Temple, Travel and Sport

In six years since he took charge, Neelakanta Sastrigal has revived the dilapidated Patshala and created a certain positive vibrancy in Pazhur that is now seeing a return of the traditionalists to the agraharam

This section had featured a story way back in 2018 on the decision of the then 30 year old R Neelakantan Sastrigal to let go a life in Chennai and to return to a remote town to resurrect a Patshala whose infrastructure was in a dilapidated state and with not too many students. He had a lucrative career in the offing in Chennai but he and his wife took a call to return to the roots and moved to Pazhur Village, located about 10kms west of Thiruvanaikaval to revive the century old Patshala, run by Sankara Mutt.

A Glorious Revival in 6years

Six years later, Neelakantan Sastrigal has made remarkable progress with the Patshala. When he took over as the Acharya (this writer spent a long time going around every room in the Patshala in 2018 to take a look at the infrastructure), the roofs were on the verge of falling off, the walls were in broken state and students were hesitant to come. In 2024, he has just completed a complete renovation of the Patshala with the support of well wishers and devotees who, impressed with his devotional commitment to keep the Vedic tradition going, have been willing to come forward to participate in the infra restoration. The entire Patshala in the Pazhur Agraharam opposite the Perumal temple now wears a fresh new look and bears no resemblance to the scenario that existed in the second half of the previous decade.

Students graduate, get married!!!

A set of students have graduated from the Patshala and have settled down in many different traditional locations in Tamil Nadu including in the historical temple town of Thiruvidai Maruthur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/12/thiruvidaimaruthur-mahalingam-temple.html). Their high fluency in the Vedas and the in-depth knowledge instilled in them by Neelakantan Sastrigal and the confident demeanor and the strong communication skills has meant that the families of prospective brides too have been forthcoming to have a discussion and this has translated into marriage for a few of these boys into their early 20s, much against the current trend!!!

New Students now interested to join this Patshala

Another new set of boys have joined the Patshala and the strength of the Patshala topped 20 at its peak. While there was apprehension in the 2nd half of the previous decade, with positive feedback from outgoing students, many parents are now wanting to hand over their sons to the watchful care of Neelakantan Sastrigal.

Family support

His wife, Ganga, has been a pillar of strength playing the role of a mother to all these kids over the last six years taking personal care of them through their Vedic learning phase at this patshala.

"While I also focus on the administrative aspects including spending time on the restoration exercise, my brother Vyakarana Rathna Brahmashri Manikantha Ganapadigal has been a great source of strength in this phase donning the role of a Vedic teacher and initiating the knowledge in these students" Neelakantan Sastrigal told thos writer.

Without the support of his brother, it would have been even more challenging for him to undertake the restoration of the Patshala.

A record breaking 300 day Danda Krama Parayanam initiative

Neelakantan Sastrigal is currently undertaking a mega initiative of getting his students to present a 300 day ‘Sampoorna Rig Veda Danda Krama’ Parayanam. Almost a year - long every day parayanam has not been conducted this century and that is a significant and bold step taken by him, one that is giving great confidence to his wards.

When this writer visited the Patshala this month, it was the 142nd day of non stop Parayanam without a break. It is a parayanam initiative that Neelakanta Sastrigal started on the day of the consecration of the Rama temple in Ayodhya in January this year. Since that day, this has been going on without a break with each Parayanam running up 1.5 hours every evening. He is also delighted with the fact that this one of its kind parayanam by students has been blessed by Periyava.

June 2024 - The Vedic Students with their Acharya

Recognition by Periyava

Previously, Neelakantan Sastrigal had initiated a long 200day Rig Veda Gana Parayanam in 2020-21 during the Pandemic phase. Following the successful completion of that Parayanam, Periyava anointed the 8 students with the title of ‘Jata Vallabha’ at an event in Kanchipuram. For completion of Lakshanam under the tutorship of Neelakantan Sastrigal, Periyava presented bracelets to those students as a mark of recognition of their successful completion of their learning. Some of the students who graduate at the Sankara Mutt Patshala in Thiruvanaikaval come to Neelakantan Sastrigal for higher education at Pazhur.

While the physical infrastructure in the Patshala has been completely transformed and does not bear any resemblance to the dilapidated state that existed six years ago, Neelakantan Sastrigal has also undertaken a few other initiatives at the Patshala. As part of his Go Samrakshanam initiative, he is taking care of a few cows at the rear of the Patshala. The infrastructure for this Go Shala too has been upgraded.

Solar System to save Power Costs

Interestingly, Neelakantan Sastrigal is high on technology and has been digitising a lot of the Vedic Scriptures. Given the huge electricity costs that has been running up at the Patshala, he has this year implemented a solar power system through a devotee and this will result in huge savings in power costs.

Anchoring almost all by himself, Neelakantan Sastrigal has fashioned a complete restoration of the Sankara Mutt run Patshala building – the costs of over Rs. 50lakhs have all been borne by like minded devotees whose interest has been in protection of the Vedic tradition. He is all excited about taking this second batch of students to the next level in Vedic Learning.

2018 - Patshala and the students

Committed to the Vedic Cause

Way back in 2018, a young Neelakantan Sastrigal, ably supported and backed by his wife, took that bold step to quit the city life and come to Pazhur to revive this Patshala. He can now proudly look back at phase one of his life here at the Pazhur Patshala with great satisfaction for he has restored the physical infrastructure to a level where there is great positive vibration for anyone entering the patshala even as the Agraharam reverberates to the non-stop presentation of the Vedic verses by these young students.

He is also encouraging his wards to raise the bar and trying to get them to achieve the seemingly impossible. While the 200day parayanam was a great start a few years back during the Pandemic phase, the current one of the 300 day Danda Krama Parayanam by a dozen students without a break is something that has not been achieved in the first two decades of this century by any patshala students. And that is a significant push by Neelakantan Sastrigal to get the students to the next higher level of devotion as they render the sacred verses each day for over an hour as a group for almost a year.

Revival not just of the Patshala but the Agraharam as well

The infrastructure restoration of the dilapidated Patshala and the big student interest in Vedic learning has given a great bit of satisfaction and happiness to this 36 year old Vedic Acharya. Interestingly, after the revival of the Patshala and the positive vibration that it has brought, the Agraharam itself has seen a revival with traditionalists coming back to this town in good numbers over the last year or so. And many more are looking to return to their ancestral location. A good bit of credit for this too goes to Neelakantan Sastrigal for his unwavering devotional commitment to create the next generation of Vedic Students with a high degree of expertise and knowledge.

37 year old Narasimha Bhattar has roped in two of his cousins to take forward the Kainkaryam into the next phase at the Sathya Murthy Perumal temple

By the 1980s most of the original inhabitants of Thiru Meiyam had gone away in search of greener pastures. The number of service personnel dwindled from close to a hundred to single digit by the turn of the century. As seen in the story on Krishnamurthy Bhattar, he too left the Divya Desam service to join the corporate world and returned to archaka service only after his retirement. His son too has joined the IT sector and moved to Chennai for a career in the Corporate space.

While Octogenarian Krishnamurthy Bhattar continues his archaka service during the 15 days of his rights every month, the other Bhattar clan who hold the service rights for the balance 15days every month have continued their service with the next gen taking over this century.

Narasimha Bhattar is now 37years old and has been at the temple since the time he was in his mid teens having quit school early. He is now bringing his cousins to join him in the service as there is shortage of personnel at the temple at a time when the devotee crowd has been increasing. While the scenario was challenging in the 1990s, even as he was growing up as a school boy, he received a clear message from his Thatha, Santhanam “He had performed Kainkaryam for several decades and wanted me to continue the service without exploring opportunities outside” Narasimha Bhattar told this writer this week on how the message from his Thatha has remained with him ever since.

“God created us for this kainkaryam. Accept this as his blessing. Do not desire for things and go searching in the outside world.Simply perform Kainkaryam with the fullest devotion” Santhanam Bhattar told his grandson Narasimha Bhattar just before his passing away.

His Thatha passed away in 2003 and he took over the Kainkaryam and has been at the temple over the last two decades. While he has had no formal training in the agamas, Narasimha Bhattar has learned to perform Thirumanjanam, present Thaligai and decorate the Lord from his appa.

The 1970s Famine leaves a lasting impact

The famine in the 1970s sounded death knell for most of the service personnel at the temple but his appa continued the kainkaryam “On most days, we did not have money to cook our own food and the Koil Thaligai was the one that served as our daily lunch. Despite the challenges, my appa and thatha did not give away the Kainkaryam and served the Lord with devotion.”

Kainkaryam for over four decades

During that phase, the cook at the madapalli too left the temple and that service too fell on this family. Even into this century, his appa was paid a salary of just Rs. 400. His Chithappa Kalyana Raman is 62 years old and has been performing service at this Divya Desam for over four decades. “After the famine when most of the personnel left the temple, the then Maniyakaarar Soundararajan asked me to perform Paricharaka service and that’s how I joined the temple when I was just 18 years old”, Kalyana Raman told this writer.

He joined at a salary of Rs. 30 and this has gone up to Rs. 1800 after 45 years!!! He continues to serve both at the Madapalli and the Sannidhi.

Kannan returns from Singapore, joins Kainkaryam

36 year old Karthik Kannan is Narasimha Bhattar’s cousin. He worked for a decade in Singapore before the early lockdown because of the Pandemic led him to return to Oonaiyur, his native village about 5 kms from Thiru Meiyam. He recounts as to how the Lockdown in 2020 served as a great blessing and kindled his devotional interest “I spent a lot of time inside the temple in that phase. Only a select few service personnel were allowed to be present and I sat here contemplating my future. Performing service in a peaceful and quiet environment inspired me to continue this Kainkaryam after the Lockdown.”

“I have continued to receive calls from my former employer and friends in Singapore to get back to corporate work but I have made up my mind to continue the service here.”

He has spent four years at the temple and while the income at the end of the month is not even one tenth of what he received in Singapore, he says the satisfaction he gets from Perumal Kainkaryam is unmatched “When I was at school, an Iyengar devotee bought me a cycle. A Chettiar pitched with the School HM to give me free note books. Uniforms and bags too were given free to me”, says Karthik Kannan recalling the support from the devotees and how his decision to stay back at the temple has provided him with an opportunity to serve the devotees.

His appa Seshadri (Ranganathan to those in the temple circles) is now 72 years old. He had come from Peralam after his marriage and joined temple service almost 50 years ago. He too continues to perform service at the temple support Narasimha Bhattar.

New Gen Kainkaryapaka- Parthasarathy joins in his teens

R Parthasarathy is the youngest of the lot at 26. Given the financial challenges, he quit school after Class IV and joined a Patshala in Srirangam, where he learned the Agamas. He joined the temple just under a decade ago and was part of the procession on that fateful night in 2015 when a lorry knocked down the service personnel during the return trip from the Chitra Pournami event. Like his uncle Kalyana Raman, he too survived and has continued the Kainkaryam over the last decade. “Right from my childhood, my mind was on temple service and have not had any thoughts on working outside. Serving the Lord along with my cousins and uncles has been a great experience sharing the load between the Sannidhi, Madapalli and processional work. We perform this kainkaryam together as a close knit family and help each other in every way possible to give the best experience of Perumal and Ujjevani Thayar to the devotees.”

