Vaishnavite families had seen most of the original inhabitants leave the town seeking greener pastures in the city. This meant that the Thattu Kaasu that an archaka could have hoped for on a daily basis too dwindled. The temple struck a new low in the 1970s and 80s with minimal devotees visiting the temple and it became increasingly challenging for the archaka to manage the big utsavams. Unmindful of the financial challenges, he kept his service going for Kainkaryam to Sowri Raja Perumal surpassed everything else in life.

Rejects Lucrative Temple Offers

Sowri Rajan Bhattar is considered an agama expert and has been receiving calls from several popular non Divya Desam temples including Nanganallur and Panchavati Anjaneya Temples over the last couple of decades but right from his childhood when he had begun to watch his appa in Kainkaryam, he felt blessed to be part of Divya Desam Kainkaryam and rejected these lucrative offers “As seen in Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s praise, I had seen the Lord as my own child, I have touched and bathed him over the last five decades and hence my mind has always been attached to this Lord” says Sowri Rajan Bhattar on having no second thoughts of accepting financially lucrative offers in his lifetime.

கள்ளவிழ் சோலை கணபுரம்

கை தொழும் பிள்ளையை

பிள்ளை என்று என்னை பெருவரே

As the Sthaneegam, his family also had the rights to recite Purana Paadams on specific occasions in the year. They also had special rights during certain festivals at the temple. However, with the entry of the HR & CE, the Sthaneegam rights has been taken away from Sowri Rajan Bhattar and for the last many years, he has been fighting an uphill battle to secure back the rights, that has clearly been recorded in an Olai Chuvadi 2 centuries ago.

No Salary @ 72 after 50 years of Kainkaryam!!!

Well past 70, he does not get even the three digit salary anymore and is solely dependent on the Thattu Kaasu of devotees. His second son Murali Bhattar has joined him in daily service at this Divya Desam and he too does not get even a rupee as salary from the HR &CE. But when it comes to conducting the utsavams, the HR&CE reaches out to Sowri Rajan Bhattar and his five decades experience at the temple to secure the devotee support for the temple.

A Big New Bell finds its way into the temple

A recent indication of this was when the big bell of Thiru Kannapuram that is used on various pooja occasions was damaged, it was Sowri Rajan Bhattar who immediately secured a replacement bell of the same huge size through a devotee. But he remains grounded even in these big happy moments “I perform my kainkaryam with sincerity. Hence when there is a requirement for the Lord, the devotee comes on his own with his offering. This securing of the big bell for the Lord is one such example when the devotee of his own accord offered to do the replacement bell.”

The new big bell will be installed soon at the temple. There are many other such requirements at the temple such as organizing the Six Kaalam Thaligai every day for the Lord, Adyayana Utsavam Kainkaryam in Margazhi, organizing flower garland, Thirumanjanam and Thaligai during the 10 day Utsavams in Maasi and Vaikasi. While he performs Kainkaryam at the Divya Desam without a salary for his service, it is Sowri Rajan Bhattar who shoulders the responsibility for the conduct of the daily pooja and the utsavams and to ensuring that all is well at the temple at least from a Kainkaryam point of view.

Low Lights

No Salary to the long serving Priest

Brahmotsavam had come to a halt at this Divya Desam

No Consecration since 2005

Sthaneegam Rights taken away

HR & CE has washed their hands away from the daily expenses

He says that the Lord has seen him through at the temple for half a century and has the fullest faith that Sowri Rajan Perumal will take care of him for the rest of his life in helping him perform Kainkaryam with sincerity and devotion at this five Azhvaars praised Divya Desam. In his daily life, he often remembers the praise of Kulasekara Azhvaar’s Perumal Thirumozhi and the verses on the Lord of Kannapuram where the strength of Lord Rama is extolled. Sowri Rajan Bhattar has gathered such strength in his mind to overcome all the challenges in his life and continues to perform archaka service at the temple with the same devotion that he began with over 50 years ago.

The one unfulfilled wish in his life has been to get back the Sthaneegam rights that had been bestowed on his forefathers two centuries ago. Given that he has all the records in writing, he is hoping there will be like minded devotees who will fight for him and secure these rights from the HR & CE. He is also hoping that devotees will participate in temple utsavam in large numbers and bring back the vibrancy that he had seen in his childhood at this Divya Desam.

Sowri Rajan Bhattar can be reached on 95971 14670/96005 33262

'TTR was an institution by himself at Brakes India '- S Viji, Chairman, Sundaram Finance Ltd.,

In the late 1950s, former MD of Sundaram Finance TT Srinivasaraghavan (TTS) was not yet five and enjoying his early childhood in the Hindi belt – initially for a few years in Delhi and then for a year or so in Bombay. His father TT Rangaswamy (TTR) was working with the Standard Vaccum Oil Company (later ESSO) and had made the trip up North after a transfer from Madras. It was a fairly settled job and at that time TTR was more likely to have continued his stint North of the Vindyas but for a surprise call that came his way in 1960.

Integral Member of the Padi Expansion

It was from the legendary automan TS Santhanam, who having founded Sundaram Finance Ltd., in 1954, was anchoring the setting up of manufacturing plants in Padi. While TTR was happy and contented at ESSO, he just could not say NO when Santhanam wanted him back in Madras to be an integral part of the Padi expansion. And thus quite as a surprise at that time, he quit the job in Bombay and returned to Madras to join Lucas TVS in 1961, that was to be the start of an over five decades long association with the TVS Group.

Having worked at Lucas TVS and Sundaram Clayton through the 1960s, he moved to Brakes India in 1971 and was a key member of the Senior Management team that took the company to the top as India's leading brake system supplier. He officially retired from Brakes India in 1998 as ED – Finance (modern day CFO) and Company Secretary but continued to play an active role over the next decade and a half at Turbo Energy, a company where he was the Founder Promoter. Well into his 80s, he also continued to be engaged in the strategic decision making process at Brakes India.

That's a beautiful kolam

He was so culturally inclined that even into his 90s, just a few years ago, he would walk through the North Mada Street to watch the White Pulli Kolam on a Saturday evening in Margazhi, an event that was a top draw at the Mylapore Festival organised by Sundaram Finance. He would exclaim with delight 'That's a beautiful kolam.'

A few years ago, he had a fall at home and fractured his femur but that did not dampen his spirit and he continued to be engaged with both Turbo Energy as well as Brakes India. Despite the physical injury, that had made him a bit immobile, TTS found his memory to be razor sharp right till the end.

TTR - Never Comprised his values

S Viji, MD, Brakes India and Chairman of Sundaram Finance, who has seen him from close quarters for over five decades says that TTR was a person of the highest integrity “He was an Institution by himself at Brakes India. He was a very religious person in the best sense of the word. In financial and accounting matters, he was very innovative and found solutions and a way forward, always strictly within the law and without compromising his values.”

“He was a person with compassion and an innate sense of justice and fair play. He never spoke ill of anybody.”

A Life message for his son in 1982

It was that sense of fair play with the employees that he initiated into his son TTS (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html) when he started out on a career at Sundaram Finance in the early 1980s. Four decades later, TTS vividly recalls that life message and told this writer in August that his appa always insisted on leading a simple life and wanted me to be approachable to everyone. People Management is the most important skill, TTS remembers his appa telling him at a young age “Even though my appa was in finance, he saw the people connect as important. It was from him that I learnt to put people first.” It was a lesson that stayed with TTS right through his corporate life.

A Patient Hearing to every employee

Viji says that all the employees of Brakes India including the union office bearers had immense respect for him and his words not because of his position, but because of how they perceived him "TTR's qualities as a human being endeared him to all who came in contact with him. On any given day of the year, long after office hours, you would find employees of the company waiting in front of his house and seeking an audience with him, to explain their grievances. He never turned them away; but gave them a patient hearing and tried to find a solution to their problems as best he could. He was a mentor to them.”

Viji recalls that though TTR was a very serious worker, there was a lighter side to him as well “He also had a tremendous sense of humour and was capable of a hearty laugh.”

A Father Figure to all of us - Srinivas Acharya

Former Managing Director of Sundaram Home Finance Srinivas Acharya knew two Rangaswamy’s very closely in his life. One was A Rangaswamy of LGF (who passed away recently during the Pandemic) and TT Rangaswamy. He too remembers the love and affection showered by TTR on his colleagues "TTR connected individually with everyone. I enjoyed his love and affection ever since I got to know him several decades ago. He was a very thorough professional, very kind and encouraging. He had a sharp memory and would quote events from several years gone by. He was a father figure to all of us that knew him."

Navalpakkam S Ranganathan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/02/navalpakkam-ranganathan.html) is a renowned Prabhandham scholar and has released CDs on Nalayira Divya Prabhandham and Desikar Prabhandham. His father was the priest at the Vedantha Desikar Srinivasa Perumal temple in Mylapore (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/vedantha-desikar-srinivasa-perumal.html) for several decades.

Made for Each Other Couple

Rangappa as he is called in the temple circles has known TT Rangaswamy for five decades and says that he was a regular at the temple at all the utsavams. “My appa always used to receive him at the temple during the annual utsavams. He would not miss the big utsavams at the temple and both he and his wife, a made for each other couple, were ardent devotees of Srinivasa Perumal.”

A Guiding Force for over three decades

Ranganathan recalls the days soon after he graduated in commerce "It was TTR who showed me the way in my career and directed me to Turbo Energy where I joined as a steno in 1989. Over the last three decades, he was my guiding force both at work and in my personal life. Though he was a Board level Director, he was always approachable to even those at the mid and junior levels. He had a big heart and was one with a special human touch. He was always sensitive to human issues. I could share any grievance with him and he would always come up with the perfect solution.”

Ranganathan says that the set of human values and friendly engagement with people at all levels has successfully passed on to his sons as well for he can see the same kind heartedness and simplicity in his children as well.

While Rangappa has now grown to become the leader of the Secretarial Department at Turbo Energy, he has a big regret “He always wanted me to do ACS and pushed me a lot over a number of years. Every time I met him he would remind of the need to equip myself with a degree in CS but somehow I could not get down to doing that. That is one wish of his I could not fulfill.”

TTR spent the last 36hours of his life at his home in Kasturi Estates from where he had begun his six decades association with the TVS Group. His life’s journey had a quiet and peaceful end on Wednesday morning at 5.45am at the age of 97, just the way he would have wanted without troubling anyone.

While his contribution as a Financial Controller and a Company Secretary at the various TVS Group companies was commendable over a long period of time, it was his large heartedness, compassion, the innate sense of justice and fair play and the personalized human touch that were standout features of his life.

It was truly a life well lived.

He was one of KR Rajagopal's best friends and cherished the cricket memories from the 1960s and 70s and his time with Jolly Rovers

There was a certain style about Bharadwaj and he carried himself well. His pant was always clean and unwrinkled - N Sankar, Jolly Rovers

Since March this year, from the time the story on KR Rajagopal was written on this blog, K Bharadwaj, former Jolly Rovers' middle order batsman and one of KR Rajagopal's best friends, had been calling this writer every week from his home in Koramangala to enquire about Raja's health. He was genuinely concerned about the deteriorating condition of Raja. When he came to know about N Sankar's call to Raja offering all help the morning after the blog story (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/03/kr-rajagopal-dashing-opener-brilliant.html) featured, Bharadwaj called this writer to express delight at Sankar's great gesture. "Only Sankar could do this", he told this writer.

Ever since, he had also been calling Rajagopal quite regularly over the last 8 months to enquire about his well being. Covid and restrictions in Bangalore meant that the two could not meet each other this year. When the TNCA and CSK/India Cements felicitated Rajagopal (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/kr-rajagopal-tn-batting-legend.html), he called this writer that same evening (Aug 10) conveying his happiness for Raja and told this writer that N Srinivasan's financial contribution would go a long way towards meeting the dialysis expenses of Rajagopal.

A bold call to Raja's daughters

In October, when this writer requested Bharadwaj, as a long time friend of Rajagopal, to talk to the two daughters when they made the trip to Bangalore, he had no second thoughts and went out of his way and made a bold statement to them "I asked them to extend their stay in Bangalore by a week to a fortnight to take care of their father. I told them that at least one of the two could stay back."

