Vasan Bhattar anchors a revival of the Brahmotsavam to its historical grandeur
Vennaithaazhi and the Chariot Procession as praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar take place with great devotee interest
'Voyali on Wheels' as part of the Horse Vahana Procession is a new trend
It is a hot summer's day in May and the revered Vasan Bhattar is seen with a turban on his head as sweat beats down on his body in the sweltering heat during the Chariot Procession. He has at his outstanding best once again with his leadership and people management skills coming to the fore at the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam at the Devathirajan Divya Divya in Therazhundur.
Way back in 2008, this temple was in a bad shape. The physical infrastructure was in a dilapidated state. It was a phase when the temple did not have money to pay even the electricity charges and the connection was even disconnected for this reason. Vasan Bhattar had an internal drive to revive the fortunes of the temple. In the 1980s, his appa, Kannan Bhattar, who passed away a few years ago, asked him to take care of the temple and took a promise that he would perform Kainkaryam with sincerity and devotion and without financial returns in mind. That early phase in the 80s and 90s were challenging for Vasan Bhattar but he was determined to around the fortunes of the temple at the turn of the century.
On Wednesday morning, standing in front of the Chariot, Vasan Bhattar told this writer that Srikanthan Bhattar has turned out into an alankaram specialist “I initiated him into alankarams and found him to be taking great interest in decorating the Perumal. Throughout this Brahmotsavam, he does the decoration of the Utsavar and each of the Thiru Kolams that one sees through the Utsavam is Srikanth’s work.”
சேடேறு பொழில் தவழும் எழில் கொள் வீதி
திருவிழவில் மணி அணிந்த திண்ணை தோறும்
ஆடேறு மலர்க்குழலார் பயிலும் செல்வத்து
அணி அழுந்தூர் நின்று உகந்த அமரர் கோவே
Venkatesh Bhattar has turned into a Thiru Aradhanam and Homam specialist. Through the seven hours of the Chariot procession on Wednesday on the 9th day of the Utsavam, he was atop the Chariot performing archanai for devotees. Venkatesh Bhattar has been the right hand man for Vasan Bhattar for many years and has been a pillar of strength at all utsavams at Therazhundur.
Hari Sundar, who learned the agamas at Velukkudi Krishnan’s Patshala in Srirangam, is a specialist in Thirumanjanam and Samprokshanams. Every year, Vasan Bhattar performs consecration in at least 10 temples jointly with these three mentee priests.
These three were not the only support personnel for Vasan Bhattar. He roped in his 83 year father in law, Lakshmana Dikshithar, from Mannargudi to take care of the darshan at the Moolavar Sannidhi. With ‘Babu Dikshithar' as he is popularly known in the temple circles at the Sannidhi both in the morning and evening, Vasan Bhattar has been able to focus on the strenuous Brahmotsavam and all the challenges that come along with it.
On Wednesday morning for example, the optic fibre overhead wire on the East Street was not cut until 945am, a full 45minutes after the Chariot began its procession. Despite the presence of HRCE authorities and local politicians, it finally needed phone calls from Vasan Bhattar to get the desired result and for the Chariot to move on.
Srikanthan Bhattar and the Vennaithaazhi Alankaram
Srikanthan Bhattar told this writer on Tuesday morning even as scores of devotees looked in awe at the beautiful Vennaithaazhi alankaram that he owes it to Vasan Bhattar for mentoring him and giving him opportunities to decorate the Lord “With repeated presentations year after year, I have begun to like performing the various alankarams. Vasan Bhattar has reposed complete faith in me to decorate Aamaruviappan each day of this utsavam and I feel blessed to be the one assigned with this opportunity every year now for many years.”
Early in the morning, the one legged Srikanthan Bhattar heads back in his special TVS Scooty (presented to him last year by a Chennai based devotee) to Sirupuliyur to perform his daily archaka Kainkaryam at the Kripasamudram Divya Desam and he comes back after his service there for the late night alankaram.
Vasan Bhattar’s elder brother and Pancharathra expert Raman Bhattar (
https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/08/pancharatra-agama-temple-administration.html) too made his way to the Utsavam on this 8th day and he was there through the Chariot Procession as well. So too was his son Balaji, a Robotic expert, who performs Kainkaryam at the Utsavams at Therazhundur, Thiru Cherai and Thiru Nagai outside of his professional work.
Vasan Bhattar’s 2nd son has joined a global IT firm in a WFH model. He too performed Kainkaryam at this utsavam being part of the procession.
8th Morning of the Brahmotsavam- The Lord with the Butter
It is just past 6am on Tuesday as Aamaruviappan makes his way from the temple displaying his Vennaithaazhi alankaram. At every house on the north side of the temple tank, devotees present butter in good quantity and each of them just cannot away their eyes of the Lord
குணரால் மாறி தடுத்தவனை
குழ வேழம் அன்று பொன்றாமை
அத்தானுக்கு அருள் செய்த போரேற்றை
அன்று ஆவின் நறு நெய் அமர்ந்து உண்ட
அணி அழுந்தூர் நின்றானை
அடியேன் கண்டு கொண்டு நிறைந்தேனே
At the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Sannidhi on the Sannidhi Street, the Prabhandham members begin the presentation of Therazhundur Paasuram of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Thirumozhi. On this 8th day of the utsavam, it is customary for the Ghosti to begin with the verses on Therazhundur. The members are also presented with a brand new book comprising the verses of Desikar Prabhandham.