He says that he is in this for the long haul and while the salary is not big, he has no plans to go outside this Divya Desam and sees Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam as his future and his way of life.

Bhagavatha takes care of the Nandavanam

An interesting addition to Thiru Meiyam Divya Desam in recent years has been Narayana Raman Dasan, a Bhagavatha hailing from Devakottai and who was assigned by Dhanusa Dasa Ramanuja Jeer to take care of the Nandavanam. His daughter is doing her MBA in Coimbatore while he is here full time at this Divya Desam “When I first came here, the Nandavanam was in a dilapidated state. Ever since I have taken care of the daily maintenance. Since I learned knotting flower garlands at a young age, I knot different varieties of flowers and present it to the Lord every day” he told this writer at the joy this kainkaryam has provided to him in the last few years. He has been provided accommodation and food but no salary for his service.

Revival of Festivals

Referred to as Sathiya Giri and Sathiya Kshetram, Thiru Meiyam Divya Desam is surrounded by a huge fort. The rock cut cave temple temple dates back to the 7th Century AD. On the wall just above the deity, one finds images of Brahmma and several Devas. The story goes that when the Asuras tried to kidnap the Lord, Adiseshan let open poisonous air to kill the asuras. As a reference to this incident, one can see Adiseshan being depicted in the same form here - letting out poisonous air- a unique feature at this Divya Desam.

In the last couple of years, the Brahmotsavam, starting from the Pushyam day, has been revived in its full form with Vahana processions after new Vahanas were built recently. Previously, the annual utsavam had been conducted only with palanquin processions.

Chitra Pournami is the biggest festival of the year with Perumal making his way on a 30 km procession to Kadai Kudi where Rama provides Ethir Sevai. Following this, the Gajendra Moksham episode is enacted on the evening of Pournami.

Navarathi Utsavam too has been revived over the last decade. Oonjal for Perumal on Thai 1 and for Thaayar on Thai 2 are other celebratory occasions at the temple.

New Flag Post, Consecration in Aippasi

This week, on Monday, the foundation was laid for the new flag post at this Divya Desam. The renovation and repair works will take place in the coming months with the consecration being planned for Aippasi. Narasimha Bhattar is hoping for a revival of the street procession on the Pushyam day every month as was the historical practice. Perumal also went on a Garuda Vahana procession on Thai and Aadi Amavasya and he is looking to revive these processions as well after the consecration.

Improved Scenario but Salary still inadequate

The salary to these archakas and paricharakas has not topped 3000 and with the thattu kaasu and with the 2-3 marriages they conduct inside the temple, each of them is able to make about Rs. 15000. While they have to manage their families and the monthly expenses within this income, the greatest satisfaction for each of these kainkaryapakas is the delightful feeling of serving at the feet of Perumal. To narrate the Sthala Puranam to the devotees gives them great peace of mind and they are able to sleep well every night.

Krishnamurthy Bhattar has been the senior Bhattar at this temple and had been carrying out his service almost all alone during his 15 days Kainkaryam every month but he is now well into his 80s and with his son firmly entrenched in the IT sectory, it is left to the young and energetic Narasimha Bhattar to carry forward the Kainkaryam at this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam.

On his part, Narasimha Bhattar, with the help of his two cousins, is committed to and confident of continuing and carrying on this Kainkaryam into the foreseeable future. And that is good news for the Sathya Murthy Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Meiyam.

How to reach

Thiru Meiyam is located just under 20kms from Pudukottai off the Karaikudi highway. Train from Trichy starts at 7am and reaches Thiru Meiyam at 8.20am. A train at 10.05am from Thiru Meiyam takes one back to Trichy at 11.25am.

Madurai/Tirupattur bound buses ply every 10-15mins from Pudukottai

The temple is open from 8am –12noon and 330pm-8pm. Contact Narasimha Bhattar @ 7639431930

Sastra University Grad and a MNC Researcher on Cancer Treatment Medicines, Mylaporean Vidhvath is now an International Scorer having made his Debut on Wednesday in Utrecht

Last year, this section had predicted that Mylaporean Vidhvath Viswanathan, who is into research on medicines for cancer in a Multi National Firm in Netherlands, could one day become an international cricket scorer. Earlier, this section had featured a story on an international scorer from Chennai who played that role for Radio Australia (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/03/scorer-mani-numbers-man-for-radio.html). This one is about a Mylaporean, now in Holland, who is just starting out on an engagement as an international cricket scorer.

On Wednesday (June 19) he debuted as a scorer in an international match in the T20 between Netherlands Women and Hongkong Women at Sportpark, Maarschalkerweerd, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Shortly after making his debut, he told this writer from Netherlands on Wednesday night that he enjoyed the new experience of talking with the third umpire over the walkie talkie and engaging with the Match Referee “The match was also being streamed live with commentary as well and that was particularly exciting. As a scorer, I have to keep a close eye on the two batters and their distinctive features (height, shoe colour, left/right) as these are players I have never seen before."

He is also upgrading himself into doing book scoring and digital scoring simultaneously to be prepared for challenging situations at the higher level. In recent times, he has also equipped himself with the scenarios relating to DLS that will become an integral part of a scorer's job in international matches.

As so often happens with new experiences, the digital app, handled by his co-scorer on Wednesday, failed in the first over of the match and the responsibility was solely on 'Book Scorer' Vidhvath for the official record till the app issues were resolved.

Fruitful experience in local matches

Over the last two years, he has been scoring in matches within Netherlands at the Women's T10/T20 u19 level. Earlier this year, he was the scorer in a game that involved the Dutch international players in preparation for the T20 World Cup. Leading to this, he had been a back up scorer for the U19 World Cup qualifications, but eventually did not get a chance with many of the games having been rained off. But it did give him the much needed exposure.

Ahead of the preparation for the u19 WC qualifiers, he was also invited for a global scorers' meeting "I learned a lot about setting expectations and the importance of communicating with 3rd umpire/ match referee and also got an opportunity to engage with a couple of experienced scorers from the UK. They spoke about access passes and phones not being allowed in the scorer box", he told this writer looking back at the global scorers meeting.

A late starter in Cricket

Like most Indians, he was crazy about cricket but did not get to play even league cricket in Chennai with his focus during the teenage years, initially being on getting high grades in Class XII and then his Engineering degree at Sastra. It was not until he was well into his 20s did he get to play league cricket, in the Netherlands where he had moved to in the second half of the previous decade.

Coached by DJ Gokulakrishnan

Fast bowler Vidhvath also captained his club Concordia for a couple of years. When he was in Chennai for a holiday last summer, he was coached by TN allrounder from the 1990s DJ Gokulakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/10/gokulakrishnan-dj-passes-away-at-50.html), who passed away in October last year. Following the short coaching on fast bowling, he went on to become one of the highest wicket takers in league cricket last year and bagged the best bowler award for 2023.

Scoring lends naturally to the introverted personality

While he was thus enjoying playing the game that he had so dearly missed during his teenage years, Vidhvath had begun trying his hand at scoring starting off with local club matches. He says that being an introverted person, Scoring lent itself naturally to his personality. He would often travel three hours by train from Delft, where he is currently living, to spend a whole day in scoring in matches in different cities in the Netherlands. But it was this early experience that is now taking him to the next level. Earlier this year, Vidhvath undertook a Level 2 scoring course organised by KNCB, the Dutch cricket board, with his club Concordia sponsoring his expenses for the course.

Life in the 30s - Saving Lives and International Cricket Scorer

In addition to working on life saving drugs during the weekdays, playing cricket over the weekends and learning the Vedas, Vidhvath is now moving into an excited phase in his life that of turning into a Professional Scorer in international cricket matches. Soon, he will be scoring in the women's T20 tri series involving Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Scotland. In August, he will be the scorer in a Men's T20 and a ODI, when USA and Canada visit Netherlands. While he continues to help in saving lives through his corporate role, a bright career in international scoring beckons for this 32 year old.

A rushing cow injures a Prabhandham Ghoshti member during the procession on the 9th day of the Brahmotsavam on Tuesday evening

Action will be taken and there will be no cows on the streets during Processions in Thiruvallikeni in the future - HRCE Minister Sekar Babu

Photo: MA Parthasarathy

On Tuesday (June 25) evening, on the 9th day of the Narasimha Brahmotsavam at Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam, even as the large contingent of Prabhandham members were presenting the 9th canto of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi on the Car Street near the Chariot, a cow rushed from behind breaking through the Prabhandham Ghoshti. With the front row of the Ghoshti being led by very senior Adyapakas including Octogenarians and Nonagenarians, Venkatakrishnan, one of the Prabhandham members and son of the revered Kaval Kazhani Ananthacharya (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/07/thiruvallikeni-prabhandham-ghosti.html), tried to stop the rampaging cow from knocking down one of the senior Adyapakas. While he did manage to do protect his team members, he himself was injured in the process leaving the leader MA Venkatakrishnan (MAV) furious.

Even some of the usually cooler members expressed anger and displeasure in the way the cows were roaming about freely during the procession leaving the Prabhandham members at risk. In the past, MAV (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html) too had suffered injuries after a cow attack during the procession. He has always been vocal at protecting the rights of the Prabhandham members and this time he decided to take it up with the authorities then and there.

Prabhandham Ghoshti stay put till Ameena arrives!!!

While Narasimhar had arrived right behind them, MAV directed the Ghoshti members to stay put so he could raise the issue with the authorities. Ameena Ramanuja had been blissfully unaware of this incident and he came towards the Ghoshti asking them to move forward only to be told in no uncertain terms by MAV about the risks that the cows were posing to the Prabhandham members during every street procession and how his team member had been injured just a few minutes earlier. It was only after Ameena Ramanujam heard him out in full did the Ghoshti move forward again (As beautifully captured by MA Parthasarathy, the photo above shows Ameena Ramanujam, the man entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring a safe and timely procession, walking alongside the cows!!!).

Photo: MA Parthasarathy

An unresolved issue for a long time

This has been a long pending issue in Thiruvallikeni and has remained unresolved for a long time. For the senior adyapakas continuing to be part of the Ghoshti showing great commitment, this free roaming of cows during the street processions is a serious threat. They do not anymore have the reflexes to move away quickly when a cow attacks as they may have done a few decades ago.

Interestingly, youngsters too have been at risk and been caught unawares. In April this year, during the Parthasarathy Brahmotsavam, S Aparna, a young devotee of Kapaleeswarar temple, who had made her way from Mylapore to experience the Brahmotsavam for the first time, was in for a rude shock when a cow suddenly attacked her in front of the Gangai Kondan Mandapam with the horn locking into her dress (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html). It served as yet another reminder of the threat that the roaming cows pose.

Promises from Feb'21 remain unfulfilled

In February 2021, the leader of the Sripatham team (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/07/thiruvallikeni-sripatham-thangis.html), campaigned door to door in Thiruvallikeni for the DMK in the assembly elections. The Sripatham head told this writer that month that one of the campaign promises was to keep the cows away during the procession "If my campaign succeeds and if the DMK do come to power, I would personally talk to the DMK leaders and get this done", he told this writer in Feb'21. It is now 3 ½ years but the scenario has just not changed with the cows posing a threat even to his own Sripatham team members during the processions.