It showed how much he cared for Rajagopal.

Played for Viveka and Junior State

Bharadwaj began his league cricket stint at Milky Way and BRC and went on to play for Jolly Rovers in the 1970s including under the captaincy of Rajagopal. He played for Vivekananda College and Junior State in the late 1950s and early 60s. He joined India Cements in their accounts section in 1966 and later on moved into the admininstration department from where he retired in December 2003.

Memorable days with KR Rajagopal

During Rajagopal's hey days in the late 1960s, Bharadwaj played host ahead of league matches in the city. In those years, Barathwaj stayed on Mowbrays ( TTK) Road and used to accompany Rajagopal for many of the matches both in Madras as well as outside. He told this writer in March this year on his Mylapore memories from the 1960s “Rajagopal was staying far off in Nandambakkam closer to the India Cements foundry. On many occasions, he would come home to Mowbrays road on the night before the match, have a quick wash and breakfast in the morning before leaving for the ground. Chepauk, Marina and Vivekananda were a lot closer to my place and he found it comfortable to leave for the match from here.”

A shocked Rajagopal told this writer from his home in Bangalore that Bharadwaj was such a kind hearted person and a genuine cricket lover "We were very close friends right from the 1960s. He made several calls to me this year to check on my health. When I was felicitated by the TNCA, he was so happy for me and told me as to how the contribution from N Srinivasan (CSK/ India Cements) would prove useful for my dialysis.”

Go Pick an auto to bring back the ball

Earlier this year, Bharadwaj recalled the greatness of Rajagopal from cricket matches 60 years ago “Playing at one of the High School grounds (there were three of them next to each other) in Bangalore which were rectangular in size, Rajagopal would belt the ball so hard that it would often go into the other grounds. Once Raja Raghavan fielding at Mid Off was so tired chasing and bringing back the ball that he ordered his captain to organise an auto when Rajagopal was batting so he could take the auto to bring back the ball."

A competent middle order batsman, Bharadwaj also recalled the dangers of batting in the 1960s and 70s “Protective equipments were of poor quality A strike on your fingers would result in a fracture. The pads were heavy and would turn direction as you ran a quick single or two. The buckle in the strap would often poke your ankle as you ran. The bats were oiled and ‘seasoned’ but it had no power. When one played the drive, one often felt a shock in the hand.”

Shocking revelation

He often travelled with Rajagopal for cricket matches across the country and remembered vividly the moments of shock in 1967 when Rajagopal was on the verge of being selected for India for the tour of Australia “In the pre selection camp, Raja hooked Umesh Kulkarni for a six off the first ball and he literally took the leather off the ball. After they watched him bat in the camp, they were very impressed with what they saw. Everyone knew he was a certainty for the tour. But shockingly he was not selected. In those days, every effort was made to keep the Madrasis away at the national level. Raja was never the same again.”

A Great Team Man

KS Viswanathan, CEO of CSK, worked with Bharadwaj at India Cements from the 1970s for many decades. He remembers him as a great team man“Bharadwaj was a very organised and disciplined individual. He was committed to the team and everything he did was with meticulous planning. He was a stylish batsmen, always immaculately dressed and a great team man.”

His Pant was Clean and Unwrinkled

Bharadwaj was almost the same age as Sanmar Group's N Sankar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/11/jolly-rovers-n-sankar-75.html) and both had watched many matches together in the late 1960s, especially of Rajagopal batting at his best. Sankar remembers Bharadwaj from that phase "He was always well dressed. There was a certain style about him and he carried himself well. His pant was always clean and unwrinkled."

Sudden Demise

His wife, Bhavani, told this writer that he had been enjoying good health and had been taking care of himself quite well through the Pandemic and that his sudden demise has come as a huge shock "He was always talking of Rajagopal this year and would often make calls to him to enquire about his health. He had been doing his walks around the apartment and was cheerful with the unlocking of the restrictions. It was on the evening of November 14 that he developed some health issues and was admitted to the hospital. He came back home a few days later but suffered a massive heart attack and passed away on Nov 19."

Bharadwaj was 77. He had been a resident of Abiramapuram 3rd street for 8years and then lived on Balakrishna Road (near Sanskrit College) for three decades. It was just under two years ago that he moved to Koramangala, Bangalore to stay with his son.

His wife can be reached on 99802 90555.

While many around him went away from temple service, this Next Gen Priest has committed to performing Chandana Kaappu Abhisekam and Alankaram for Lord Thyagesan through his entire lifetime

Rejecting Overseas Offers from his Patshala classmates, Somaskanda Gurukal, now in his 30s, decided long ago as a teenager that he would stay away from any financial temptation and spend all his life at this Saint Poets praised temple

The Thyagaraja Temple in Tiruvarur is the foremost among the Paadal Petra Sthalams praised by the four Saivite Saint Poets. The temple has 9 huge Gopurams, 5 Prakaras, 108 Lingams and 54 Vimanas. The temple tank and the temple chariot are both huge and special features at the temple. It was here at this temple that the famous Saint Poet Sundarar got his right eye (He got his left eye at Kanchipuram). There were 56 festivals celebrated every year in a grand manner during the rule of the Chozhas. There was a long agraharam on the North and South Mada Vilagams with several hundreds of traditionalists residing here.

During the rule of Parakesari (Vikrama) Chozha, a mandapa was created at the temple where in food was distributed to the needy and to the travelling devotees. It was during his rule that dance arangetram was initiated in the month of Chitrai every year for young talented dancers at the Devasiriyin Mandapa and he awarded them a certificate as proof of the event. Also, during this period, the respected and senior residents of Thiruvarur congregated and made donations for ghee that was to be used to light the lamp for the Lord every day. He also granted lands for construction of lakes for cultivation purposes ahead of the harvest season.

That was a 1000years ago.

Fast forward into the 1960s and 70s - The priests and the service personnel at this temple did not find the going easy. The financial challenges led many of the service personnel including the priests to explore other lucrative opportunities elsewhere including in overseas temples.

A Nayanar Family stays back at Tiruvarur

70 year old Ganesan Gurukal and his son have been exceptions. Ganesan Gurukal has been serving the Lord for the last six decades having started out here when he was 10 years old. His family belongs to the Nayanar clan of the Temple (the other clan is Paramarayar) that has the exclusive rights to perform abhishekam and alankaram for Thyagaraja Swamy. His is one of the only two families left to perform in the Nayanar clan. His father, Chandrasekaran Nayanar Gurukal, had performed service for five decades at the temple.

He remembers 18 musical instruments having been here and played at different pooja times in praise of Lord Thyagaraja. There were Poo Malai, Nagaswaram and Mathalam Groups performing service in those decades. Once upon a time, there were 300 service personnel at the temple. “The agraharam was vibrant. The Neivedyam of 1 Kalam would give you an indication of the kind of vibrancy in those days. Several hundreds of devotees would visit the temple for each of the six Kaalam pooja and multiple varieties of rice would be presented to the Lord and then distributed to the devotees. The service personnel too were in large numbers at the temple and the festivals used to have certain grandeur to it with local residents thronging the temple in the morning and evening for the street processions. Unfortunately, even as I was growing up into my teens, the original inhabitants and the Kainkaryapakas began leaving the town with lack of income and the resultant financial challenges leading them to bigger cities in search of opportunities elsewhere.”

For many years, the Rathotsavam had come to a halt and was revived only in recent decades.

A nearby Sugar Factory provided employment opportunities to some of the service personnel so they double up at the temple in the morning and evening and worked at the factory during the day.

No Monthly Salary, Only Thattu Kaasu

While Ganesan has performed service for six decades, just over 50 years ago at least four archaka families quit service and went away from Tiruvarur including into overseas temples. He ensured that his son Somaskandan stuck to Temple Kainkaryam “We are hereditary priests and do not take salary from the temple. We used to be given paddy for our service. In those decades even though the income was minimal we lived a contented life and we were at peace with ourselves. My son was attached to Lord Thyagaraja from a very early age and he learned the agamas and began supporting me even when he was in his teens.”

The Next Gen Priest rejects lucrative offers

Somaskanda Gurukal was born in the 1980s, a decade when the final batch of original inhabitants and service personnel were leaving the temple town. It also marked a phase when the priests moved elsewhere. The agraharam on South and North Mada Vilagam became a thing of the past as shops and multi storied complexes replaced the traditional homes. "During my teenage phase, there was severe shortage of service personnel. My appa initiated me as a young school boy into devotional service and created the interest in temples that has stayed with me through my three decades. Opportunities came my way from Singapore and Australia among other countries but I did not take any of the offers. Most of my Patshala classmates continue to call me offering big money in overseas locations."

Even as a teenager, Somaskanda Gurukal was assigned, by his appa, the task of performing abhishekam at the Sannidhis other than those of Thyagaraja Swami and Ambal. After finishing his schooling, he moved to Mayiladuthurai where he learned the Agamas at the Patshala for five years. 20 years ago, he came back to Tiruvarur and joined full time service as Nayanar clan archaka.

Devotionally Exciting Panguni Uthiram 36 day Utsavam

He recalls that in his growing up years he found many of his relatives leaving the temple in search of better financial prospects elsewhere including in the corporate world. Other relatives went away from daily archaka service into more lucrative Kumbabhisekams and Homams "We stayed back in Tiruvarur. There is definitely great happiness from performing abhisekam for Thyagesan and my mind has always been on performing service here at this temple. the 36 day Panguni Uthiram utsavam is the most devotionally exciting festival. On many nights during this festial I go back home well after 1am and return back to the temple soon after."

On Panguni Uthiram is one of the two days i the year when the Lord's right foot can be seen, the other being Margazhi Thiruvathirai. On these days, Uma Devi’s left foot can be seen.

With most of the hereditary archaka families having left in the 1960s and 70s, there are currently just two lead Nayanar archaka families performing service at the temple. Despite being the foremost among the Paadal Petra Sthalams, the Thyagaraja temple in Tiruvarur does not attract huge crowds like those in Chidambaram and Madurai. On weekdays, the crowd is no where near what one would expect for such a historical Saint Poets praised temple. There is no salary for the priest and he is dependent on Thattu Kaasu for financial survival. They do have a share in the archanai ticket but that has been off in the last 18 months.

While the world around was undergoing a change, Somaskanda Gurukal stuck to the traditional attire - tuft in the way it was sported till a few decades ago. His particular favourites are Chandana Kaappu anointment and Alankaram of Lord Thyagesan and his only wish is to be able to do these through his entire lifetime.

It is great commiment to stick to hereditary service when most other original inhabitants have left the town long ago seeking greener pastures. But Somaskanda Gurukal is devotionally inclined and financial temptations don't move him as much as performing the alankaram during the Brahmotsavam.

The temple and the Lord are in safe hands with this Next Gen Priest.

Somaskanda Gurukal can be reached on 9965957725.

Passionate about writing and seeking to create Rural Transformation, this 26 year old Chartered Accountant has taken to Journalism

His long term vision is to transform the Educational Space in Rural India by inspiring the illiterate to take to academics

Last year, this section had featured a story on a Chartered Accountant turned a one of a kind Journalist D Murali of Business Line (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/05/d-murali-journalist.html). In 2020, this section also featured story on two other CAs who accomplished themselves in the sporting arena. This story is about a young 26 year old who has taken a very different view of life and chosen a path, right at the start of his career that very few would. Prathik M Desai is a Chartered Accountant who within months of his professional degree was handed out an offer letter by Morgan Stanley in Bombay but much to everyone’s shock rejected the lucrative offer of close to a six digit monthly package instead taking the passionate route to writing ‘stories’. It did not go down well with the near and dear ones for he was the first CA in the big joint family that moved to Vijayawada from their home state of Gujarat and they were all hopeful that he would make it big in auditing. They would have at least hopeful of him taking care of the family business but like they have found in recent times, he is turning out to be one with a different vision. Here is the story of the Chartered Accountant who earlier this year joined the Business Desk at Deccan Herald, in Bangalore and now writes at least three stories a week on life in the Corporate World, and one who has different things up his sleeve and is looking to make a difference in Rural India.