Through the three hour procession, devotees welcome Aamaruviappan at the entrance of their homes with butter.
Differences within Vadakalai Prabhandham members
A sour event of this morning’s procession was the difference of opinion within the Prabhandham members half way into the North Street. Only last week, this writer had featured a story on the ugly fight between Thenkalayars and Vadakalaiyars at the Brahmotsavam in Kanchipuram (
https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/kanchi-varadar-brahmotsavam-thenkalai.html). Just after 8am, one set of Vadakalai Prabhandham members wanted to take a detour to the newly built Andavan Ashram off the North street while another set of Vadakalai members refused to join and continued with their recital on the North street!!! The members who went to the Andavan Ashram stopped their recital and joined the other group a little later. Of course, Perumal did not make it to the new Ashram and he continued on his procession along the North Street.
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Vasan Bhattar told this writer on Wednesday morning that he was not for any innovations during procession and HRCE’s instructions to him has been that no new routes should be added to the procession.
நீரில் பணைத்த நெடு வாளைக்கு
அஞ்சிப் போன குருகு இனங்கள்
ஆரல் கவுனோடு அருகு அணையும்
அணி ஆர் வயல் சூழ் அழுந்தூரே
It is the day of the utsavam when Aamaruviappan stays at the Ahobila Mutt through the day after the morning procession. Just past 11am, a Thirumanjanam was performed.
Horse Vahana - A Distinctive Posture
Late on Tuesday afternoon, Srikanthan Bhattar was back at the Mutt for the Raja Alankaram atop the Golden Horse Vahana. A distinctive feature of the alankaram is that Perumal is seen facing the devotees to the right of the horse as against the horse vahana processions in non chola regions where Perumal is facing forward in line with the horse.
Hari Sundar Bhattar who was the archaka on this late night procession told this writer that in the padippu that takes place on the last day of the utsavam, the Lord is described as providing darshan solely for the devotees and that he wants them to have a full display of his alankaram. This is the reason Hari Sundar Bhattar says that Aamaruviappan has historically been facing the direction of the devotees during this Horse Vahana procession.
Tradition continues
Another historic tradition in remote villages continues to this day in Therazhundur. It is Tuesday and the day of the weekly Santhai. It is almost 9.30pm as Aamaruviappan majestically strolls around on to the South Street, those in several hundreds from the Vibrant Santhai have darshan. The wholesale market is abuzz and business is at its peak as the Lord makes his way past this business center on Tuesday night.
Voyali on Wheels!!!
Just after 9pm, a very interesting event took place at the East end of the Sannidhi street. Voyali on the Horse Vahana evening is popular across Divya Desams. Of course, in remote temples in Tamil Nadu, Perumal has over the last decade been carried on wheels during the street processions. But this one was indeed different. The Sripatham performed real fast paced Voyali on Wheels!!! After Perumal had been mounted on to the wheels and following the Prabhandham presentation of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s first set of verses of the Periya Thirumozhi, the Sripatham made three fast paced 200 meter laps back and forth from the Ahobila Mutt to near the Ther. It was a stunning exhibition of Voyali on Wheels that left Vasan Bhattar holding his breath for the Sannidhi Street is still a mud road!!!
The Prabhandham Ghosti move far too ahead
The Prabhandham members gather from different parts of the state for this utsavam and hence are not regulars at the temple through the year. Given this background, they went on to the North street during the Horse Vahana Procession even while Perumal was still in the South Street!!! Even right at the end, they had made their way back to the temple completing the Thirumozhi verses when Devathirajan had not yet turned on to the Sannidhi Street near the Ther. Throughout the morning and evening procession, there were those leading the recital, then a few of them behind leaving a gap of a few yards and then another third set of members even farther behind and constantly talking amongst themselves leading to no sync between the lead group and those far behind - such was the devotion of this Prabhandham group on the two street processions on the eighth day!!!
Interestingly, given their diverse backgrounds and joining together just for this utsavam, it was left to Vasan Bhattar to remind the Prabhandham members at the start of the Horse Vahana Procession that following the Vadinen Verses, they had to continue the Thirumozhi verses from where they had left off in the morning (i.e after the Thiru Kurungudi Paasuram)!!!
Past midnight - Raja Alankaram for the Chariot Procession
It was well past 11pm when Devathirajan made his way back to the temple on the Horse Vahana. There were just a few hours to go before he was to make his way to the Chariot. After Venkatesh Bhattar dismantled the Lord from the Horse Vahana, Srikanthan Bhattar got to the Raja Alankaram well past midnight on Tuesday.