In the past, there have been Government officials who have visited Thiruvallikeni to take stock of the situation but nothing has changed over the last decade. Every now and then, a truck makes it way through the four streets to take away the straying cows but in no time, these cows are back on the streets.

Photo: MA Parthasarathy

HRCE promises processions without cows

This writer brought the incident of Tuesday evening to the attention of HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu informing him that there were elderly members in the Prabhandham Ghoshti and the cattle menace during the processions posed a constant threat to their lives and that only a preventive action from a member helped serious injuries to adyapakas during that procession.

The minister told this writer on Thursday morning that he would initiate immediate action and ensure that cows are away from the streets during the big processions. The procession does not last more than 45 minutes on every street during the big utsavams and not allowing the cows on each of the streets for this length of time should be easily implementable.

The minister told this writer that he would definitely ensure that the cows don’t stray on to the streets during the procession.

The minister’s reaction is comforting for the moment and it is hoped that he will initiate action with strict instructions to the owners to not allow the cows on to the streets during the procession.

This section will track the developments on this front. Kudos to KV Venkatakrishnan for boldly holding on to the cow to prevent it from attacking the senior adyapakas from behind. He displayed devotion and respect of the highest kind on Tuesday evening.

The man behind the temple’s remarkable transformation

The Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal in Gunaseelam is now almost unrecognisable from what it was in the 1970s

Having revived all the Utsavams, organised Thirumanjanam every day of the month and undertaken 40 Prarthana Garuda Sevai Processions annually, he is now working on a Master Plan for a ‘Saptha Prakara’

Like all those born in the 1960s and 70s, in the temple circles, Pichumani Bhattar, now 57, too experienced a challenging childhood. He is now the 7th generation descendant managing the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Gunaseelam on the Northern Banks of Kollidam, a temple that he has almost single handedly transformed over the last decade or so. His appa, KV Ranganathan Iyengar ,who had taken care of the pooja at the temple for three decades passed away suddenly in his early 50s when Pichumani Bhattar was just about 10. The entire responsibility fell on his young shoulders at a time in the late 1970s when the scenario at the TN temples was at its worst. Most utsavams had come to a halt. Original inhabitants had begun leaving the historical temple towns for larger cities in search of livelihood and the devotee numbers in temples dwindled to its lowest.

Bleak Scenario in the 70s and 80s

In Gunaseelam, the scenario was no different. Most of Pichumani’s cousins, who had hereditary rights at the temple, left the town after completing their academic education into the corporate world. For a brief period, Pichumani Bhattar too laboured thoughts of becoming an auditor and hence took to Commerce but right from the early days, his Thatha, Venkatraman Iyengar, and amma had instilled in him a high sense of devotion and commitment to Venkatesa Perumal and insisted on him continuing the hereditary service without a break.

During the 1980s, he lived a hand to mouth existence with even paying the college (B.Com at National College, Trichy) fees being a challenge. For a large part, it was his uncle Srinivasa Iyengar who took care of the temple that decade. When Pichumani Bhattar turned 20, a transformation within him led him into the temple life and he managed to keep away the temptations of all his cousins who tried to lure him into the corporate world.

Sitting at the trustee’s office at the temple, he told this writer on Friday as to how he took that bold step to get into temple service “It had been a very challenging time in the 1980s. My uncle and I would sit endlessly at the temple entrance but for most part the arrival of the devotee proved elusive. My cousins and uncles told me that there would be no future in temples for priests and that I should join then in the corporate world. But at important moments in my life, I was reminded of my thatha’s and amma’s messages. They always reiterated throughout my childhood that my life should center around Venkatesa Perumal.”

“Whenever a devotee came to the temple, they would remark ‘are you the grandson of the great Venkatraman Iyengar’. They would talk about the great contributions of my thatha and appa and ask me to not let go this temple. That was a great boost to my confidence and inspired me to continue this Kainkaryam.”

He would not even get Rs. 650 for the ten days of his Murai every month in that phase. Each day after his college, he would come to the temple and support his uncle.

“Very often, my amma told me that she held my appa’s hand only because he was so closely attached to Venkatesa Perumal and however big the challenge, I should not let go of the Kainkaryam.”

The few devotees who did turn up reminded him of the great days of his thatha’s Kainkaryam “They would tell me repeatedly as to how happy they were to see Venkatraman Iyengar’s grandson continue this Kainkaryam. He was popular for his Sahasranama archanai and was the one who built the Ther, Garuda Vahana and the front mandapam during his five decades of Kainkaryam.”

Appa's contribution

It was during his appa’s service that the Raja Gopuram was constructed. Ranganathan Iyengar also anchored the Samprokshanam in 1976, one that was blessed by the presence of Maha Periyava and the Vaishnavite Jeers. There was the ongoing threat from the HR & CE to take over the temple but he stood firm and won a legal battle for this family to continue as the hereditary trustee with full control over the temple poojas and administration. It was also his appa who set up the hundial for the first time and created systematic processes at the temple. But soon after he passed away of a heart attack much to the shock of Pichumani who was not yet into his teens.

Pichumani Bhattar learned the agamas and the temple pooja kramas from Salem Santhanam Bhattar for seven years. While initially he took to archaka service, it was in his late 20s that he got into full administration of the temple.

Devotees will one day come in large numbers

There were very minimal Thirumanjanam in those early years and Thattu Kaasu was not enough to manage a household. Into the 1990s, when the challenging times continued at this temple, Pichumani Bhattar undertook an in-depth study of the Bhavishyotra Puranam and found an important message “Devotees would one day come in big numbers to contribute to this temple and support the Thiruppani works”, he told this writer of how this gave him confidence to continue despite the poor financial condition.

“That was the big inspiration for me to continue with this Kainkaryam”,

Reconstructing the Moolavar Sannidhi

Based on this, he undertook a large scale renovation exercise at the turn of the century when he was just in his 30s. The Moolasthanam had gone down by six feet and water would enter the Sannidhi after heavy rains. He recounts the blessed feeling of how he performed something that had not been done earlier in TN temples “Santhanam Bhattar told me that for certain specific reasons, the Moolavar Sannidhi can be reconstructed. We performed Maha Shanthi Homam and moved the Moolavar out of the Sanctum Sanctorum and built the Moolasthanam from scratch bringing up its level to its current height. It was this uplift of the Moolavar Sannidhi that led to a complete transformation of this temple and there has been a huge inflow of devotees ever since.”

As part of this renovation, he built the madapalli, vahana mandapams and kannadi palliyarai.

The Huge Transformation

Following the renovation and the reconstruction of the Moolavar Sannidhi, the temple witnessed a big inflow of devotees. Today, there is a Thirumanjanam almost every day of the year. As part of this positive transformation, there is now an unbelievable 40 Garuda Vahana prarthana processions in the year. He has also created a Sahasra Deepam as part of devotees’ prarthana. The ticket share alone has now gone up to Rs. 10000 for 10 days of the Murai and the archakas easily make around Rs. 50000 during these 10 days with devotees thronging the temple in large number like never before.

Historically, Gnana Varma Chozha had a Go- Shala here and milk was taken from here to his palace. Pichumani Bhattar built a new Go Shala and milk and curd for the daily Thirumanjanam comes from here. He has also created a beautiful nandavanam and flower garlands are presented every day to Perumal from this sacred garden.

Rehab Center for Mentally Challenged

Over the last two decades, Pichumani Bhattar has helped reform the lives of mentally challenged people and has now created a new rehabilitation center at the back of the temple complex. “We now have psychiatric doctors, numbers and full fledged medical facilities to take care of the mentally challenged. The Theertham Prokshanam on them has a transformational effect and we have seen many return to normal lives after visiting this temple.”

He says that working together with Banyan NGO, he is looking to initiate a Home Again programme wherein those relieved from the mental issues can live together as a family in villages around Gunaseelam. He is also looking to convert the Mental Rehabilitation Center as a full fledged hospital.

Revival of Festivals

Pichumani Bhattar has revived the Pavitrotsavam, in Avani and Brahmotsavam, in Puratasi as well as the sacred tank on the eastern side. Theppotsavam takes place on the occasion of Chitra Pournami and Perumal is decorated with Pushpaangi on Vaikasi Visakam

Saturday has turned into a big day at this temple with devotees looking for Theertham Prokshanam, the splashing of the sacred water on them for relief from all their illness. Vilakshana Swami stayed here and created a Pathigam. Every Saturday evening, between 5pm and 6pm, there is a pooja performed for him and the belief is that the recital of this Pathigam will solve devotees’ problems in life.

Temple's annual income up from Rs. 30000 to Rs. 1cr

Almost all his cousins who had gone into the Corporate space in the 1980s and 90s are now back at this temple. There are now ten archakas performing Thiru Aradhanam at this temple and they also work together in unison during the utsavams. Almost all the utsavams have been revived. When Pichumani Bhattar took over the administration of the temple, the annual income was Rs. 30000. Today he proudly says that the income of the temple is Rs. 1crore per year.

A Mega Saptha Prakaram Project

He is now on to a mega project at Gunaseelam and looking to create a Saptha Prakaram at this temple at a cost of Rs. 9crores. Application for this has been sent to the HR & CE. Pichumani Bhattar is readying a Master Plan that he will take up and complete in the next 5-6 years. The Chariot is also being restored now and repair works are currently on. A few of the mandapams too are being renovated on a large scale and that will take about 2-3 years to complete.

Like many other priests across TN temples, Pichumani Bhattar could so easily have gone away from the remote temple space given the huge financial challenges of the 70s and 80s but he chose to stay back and take on the challenges with a high sense of devotion. He is reaping the rewards now for having slogged with great devotional commitment in the 1990s and 2000s capitalising on tge devotional wave that has struck TN temples over the last two decades.

He is now a happy man now with all his cousins and uncles having come back to temple service but he has not forgotten those dark days when the outlook was bleak and the reason for him sticking to this hereditary service “I did not come to this temple for money or income or with any financial desires. My amma asked me not to leave this Kainkaryam and to perform the service at this temple with the fullest commitment. She asked me to have faith in Venkatesa Perumal and gave me the confidence that he would take care of the family.”

“Is it not a great blessing that I have been destined to re-do the entire Moolavar Sannidhi and create a Saptha Prakara at this temple. What more could I have asked for in this life” he says with a sense of great satisfaction in the way the last couple of decades have gone for him at this temple.

Keeping the HR&CE at bay, he has anchored an extraordinary revival in the fortunes of the temple and come to be a role model for running a private temple in Tamil Nadu.

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal koil in Gunaseelam is located about 25kms North West of Srirangam on the Trichy- Namakkal- Salem highway on the Northern banks of Kollidam near the Upper Anaicut (Mukkombu).

Now touching 60, this Bhattar has performed Kainkaryam at the Veda Narayana Perumal temple for over four decades from the early 1980s

Unmindful of the low salary in the 80s and 90s, he performed archaka service with great devotional commitment and is looking to serve the Lord for the rest of his life

S Thiruvenkatam was roped in by his uncle Lakshmana Bhattar to the Veda Narayana Perumal temple in Thiru Narayanapuram, 4kms from Thottiyam when he was just 15 years old having just completed his class X at Musiri. In the 1980s, he learned the Pancharatra Agama from Rangaraja Bhattar of Srirangam and the temple pooja kramas from his uncle, under whose tutelage he started out at this temple.