Govt School in Vijayawada

Prathik was academically brilliant right from his school days though surprisingly he had his entire education in a Government aided school in Vijayawada at an annual fee of Rs. 120!!! His forefathers hailed from Gujarat but moved under a century ago to Madras. Later they shifted to Vijayawada from where for the last several decades they have been running a successful business. Almost right through his schooling, he was in the top three but into his early teens he began to have a dislike for Science. He was strong with numbers and given his aversion to Chemistry and Biology, accounts was a natural, and at the time the only, option when he entered Intermediate College (equivalent of Class XI and XII).

Districts Cricketer at the U13 Level

By this time, like all boys his age, he had developed an extreme interest in cricket and had featured in the districts team at the U13 level as a spinner. But it was a time that he had to wear specs and a couple of knocks on the head made his father worried and he got out of cricket. He took to an indoor game and played intense Chess for two years and climbed to fifth in the state rankings but House Leader role at school meant he got out of serious chess as well.

In the first 15years of his life, he had always allowed himself the luxury of enjoying life alongside his academic proficiency. “I had been into Math talent test, debates and quizzes”, he looks back at his early glory days at school.

He also wanted to get back into cricket in all seriousness as he felt there was a certain charm about being a sportsman but his father opposed this call instead asking him to focus on academics in the teenaged phase “he told me that we are a family known for proficiency in academics and that a good academic record will be of value.”

Strong on Numbers - Takes the CA route

He had topped 90% all through his schooling days and he took to the Commerce Group, he developed an interest in CA when he was 16. And soon enough took to the CPT course. Prathik remembers that day when he announced to his father his decision of doing CA “It was after I told him that I wanted to do CA, that he broke the news to me that he too had wanted to do CA but because of the challenges of that time, he cold not pursue and took to business. It was the happiest I had seen him after my decision to do CA for no one else even in the extended family had done CA.”

Being in the 95+% category, the Class XII syllabus was completed (for him and a few other boys in his class) in a couple of months and the attention turned to preparation for CPT and he was put into ‘Intensive CA Care”, an exercise that he found too grueling for his liking. “It was at an institute that had year on year churned out the top CA rank holders in the country but I did not want myself to be exhausted. I would have given over 60 mock tests and prepared each day from 7am to 7pm. This resulted in him securing 90% in CPT.”

His 2nd Home - Madras

But he did not want to continue in Vijayawada and for the first time in over 17years, he moved away from his family to Madras, a city he loved so much that he now considers it his 2nd home. He was there for six months from August 2013 “I stayed in a hostel in Thiruvallikeni enjoying the Sambar Idly at Rathna Café. It was one of the most enjoyable periods in my life. I explored the entire city in my broken Tamizh.”

Lets go a Likely KPMG offer in Madras but moves to Bombay

The six months at the coaching institute in Madras helped him clear both the groups in Inter in his first attempt in May 2014. After the enjoyable stint in Madras, he was to keen to return to his 2nd home for the 3 year articleship and he was to have his interview in KPMG in two days but life gave a new twist the first of a few that he has had in his young life “At the family function in Vijayawada, a friend suggested Bombay as an option and as per my father’s direction, I cancelled the Madras ticket and boarded the train to the financial capital.”

He knew nothing about Bombay, except having heard of the fast paced life that he dreaded. His friend from Class XII and Madras Coaching provided him a contact at a mid sized audit firm. With all of the article wards being residents of Bombay, he turned out to be the only outstation staffer at the firm and this in a way provided him with opportunities that may not have come his way otherwise. “I went on most of the Tier 2 audits in places such as Nasik, Aurangabad and other Tier 2 towns in Maharashtra. I got to know a new culture and made a big number of friends. It gave me great exposure and opened my eyes to new things in life.”

As a 15year old, he had begun writing short poems. With the huge amount of travel that he was exposed to, he moved into wordpress and wrote short stories “The travel led me into a new writing experience. Till then I only read the sports pages of newspapers but the Tier 2 travel inspired me to write about culture and people.”

Industrial Training at Morgan Stanley

Into the third year of apprenticeship, he had an option to do industrial training and he joined MNC firm Morgan Stanley as an intern who did product analysis. Just ahead of his CA final exams in November 2017, his brother fell ill and was in intensive care “it was a month that I spent in hospital and it hurt my preparation. For the first time in my life, I failed in an exam.”

The North East Trip transforms him

It was in late 2017, as part of his planning adventure that he planned a long 2 month trip to the North East to explore the unknown parts of India. It turned out to be a life altering trip for the solo trip gave him lot of insights into the lives of Indian living in remote locations“It was during that trip that I understood the ‘value of privilege’ and how blessed I was to have such a supportive family. I made 50 random friends all from different walks of life on that single trip. The trip was an eye opener and took me away from the thoughts of a career as an auditor.”

Another family event – his sister’s wedding this time - a few months ahead of his next CA final attempt hampered his preparations once again. But he slogged for two months following her wedding “But by now, I had clarity on my life and announced my decision that auditing was not where I was headed. My father thought I was depressed after my first failure and tried to motivate me. In all my alarm messages, I had “Goal as CA” typed out. I studied with single minded focus to get through CA even though I was clear I was not getting into auditing.”

No Auditing Career for this CA- shocks his family

In May 2018, he wrote the CA Final exam but within a few days of the exam, he applied for Masters in Journalism at Christ University, an action that shocked his father. He had also planned a trip to Himachal where he was to do a teaching programme for 20 days. However with Christ University clearing his application and with the Masters starting in the first week of June (even before the CA results were to be out), he cancelled his trip and joined his college, much to his father’s displeasure “My father wondered as to what I was doing after giving my CA final exam. He simply could not understand.”

And thus in June 2018, he moved into a third new city in his life - Bangalore. He was kind of the odd man out at the University, one who had completed CA and joined a journalism course. “Almost everyone felt that CA to Journalism was odd but I went with my passion.”

In August 2018, the news came out in the middle of an event at the University that he had cleared CA final. His father was delighted but continued to wonder at this decision to pursue journalism. “It was a dream come true for my father. I had achieved what he had wanted to do in his life.”

Rejects Morgan Stanley's Offer!!!!

Soon after, Morgan Stanley offered him a job at a monthly package that was close to six digits, but to the shock of everyone in his extended family, he rejected the offer from the MNC. “Everyone thought that I was out of my mind to reject such a lucrative offer within days of completing my CA and one that held great prospects for my career. Right from my childhood I led a simplistic life and money had never been the driving force.”

He was the first CA in the family and his decision not to take up this offer or pursue auditing did not go down well with his family including his father, who was surprised at the call he had taken.

The Pandemic was a dampener and came soon after he completed his Masters. For close to a year, he taught Journalism at the National School of Journalism (NSOJ) playing what he calls as the role of a facilitator. While he enjoyed the role and the students were delighted with his ‘facilitator’ model of teaching, he was waiting to be in the Newsroom.

At the Newsroom at Deccan Herald

And earlier this year, when he got the call from Deccan Herald to be part of their Business Desk, he grabbed it with both hands. This Chartered Accountant now writes at least three stories in his six day work week and much like D Murali is passionate about meeting people and writing stories. He is happy where he is now though his family is likely to remind him every now and then of his professional degree. But all his life he has been clear that one has to do things that he is passionate about and writing is what he likes to do. He is also high on ethics and is clear that he would state the facts as is to the readers.

A happy development in the last couple of months has been the appreciation from his father of his exclusive by-lined stories “Finally he has accepted writing and teaching (facilitating) as my way of life and while there will always be the disappointment that his son has not pursued auditing, he is happy that I am enjoying what I am doing.”

A Cyclist and a Chess Addict

In his teenaged phased, he cycled 25kms a day for fun. A decade later, he is back into cycling riding around the Cubbon Park on the Weekend Mornings. He has also renewed his association with Chess and has played close to 2300 games in the last 12 months.

This CA turned journalist, who is also a dog lover, is keen to transform the educational space in the remote tier 3 villages of India and one day he is hoping to moving into and settle down in one such remote locate to try and create that educational transformation in Rural India by driving the educational interest among the unread and illiterate.

The Only CA and Cost Accountant TN Ranji Cricketer:

https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/10/r-madhavan-tn-cricketer-1980s.html

CA National TT Player

https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/10/abhishek-r-india-table-tennis-star.html

A Great Second Innings in Cricket

The man who struggled as a Ranji Cricketer in the 1980s scored a Century in Umpiring officiating in 100 first class matches

In the 1980s, a Karnataka cricketer in his 20s went through a torrid time. In a strong state team comprising of his first captain Brijesh Patel, he failed to make a mark. For seven years, he was in the Ranji Squad but managed to score only over a hundred runs in that phase. A man who had failed so miserably as a player scored a remarkable century in his second innings in cricket. Taking to Umpiring in 1987 after coming to terms with himself that he was not good enough as a player, the then thirty year old took to Umpiring. Over the next three decades he reached the top of the Umpiring Ladder clocking a 100 first class matches and as he proudly recalls in this story was there to watch three of Sachin Tendulkar’s record breaking knocks in one day cricket. In recent years, he has turned a mentor to upcoming umpires and also currently dons the role of the Hony Joint Secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association. Here’s the story.

Developing Early Communication Skills

Shahvir Tarapore (most have got his name wrong!!!) began his association with tennis ball cricket on the gully of Shivajinagar in the Cantonment area in Bangalore. His father Keki Tarapore had played a couple of matches for the state and later went on to become a renowned coach. His Uncle too was a cricketer and it was no wonder that this young boy too took to cricket. Alongside his cricket, his English language and communication skills were harnessed at school - first at Sophia and later at St. Josephs European High School, qualities that were to hold him in great stead later on in life in his second innings in cricket.

In 1969, his parents moved to the Parsi flats (one of the earliest apartment complexes in that area) and the young 12 year old Shahvir honed his cricket skills playing cricket within the complex. He recalls coming to the nearby KSCA for some nets sessions in that phase“Our new residence was very close to the KSCA, which was an open ground at that time (the stadium that we see today had not come up then). It was exciting for me to walk down to the ground and play cricket here.”

Now well past 60, Shahvir still goes there once in a while to the over 50 year apartment and plays a bit of cricket with the younger gen evoking memories of his own cricketing days from the late 60s and early 70s.

University Cricket leads to State Selection

Before he had turned 15, he played for the state schools and went on to play Rohinton Baria and Vizzy Trophy (under L Vasan). Strong performances in the league for the now over 100 year old BUCC earned him a place in the Karnataka Ranji team in 1979 and he made his debut a year later “I took to cricket more out of passion and also we were a family of sportspeople. Making my debut under Brijesh was one of the biggest moments of my life. Karnataka was a very strong team at that time and had a great top order and a spin attack. To just be part of that squad was a great blessing.”

He joined Syndicate Bank in 1980 and was an integral part of their team for close to two decades.

Shahvir was in the Ranji squad for seven years though he played only six matches in that time. Four decades after his debut, he says he is not embarrassed to accept that he was a failure as a player “I did nothing of note as a cricketer. It was a team full of luminaries and just being around them in the dressing room was a great feeling at that time, though I would have liked to have contributed better for the state.”

Second Innings in Cricket

By 1987, he had resigned himself to the fact that he was not good enough as a cricketer. Following in his father’s footsteps he tried his hand at Coaching for a brief period but soon found out that he was not suited for that role. Cricket had been his life for two decades and he wanted to continue his association with the game “I found the best way to stay connected was to be right in the middle and Umpiring offered that opportunity.”

He cleared the KSCA examination in 1987 and three years of umpiring in the Bangalore league and mentoring under Satyaji Rao gave him his early experience. In 1990-91, he got through the BCCI examination “While it was a very challenging phase as a cricketer, I did want to make it big in Umpiring. I learned a lot from my seniors. I had been notorious as a player but mellowed down once he took to umpiring.”