After just an hour’s sleep, Vasan Bhattar is back at the temple at 3.30am on Wednesday ahead of the Chariot procession. He has got such a well oiled machine running in this Divya Desam that every Kainkaryapara is on time including the Sripatham personnel, the nagaswaram troupe and the Theevatti.
Sharp at 5am, Aamaruviappan makes a majestic march to the Chariot led in the front by the Prabhandham members reciting the Madal. At 5.45am, the Chariot takes a symbolic step forward before retiring for a few hours. Soon after, the Prabhandham members complete their presentation of Thiru Kurunthandagam and Thiru Nedunthandagam and Vasan Bhattar calls for Satru Murai. He had told this writer last year that the Chariot procession signifies the completion of their presentation and the final set of Tiruvoimozhi verses later in the evening is presented by his team as the Prabhandham members would have moved on by then.
Srikanthan and Vasan Bhattar
A century ago, people from 18 villages around Therazhundur landed up in the town on the day of the Chariot Festival to pull the Chariot along the four big streets during the Brahmotsavam to the beating of drums and the blowing of trumpets. It was a grand affair similar to the one narrated by Thirumangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi.
70 Year old TK Kannan who is now into farming and has been residing at the North end of the West street recalls his appa telling him that there were years when the Chariot would take four days to complete its procession “It was all muddy streets full of pits and holes. The Chariot would get stuck at many places during the procession. And would remain there through the night with the archaka standing guard. People came in from Melaiyur, Raghupathy Kattalam, Sennai Nallur And Thozhalakudi for the Chariot Festival. One person from every household was assigned to participate in the festival and each to make some contribution in terms of service during this festival. We used to be paid half a rupee for Sripatham service and were also provided sacred prasadam.”
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He is happy that those days are behind us and that the Lord makes his in 4-5 hours around the four streets. Kannan has nostalgic memories of the good old days “The Sannidhi street was vibrant with 100s of Vaishnavite family. The North Street too was full of the traditional families who performed Kainkaryam at the temple. However, in both these streets, this has come down to about two families for all the traditionalists sold their homes and went away to bigger cities in search of jobs. It is only now that they are wanting to make a comeback.”
The Popularity of the Chariot Festival
Even a 1000 years ago, the Chariot Festival was popular at Therazhundur. Thirumangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi says that big dust rose from the movement of the chariot along the wide streets of Therazhundur. The women were all excited as they lined up the porticos of their homes to watch the Lord in procession. They even used the smoke as perfume for their body.
பகலும் இரவும் தானே ஆய்
பாரும் விண்ணும் தானே ஆய்
நிகரில் சுடராய் இருள் ஆகி
நின்றார் நின்ற ஊர் போலும்
துகிலும் கொடியும் தேர்த்துகளும்
துன்னி மாதர் கூந்தல் வாய்
அங்கிளின் புகையால் முகில் ஏய்க்கும்
அணி ஆர் வீதி அழுந்தூரே
To invoke the blessings of the Lord for good rain ahead of the monsoon season, young Vedic Seers were seen performing fire sacrifices three times a day. It seemed as if the smoke from the fire sacrifice clouded the high sky. There was non-stop chanting of the Tamil and Sanskrit works by these Vedic Scholars. The conch blew on auspicious occasions almost as an alert to the devotees.
முந்தி வானம் மழை பொழியும்
மூவா உருவின் மறையாளர்
அந்தி மூன்றும் அலை ஓம்பும்
அணி ஆர் வீதி எழுந்தூரே
Vasan Bhattar told this writer that the EB folks had to disconnect the line across the four streets before the Chariot could start on its full procession and that the usual time from the East street was around 9am. In yet another new development, the Chariot was pulled out on to the East Street by two tractors.
However, on this Wednesday morning, after the EB personnel had cut off the lines, everyone found to their dismay that the fibre optic cable was hanging overhead at two points on the East Street. It was 9.45am when these two cables were brought down for the procession to continue. It was a hot and sultry day but the devotees had gathered in several hundreds to pull the chariot with great devotion. On the South street, the Chariot got locked into the Electricity post and the EB personnel had to intervene once again. It was past 11am when Devathirajan made his way on to the Mela Veethi.
After almost a seven hour procession, he came back to the Sannidhi Street well past 4pm on Wednesday. It was a long day for the devotees but all of them found great joy in pulling Aamaruviappan around the four streets.
Vasan and Venkatesh Bhattar
For Vasan Bhattar and his team, it was great relief that the challenging Chariot Procession had been completed without too many scars though it took longer than expected today. For several decades till the start of this century, the big Chariot hadn’t run. The restoration of the Chariot was anchored by Vasan Bhattar and this has now become one of the popular days in the year with people all the nearby villages joining in large numbers to show their devotion.
It has been a great turnaround at this Divya Desam, one that has been fashioned completely by Vasan Bhattar with the help of his mentees. Vasan Bhattar reminds this writer that those like Venkatesh Bhattar and Srikanthan Bhattar are not paid any Sambhavanai for their Kainkaryam through the ten days of the utsavam, such is their devotional commitment to the Lord of Therazhundur.