Once upon a time this temple had been vibrant with Sripatham personnel coming from the Ranganathaswamy temple for the big utsavams but that has now become history. So too have many of the processions that were integral to this temple. There were processions on the occasion of Amavasya, Shravanam and Ekadasi but with the dwindling crowd and with most of the original inhabitants having left the town these have come to a halt.

The few Brahmin families that resided here left this temple town to larger cities in the 1970s and 80s and thus it was a difficult time for the archakas during the phase he joined. There were neither devotees nor much of a Thattu Kaasu in that earlier period of his service at this temple. There was no salary too when he came here to support his uncle in archaka service. It was only in the mid-1980s was he paid a salary of Rs. 300 per month. He stayed at his uncle’s house just opposite the temple on the South Street.

The serene village amidst a lot of greenery attracted the young boy and he has remained here serving Veda Narayana Perumal for over four decades. Unmindful of the financial challenges, it has been Thiruvenkatam Bhattar who has managed the temple for a large part over the last four decades. Performing homam and wedding activities, he managed to secure some additional income needed to run his family.

He is now touching 60 and it will be time for retirement soon but its unlikely the HR&CE will let go of his services for there may not be many who would be interested to perform such Kainkaryam in a remote temple. He told this writer on a quiet Thursday morning at the temple last week that he feels blessed to have got such an opportunity to serve at a historical for four decades without a break “When I was studying in school, I did not visualise that I would be performing archaka service for such a long time in such a historical temple where Veda Narayana Perumal is seen in a unique Sayana Kolam with the four Vedas by his side and the presence of 3 year old Prahalada in a standing posture at his feet. It is really a blessed feeling to have performed Kainkaryam every day for 40 years at this temple.”

Vedic Initiation to Brahmma

Brahmma once turned arrogant as he was the only one who could ‘create’ things in this world. Wanting to teach him a lesson, Lord Vishnu created a unique idol that left Brahmma wondering about its creator. When asked, Lord Vishnu feigned ignorance saying that Brahmma was the only one bestowed with the rights of creation. While agreeing to this, Brahmma questioned the Lord as to who could have created this image and how this could have appeared without his knowledge and approval.

Lord Vishnu brought the truth before Brahmma and a message to the people at large saying that we should do what is expected of us. However, we should not become arrogant as a result of the exclusive/ special powers given to us. Realising his folly, Brahmma requested the Lord for the initiation of the Vedas. As he initiated the Vedic lessons to Brahmma, the Lord is referred to here as ‘Veda Narayanan’.

Pillai Thiru Naraiyur Araiyar Abhimana Kshetram

Thiru Naraiyur Araiyar came here with his wife and 6 children in the hope of finding Moksham. One night, the leaves from the palm tree at the temple caught fire. Shocked at seeing this, Thiru Naraiyur Araiyar immediately threw his 6 children towards the Lord as a cover for him and to protect him from the raging flames. Unfortunately, the Lord continued to burn. Araiyar then threw himself into the flames and hugged the Lord so the fire would not touch his favourite Lord.

Pleased with his devotion, the Lord appeared before him and granted moksham to the entire family of the Araiyar. Hence, this place came to be called Pillai Thiru Naraiyur Abhimana Kshetram.

Festivals- Chariot Procession attracts the biggest crowd

11 day Brahmotsavam in Vaikasi with the Chariot procession on the 9th day, 21 day Adyayana Utsavam in Margazhi and Navarathri Utasavam in Puratasi take place at this temple. He says that the biggest crowd is seen during the Chariot procession and on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day “On most other days in the year crowd trickled in only in small numbers during the 1980s and 90s. It was only after the Samprokshanam in 2000 did we see the devotee crowd increase. The good news in recent times is that devotees have been visiting for prarthanai for education, wedding and also to have darshan of Anjaneya.”

As Brahmma himself was initiated with Vedic Education, this is a special temple for those seeking success in education. Students who visit this temple offering their sincere prayers and place their books at the feet of Veda Narayanan are believed to come out with flying colours in their education. This belief is driving a bit of devotee crowd to this temple.

Despite the challenges faced by him, he has got both his sons to be in the traditional space “My elder son performs archaka service in a temple in Coimbatore while my younger son is into Veda Parayanam in Chennai.”

Mei Kavalar Family for over 30 years

60 year old M Ganesan is now one of the Mei Kavalars at this temple and takes care of the security service. His appa had performed this service for three decades at a salary of Rs. 150 and Ganesan has now taken over after the death of his appa.

Ganesan has pleasant memories of this temple from his childhood days “There is a lot of land for the temple and the income was big in those days in my childhood. Processions were grand with devotees participating in good numbers. There were 35 people working at this temple such was the vibrancy. Madapalli too functioned with the cooks preparing delicious food. Devotees gathered in large numbers for the prasadam.”

He says that in later years because of the low salary, most of the workers left the town and that led to many utsavams coming to a halt. He continues to live in a hut house and some how manages to run the household at this low salary of Rs. 900 per month.

For Thiruvenkatam Bhattar, the happiness of performing the Kainkaryam at the Veda Narayana Perumal temple is what counts and that is what has kept him going over a long 40 year period. He sees himself continuing to perform the archaka service at this temple for the rest of his life and lives in the hope that one day the devotee crowd will return in large numbers and temple will regain its vibrancy!!!

The temple is open from 730am -1130am and 430pm-8pm. Contact : Thiruvenkatam Bhattar @ 99766 11898

EO Murugan is fighting all odds to get the Pandya Period temple to its historical glory

He is replacing all the Mosaic stones with traditional Karungal, removing additional stones that raised the floor level up by almost five feet, installing two new Kodi Marams

The huge temple has exquisite sculptures and historical inscriptions

While there has been an aggressive campaign against the HR&CE over the last decade that has been unsettling for those administering the temples, there are certain Executive Officers at some of the large temples who are trying their best to initiate positive developments in their limited time at these temples. This section featured a story in May this year on EO Sivaraman undertaking positive steps at the Ramanathaswamy temple in Ramanathapuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/dhanushkodi-rama-temple-shiva-lingam.html) and another one about JC Mariappan during the Panguni Utsavam in March this year at Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-panguni-chariot-festival-2024.html). This one is about EO Murugan, who against all odds is undertaking a restoration exercise at the Pandya period Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi.

It has been 18 long years since the previous Kumbabhisekam at this temple. The previous EOs at this temple could neither get the necessary approvals nor the required support from the priests. When Murugan took over as the EO, he was determined to restore the temple to its historic past taking it back to the days of the Pandya rule by removing all the additional and new constructions that had taken place in the decades gone by.

Like at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html), successive renovation works had led to the raising of the floor level inside the temple. Soon after having his late lunch on the occasion of (Manickavachakar) Guru Pooja on Aani Magam, Murugan pointed this writer to the burying of historical inscriptions inside the temple “We have removed a few feet of additional flooring that had come up in the previous renovations and found there were many inscriptions dating back several centuries. Not just inscriptions, beautiful stone sculptures lay hidden because of the raised flooring. Now both the inscriptions and the sculptures are fully visible in front of the entrance to the Swami Sannidhi”, he told this writer in front of the Swami Sannidhi.

Removing Mosaic Flooring- Music Pillars back to its original sound

As has been the case in many temples in Tamil Nadu, mosaic flooring has become part of renovation exercises and it has been no different at the Kasi Viswanathar temple. Swami Sannidhi, Ulaga Amman Sannidhi, Murugan Sannidhi and others had all been replaced with mosaic stones. A great believer in sticking to traditions, EO Murugan took a bold step in removing the entire mosaic flooring and is particularly delighted at the musical pillars producing sound in the way it was originally intended “The traditional Karungal stones has led to the musical pillars presenting sound like from the past. That has given me a great bit of satisfaction.”

The Murugan Sannidhi will see additional stones and structures being removed one feet to get it back to its traditional past.

The roof above the Swami Sannidhi had seen poor renovation. EO Murugan is restoring that as well to its historic past removing the entire stones from the past renovations.

Anti EO Movement

No one gave him the slightest chance to replace the two damaged Kodi Maram (Swami and Ambal) but he has managed to make good progress on that as well. When the ground was dug for the replacement, there were some historical coins found underneath. He bemoans the way wrong information has been spread around to try and pull him down “News went around that huge quantities of Gold were found below the old Kodi Maram. Every part of this restoration has been captured and recorded and is there for all to see.”

He has the fullest faith in Kasi Viswanathar and believes that the Lord will keep him away from such distractions and help him focus on his goal to get the temple back to its historical best in terms of the structures.

Refurbishing the Raja Gopuram

Once again, like in many other temples, shrubs have grown in the tall 180 feet Raja Gopuram on the Eastern side. There are other challenges he has had to face in the repair works of the Tower "Severe winds in this time of the year in this region has led to a temporary halt in the repair works and painting of the Raja Gopuram. While all other repair works are going at full speed, the work on the Raja Gopuram is likely to be a bit slow for the next few months till the wind speed reduces" says EO Murugan.

No Proactive support from the priests in reaching out to donors

There are only two priests at this huge temple with multiple sannidhis. Both these priests (this section will feature a separate story on them soon) have refused to proactively engage with devotee donors to fund this restoration exercise. But EO Murugan is unfazed with the lack of support. In the limited time he is likely to be at this temple, he hopes to go the full distance in making this restoration exercise a success “I am trying to reach out to the network of devotees I had built during my earlier stints including at the Tiruchendur temple seeking their support. While it is challenging without priests’ proactive support, devotees have come forward in good numbers so far in taking this temple back to its traditional structures within the huge complex.”

Even as a large number of devotees are reciting the sacred verses of Manickavachakar on the occasion of Aani Moolam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/thiruvathavur-thirumarainathaswamy.html), he takes this writer to one part of the outer prakara that has been dug up five feet and shows the depth of additional construction “The lower walls in the outer prakara contain so many inscriptions that are currently hidden. We would require close to Rs. 50Lakhs to remove the entire additional stones had been built in the previous decades and the century gone by to get this prakara to its original form and structure. Kasi Viswanathar has blessed me thus far in identifying devotees and I am confident that he will show me the way in restoring this prakara too to its historic past. I am keen that all the inscriptions inside the temple are visible to the devotees for them to know the greatness of this temple.”

On the Southern side, there is a beautiful long nandavanam with beautiful flowers that are presented every day to Swami and Ambal.

Other works to be undertaken include a new underground drainage system and rain water harvesting system.

Temple Legend

When Pandya King Parakrama wanted to construct a temple and brought a lingam from Kasi, Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and asked him to follow the ants and build the temple where the ants finally rested. He felt blessed to build this temple dedicated to Kasi Viswanathar and Ulagammal at Tenkasi. A lot of the inscriptions that EO Murugan spoke about and pointed to date back to the 14th and 15th century AD.

There are beautiful sculptures at the Eastern Entrance, many of these are similar to those found in Krishnapuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/07/non-divya-desam-temple-tale.html) and Srivaikuntam Divya Desam and the exquisite ones at the Kailasanathar temple in Brahmma Desam, near Ambasamudram(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/12/brahmmadesam-kailasanathar-koil.html). These are a real delight to the devotee eyes.