His second innings in cricket took off after 1996. He became a regular in the Duleep Trophy and other national level tournaments. In 1999, he made his international debut in an Indian team comprising of Sachin, Sourav and Rahul “It was a start studded team and I did have butterflies in my stomach that day. I went on to enjoy my international stint officiating with the best in the umpiring world.”

Into the ICC Panel

He was inducted into the ICC Panel in 2008 and went on to officiate in four tests and 24 ODIs. His big moments in umpiring was when he officiated in both the ODI and T20 World Cup but he considers the biggest of them of all as being involved in Sachin’s greatest moments ‘Sachin scored 185 in my debut ODI match, I also umpired when he scored 175 against Australia and when he created the World Record with the one day double hundred against South Africa. I also officiated in Sachin’s last first class match.”

He says that travelling across the world gave him great insights into the different cultures and the mindset of people in different countries. “It helped me understand both the international players and my overseas umpiring colleagues better on the field.’

Controversial Moments

He did have his controversial moments as well. In the IPL, his decision against Ashwin did not go down well with Captain Dhoni. He was also the umpire when the match referree handed a two match suspension for slow over rate. There was another when he gave his father’s mentee Rahul Dravid out, controversially. But by and large he had a fairly successful three decades career as an umpire that had begun in 1987 at the KSCA.

In 2017, aged 60 he retired from all forms of the game having officiated in 100 first class matches. It had been a significant achievement for a man who managed to score only over a 100 runs in his Ranji career. Once he became a BCCI umpire, he began to consider this as a ‘full day’ in office “Even though I was employed with Syndicate Bank and they supported me right till the very end, I considered every match that I officiated in as my full day in office. Like elsewhere in cricket, every match is a new innings. In fact, for an umpire, every ball is important. Throughout my umpiring career, I would tell myself before every ball that this is the ball that really counts."

Following his retirement, he was appointed as the Head of Faculty for umpires and anchored the Level 1 and II education programmes for Umpires in India.

Active Cricket Engagement Past 60

Shahvir, who will turn 64 later this month, is still very active off the field having expanded his engagement with cricket after taking up the role of Honorary Joint Secretary of the KSCA where he works closely with his Ranji Teammates from the 1980s – Roger Binny and J Abhiram. He did not have anything to write home about as a player in the 1980s but he had the resolve and the mental strength to come back strong in his second innings in cricket. Three decades is a long time for someone to be officiating as an umpire for it is a hard grind both to be standing in the hot sun day in day out as well as the amount of travelling that is required. But Shahvir had the two Ps in him – Passion and Patience as well as the Communication skill that are such important qualities for an umpire.

It has been a very satisfying, fruitful and enjoyable second innings in cricket for Shahvir.

Prarthana Sthalam for the Childless

Three Generations of a Priest Family have kept the temple alive when almost all the original inhabitants have left the town seeking greener pastures elsewhere

The Utsavams that had come to a halt in the 1970s have been revived in the last two decades

Third Gen Narayanan Bhattar

Three Generations of priests have kept the archaka service going at the Centuries old Santhanarama Temple in Nidamangalam. Srinivasa Raghavan Bhattar (Azhvaar Iyengar), who was renowned for his Veda Parayanam and Prabhandham recital, performed archaka service for seven decades till the mid 1960s. It was a phase when the entire town was vibrant. There were 400 Vaishnavites residing in the Agraharam and Mada Vilagam. There were utsavams all round the year. Rama Navami Brahmotsavam was and continues to be the grandest occasion in the year. On Aadi Pooram, Theppotsavam was celebrated. The Lord provides Garuda Sevai darshan on Akshaya Trithiyai and on Vaikasi Visakam, Nam Azhvaar goes around on procession around the four streets. Azhvaar Iyengar was integral part of the temple celebration

His son Santhana Rama Bhattar (Babu) is now touching 75. He joined the temple in 1970 at a monthly salary of Rs. 100. He learned the Vedas and Prabhandham from his appa, Pancharatra Agama from Melavadayal Narasimhariar and got Deekshai from Varadar Kutti Bhattar in Kanchipuram.

Glory Decades till the 1960s

He recalls the glorious years at the temple from his childhood in the 1950s “Residents would compete with each other for Kainkaryam. There were many varieties of Thaligai presented to the Lord. During the Utsavams, each agraharam resident wanted to outshine the other in Kainkaryam and contributed his/her might to the temple. There was a healthy relationship among the Kainkaryapakas. It was golden years at the temple and all the utsavams were grand. There was daily Vedic and Prabhandham recital. There was Vishroopam Sevai with a Cow standing in front of the Lord. Two cooks and two paricharakas served at the temple till the 1960s and it was great team work.”

Mass Exodus, Dark Decades for the temple

Unfortunately for Santhana Rama Bhattar, the decade of his joining turned out to be one of the worst for temples in TN. Devotion was at a low, the original inhabitants began to move out of most traditional temple towns into larger cities in search of jobs. It was no different here. The Chariot run, a grand event at the temple, had come to a halt. Many of the utsavams could not be conducted for both the devotees and the service personnel dwindled in numbers.

Santhana Rama Bhattar - Touching 75

Devotional Commitment - The Lord takes care

But he kept his devotional service going through the challenging decades. When almost every traditionalist had left Nidamangalam, Santhana Rama Bhattar stuck to his archaka service. The salary was in three digits and there was not much of Thattu Kaasu but he had seen his appa's service at the temple through his childhood and teenage years and There was revival at the turn of the century. Devotional wave began to take off and people have begun to get back to temples in a big way in the last two decades. Santhana Rama Bhattar’s decades long service bore fruit when he anchored the 2006 Samprokshanam. It was the grandest consecration that the temple had seen and transformed the activities at the temple. The historical utsavams were revived. The renovation exercise was led by a strong support from the former Chief Election Commissioner Gopalswamy.

Shortly after his most satisfying event, it was time for Santhanarama Bhattar to retire and hand over the baton to the next gen. When Santhanarama Bhattar was to retire over a dozen years ago, his only son Narayanan then in his 30s was performing service in a temple in Madras. The son was doing well financially and Santhanarama (Babu) Bhattar was not keen on asking his son to make the move to this Tier 3 location. His plan was to organize a priest locally.

Returns to Nidamangalam to serve Santhana Ramar

But Narayana Bhattar was keen to continue the century old archaka service that his forefathers had performed and returned to Nidamangalam letting go the financially lucrative temple service in Madras. As with most remote temples, there is currently a shortage of personnel at their temple and Narayanan Bhattar doubles up as both the priest and the cook.

Unmindful of the shortage, Narayanan Bhattar performs Thiru Aradhanam and Thaligai each day of the year both in the morning and evening session. He takes delight in alankarams for the Lord and is particularly pleased that he is able to present to the Lord and distribute prasadam each day to the devotees. Every Friday, he presents Puttu and Kesari to the Lord and distributes to the devotees.

Revival of Utsavams

Most of the Utsavams have been revived at the temple. All the Azhvaar and Acharya utsavams are celebrated with Desikar Utsavam (Puratasi Shravanam), Ramanuja Utasvam (Chitrai Thiruvathirai) and Nam Azhvaar birthday (Vaikasi Visakam) bring particularly special. The Rama Navami Brahmotsavam is the biggest occasion at the temple with Vahana Street Processions in the evening. The Pattabhishekam Thiru Kolam on the last day of Adyayana utsavam is another special occasion at the temple. Anna Dhanam takes place for 2000 people on Aadi Pooram.Navarathri Utsavam draws good devotee crowd at the temple. Narayanan Bhattar is particularly attached to alankarams and takes special care to decorate Thaayar every day of the Utsavam. There is a procession of the Lord on the Horse Vahana on the final day.

Prarthana Sthalam for the Childless

This temple is said to date back to the Chozha period with the Garbha Graha having existed then but the current structure goes back to the late 18th century and the construction by the Thanjavur king Pratap Simha. The Lord appeared in the dreams of the King and asked him to look for an idol of Ramar at this location. The King and his wife Rani Yamunambal were childless. He came here and found the idol beneath the eart. After invoking the blessings of the Lord, she gave birth to a child. Hence the Lord is referred to as Santhana Ramar, a unique name for Lord Rama. This location was historically referred to as Yamunambal Puram. The belief is that those who invoke the blessings of Lord Rama and Sita Devi will be blessed with a child. Every Rohini, there is a Putra Santhana Gopala homam. This is a very special event at the temple and devotees visit in good numbers on the Rohini day every month.

Muthuswamy Dikshithar has presented a song in praise of Santhanaramar in Hindola Vasantha Ragam. The famous Tavil Vidwan Meenakshi Sundaram belonged to this place.

Thiru Aradhanam and Prabhandham Presentation

On normal weekday mornings, there are hardly any devotees and Narayanan Bhattar is almost all alone. But his mind is devotionally attached to Lord Santhana Ramar and he quietly performs the Thiru Aradhanam and presents the morning Thaligai. He also serves as the Prabhandham scholar and presents Nithya Anusanthanam in the evening. It is a way of life that he has committed himself to, devotionally. He is also delighted with the fact that the original inhabitants who are now settled elsewhere are reconnecting with the temple and participating in utsavams. The 2006 Samprokshanam performed by his appa was perhaps the grandest in its history with the participation of former Chief Election Commissioner Gopalaswamy. The temple is due for another one and the application is currently pending with the HR & CE. It is likely the third gen in the family will anchor the next consecration.

Narayanan Bhattar was financially self sufficient in Madras and he could have easily taken the call to continue his life in the Metro but he chose otherwise and returned to his home town. The financial returns may not be anywhere close to that in the city but Service at the Santhana Rama temple at Nidamangalam over the last dozen years has given the 49 year old great satisfaction. He is hoping to spend the rest of his life serving at the feet of Santhana Rama, a unique name for the Lord at this temple. With such devotional commitment, the temple is in safe hands despite the severe shortage of service personnel.

The temple is open from 7am-11am and 5pm-8pm. Contact: Narayanan Bhattar @ 94448 54208.

The Centuries old temple with brick constructed outer walls has been in a dilapidated state for a long time - Kumbabhisekam has not taken place in a century

The HR & CE which is trying to force its way into the temple, has issued a show cause notice to the private trustees and has called for a meeting on Dec 14 to discuss the take over of the temple

The HR & CE is planning to take over the Mangalambika Samedha Karkodakeswarar temple in Aravoor, 4kms East of Nidamangalam, from the private trustees who have been managing the temple over the last century. A show cause notice has been issued to the trustees and a meeting fixed for next Tuesday (Dec 14) at the temple where the JC is expected to have a discussion with the owners.

The temple has centuries old inscriptions both at the Mangalambika and Swami Sannidhis. Thiru Gnana Sambandar is believed to have visited the temple on his way from Nidamangalam to Alangdi but did not sing a verse of praise on this Lord.

Interestingly, there are also idols of Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman inside this temple. Historically there seemed to have been a perumal temple as well in Aravoor as was the tradition in the centuries gone by but the dilapidated state of the perumal temple seems to have led the idols into the Karkodakeswarar temple.

Sarpa Dosham Parikara Sthalam

Karkodakeswarar is East Facing while Mangalambika Sannidhi is South facing. There are also separate sannidhis for Pillayar and Murugar on the Western side of the temple. As the name of the Swamy suggests, this is a parikara sthalam for Sarpa Dosham. The village is named as Aravoor (aravam for snake in tamil).

There is a strong belief that sincere prayers at this temple will relieve one of Kaala Sarpa Dosham. There are devotees who visit the temple on Pradosham, Sangaabhisekams on Karthigai Mondays, Aipasi for Anna Abhisekam. On Fridays, devotees from the village come to light the lamp and on Pradosham evenings they turn up to watch the abhisekam.

Owners of the Temple

The temple was owned by Rathna Sabhapathi Udayar and then passed on to his sons Ramalinga and Panchapakesan Udayar. From them, it has now passed on to their sons who are currently responsible for the upkeep of the temple. The forefathers of the current trustee had owned almost the entire village in the century gone by. They were not just owner of the temple but of the entire Aravoor Village, says Mayil Udayar Santhanam, whose team has taken up restoration work of several temples in the Nidamangalam region in the last many years.

Current State of the Temple

The temple is currently in a dilapidated state and has been in a neglected state for a while. The outer walls of the temple are in bad shape. There is no electricity inside the temple and hence it is a challenge to visit the temple after 6pm. The Vimanam of Ambal and Swami Sannidhis have had trees atop that only recently were cut. The Pillayar and Murugar Sannidhis on the Western side too are in a bad state. There are huge bushes across the prakara similar to the one seen at the HR &CE administered Ayyur Varadaraja Perumal temple a couple of months back(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pinna-vaasal-sowri-rajan-bhattar.html). The madapalli has been dysfunctional for decades and is in ruins now. The worst of the lot is the big tank at the East end with even the pathway to it being cut off with the presence of huge bushes. Thick shrubs, bushes and trees inside the temple puts safety of the priest at peril. Both inside the temple and near the tanks, there is the risk of snakes making this their home. Of course this is a temple relating to relief from Sarpa Dosham.The consecration of the temple has not taken place in a century.

Madapalli in Ruins

Mayil Udayar Santhanam, who belongs to a team of Temple Service Personnel under the leadership of former Chief Election Commissioner Gopalswamy, has restored a 100 temples in the region and is currently pushing the owners to hand over the restoration exercise to his team. It was this team of service personnel that had supported and undertaken the renovation exercise at the Santhana Ramar temple in Nidamangalam where the consecration took place in 2006 (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/nidamangalam-santhanaramar-temple.html).

Mayil Udayar Santhanam

A devotee whose Kaala Sarpa Dosham was relieved after invoking the blessings of the Lord at this temple offered to take up the entire restoration exercise but Mayil Udayar Santhanam says that the owners did not agree to it. He says that HR &CE is now pushing hard to force the transfer of ownership from the private trustees. For the moment, the owners are hanging on. Santhanam feels that the temple is better off in private hands but is keen that the current trustees take up the immediate restoration for its been delayed for far too long.

Five Decades Serving Gurukal

G Santhanam Gurukal is 68 years old and has been serving as an archaka at the temple for the last five decades. His father Ganesha Gurukal, who passed away in the late 1960s, had served at the temple for several decades and prior to that his grandfather as well.

G Santhanam Gurukal

Santhanam Gurukal, who hails from Aravoor, studied till class VI at the school in Nidamangalam. He then learned the temple related archaka work from his uncle and joined the temple in 1970. Santhanam Gurukal also performs archaka service at two other village temples – Mariamman temple in Kiliyur and Pillayar temple in Vadamangalam for some financial returns. His relatives have been asking him to move to the city but he says that if he was motivated financially, he would have made the move decades ago. He says he feels blessed to be handed the task of archaka service through his forefathers at this temple and he is keen to continue for as long as possible.

Historically the priests were handed paddy for their service. About three decades ago, Santhanam Gurukal was handed over a large tract of land by the Trustees in lieu of the Paddy that his forefathers were given during their service. No more does he get Paddy for his monthly service. Thattu Kaasu is almost non-existent at the temple. He rides a TVS 50 to the other two temples for daily pooja. He and his wife live in a small self constructed house opposite the temple.

He says that there is a lot of investment that needs to be made for him to generate income from the farming land. “Without periodic investment, one cannot get returns.”

Mayil Udayar Santhanam has been talking to the owners regarding the restoration exercise but has not got positive feedback yet. He wonders as to why such an aristocratic family would not perform periodic Kumbabhisekams at the temple.

There are two big tasks on hand for the owners- One, they would have to organize quickly a restoration exercise and prevent further ruins. Two, they have to keep the HR & CE away from the temple.

While the HR & CE take over is a real threat to this privately managed temple, Temple activist and President of the Temple Worshippers Society TR Ramesh had a question for the HR &CE officials “If the dilapidated state of the temple is the reason for the private trustees to be sent out of the temple, then should the HR & CE not get out of the Ayyur Varadaraja Perumal Temple (managed by the HR & CE) that too had been in a dilapidated state for decades and several other HR & CE administered temples that are in state of ruins.”

The meeting between the HR &CE and the Private Trustees on Tues Dec 14 will give an indication on the likely next steps at the temple. Either way, this temple requires an immediate restoration exercise and that cannot wait any longer.

Aravoor is four kms North East of Nidamangalam off the Tiruvarur highway. There are very limited buses to Aravoor and access to the temple is not easy. An auto from Nidamangalam costs Rs. 150. One can call Santhanam Gurukal on @ 88705 60573 before visiting the temple.

Every year, Margazhi 1 marks the beginning of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam at Thiru Kudanthai with Pallandu Thodakkam and the first two Cantos of Periyazhvaar Thirumozhi taking place right in front of Lord Aaraavamudhan

This is a particularly special day in the year as all the Azhvaars and Acharyas make their way to the Thirumaamani Mandapam to position themselves in front of the Moolavar Lord

Nam Azhvaar and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

It (Dec 16) is the first day of Margazhi and that is a special one at the seven Azhvaars praised Sarangapani Koil in Thiru Kudanthai. Special not just because of the birth of the sacred month of Margazhi, but every year, day one of Margazhi marks the beginning of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam. It is a unique historical tradition not followed in any other Divya Desam. While most other temples follow Vaikunta Ekadasi as the primary date for the Adyayana Utsavam with 10 days prior being the Pagal Pathu Utsavam and the following 10 days being the Era Pathu Utsavam, at the Sarangapani Koil it has been a centuries old tradition to start the Pagal Pathu Utsavam on the first day of Margazhi. While almost all the temples have created a Paramapada Vaasal opening for the Vaikunta Ekadasi Utsavam in the recent century, there is no Paramapada Vaasal at the Sarangapani Koil and the temple’s speciality is marked by the entrance from the South and North, coinciding with the Dakshinaya Punya Kaalam and Utharaayina Punya Kaalam.

The Adhyayana Utsavam is a 22 day event at the Sarangapani Koil with the conclusion marked by the presentation of Desikar Prabhandham. This utsavam will be immediately followed by the Thai Brahmotsavam.

The 10 day Oonjal Utsavam, celebrated in the evening, had just concluded the previous day. Soundara Raja Bhattar is one of the well respected Bhattars in the region for he is well versed in the agamas having learned from the then revered Raghunatha Sharma in Thiru Kudanthai. The Bhattar has performed Thiru Aradhanam at this temple for over three decades counts. His father L Srinivasa Bhattachar (Chellappa) too had performed selfless service at this temple for almost three decades including through the Challenging decades of the 1960s and 70s without a salary before collapsing one day at the Chakrapani Sannidhi and meeting with an untimely death when Soundara Raja Bhattar was just 9 years old.

He is up at 3.45am at the temple on Thursday morning for the Vishroopam on day one of Margazhi and his morning session extends right up to well past 1pm. There is an Margazhi Upanyasam slated for the evening at the Andal Sannidhi and he readies the huge garland for the Saint Poet.

Back at the Aaraavamudhan Sannidhi, all the azhvaar and acharya idols are being brought from their respective Sannidhis at the Eastern Entrance of the temple all the way to the Thirumaamani Mandapam by the service personnel of the temple. Just on day one of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam, the Thodakkam of the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham takes place in front of the Aaravamudhan Moolavar Sannidhi while on the rest of the days of the Utsavam, Sarangapani Perumal makes his way to the 100 Pillared Mandapam at the Eastern Entrance to listen to the Prabhandham presentation.

And hence it takes a lot of physical effort on the part of these limited service personnel of the temple to make almost 15trips back and forth to place the Azhvaars and Acharyas at their respective places at the Thirumaamani Mandapam. Starting at 11am, it is an exercise that takes well over an hour. By 12.30pm, there is a certain vibrancy in front of the Aaravamudhan Sannidhi with devotees to the Sannidhi having a once in a year darshan of all the Azhvaars and Acharyas at this mandapam. It is also the only day when they can go around all the Azhvaars and Acharyas in a Pradakshinam at this Sannidhi.

It is past 1pm when Soundara Raja Bhattar is able to lock the Moolavar Sannidhi having arrived there over 9 hours earlier!!!

Selfless Service of the Lone Madapalli Cook

It is a very long day and probably one of the most tiring for the temple’s lone cook Sudarshan. Paid a meager monthly salary for his tireless service by the HR &CE, Madapalli Sudarshan has been up at 3am this morning for the early morning Thaligai. He doubles up as the Sri Patham to carry the Azhvaars and Acharyas from their Sannidhis to the Thirumaamani Mandapam. He leads the presentation of the Uchi Kaalam Thaligai. In between he is also seen cleaning all the sacred vessels all by himself. He also has to anchor the Thaligai for the Pagal Pathu Thodakkam that is slated for 3pm. He has very little rest on the day.

Pagal Pathu Pallandu Thodakkam

Shortly after 2.45pm, the Prabhandham Scholars arrive one by one at the temple each one of them decked in a Panchakacham. Kumar Bhattachar, who is playing the anchor for the Pallandu Thodakkam reaches the Sannidhi at 3.30pm. There are a few traditional ladies of Thiru Kudanthai Divya Desam who are there for this sacred moment.

Just around 4pm, Kumar Bhattachar presents the Shatari to each of the Azhvaars and Acharya and after the introduction of each of them by Patrachar of Thiru Kudanthai, he begins the recital of Pallandu along with around 15 Prabhandham members.

Unlike most other occasions in the year, the Adhyayana Utsavam is marked by a presentation at a very steady pace. It takes over an hour to present the first hundred verses of the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham. Many outstation devotees who reach the temple at 5pm are in for a surprise for they are not aware of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam starting here on day one of Margazhi. They are delighted to have darshan of all the Azhvaars at this mandapam along with the darshan of Lord Aaravamudhan, seen in a Uthaana Sayana Kolam.

Krishna's Childhood activities - Neighbours/ Gopikas complain

It is 6.30pm when the second Canto of Periyazhvaar Thirumozhi is nearing its completion with the members presenting in a slow and loud chorus the Vennai Vizhingi set of verses where child Krishna’s neighbours complain about his various misdeeds to his mother. Around a hundred devotees have congregated inside the Thirumaamani Mandapam(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/krishna-neighbours-complain.html).

வெண்ணெய் விழுங்கி

வெறுங் களத்தை வெற்பிடை இட்டு கேட்கும்.......

...... புண்ணில் புளிப் பெய்தா லொக்கும் தீமை

It is a once in a life time opportunity for these outstation devotees to both have a darshan of all the Azhvaars at this mandapam as well as to listen to the devotional presentation of Periyazhvaar Thirumozhi narrating Krishna’s childhood activities.

Satru Murai in front of 100s of devotees

15 minutes later, the scholars present each of the Vedas followed by the final decad of the Second Canto of Periyazhvaar Thirumozhi. In the previous decad, the neighbours had complained about the misdeeds of Child Krishna. And now in this Satru Murai decad on the first evening of Pagal Pathu Utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/krishna-gopis-complain.html), the members present the complaints of the Gopikas.

ஆற்றில் இருந்து விளையாடு வோங்களைச் சேற்றால்

எறிந்து வளை துகில் கைக் கொண்ட

Damodara Dikshithar's Presence on Pagal Pathu Evening

It is well past 7pm and it has been a highly devotional 3hours at the Thirumaamani Mandapam. Madapalli Sudarshan makes an announcement to the Prabhandham members to head to the madapalli for ‘Arisi Upma’ Thaligai. The day’s Ubayadharars have a special darshan at the Moolavar Sannidhi while the hundred odd devotees finally manage a darshan of Lord Aaravamudhan having enjoyed the final couple of decads of the Prabhandham over the previous hour. Damodara Dikshithar too makes his way to the Moolavar Sannidhi on this first evening of Pagal Pathu Utsavam and is welcomed by Soundararaja Bhattar with his differentiated and unique presentation of the archanai praising Lord Aaravamudhan. He explains to the Dikshithar the legend of the Lord and his special sleeping posture acceding to the request of Thirumazhisai Azhvaar.