It is likely that the restoration exercise will be completed over the next 12 months and consecration could take place sometime in 2025. One is not sure if EO Murugan will be at this temple till then but when the Kumbabhisekam does take place, a lot of the credit is likely to go to his tireless efforts in getting this several centuries old temple to its historic glory in terms of structure.

The temple is open from 6am to 12noon and 4pm to 8:30 pm

Misleading news reports forces Pothu Dikshithars to throw open the Kanakasabhai

Unless the reporter/media house has an anti Hindu agenda or they are stooges of the HRCE, one would NOT stoop so low to completely twist Court orders and make false news stories concerning ancient Hindu Temple communities – Temple Activist TR Ramesh

Exactly a year ago (July 12, 2023!!!!), this section had featured a story relating to the issue of allowing devotees into the Kanakasabhai at the Sabanayakar temple in Chidambaram that had, except for a brief period a few years ago, been a restricted space (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/chidambaram-dikshithars-hrce-battle.html). A High Court order had in the past directed the HR & CE (Petitioner) to hold talks with the Secretary of the Pothu Dikshithars regarding this issue. When the case came up for hearing at the Madras High Court this week, the Judge noted that the Petitioner had not held talks with the Pothu Dikshithars as per the previous direction of the court and that they should first hold the talks before coming to the court.

However, TV Channels and Print media have in the last 24 hours or so put out stories leading the public to believe that the Court has directed the opening of the Kanakasabhai and that action would be taken against the Pothu Dikshithars if they refuse to do so during the Aani Thirumanjanam.

Senior Priest Sivaraja Dikshithar told this writer on Friday morning that believing the false news put out on TV channels and fearing police action against them, they have opened up the Kanakasabhai this morning and plan to have a 2km long queue for devotees to have darshan today and tomorrow as part of the Aani Thirumanjam utsavam. "With so much of work to do leading to the Thirumanjanam, we did not have much time to fight against this misleading news. However, we will fight this case in the court and are confident that the Pothu Dikshithars would secure a permanent order restricting the entry of devotees into the Kanakasabhai", he said.

Activist hits out at the media for false stories

Temple Activist and the man who secured the temple back for the Pothu Dikshithars a decade ago, TR Ramesh (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/02/tr-ramesh-temple-activist.html) has hit out at the media this morning. In a hard hitting post on X, he said, in the last two days TN media was abuzz with false stories concerning Chidambaram Sri Nataraja Temple where a major festival is now taking place.

"Media reported as if Madras High Court authorised the HRCE and the Police through an order to take action against Podu Dikshitars if darshan was not allowed. 'Punish those who prevent Kankasabhai worship" is what the media wrote of the order"

Ramesh clarified that the Division Bench passed NO such orders and the order only asks the Petitioner to make a representation to Podhu Dikshitars.

He also said that the Division Bench did not ask for any report in this regard as reported by the media "I do not know how media can twist the truth like this. In my opinion, unless the reporter/media house has an anti-Hindu agenda or they are stooges of the HRCE, one would NOT stoop so low to completely twist Court orders and make false news stories concerning ancient Hindu Temple communities” said a furious Ramesh on his twitter post.

Pothu Dikshithars and TR Ramesh v HRCE

This has been a long standing battle between the Pothu Dikshithars (with great support from Ramesh) and the HRCE. In May this year, this section featured a story on the efforts of the HRCE to organise the annual Brahmotsavam at the Govindaraja Perumal temple housed inside the same temple complex, one that had not been held for over 150 years. The HRCE had gone to the extent of fixing tentative dates for the utsavam in Vaikasi but once again the Court directed that such an utsavam could not be held without a discussion with the Pothu Dikshithars and thus the revival of that utsavam has been on hold for now (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/chidambaram-divya-desam-brahmotsavam.html).

TR Ramesh had fought tooth and nail for a few years to secure the historical rights for the Pothu Dikshithars a decade ago. Now, he is on to another big battle against the HRCE - that of restricting entry into the Kanakasabhai and preventing the Brahmotsavam at the Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Kulasekara Azhvaar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/08/chidambaram-thillai-thiru-chitrakoodam.html).

HRCE Minister PK Sekar Babu on his part is eager to take control of the Sabanayakar temple, for this is the only big temple in TN that is out of HRCE's control.

For the moment, the false media reports has meant that the Pothu Dikshithars have been over powered and forced into submission allowing thousands of devotees for a darshan inside the Kanakasabhai today and tomorrow but it is unlikely that Ramesh, whose heart is very close to Sabayanakar and who is currently boiling with anger, will take this false publicity and misleading the Dikshithars, too kindly.

This section will track the developments.

Shortage of Brahmin Priests in Remote Temples

With the impending retirement of Kailasa Gurukal, the huge Pandya Period temple will be left with just Senthil Bhattar as the only Priest with the responsibility of managing all the Sannidhis

60 year old Kailasa Gurukal- Served for 3 decades

One of the two Chief Priests who is currently managing the pooja at the huge Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi is touching 60 and due for retirement in a few months. Kailasa Bhattar, who began his association with the temple in the early 1990s as a support priest, has expressed his intent to not continue his service after retirement given the souring relationship with EO Murugan and the other Chief Priest Senthil Bhattar.

Till the construction of the tall Raja Gopuram, priests from the Kutralanathar temple and the Kasi Viswanathar temple jointly managed the pooja kramas at the two temples amongst themselves but the services in the two temples were split and separated following the consecration. In the not too distant past there were four priests at the Kasi Viswanathar temple but this has now halved this year. With Kailasa Gurukal's non inclination to continue after retirement, there will be just the one Chief Priest at this Pandya Period temple in the heart of Tenkasi. Despite a booming devotee crowd and an ever increasing Thattu Kaasu, not many young agama graduates are ready to take up service as archakas in remote temples administered by the HR & CE. And that is not a healthy sign going forward.

Legend

When Pandya King Parakrama wanted to construct a temple and brought a lingam from Kasi, Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and asked him to follow the ants and build the temple where the ants finally rested. He felt blessed to build this temple dedicated to Kasi Viswanathar and Ulagammal at Tenkasi. There was a Perumal Sannidhi in between the two but with the differences between the Saivites and Vaishnavites, this was taken out and installed in a separate temple South of the Kasi Viswanathar temple. It is there that one now finds the Murugar Sannidhi.

Celebrations are now grand at this temple with Thiru Kalyanam on Aippasi Uthiram, Brahmotsavam in Maasi and Theppam on Avani Moolam. Contrasted with the quiet period in the 1970s and 80s, huge crowds now throng the temple on these festive occasions.

From Bangalore to Tenkasi

Interestingly, both these priests do not have any historical connection with the Kasi Viswanathar temple. Senthil Bhattar, who will be the sole Priest at this temple after Kailasa Gurukal's retirment, had for long been associated with the Kailasa Ashramam performing Sri Chakra pooja at the Raja Rajeswari temple in Bangalore in the 1990s. He had also been at an overseas temple for a brief period. After completion of class V, he joined the Dharmapuram Atheenam Patshala where he learnt the Agamas.

His appa was instrumental in the development of the Pillayar temple in NGO Colony, Tirunelveli making it a popular temple among the residents of that town in the second half of the previous century.

Senthil Bhattar - Now in his late 40s

When the HR & CE called for applications for the post of a priest at the temple in Tenkasi just under a couple of decades ago, his appa keen for him to return to TN so as to be nearer to him, directed Senthil Bhattar to apply and thus he made his way to the Kasi Viswanathar temple as an archaka in 2006.

Military School hopes dashed, joins Agama Patshala

Sitting at the Kulasekara Nathar temple, a sub temple of Kasi Viswanathar temple where he is the Raksha Bandhanam priest for the Kumbabhisekam, 46year old Senthil Bhattar recalled to this writer earlier this week as to how his childhood plan was to get into a military school but things turned out otherwise “I had learned spoken English and was to get into a military school, but even before the results, my appa got me enrolled into the Patshala so I could continue the archaka service. Ever since my graduation from the Patshala, I have been involved with temples over the last three decades.”

Having joined the temple at a salary of around Rs. 2000 in 2006, he now gets close to Rs. 20000 “I never thought I would be performing archaka service in this huge temple but from out of nowhere, Kasi Viswanathar brought me here and has taken good care of me financially over the last two decades” says Senthil Bhattar, happy at the way things have turned out for him in his life.

He is also the one who is accompanying EO Murugan seeking donor support for the Thiruppani works at the Kasi Viswanathar temple. He continues to be associated with the Kailasa Ashrama that had given him the break in the 1990s.

His 16year old son is learning the agamas at the Patshala in Thuthukudi and he is hopeful that he too would continue in this traditional line of service.

Kailasa Gurukal’s surprise entry in the 1990s

Hailing from Papankulam, about 25kms from Tenkasi, Kailasa Gurukal completed his class X from a school in Pathamadai, where at the Shiva temple his appa performed archaka service at a miniscule salary.

It is Manickavachakar’s Guru Pooja evening and its Kailasa Gurukal’s day of duty at the Swami Sannidhi. After completing the evening pooja and sitting in front of the Durga Sannidhi, he told this writer as to how financially challenging his life had been in his childhood “My appa moved from one temple to another in the Tirunelveli region in the hope of higher salary but all through my childhood while he performed service in many temples, the salary remained low and we had a tough time in the 1970s.”

This Archaka gets daily wages of Rs. 30!!!!

Given this background, he made his way away from temple service into the corporate world working in Chenganacheri for a brief period and then in the fertilizer sector till the early 1990s. In a surprise turnaround, Chidambareswarar Bhattar, the Sthaneegam asked him to provide support service at the at the Kasi Viswanathar temple “I came to this temple in 1993 and performed archaka service assisting him till 1999 when he passed. And then as a replacement to him, I worked at a daily wage of Rs. 30.”

Goes to Court to secure appointment order

Though he had played the role of a support priest for six years and then donned the role of a temporary priest on daily wages for seven years, the permanent order was not forthcoming “I was a strict priest who followed the processes and this did not go well with the EOs of the time. When I went to court and secured the High Court order for my appointment, they deliberately posted me at the then dilapidated Kulasekara Nathar temple. HR & CE expected me to leave after sending me to a deserted temple. There were no devotees and no thattu kaasu at that time and it was financially very challenging in that early phase but that direction to the dilapidated temple turned out to be a blessing in disguise as for the first time in several decades, a devotee from Chennai came forward to undertake all the repair works at a cost of Rs. 1crore all by himself and consecration of the temple took place during my service there. I look back with great pride that the vibrant temple that one sees today and the overflowing crowd at that temple is a direct outcome of the Kumbabhisekam I performed at that temple.”

“Following the successful consecration, when a new EO took charge at the Kasi Viswanathar temple, he learned about my initiatives at the Kulasekara Nathar temple and finally provided me the permanent appointment order at this huge temple.”

Salary Increase pending for several years

The 7th pay commission salary has been due for several years but his salary has not been revised and remained at Rs. 8000. But he is happy that he has been able to give a financially secure childhood to his two daughters, something that he himself had not enjoyed during his schooling days.