At 8pm, the Sri Patham Thangis, the service personnel at the temple, are back to carry all the Azhvaars and Acharyas back to their respective Sannidhis.The long day for Soundara Raja Bhattar ends shortly after 9pm with a visibly tired looking Madapalli Sudarshan, who has been working nonstop for over 15 hours, bringing in the Sayana Thaligai. Both of them sign off with the message that they will be back early morning for day two of Margazhi!!!

The rest of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam will take place at the 100 Pillared Mandapam with Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Thirvadi Thozhuthal slated for Saturday Dec 25 on the 10th day of the Utsavam.

When in Kumbakonam, visit these Divya Desams:

https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/06/divya-desams-around-kumbakonam.html

His great interest in the Sacred Verses of the Saivite Saint Poets from his teenage years has led him to sing 'Thevaram' for the last six decades

Thiruvachakam remains one of his favourites

As a young boy, Swaminathan (he belonged to a Vaishnavite family and his original name was Sarangapani), who hailed from Alathur Village in Thiru Karugavur, was a big Perumal devotee of the temple in Papanasam. It delighted his appa Nagarathinam, a farmer in the village, that his son was blessed with devotion even as early as when he was 7years old and he was keen to explore and progress the devotional intent of his son. He saw in his son something that was special and a life attached to God.

When Madurai Somu (his father in law belonged to Thiru Karugavur) came to the Papanasam temple for the Aadi Ubayam and presented nonstop Kutcheri through the night, Swaminathan's appa took the young boy to the music legend and expressed the state of mind of the boy.

Swaminathan, now 76, recalls the moment from that night in 1954 “It was late into the night. Madurai Somu had sung and enthralled the audience till 3am.As I stood before him, he asked me to sing a few lines. At that time, ‘Sinthanai Sei Manamey’ was my favourite and I presented that. He immediately told my appa that I had a great voice as well as devotion and asked him to initiate me into a voice related activity.”

And that’s how his appa put him into the Thiru Kadavur Patshala where he learned the Thevaram Verses for five years. Following this, he went to the Dharmapuram Atheenam and was initiated there for another two years.

All his interest lay in the Thevaram Verses

Even as a teenager he had transformed himself from being a normal academics student to one with a great interest in Thevaram songs. And thus at the Dharmapuram Atheenam, he converted himself to a Saivite and changed his name from Sarangapani to Swaminathan. For the last six decades, his life has been all about Thevaram songs.

At the age of 17, he joined the Kunrakudi Devakottai Atheenam as an Othuvar at a salary of Rs. 75. A few years later, he moved to Thirumangalam near Lalgudi and joined there as Othuvar at a salary of Rs. 125 and 2 Kalam Paddy.

The Brand 'Tiruttani Swaminathan'

The biggest turnaround in his life happened in 1975. When the HR & CE called for an Othuvar for the Tiruttani temple, he applied and with his experience of over a dozen years, he was found to be suited for the post. He served there for 26years and with that came the brand tag of ‘Tiruttani Othuvar Swaminathan’ at a salary of Rs. 750. “I have been financially self sufficient but all my life I have seen Othuvar as a service singing praise of God and out of my interest in singing these devotional verses of the Saint Poets. And it has been rewarding in every way.”

“HR &CE Commissioner Uthanda Ramar, IAS, encouraged Thevaram songs in temples in the 1950s. That was a boost to the Othuvars” he recalls the promotion of the sacred verses in an important phase in his life.

During this period, he travelled around the world on invitation from temples in Malaysia (Navarathri), South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland and Sri Lanka. With the head of the Thirupananthal and Dharmapuram Atheenam, he also went overseas to present the Thevaram verses.

He has bagged several coveted awards in his lifetime including the Kalaimaamani, Thirumurai Kalanidhi and Pannisai Peraringnar as well as Thiru Murai Rathna in Malaysia. He has released 50 CDs on Thevaram verses. He has also presented the sacred verses in big Kumbabhisekams including in Palani, Tiruchendur and Madurai. He is also an ‘A’ grade with the AIR.

A big highlight of his life

One of the big moments of his life was when he was invited for the Appar Kailaya Katchi on the Aadi Amavasya day at the Thiruvayaru temple in the 1970s. For over four decades, he has been presenting the Thevaram verses at this temple on this day every year "I feel blessed to have sung the verses of Appar on this most sacred day at Thiruvayaru for such a long time."

Appar

After his retirement from the Tiruttani temple, he joined VS Trust Patshala in Chidambaram as a teacher and rolled out students who are now in Swami Malai, Thiru Nallar and Thiruvotriyur. “It has been a great feeling to create the next generation of Othuvars. I have tried to pass on my knowledge to the youngsters and many of them have taken to it with great interest.”

He teaches around 30 students at the Dharmapuram Atheenam Patshala where he has been for the last decade the greatness of the 63 Nayanmars, the legends of Paadal Petra Sthalams and the significance of Thevaram Songs in addition to helping them learn the sacred verses.

“I was blessed with voice and devotion at a young age and the inspiration from Madurai Somu turned my life forever in the path of praising the Lord. And I have remained blessed throughout my life as I have been able to sing the verses for six decades without a break. Till my voice remains intact, I will continue to sing the sacred verses and initiate youngsters into this service.”

From the time he was 17, his life has centered around the Thevaram Verses, singing praise of the Lord each day of the year. Wherever there is a recital of the sacred verses, he stands by and listens to the presentation for that is what has given him the greatest satisfaction in life. At 76, he is now a frail figure and could have chosen to lead a quiet retired life. Instead, he has decided to continue to sing and teach the verses till the time his voice permits him to. And he continues to spend a lot of his time in creating the next generation of Othuvars.

The Priest has been serving at the ancient HR & CE temple for the last 35years – Currently at a Monthly Salary of Rs. 800

In 1985, Veda Narayanan was just 13years old and studying in his home town in Thiru Indhalur, a Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi (Indhalur). His appa Krishnaswamy Iyengar used to recite Divya Prabhandham at this temple. It was a time when the centuries old Varadaraja Perumal temple in Mel Mangai Nallur, a town about 5kms West of Sirupuliyur Divya Desam(Sirupuliyur Srikanthan) and 7kms East of Therazhundur Divya Desam was without a priest. His grandfather and grand uncle had been associated with the Aamaruviappan temple in Therazhundur Divya Desam and were also taking care of the temple in Mel Mangai Nallur.

They wanted the next gen to take over and along with the Pannayaar Maami, a long time resident of the agraharam, convinced Veda Narayanan, who was still a teenager and brought him from Thiru Indhalur to Mel Mangai Nallur to perform archaka service at this temple. Since then, for the last 35 years Veda Narayanan has been performing service at the HR & CE administered Varadaraja Perumal temple except for a brief phase when Sridhar Dikshithar (father of Prasanna Dikshithar of Mannargudi) took him to the Balaji Temple in Banaswadi for service there (Veda Narayanan had been married into a Mannargudi Dikshithar family).

He learned the basic lessons for archaka service from Kannan Bhattar (father of Vasan Bhattar) of Therazhundur Divya Desam. But he did not go deep into the agamas and restricted himself to a simple archaka work model.

Serving at a Monthly Salary of Rs. 800

For the last couple of decades, he has been performing service at this HR & CE administered temple at a monthly salary in the hundreds, with his latest salary being at Rs. 800. In the 20th Century, the income that was generated from the One Veli land that belonged to the temple and paddy from the harvest used to be handed to the priest for the temple expenses as well as his salary. But that was a story from decades ago. No more does any income accrue from the temple land. Only a big notice remains at the temple with a direction to the tenants to pay up the dues from the land.

No Processions

Street Processions or even inside processions have not taken place at the temple in decades for the utsava idol has been kept in safe custody at the Veeratana Kshetram of Vazhuvur.

Like Vasan Bhattar of Therazhundur Divya Desam (Therazhundur Vasan Bhattar) did many years ago, Veda Narayanan Bhattar too pays the electricity bill at the temple!!!

A Special Feature - Presence of Vibheeshna

The presence of an idol for Vibheeshana at the Rama Sannidhi is particularly satisfying for Veda Narayanan Bhattar. There are only a few temples with Moolavar Idols of Vibheeshana including one in the nearby Thiru Kannapuram Divya Desam. “You do not find idols of Vibheeshana in most temples. To be performing pooja for him is a blessed feeling” says Veda Narayanan Bhattar.

As with many other priests in remote temples in Tamil Nadu, including as seen recently with Sowri Rajan Bhattar at Pinna Vasal (Ayyur Temple), Veda Narayanan too began performing pooja in nearby temples for additional income.

Service at multiple village temples

He also goes on a two wheeler to the privately managed Veda Narayanan temple in Kappur on the banks of Veera Chozhan River. His appa had performed kainkaryam at this temple “I was born at Kappur and hence was named after the Lord there as Veda Narayanan.”

In addition, he has also been performing Thiru Aradhanam at the Lakshmi Narayanan Sannidhi in Velakudi (2kms from Manga Nallur) and Rajagopalan Perumal Temple in Komal, a temple visited by renowned Upanyasakar Krishnapremi and referred to as Ashta Gopala Puram in the centuries gone by. This is also the Abhimana Perumal for Therazhundur Aamaruviappan Divya Desam. The Moolavar at the Komal Perumal Temple too is Varadarajar.

Hastham Parikaram Temple, Komal

The nearby Shiva (Annapoorani) temple in Komal is seen as a Parikara Sthalam for devotees with Hastham star and hence this temple attracts those with Hastham star. The temple was also visited by High Court judge Indira Banerjee (Hastham star).

Over the last ten years, he has been performing daily pooja at the Chozha Period Ulagandha Easwaran temple, another HR & CE temple located a few 100 yards from the Varadaraja Perumal temple. Both these temples are said to date back to the Chozha Period going by the Karungal Constructions. There are also several historical inscriptions at the temple.

It is really the contribution from the agraharam residents in Mel Mangai Nallur and the trust relating to the Komal temple that have helped him financially with their Sambhavanai being significantly higher than that paid by the HR & CE.

His brother Sri Rangan has been performing Thiru Aradhanam at the Nara Narayanan Perumal temple at Thiru Nallar. A few years ago, he initiated his son into the Vedas by sending him to the Patshala in Thiru Nangur. He is hopeful that once he graduates from the Patshala he will be able to remain financially independent. Interestingly, against the current trend, he has just finalized for his daughter a groom who is into temple service“My daughter has agreed to marry one who is associated with temples and I am happy about that”, he told this writer this week.

A Contented Lifestyle

Veda Narayanan Bhattar says that despite all the financial challenges, he has no complaints in life. He has lived a contented life serving at the feet of the Lord for the last 35years. He visits multiple village temples each day of the year. In Margazhi, he starts very early and goes around from temple to temple to light the lamp and present the early morning Thaligai. The Consecration of the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Mangai Nallur took place in 2016 but his salary has remained static in three digits. He is unfazed by the financial challenges that he has seen in his life. ‘I have been blessed to perform archaka service. That is what has given me the biggest satisfaction” says Veda Narayanan Bhattar.

How does a Village Priest in an ancient temple live a family life with an official salary of Rs. 800 and minimal thattu kaasu. Veda Narayanan Bhattar has showed the way to devotional commitment in the last 35years. Truly a Committed and Devoted Village Priest.

Veda Narayanan Bhattar can be reached on 94440 19031.

Saturday evening marked the First Big Street Procession in a city temple in 9months

On the eve of the Aruthra Utsavam, the Pancha Moorthy Procession on the four Mada Streets around the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore delights devotees

This could pave the way for the resumption of street processions in other temples

It’s just past 7pm on Saturday (Dec 18) evening. Othuvar Sathgurunathar, with Othuvar Vageesan by his side, is all set to present each of the verses of Manickavachakar’s Thiruvembavai on the third and concluding day of the Oonjal Utsavam in front of the Navarathri Mandapam at the Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple.