In the current Thiruppani works taking place at the Kasi Viswanathar temple, he has refused to make his way out of the temple on tours across TN with the EO of the temple to reach out to devotees to secure donor support. And that has not gone well with the EO Murugan.

Kailasa Gurukal says that he has enjoyed a glorious three decades of temple service in Tenkasi having been personally roped in by the then popular Chidambareswarar Bhattar to perform service here "I am not seeking extension and will retire soon in a happy state having served with distinction earning a good name with the devotees as a committed priest."

For long, there has been demand for him to perform consecrations and homams elsewhere. After his retirement this year from the Kasi Viswanathar temple, he is confident that the God will show him the way towards anchoring consecrations in temples in TN.

Challenging times for remote temples

But for the Kasi Viswanathar temple, there may be challenging times ahead unless the EO is able to convince Kailasa Gurukal to continue his archaka service. There are not Brahmin Priests forthcoming to take full time charge even though the huge devotee crowd is thronging this temple and unlike the past, there is good thattu kaasu on offer to the priests. Senthil Bhattar will have to shoulder a huge responsibility of managing the temple all alone with 'outsourced' priests to assist him, especially in a phase where the Thiruppani works are on and Kumbabhisekam is likely to take place next year.

The current trend is for those that have learned the agamas to explore opportunities in consecration events in temples as against taking up full time archaka service in remote temples that is likely to leave a severe shortage of Brahmin Priests in remote temples in the decades ahead. It is unlikely this trend will reverse as there is big money on offer for 2-3 days of Kumbabhisekam even in remote temples in TN and young agama grads are happy doing a few such events every month rather than 10 hours of daily service at the temple.

Parikaram for Relief from Brahmma Hathi Dosham, revival of 63 Nayanmar procession last week after 4decades

From the financially challenged scenario in the 1970s and 80s and having let a lucrative oversease opportunity in the 1990s, Kannan Bhattar has single handedly turned around the fortunes of this historical temple over the last three decades

The Narambu Nathar temple is housed on a huge complex right on the banks of Tamaraibarani in the historical temple town of Thiru Pudai Maruthur. Till about 50 years ago, there were 100s of Brahmin families in the Agraharam and a strong team of service personnel but with almost everyone leaving this historical temple town in search of jobs elsewhere, Kannan Bhattar has been left all alone taking care of the archaka service as well as doubling up as a cook at the madapalli. His grandfather Maharaja Bhattar as well as his appa Sankara Krishnan Bhattar had served as archakas for four decades each.

During the period of his Thatha’s service, the agraharam had been vibrant in line with what was once a Chaturvedi Mangalam, a town full of Vedic Scholars and Dikshithars.

A Grand Revival of the 63 Nayanmar Utsavam

47year old Kannan Bhattar is all smiles for he has just revived last Friday (July12) the 63 Nayanmar Utsavam after four decades with great support from Justice Ratnavel Pandian and his brother District Judge Subramanian who hailed from this town. After decades of doing it all alone, he has now roped in his cousin as a temporary daily wage archaka to support him in his service.

Sitting in front of the Ambal Sannidhi, he looks back at his financially challenged childhood “At the peak of my appa’s service, there were no devotees at all at the temple. There was no oil to light the lamp and most of the time, black oil was used to light up the Sannidhis but there was no choice as there was no income. My appa was paid a maximum salary of Rs. 170 for a major part of his service. He was provided some rice and it was with that we survived and had our daily food.”

Quits School, Joins Pillayarpatti Patshala

Given the financial challenges, he could only afford a Govt school and he completed his class X at the school in Veeravanallur. He recalls the devotional message from his appa during those tough times when this family was the only Brahmin family left in the town “We were hard pressed for money but my appa’s message was always for me to continue the hereditary service. I was interested in academics but when I was 15, he sent me to the Patshala in Pillayarpatti where I learned the Saiva Agama and the Koil Pooja Krama.”

During that dark phase for the temple in the 1970s and 80s, almost all the utsavams had come to a halt except the ever popular Thai Poosam utsavam. But right from his childhood, the unique image of Lord Narumbu Nathar seen slightly tilted with scars on his head is ever in the minds of Kannan Bhattar.

Tale of Lord’s tilted posture

Karur Siddhar, one of the 18 renowned Siddhars, reached this location after meeting Sage Agastya at Papanasam, at the foot of Pothigai Hills. When he reached the river bank, he was welcomed by flash floods in the Tamaraibarani. Seeing a temple of Lord Shiva and not knowing his name at this temple, he wondered how he could have darshan but was moved by the fragrance of ‘Maruthai’ flowers. Seeking darshan, he called out for him 'Poovin Manathil Naduvil Nirkum Naathaney'‘Narumbu Naatha Nalam Tharuvaayo.’ Moved by his devotion, the Lord moved a bit and is said to have looked out for the devotee who was reaching out to him. An invisible voice directed him to cross the river and come over. Much to his delight, the river gave way and allowed him to cross.

When he came here and asked as to why his face was tilted, the Lord said that he was moved by his devotion and wanted to see who this devotee was. The Siddhar prayed that the Lord remain so ever after to provide darshan to all devotees in the same tilted posture.

This legend has instilled the confidence in Kannan Bhattar that God listens to the devotee's voice and it is that belief he has tried to create in the minds of devotees towards offering their sincere prayers to Narambu Nathar.

Cut on the Lord’s head

When Veera Marthanda Pandya reached here on a hunting expedition, he found a scared deer hiding at the foot of the tree. He directed the cutting of the tree with a sickle. To his shock, he found a Shiva Lingam coming out of the Marutha Tree with a cut in the head and a deer form on his chest. Apologising for his action, he built the temple that one finds in its current form and structure today. To this day, the Lord is seen with a cut in the head and with a deer mark on his chest.

The Triangle

'Thalai Maruthur' Mallikaarjuna at Srisailam, Idai Maruthur Mahalingeswarar at Thiru Idai Maruthur (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/12/thiruvidaimaruthur-mahalingam-temple.html) signifying the mid part and Pudai Maruthur Narambunathar, signifying the ‘patham’ sthalam are three temples seen in an equidistant triangle.

Brahmma Hathi Dosham Relief

Indra was inflicted with Brahmma Hathi Dosham for having ignored his original Guru and then later having killed his 'adopted' asura Guru. Indra and his wife had bath in the Surendra Theertham and undertook penance to be liberated from the dosham. He had darshan of Lord and Ambal in Kalyana Kolam. In memory of this episode, Thiru Kalyanam is celebrated on Aippasi Visu. The temple is also abound with historical inscriptions dating back several centuries.

Reminding the devotees of this legend, Kannan Bhattar says that they now have belief that this is a temple for relief from Brahmma Hathi Dosham and Manthi Parikaram. Crowds have started coming in good number to perform this parikara pooja.

Triveni Sangamam

This is a Triveni Sangamam with Tamarai Barani, Manimutharu and Kadana rivers meeting near here. There is an old world feeling about this historic location with green paddy fields all along the road from Mukoodal which is 4kms away. The greenery continues off the Thirupudaimaruthur- Attalanallur road as well with banana plantations in large numbers.

Lets go Overseas Opportunity

He says that his Vathyar at Pillayarpatti had asked him to go to Malaysia where there was a lucrative opportunity waiting for him but his appa’s health had deteriorated and the responsibility to manage this temple had fallen on him. “I remembered my appa’s early advice to never leave this temple irrespective of the financial scenario and hence I said no to my acharya”, says Kannan Bhattar

Big Support from Justice and District Judge

In an important phase in his life when he was all alone at the temple, Justice Ratnavel Pandian and his brother District Judge Subramanian supported him financially and encouraged him to continue his archaka service and to revive utsavams.

The Kumbabhisekam in 1995 brought back crowd into the temple. Soon after he took over after the passing away of his appa, Kannan Bhattar promoted this temple as a parikara sthalam for the unmarried and childless. Over the last decade or so, he has organised celebrations for Pradosham, Thei Pirai Ashtami and Pournami Vilakku Pooja and these have attracted good crowd. He has also revived the Vinayaka Chathurthi utsavam and Sahasranama archanai during Navarathri. The annual 12 day Thai Poosam utsavam sees a grand celebration including the Chariot procession on the 9th day.

The daily neidevyam presentation to Narambu Nathar is one thing that he has ensured each day over the last three decades. Right from the time he took over in the mid 1990s, he has asked the HR & CE to not reduce their contribution of rice towards this daily Neivedyam. He says he has been lucky that through this entire period, they have provided the provisions towards this Neivedyam for the Lord.

Alone with the Lord and Happy

For a long time, it has been a lonely journey for Kannan Bhattar who started off at a salary of just Rs. 175 in the 1990s!!! But he has shown that performing pooja with sincere commitment will pay off in the long run and that God will always reward a sincere archaka. He is now much better off financially with crowds returning to this historic temple on festive occasions. His 10 year old son has already begun supporting him at the temple and Kannan Bhattar is hopeful that his son too would continue the archaka service that several generations of his family have performed at this temple.

He has found great happiness in performing archaka service and continuing this tradition that his forefathers had undertaken albeit all alone during a major part of these last three decades. For the moment, he is on a devotional high having revived the 63 Nayanmar Utsavam and seeing it become a big success with big devotee participation in the procession last Friday. It is probably one of his biggest achievements in his three decades service as an archaka to pull off such a large procession in a remote temple town and to create that excitement among the devotees.

He is also a standing example of priests in remote temples in Tamil Nadu continuing hereditary archaka service even if its not that financially lucrative all the time.

How to reach

An auto from Mukoodal (4kms) will cost Rs. 120. One can also reach the temple from Veeravanallur (auto Rs. 150). Contact numbers: 96295 42614 / 94427 14547

The temple is open from 6am to 11am and from 430pm to 8pm. Contact: S Kannan Gurukal @ 96262 90350

This 50year old priest has had a long and lonely 3decades devotional engagement with Gajendra Varadar performing Thiru Aradhanam and preparing the Sacred Thaligai all alone at this historical temple in Attalanallur

Hailing from Sri Mushnam, Raman Bhattar moved to Thiru Kurungudi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/08/thiru-kurungudi-divya-desam.html) as a school boy. His appa performed archaka service and madapalli Kainkaryam at Sri Mushnam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/04/bhoo-varaha-swamy-sri-mushnam.html) in addition to taking care of the administration of the Uthirathi Mutt there. After his graduation at Valliyur and having done a computer course at Aptech, he worked in Tirunelveli for a brief period.

Raman Bhattar, who belongs to the Swayam Acharya clan and a descendant of Natha Muni, has lived a traditional way of life right from his childhood.

A Historical Temple

The Gajendra Varadar temple in Attalanallur on the banks of Tamaraibarani is one associated with the Gajendra Moksham episode. A rock inside the temple tank referred to as the Elephant Rock, there is reference to the Gajendra Moksham episode having taken place in the foot of the Pothigai hills and the presence of Sage Agastya inside the moolavar sannidhi. As per inscriptions inside the temple that date back a 1000years, this place was referred to as Athaani Nallur (Athaani = Elephant), another indication for the elephant episode connection to this temple.

Sitting in front of the towering presence of Aathi Moolam, seen in a standing posture, on a quiet Tuesday morning, Raman Bhattar told this writer that he quit his marketing job in Thalayathu and came here to Attalanallur to settle here for ever “My uncle was performing archaka service. Over the last century, my relatives have been performing archaka service at this temple and hence him joining was a natural extension. I would often come to Attalanallur to support him and that’s how my association began with this temple in the 1990s. In 2001, during the Samprokshanam, I was assigned the task of taking care of the jewels. Following this, during the 48 day mandalabhisekam, I stayed back and supported the daily Thirumanjanam. The then archaka was getting on in age and asked if I could support him daily.”

"For a decade, I worked alongside the senior archaka at a HRCE salary of Rs. 1000."

He has also doubled up as the cook at the Madapalli at no extra salary!!!

Similar to Thiru Pudai Maruthur, there was a vibrant smartha agraharam here too till the middle of the 20th century. There was a Brahmotsavam too once upon a time. Almost all the Brahmins have left this town and many of the utsavams have become a thing of the past.

A beautiful Nandavanam

A 1000 years ago Special Initiatives were taken to maintain a beautiful Nandavanam to ensure the presentation of Flower Garlands for the Lord every day and even Gardeners were provided for at the temple and their interests taken care of. Nandanavam seems to have been given great importance during ancient times at this temple as seen from the different flower gardens referred in the inscriptions, the appointment of gardeners to maintain the garden and initiatives to take care of them.

There was a gift of prasadam to two gardeners for rearing the flower garden called Ramanuja Thiru Nandavanam during the rule of Kulasekara Pandya. They were exempted from tax and they were to grow flowers, pick them and string them together into garlands. There was a gift of Kadamai on certain lands by the temple for providing maintenance of gardeners of the Iladaraiyan flower gardens.

There was a gift of tax free land for flower garden called Tambikku Nallan Thiru Nandavanam during the rule of Vira Pandyadeva Pandya. On the north wall of the temple is an inscription dating to the rule of Jatavarma Pandya that refers to gift of land to the temple by a big army with 10 commands for maintaining the garden. There is also a record of a sale of garden lands.

There was also a gift of one kalam of food by the temple for feeding the men in charge of Ramanuja flower garden.

During the rule of Kulotunga I (1100AD) a portion of fields of Athalanallur was separated and granted as a tax free Devadana land. During that period, Athalanallur was referred to as a hamlet of Cheran Maha Devi and the Gajendra Varadar temple was referred to as ‘Moymam Pooumbolil’ Azhvaar temple.

During the rule of Jatavarama Srivallabha Pandya there was a gift of land for conduct of worship on Puratadhi day at Athalanallur. The queen of the place has been mentioned as Uagamuludu Mudaiyaal.

Remains Single, Refuses the 'City Life' call!!!

For the last dozen years, he has been all alone at the temple performing both archaka service and madapalli kainkaryam without any support. Despite a long search, no girl was ready to accept his traditional ways and settle in this remote temple town with minimal facilities. And thus at 50 he has remained unmarried “My brothers have been trying to persuade me to move to Chennai where they are well settled in the corporate sector. Also, there is an open invitation to move back to my home town (Sri Mushnam) to perform kainkaryam there but I have told them that my devotional engagement is with Gajendra Varadar and refused to move out of Attalanallur.”

He rarely moves out of this temple town and has not attended even his family functions for he is all alone at this temple.

Select Grand Utsavams

The Puratasi Saturdays are a grand affair at this temple with devotees thronging in several thousands. Garuda Sevai takes place on Vaikasi Uthiradam, Aani Swathi, Puratasi Thiruvonam and Thai Poosam. Aadi Pooram, Chitra Visu and Pournami are the other celebratory occasions at this temple. As part of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, he presents Gajendra Varadar in a special Thiru Kolam with Thirumanjanam, six Thiru Aradhanam and six Thaligai.

Five Sacred offerings every day

There were five sacred offerings to the Lord each day as organised by the assembly of Cheran Maha Devi during the rule of Maravarma Pandya. One of the inscriptions refers to the land originally held by the temple for this purpose as lying waste due to petty quarrels. There is also a record of gift of one achchu by Emberumanar Ammai for providing offering to the God and providing from that prasadam to the servants and worshippers of Emberumanar in the temple. The Vaishnavas in the temple received the achchu and agreed to maintain the charity. There was a grant of prasadam to a certain Ramanuja Jeer for a quarter Annai achchu which the vaishnavas had received from him.

Raman Bhattar keeps himself busy everyday performing the Thiru Aradhanam and the sacred cooking morning and evening. He has no time to think as to what life could have been had he moved to a city life. He has no second thoughts other than that of presenting aradhanam to Gajendra Varadar. He has had a very close long standing association with devotees in and around Attalanallur. He does not see a life for himself outside of Gajendra Varadar and even as he turns 50, he is clear that he wants to spend the rest of his life at the feet of the Lord of Attalanallur. Raman Bhattar continues to be paid a salary of Rs. 1000 but he is not here for the salary, for his mind is firmly settled on the eyes of Perumal Aathi Moolam with whom he has had a long three decades engagement. He requires no other motivation and inspiration than the blessed feeling of serving each day of his life at his feet. And no temptation can take him away from Gajendra Varadar.

Gajendra Varadaraja Perumal temple in Attalanallur is located 10kms North East of Ambasamudram and about 25kms from Tirunelveli amidst green fields on the Eastern Banks of over flowing Tamaraibarani. The temple is open from 7am-11am and 430pm-730pm. Contact Raman Bhattar @ 9566339717.

Originally a Vishnu temple, this was transformed into the Kutralanathar temple by Sage Agasthya after he placed his hand on Vishnu converting the idol into a Shiva Lingam

The hereditary priests at this remote temple on the foot of the Pothigai Hills have been having a glorious run with the temple being one of the richest in the state

This section had earlier this month featured stories on two remote temple priests continuing to serve with the greatest devotional commitment even at very minimal salary for three decades. This story is about another very remote temple that dates back over a 1000years but interestingly this is one of the richest temples in TN and the four hereditary priests have been having a glorious run, financially.

The Greatness of Kutralanathar

Sankara Narayana Othuvar is just 34 years old and has been performing service at the Kutralanathar temple for the last 8 years. Hailing from this historical temple town now famous for the Courtallam falls, he is also working on in-depth research on the temple trying to trace out the historical scriptures relating to the legend of the temple.

He is devotionally attached to this temple and extols with great clarity the legend relating to this temple "When Sage Agasthya was not allowed inside the Vishnu temple, he went to Ilanji, near Kutralam, and created a Shiva Lingam with sand and performed pooja. He then took the form of a Vaishnavite, entered what was then a Perumal temple and placed his hand on the Moolavar idol and transformed it to a Shiva Lingam with his powers. To this day, one can see the marks of Agasthya’s hand on the head of Kutralanathar. He also transformed Sridevi to Kuzhalvai Mozhi Amman (Parvathi) and Bhoodevi took the form of SriChakra (Sakthi). Agasthya had darshan of Kalyana Thiru Kolam of Shiva and Parvathi."

He says that in memory of this episode, the Thiru Kalyana Vaibhavam is played out in front of Agasthya Sannidhi on Aippasi Pooram and is an event that the devotees should not miss.

The temple is in the shape a Conch. Five Chariots and Five Theerthams are special features of this temple. The Chariot runs on the 5th day of the Chitrai and Aippasi Utsavams. The Chariot also runs in Margazhi carrying Lord Nataraja on the occasion of Arudhra.

Lord Muruga is in the form of performing pooja to Lord Shiva and Parvathi with a flower in his hand. Arunagirinathar has praised this temple in three verses in his Thiruppugazh.

Gnana Sambandar’s praise of the Sthala Vriksham

In a special rendering, Thiru Gnana Sambandar praises the Sthala Vritcham of the temple in his Thiru Kurumbalam pathigam with the leaves, fruits and branches seen as the four Vedas and Shiva Lingams such is the greatness of the Sthala Vritcham here.

Praying for a day at Kutralanathar temple

Othuvar Sankara Narayanan says that a most significant feature for devotees is that as per the legend a day’s prayer at the Kutralanathar temple has the positive effect of doing pooja for a 1000years at a Shiva temple. This is as compared to a year’s pooja at Kasi, 6months pooja at Thiruvannamalai, 3 months pooja at Thiruvarur, 2months at Kedarnath, 1 month at Gokaranam and 1 week at Nellaiappar. Such is the speciality of this temple.

How should one invoke the blessings here

The sthala puranam comprising of 33 sargams narrates as to how one should do shiva pooja, where and what to do at this temple. He is delighted that this is one temple where the legend has laid out a process for the devotees to invoke the blessings of the divine couple. 'One has to first have bath at the sacred falls, then go around the Conch shaped sacred streets before invoking the blessings of Kutralanathar and Venuvaarvaathini amman. Such a devotee will have the blessings of a lifetime."

There are a lot of inscriptions both inside the temple dating back to the Pandya Period and at the Chitra (Oviam) Sabhai dating back to the Nayak rule. Inscriptions also relate to the rule of the Cholas and Cheras.

A special deeparathanai in margazhi

Deeparathanai is special at this temple, says the Othuvar, who also doubles up as the Maniyakaarar of the temple. "During the Margazhi utsavam, Thandava Deeparathanai is presented for 45 minutes with all the ubacharams, a delight to the devotees’ eyes."

The Hereditary Priests

46year old Kannan Bhattar has been at the temple for over two decades. His appa and thatha had served at the temple for over 70years prior to his taking over. As with most temples in TN, the period of his appa’s service was marked by a ‘slowdown’ and that prompted him to push his son into academics.

With a cool sprint shower striking Courtallam in the evening, Kannan Bhattar, sitting in front of the Ambal Sannidhi, told this writer as to how his appa wanted him to focus on academics “He wanted to me to get into Polytechnic but I joined the Patshala in Pillayarpatti and learned the agamas for 7years. My mind was focused on continuing the hereditary service.”

He joined the temple at the turn of the century and has been performing archaka service ever since. Interestingly, he has let out a property south of the Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi and gets big rental income from that.

Ganesan Bhattar, now 55, is one of the four hereditary priests. He too studied the agamas at the Pillayarpatti Patshala after completing his Class X at Tenkasi Easwaran Pillai School. Right from a young age, he had been supporting his appa during the utsavams at the Kutralanathar temple. He also performed one kalam archaka service at 10 small temples around Tenkasi while his appa was still performing service at the Kutralanathar temple.

While he joined at a monthly salary of Rs. 250, it has shot up to over Rs. 30000 now on the back of the huge income that the temple has been able to generate because of the rental income from its properties.

Parasakthi's Powers

He has been residing in Tenkasi and making four trips back and forth between his home and the temple every day. He is happy with the financial stability that this temple service has provided him. On this Tuesday evening in July, he is at the Parasakthi Sannidhi and recounts to this writer as to how devotees have regained their lost speech after invoking the blessings of Sakthi“There have been many instances where physically challenged children who could not speak have regained the voice after invoking the blessings of Parasakthi.”

In memory of this episode, one still finds a separate Sannidhi for Perumal and Agasthya inside the temple complex.