It is a fairly sizeable crowd that has gathered either side of Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal to listen to Othuvar’s devotional presentation of Pon Oosal verses of Manickavachakar’s praise of Utharakosamangai, a Paadal Petra Sthalam near Ramanathapuram.

The First Big Street Procession in Madras since March

Over an hour later, it’s time for the Pancha Moorthy Procession on the eve of the Aruthra Utsavam at the Kapaleesawarar temple. Very few devotees are aware that this will be a procession around the four Mada Streets for the temple authorities had not let this news out. The permission from the Corporation had been secured by them and it is a very big moment for it is the first big Temple street procession in the city in nine months. Restrictions had been placed on street processions in the state since the breakout of the second wave of Covid 19.

The conches blow, the beating of the drums leads the procession and as is the norm these days, the cell phones rise high above the head to capture the deities.

A Sacred Moment at the Raja Gopuram

The Deepa Aradhanai at the Raja Gopuram is a sacred moment and the hundred odd devotees who have gathered there are all excited as the Lord turned towards the 16 Pillar Mandapam. Since March this year, it had only been processions inside the temple. More devotees join in to watch the snake dance presentation by the Sri Patham in front of the Raja Gopuram. A devotee enquires as to why he had not been alerted earlier regarding the street procession.

The shop owners on the East Mada Street are all delighted to welcome Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal at their door step. Devotees who are shopping at the South Mada Street are quite surprised to see a procession of Lord and Ambal, for no one has been a witness to a temple street procession for a major part of this year. They are even more surprised to hear that this is part of the Aruthra Utsavam celebrations for they are of the view that Margazhi Thiruvathirai falls on Monday with the celebration at the Chidambaram Sabha Nayakar temple slated for that day. She is told that it is a day earlier at the Kapali temple as was also seen with the opening day of Margazhi which was celebrated on Dec 15.

It is a fairly quick procession around the four streets and the deities are back at the 16 pillar mandapam in an hour. The Sripatham perform another dance in front of the Pillayar Sannidhi following the presentation of Neivedyam.

Nataraja and Sivakami to the Thiru Kalyana Mandapam

None of the regulars leave the temple for it is just the start of the night long celebration. Shortly after 10pm, the Pancha Moorthy idols are back and once the Artha Jaama Pooja is done with at the Swami Sannidhi, it is time for Nataraja and Sivakami to make their way to the Thiru Kalyana Mandapam at the East end of the temple.

An enjoyable late evening procession

It is a slow paced and beautiful step by step half hour procession inside the temple with Nataraja showcasing to the devotees his dancing skills to the tune of the music that is being played out. There are at least a hundred devotees in front of the Saneeswarar Sannidhi watching another presentation of the Snake dance. It is well past 10.30pm when Sivakami, followed by Nataraja enter the Thiru Kalyana Mandapam with hereditary priest Balaji Gurukal welcoming the couple for the Alankaram ahead of the midnight Abhisekam.

It had been a devotionally exciting four hours at the Kapaleeswarar temple and the Pancha Moorthy Procession on the four Mada Streets has given the devotees in the city the hope that this will be start of resumption of street processions in all temples in the city.

In Silent Service of Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kaathan

He joined the Nava Tirupathi Divya Desam in Puratasi 1999 at a monthly salary of Rs. 200. 22 years later, he gets Rs. 944/- with his salary having remained static at this level for 16years

As known to the regulars at the Nava Tirupathi temples in the last two decades, Ananthu Bhattar has not raised the issue of his financial challenges with the HR & CE, TVS’ Chairman Venu Srinivasan or with any devotee in the last two decades

Hailing from the Tiruvoimozhi Pillai clan, 47 year old Thiru Venkatam (Ananthu) Bhattar is acknowledged widely across the Nava Tirupathi Divya Desam as the most sincere and devotionally committed priest in that region. After 22 years of archaka service at this renowned Divya Desam, he still has not got an official posting with the HR &CE and his life as an archaka has been hanging in the balance for over two decades. Many service personnel have come after him in Nava Tirupathi at a much higher remuneration but this priest has remained a 'Silent Archaka' focusing on performing his duty and leaving the rest to Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kaathar.

Well Versed in the Agamas

As a youngster, he had been initiated into the daily Thiru Aradhanam process by Periya Thiruvadi Bhattar of Srivaikuntam Divya Desam (Kallarpiran Temple). In the 1990s, he learned the Pancharatra Agama for four years from Varada Ramanujam, Retired Principal of Tirupathi Patshala. He came back from Tirupathi to his native Azhvaar Tirunagari and served as a Paricharaka for three months at Sri Vaikuntam Kallarpiran Divya Desam.

Joins Thenthiruperai at Rs. 200!!!

He was to be appointed as the Archaka at Kallarpiran temple in Srivaikuntam when almost on the eve of his appointment, the archaka at Thenthiruperai quit and he was asked to take charge at Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kaathan Divya Desam on the first day of Puratasi in 1999 at a monthly salary of Rs. 200.

He performed 15days archaka service at the Moolavar Sannidhi while for rest of the month, he performed Thiru Aradhanam at the Thaayar Sannidhi. In 2002, the other archaka (Raja Mannar Bhattar) at the temple quit and Ananthu Bhattar was left all alone to serve at the Divya Desam including taking care of all the utsavams through the year.

Salary remains static at 944 for 16years!!!

Six years after he joined Thenthiruperai, his monthly salary was increased to Rs. 944 (Nett) in 2005. His wedding took place three years later in 2008 and he now has two school going daughters. However, for the last 16 years, the salary has remained static at that same level, quite unthinkable in any other service.

As is known to anyone who has visited Nava Tirupathi, he has not raised a word on this issue in these two decades including to the TVS officials, who have been paying Sambhavanai to the service personnel of all the temples in the region. Unlike many priests of Divya Desams in the Chozha region, Ananthu Bhattar has also not pursued activities such as temple consecration events that would been a source for some additional income and has instead stuck to archaka service at the Divya Desam.

Over the last two decades, he has also performed Kainkaryam during utsavams in Vaitha Maa Nidhi Divya Desam in Thiru Kolur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/09/thiru-kolur-vaitha-maa-nidhi-perumal.html) and at Periya Nambi (Periya Nambi Mannar Koil) and Koorathazhvaan Sannidhis in Azhvaar Tirunagari but each of these as a non financial service. His services are also sought at Thiru Venkatamudayan Sannidhi (a private temple run by Tiruvoimozhi Pillai clan) in Azhvaar Tirunagari where too he performs Kainkaryam without any financial returns.

TVS presented him with a monthly Sambhavani of Rs. 2000 in 1999 which was increased to Rs. 3000 in 2007.

Anchoring the Big Utsavams

Over the last two decades, he has been the one who has anchored the annual Brahmotsavam as well as all the major Utsavams at the Thenthiruperai Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/thenthiruperai-divya-desam.html). During the Brahmotsavam, since he is also the alankaram specialist, he has stayed back late into the night after the evening procession for the next morning’s vahana procession alankaram. It is known to most in this temple town that he does not return home in the nights to Azhvaar Tirunagari during the period of the Brahmotsavam.

Last decade, he had Krishnaswamy Bhattar (AK), who joined the Divya Desam after retirement from his corporate service, for support. In the last month or so, AK too has returned to Kanchipuram after facing health challenges during the Pandemic. In the last couple of years, he has been joined by the young Venkata Srinivasan (Rahul) Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/thenthiruperai-rahul-bhattar.html), whom he has been mentoring him at this Divya Desam.

It is unlikely that a corporate staffer at any level would remain silent if his salary remained static for 16years and also if he did not receive a confirmation of his posting after two decades of every day service. But Ananthu Bhattar is one of a kind Bhattar. He has not raised the financial issue with the HR & CE, TVS’ Chairman Venu Srinivasan or with any devotee in the last two decades. He has accepted life’s offerings and performed archaka service as best as he could at this Divya Desam.

Government Rules - For its workers

Those that have served a HR & CE temple for over 5 years have to get a confirmation and a Government posting as per the rules. Many EOs have come and gone in the last 22 years but not one has been able to get Ananthu Bhattar a confirmation of his job and he continues to serve almost as a temporary staffer without the Government staffer benefits. Whenever he gets (if he ever gets) the confirmation order as the official archaka of Thenthiruperai Divya Desam, one wonders if the 22 years (and more) of service will be taken into consideration for Pension and other benefits that accrue to a Government staffer for he has officially served at this Divya Desam since 1999.

Venu Srinivasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html) has made any number of trips in the last two decades to the Nava Tirupathi temples and there have been several archakas and service personnel who have placed requests before him that have been acceded to but not once has Ananthu Bhattar brought his precarious financial situation before the man who restored the entire Nava Tirupathi Divya Desams in the second half of the 1990s. And thus it has largely remained unattended to.

Firm Faith in the Doctrine of Bhagavad Gita

This writer has known Ananthu Bhattar for over 20 years and during this long period he has rarely spoken about the financial challenges in his life or the issues at the Divya Desam. When he came back from his agama initiation in the late 1990s, he had an option to go to Thiru Mogur Kaalamegha Perumal Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/07/thiru-mogur-kalamegha-perumal.html) where his cousins were performing service but decided to stick to his home town of Azhvaar Tirunagari and headed back to Nava Tirupathi soon after his agama initiation at Tirumala. When the opportunity came to perform archaka service at Thenthiruperai, he had no second thoughts even though it came at a monthly salary of Rs. 200!!! If ever there is to an example in TN Divya Desams of ‘Serving in Silence’, Ananthu Bhattar would fit that bill.

Placing Utmost faith in Thenthiruperai Lord

His wife of the last 13years has been supportive playing a role of mental strength in the background. She too has placed her entire faith in Makara Nedung Kuzhai Kaathan. It has been a long wait for the archaka service confirmation order from the HR & CE and for several years he has lived in the hope that the coming year would be the one when he gets that order from the HR &CE. But that has remained elusive todate. As another calendar year turns around, Ananthu Bhattar lives to serve another year with that same hope. It’s likely that one day the Lord of Thenthiruperai Divya Desam will open his eyes and shower his ‘financial’ blessing on Ananthu Bhattar. Till then, he will continue to follow the doctrine prescribed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita of ‘Do your work as sincerely as possible without expecting results’.

Ananthu Bhattar can be reached on 96889 51429/ 93605 53489

In Recognition of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's Contribution to Thiru Kudanthai

The Final Day of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam saw the enactment of Thirumangai Azhvaar falling at the feet of Lord Sarangapani in Total Surrender

In the early days, Vedic Recital was a prominent feature in the month of Margazhi. It was Thirumangai Azhvaar who wanted the Utsavam to be a Tamil Divya Prabhandham festival as against just the Vedic recital that existed before his time. The 10-day ‘Era Pathu' Festival called ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal' was specially created for the Lord to listen to the beautiful compositions of Nam Azhvaar and thus began the 10 day Divya Prabhandham Adyayana Utsavam. The first ten days of the Adyayana Utsavam -Pagal Pathu - was added later when Nathamuni wanted to create a festival for Thiru Mangai Azhvaar to recognise his contribution to the Divya Prabhandham.

Thirumangai Azhvaar had a special liking for Thiru Kudanthai and he went on to present a separate Prabhandham on this location. In Thiru- Ezhu- Kootriru-Kai, he created a 7 tiered structure in the form of a chariot where one could arrange the contents of the composition in line with this structure. In this composition, he praises the many great qualities of the Lord from his various Avataras. Thiru Mangai Azhvaar provides a beautiful description of the Lord mounted on the Garuda to save the elephant. He praises the Lord as being so powerful that when he rode on the ‘Five Feathered’ Garuda to save the ‘Four Legged- Three Ichored-Two Eared’ unique elephant Gajendra.

நால் திசை நடுங்க அம் சிறைப் பறவை ஏறி

நால் வாய் மும் மதத்து இரு செவி

ஒரு தனி வேழத்து அரந்தையை

ஒரு நாள் இரு நீர்மடுவுள் தீர்த்தனை

In the last ten lines of this pictorial composition, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar specifically showers praise on Lord Aravamudhan of Thiru Kudanthai. He gives us a glimpse of what Kudanthai looked like during his time. Referring to the reclining posture of the Lord, he says that the temple was surrounded by huge flower groves that seemed to give out nectar. There were betel creepers that seemed to produce a special fragrance through the year, thanks largely to being watered by the sacred Cauvery. Also the lands in Thiru Kudanthai were fertile with greenery all around. He praises Thiru Kudanthai as a place that had high mansions and it looked as though they were touching the moon.The entire place was filled with Vedic Seers and recital of Vedas was a regular feature here. It seemed to have a reverberating positive effect on the people.

குன்றா மது மலர்ச் சோலை வண்கொடிப் படப்பை

வரு புனல் பொன்னி மா மணி அலைக்கும்

செந்நெல் ஒண் கழனித் திகழ் வனம் உடுத்த

கற்போர் புரிசைக் கனக மாளிகை

நிமிர் கொடி விசும்பில் இளம் பிறை துவக்கும்

செல்வம் மல்கு தென் திருக்குடந்தை

அந்தணர் மந்திர மொழியுடன் வணங்க

Recognising Thirumangai Azhvaar's Contribution

In recognition of Thirumangai Azhvaar’s contribution to this Divya Desam, a special one of its kind event takes place on the tenth and final day of the Pagal Pathu utsavam at the Sarangapani Koil in Thiru Kudanthai. The Utsavam that begins every year on the first day of Margazhi runs for 22 days with the flag hoisting for the Thai utsavam on the last day (Jan7, 2022). On Saturday (Dec 25), the Utsava Deity, Sarangapani, decked in a beautiful light blue vastram was at the 100 pillared Mandapam by 1pm along with all the Azhvaars and Acharyas. The entire Mandapam had been beautifully decorated. There were a few local residents who sat by to the listen to the final cantos of Thirumozhi.

By 1.30pm, the Prabhandham members were ready to begin the 9th Canto of Periya Thirumozhi verse on Thiru Kannangudi. With the Vedantha Desikar temple in Mylapore (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/vedantha-desikar-srinivasa-perumal.html) seeing a ‘silent’ period this month and with this special event falling on a Saturday this year, many members of the Prabhandham team from Mylapore made their way to the Sarangapani temple for the Pagal Pathu Satru Murai and the presentation of Thirumangai Azhvaar's verses. There were also many service personnel who had turned up on this day to help out with the grand celebration that was to take place over the next 9hours.

Unlike most other Divya Desams, a feature at the Sarangapani Koil has been the very slow presentation of the Divya Prabhandham during the Adyayana Utsavam. On each of the days of Thirumangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi (day 6 to 10 of the Pagal Pathu utsavam) presentation, the Prabhandham members led by Patrachar recited each Canto over a 90 minute period and the final day was no different.

Thirumangai Azhvaar Thiruvadi Thozhuthal

Having started at 1.30pm on this Saturday afternoon with the presentation of the 9th, 10th and 11th Cantos of Thirumozhi, the clock had ticked almost to 6pm when the Prabhandham members began the Satru Murai verses of Periya Thirumozhi. The crowd had swelled to over a hundred to witness this grand celebration of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar falling at the feet of Sarangapani.

In conclusion in his 47 line Prabhandham on Thiru Kudanthai, Thirumangai Azhvaar invokes the blessings of Lord Aravamuthan to get rid of his past karmas and to bring an end to his worldly life and praises the Lord as the only one who can do this. He asks for permission to perform daily service to the Lord here at Thiru Kudanthai.

நின் ஆதி இணை பணிவன்

வரும் இடர் அகல மாற்றோ வினையே

Even as the members began the slow rendition of the final decade of Thirumozhi verses, Thirumangai Azhvaar made a slow walk towards Lord Sarangapani at the 100 Pillared Mandapam and much like popular Nam Azhvaar Moksham in Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/12/nammazhvaar-moksham-in-srirangam.html) that was witnessed a day earlier, Thirumangai Azhvaar, in a devotional moment, fell at the feet of Sarangapani in absolute surrender to the Lord. Chakravarthy Bhattar presented the Thiru Aradhanam and a Parivattam to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

The Pagal Pathu Utsavam came to an end with the presentation of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Thiru Kurungthandagam and Thiru Nedunthandagam. As is now the trend in most temples, the devotee crowd more than doubled by 830pm when it was time for the presentation of Thaligai.

Sarangapani heads back at 10pm after a long day

It had been a day of great celebration of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on this 10th and final day of the Pagal Pathu Utsavam at the Sarangapani Koil. While most of the Mylapore Prabhandham members had left for the day, Prasanna (popularly referred to as ‘Dollar’), for whom this is a favourite temple, stayed back for the return trip at 10pm of Sarangapani (after all the Azhvaars and Acharyas had made their way to their respective Sannidhhis) to the Moolasthanam donning the role this time of the drum beater watched by a few local devotees late on Saturday evening.

It had been a long Saturday for the priests at the temple with the day having started for them with Margazhi morning sevai at 5am. Soundararajan Bhattar (Thiru Kudanthai) was the lone man at the Komalavalli Thayar Sannidhi waiting for Lord Sarangapani to return to his abode with Naana Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/02/sarangapani-koil-naana-bhattar.html) leading the way from the 100 Pillared Mandapam.

The Era Pathu Utsavam commences on Sunday evening at 7.30pm with Nam Azhvaar Thiruvadi Thozhuthal event enacted on the fifth day of the utsavam (Dec 30).

Kettai Star Parikara Sthalam

77 year old Vijayaraghavan Archakar has helped transform the once dilapidated temple at the Periya Nambi Thiruvarasu into a vibrant one with devotees thronging in thousands on Margazhi Kettai

In the 1980s, the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Pasupathi Koil, the location of Periya Nambi Acharya’s Thiruvarasu was in a dilapidated state. The Thayar Sannidhi had sunk beneath. There were no devotees at the temple. Traditional residents at nearby Ayyampettai had left seeking greener pastures in cities and the vibrant Vaishnavite Agraharam had become a thing of the past. Samprokshanam had not been performed for several decades. The outer walls had broken off. The Moolavar idol was alone intact.

K. Vijayaraghavan, a resident of the Ayyampettai Agraharam, belonged to a Weaving family from the Pattu Saaliyar Community. His appa Krishnaswamy had been a weaver all his life. Vijayaraghavan was a devoted boy right from his childhood. He would present bhajans at the nearby Venkateswara Gana sabha. He was also part of the Ramayana drama that was presented in Ayyampettai.

Takes over as archaka of a Dilapidated Temple

It was in the late 1980s that the community came together to restore the temple. Vijayaraghavan archakar recalls the first donation from Thiruvallikeni “Kuppu Ranga Das ran a Vessels shop in Thiruvallikeni and sent Rs. 500 for the temple. That was the first step towards the restoration of the temple.”

Vijayaraghavan was appointed as the archaka in 1990 aged 46. However, with absolutely no income at the temple and with no devotees at that time, the Pattu Saliyar Community that managed the temple offered him no salary but said that he could take all the Thattu Kaasu that came his way“There was no Thattu Kaasu at all but it was a great blessing to be serving the Lord at the Periya Nambi Thiruvarasu.”

For five years, he worked towards the development of the temple and a consecration was performed for possibly the first time in the 20th century. The Thayar Sannidhi was restored. He recalls how the residents reacted to his taking over as the archaka “We did not have a child. Hence people would often comment that I could afford to perform archaka service at zero salary and without thattu kaasu. But I was committed to restoring the temple.”

He would perform morning Thiru Aradhanam and present Thaligai to Varadaraja Perumal. By 1995, he had shut down his weaving unit and has spent the last 25years dedicating himself fully to the Lord at Pasupathi Koil.

Being a temple at the Periya Nambi Thiruvarasu, he began to draw devotees on the occasion of Kettai Star. By the turn of the century, around 50 devotees began making their way to the temple on the Monthly Kettai Star. Also, every Saturday, he performed Thirumanjanam in the morning and distributed Puliyotharai to the devotees.

With the initiatives from the devotees, new sannidhis for Anjaneya and Chakkarathazhvaar were constructed in the last decade. The outer wall that had fallen off had been reconstructed by the turn of the century. Having brought in more devotees to the temple, Vijayaraghavan Archakar introduced Hanuman Jayanthi, Ramanuja Jayanthi and Thirumanjanam every Shravanam.

The biggest turnaround he has initiated in the last three decades is the interest among on the Margazhi Kettai day every year, organizing celebrations in memory of Periya Nambi. This has caught on so well that a thousand devotees throng the temple every year on this day. Divya Prabhandham presentation by Bhagavathas, bhajans and Thaligai for the 1000 devotees is organised on this day.

Transforms Temple in three decades

Similar to the Navagriha temple, the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Pasupathi Koil has grown in popularity as a Kettai Parikara Sthalam. The temple itself now wears a completely transformed look compared to what it was three decades ago. There is a breath of fresh air and a positive vibration has been created at the temple. From no aradhanam in the 1980s, he initiated a one-time pooja in the early 90s. Now he is present both in the morning and evening. Bhagavathas visit the temple on special occasions every month and recite the Divya Prabhandham.

31 years after he took over as the archaka, the now 77year old Vijayaraghavan continues to serve without a salary depending solely on the Thattu Kaasu. Unmindful of the lack of income, he is happy and contented ‘I am happy that I have played a part in the transformation of this temple. Devotees come asking for Kettai Parikaram pooja and their lives have seen a positive change. That has given me the greatest satisfaction in these three decades.”

A Kettai Parikara Sthalam

In the 1980s, the descendants of Periya Nambi (Mannar Koil Periya Nambi Acharya) came here looking for the Thiruvarasu. In 30 years, this has become a popular destination for Kettai star devotees. And Vijayaraghavan archakar can take almost the entire credit for this transformation. With age catching up with him, he now has Narayanan Bhattar, aged 59, as an assistant, so he can take over from him at some point in the future.

Vijayaraghavan archakar is now happily looking forward to this Saturday when he expects 1000s of devotees from across the state and outside to visit the temple on the occasion of Margazhi Kettai when the temple will be open through the day. Devotees also visit the temple after the Garuda Sevai darshan at Thiru Mandangudi (Thondarapodi Avathara Utsavam) on Margazhi Kettai. The annual Kettai utsavam will be celebrated this Saturday (Jan 1).

Pasupathi Koil is 10kms East of Thanjai Maa Mani Koil Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/08/thanjai-maa-mani-divya-desam.html) and South of Kapisthalam Divya Desam (Kapisthalam Seshadri Bhattar).

Vijayaraghavan Archakar can be contacted on 88707 48606

Round the clock friendly service

Idly, Poori and Dosai is available on Platform 1 till after 1am, and Hot Pongal - Vadai and 'Kumbakonam Special' Coffee for the early morning Chendur and Uzhavan Express Passengers

The light vegetarian stall on Platform 1 at the Kumbakonam Railway station has a unique feature. It is about the only shop in a station in Tamil Nadu that is open round the clock, almost. And easily it has got one of the most friendly staffers.

For the early morning Tiruchendur Madras Express and Uzhavan Express, the stall offers hot Idly and Pongal with Chutney and Sambar. A few hours later for the Chozhan Express, the stall is fresh with Lemon Rice, Sambar Rice and Curd Rice. When the Jan Shatabdhi arrives just after 3pm from Mayiladuthurai, the light Veg refreshement stall run by Raman is back with Poori, Idly and Dosai.

Late Night Hot Dosai

And for the night trains starting Mayiladuthurai Mysore Express and running through till 1am after the arrival of Rameswaram Madras Express, a hot idly is always on offer. Plain Dosai is made hot and fresh right in front of the Passenger’s nose through the evening.

The Kumbakonam famous coffee is a big hit through the day and night with the passengers.

The service is always with a smile. Never in a decade has the staff refused change when a big currency has been handed to them. Hygiene is also maintained well. All the items are reasonably priced with three idlies costing Rs. 20 and a Plain Dosai Rs. 15.

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