He feels blessed to be performing pooja in a temple that is home to one of the five Sabhas in TN temple “North of the temple is the Chitra Sabhai with Mooligai Paintings. There are five Chariots and a big temple tank where the Theppotsavam takes place on Thai Magam. It is also a great devotional feeling to be performing Abhisekam with the ‘Aruvi’ Theertham from the Kutralam falls.”

Jayamani Sundaram Bhattar is 50 years old. He completed his Class X at Ilanji School and like the above two priests went to Pillayarpatti for initiation into the agamas at the Patshala there.

After completion of the course, he engaged himself in consecration and homam events before joining the Kutralanathar temple 15 years ago. “My appa – Krishnamurthy Bhattar – served here for 35 years and my son too has joined the Patshala in Thiruparakundram after Class XII. I am hoping that he will continue the hereditary service.

With tourists thronging the waterfalls in Courtallam, the temple too has experienced a surge in devotee crowd. And with that the Thattu Kaasu too has gone over the roof as has the salary of these hereditary priests.

Each of these priests have service at the temple each day of the month alternating between different sannidhis. Unlike those in remote temples in TN, these priests at the Kutralanathar temple have been having a great time, financially. As the devotional wave continues unabated in TN temples, the future looks bright for these priests with devotees coming in large numbers for Parikara and Prarthana pooja.

With the passing of time, many of the Othuvars in remote towns in TN have made their way out of temples. But Othuvar Sankara Narayanan has a great devotional attachment to Kutralanathar having experienced him right from his childhood. At this young age, he is focusing on deep research on this Lord and is hoping to secure all the historical records about the temple that would have even greater insights into the temple and those that have gone missing. He is keen to dedicate his life in service to the Lord of Courtallam singing the sacred verses of the Saivite Saint Poets each day of the year.

The first of the new gen Hereditary Bhattars to return to the temple from the corporate world

This Engineer's move in 2015 to quit a high paying banking job at the age of 27 has prompted other hereditary priests to take a similar call at the Ranganathaswamy Temple

The 1960s-80s had been a challenging phase not just for priests in remote temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/temples-lockdown-1960s-70s.html) but also for those at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, now one of the richest temples in Tamil Nadu. This section has featured many stories on the trend of the next gen priests moving away from hereditary service to jobs in the corporate world (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/bhattars-gurukals-move-away-from-temples.html). It was no different with those at the Srirangam temple as well. In March this year, this section had featured a story on Aravindan Bhattar who continues to work in the IT sector with a highly lucrative pay package (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-aravinda-bhattar-it-director.html). This story is about a priest who was the first among the next gen at the Ranganathaswamy temple to give up the corporate job and get back into hereditary service. That decision is paying off well with the temple now in a glorious phase on the back of a devotional wave that has been hitting the TN temples over the last decade or so.

Stars in Academics, Turns an Engineer

Srivathsan Bhattar, popularly known as Harish Bhattar, performed creditably in academics. As seen in many stories in this section, sons of priests have tended to get into patshala education to learn the agamas but with close to 90% in class X, he was encouraged to pursue academics and moved to a hostel in Thiruchengode taking up the first group in Plus 2 with the family members and well-wishers feeling he had bright academic future. Over a 1000 marks in Class XII Boards led him to an Engineering college and he was away for four years at Thiruvannamalai. With an early interest in finance, he then did a MBA from a college in Coimbatore. All these indicated a move into the corporate world and a life away from temples.

His appa, Murali Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/01/murali-bhattar-srirangam-temple-chief.html), had been in a Government job at BHEL for several decades and in line with the then trend, was keen for his son to have a secure corporate job. Harish Bhattar told this writer on a day when Namperumal made his way to Amma Mandapam on the Northern Banks of Cauvery for the Aadi Perukku utsavam that most of his seniors and relatives were for him to work in the corporate set up “The future for priests had been uncertain. There had been talks in the air of taking away the Thattu Kaasu from priests. The prospects for those with Hereditary Service in temples did not seem too bright and ‘anyone’ could become a priest was becoming the order of the day. Given all these, everyone around suggested to a life away from temple service. Even the previous generation had been working in educational institutions, banks and in govt service for financial security as the scenario had been bleak in that period.”

He worked for a brief period in an engineering firm in Trichy before his Masters in Finance led him into the Banking Sector. He joined a private bank where he was involved in selling Mutual Fund and Insurance Products among other services. Increasing the customer base led him to move up quickly to the post of Dy. Manager.

Appa Murali Bhattar

His high knowledge of the financial services sector led him to make strategic personal investments in Mutual Funds and he had amassed a fair degree of 'profitable investments' that, he was confident, would take care of his future, financially. His appa too was facing health challenges in the middle of the last decade and a combination of multiple factors led him to quit the banking job soon after his marriage “My appa told me that he did not have the confidence during his time to quit the Government job and get back full time into temple service and asked if I had the confidence to let go of a financially lucrative job where the future was bright” Harish Bhattar told this writer looking back at the phase when he took the decision to quit.”

“I was also newly married and my wife was pregnant with our first child. She too was apprehensive at me quitting a bank job and moving full time into temple service. And so were many of my seniors and relatives. No one in my generation had quit a high paying corporate job to move back to hereditary service. I was the first one to take such a call and hence there were doubts all around if this was the correct decision. But I had already made good investments with my savings and I was confident that the Divine Couple would take care of my future.”

மறம் திகழும் மனமொழித்து வஞ்ச மாற்றி

ஐம்புலன் களடக்கி இடர்ப்பாரத் துன்பம்

துறந்து இரு முப்பொழுதேத்தி எல்லை இல்லாத்

தொன்னெறிக்கண் நிலைநின்ற தொண்டரான

அறம் திகழும் மனத்தவர் தம்கதியைப் பொன்னி

அணியரங்கத் தரவணையில் பள்ளிகொள்ளும்

நிறம் திகழும் மாயோனைக் கண்டு

என் கண்கள் நீர்மல்க என்று கொலோ நிற்கும் நாளே- Kulasekara Azhvaar on Devotion at Srirangam

He donned the role of Raksha Bandana Bhattar even before he had turned 30 by when he had already quit the Bank job.

Challenges aplenty in such a large temple

Of course, with the huge crowd thronging the Srirangam temple, it is no easy task for any priest to manage the Sannidhi as Harish Bhattar found out at the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi on the eve of the Aadi Perukku utsavam. A visit of a former Chief Minister to the Sannidhi led to mayhem and the huge crowd became restless on Aadi Velli and Harish Bhattar was the one who had to face the fury of the angry crowd.

Enjoys performing the Thirumanjanam

This is not a one-off episode. He has stood firm over the way he performs the Thirumanjanam and other pooja kramas. Far too detailed presentation of the poojas consumed lot of time something this writer has seen has not always gone well with others at the temple at a time when patience is at a premium. When the return of Namperumal from a procession overshot the scheduled time resulting in delay in the Thirumanjanam, Harish Bhattar went ahead with his usual complete performance that further delayed the events of the next morning leading to the cancellation of vahana processions on a few occasions during the Brahmotsavams in recent years. This has led to him getting memos (a common feature these days in HR & CE temples!!!) from the HR & CE. But he is unmindful of these as he believes in performing his service in the way it should be “My Thatha has written and recorded in such depth every activity for a priest at this temple and that is the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) I follow. I gained the entire theoretical knowledge of daily as well as utsava pooja kramas from my thatha and the practical experience watching my appa perform from an early age even as a school boy. My process has been to follow those with unwavering faith.”

At the receiving end of activists

Activists have been hitting out at him on many of the pooja aspects at the temple. Harish Bhattar is unfazed at such criticisms “If I have done a wrong as an archaka, I should correct myself and not repeat it again and should thank those who point out the wrongs. If I have not done any wrong, I need not be worried about any criticism.”

That is a model he has followed in recent years though in the initial phase he did find it challenging at the non stop criticisms that he had to encounter.

Childhood exposure helps

Even as a young teenager, Harish Bhattar had begun supporting his appa in temple Kainkaryam. He says exposure to Kainkaryam at an early age had given him the much needed experience. Also, since he had been at the temple from his time as a student at the Govt Boys School, all the kainkaryaparas have been known to him for a couple of decades and that too helped when he took charge full time as an archaka “Teenage phase is an age when you are able to learn fast and are also not worried about the ‘shouting’ from others. My performing Thiru Aradhanam at Chakkarathazhvaar Sannidhi and Singar Koil as a teenager holds me in good stead today as it gave me a lot of experience and helped me build a long standing relationship with all the Kainkarayaras at the temple.”

Taking care of cows

For close to two decades, he has also been taking care of cows. Starting with just one in 2006, it grew manifold to 30 at its peak but when he decided to take to full time archaka service he gave away a majority of them to another Go Shala leaving him with just four. But this has once again grown now to 16. “I did not want to create a Trust and seek donations for this. I maintain it myself. The Go-Samrakshanam activity gives a lot of satisfaction and I spend a lot of time with the cows, outside of my temple service” says Harish Bhattar on his devotional love with cows.

Almost every day service round the year

In the second half of the previous century, a generation of priests had moved out of temple service but with the return, in a big way, of the devotional wave in TN temples, the money is back in temples for archakas and that is driving many of them, especially in large temples, back into temple service. It is no more an uncommon sight to find a priest in a TN temple ride the high profile bullet and new gen cars on the streets of historical temple towns.

As a front runner, Harish Bhattar has served as a successful role model for those priests in Srirangam who had taken to the corporate world over the last couple of decades. Another priest has followed in his footsteps quitting an IT job and taking up the hereditary service while one other priest who has joined a start up IT firm at a huge pay package told this writer that he too will be quitting the corporate job and getting back to full time archaka service that his Thatha had performed in the century gone by. And that is good news for the Ranganathaswamy temple.

At the turn of the century, Harish Bhattar had spent close to a decade away from Srirangam and then a few active years amidst the competitive financial services sector but had not enjoyed that life for his mind was always to serve at the feet of Ranganatha.

He has a whopping over 250 days of service in a year in multiple sannidhis (including at Singar Koil and Uraiyur) and is fully engaged in this Kainkaryam alternating between daily poojas and utsavam duty. While a two - three decade period during the peak of his appa's service was a dark phase with those in his appa's generation having to work full time outside to make both ends meet, the clock has turned back a full cycle for this family and it is back to glory days as an archaka for this 37 year Bhattar as devotee crowd throngs this historical Divya Desam all through the year.

Earlier this year, he had the opportunity to decorate Namperumal with a new diamond studded Kili necklace, one that he had suggested to a devotee who wanted to present an offering to the Lord "What I experienced in the corporate world in those few years after completing my studies and what this service at the feet of Lord Ranganatha has offered over the last decade have been at two extreme ends. Even if I were to have had an opportunity to rise to the level of a CEO of a company, it would have been insignificant compared to this Kainkaryam opportunity that several generations of my family have bestowed on me. There is a great deal of satisfaction in this service and the peace of mind is unmatched” as he signs off moving back to Thayar Sannidhi Kainkaryam on a crowded Saturday evening.

In a dilapidated state two years ago, this Kaala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana temple has seen a remarkable turnaround with like minded devotees coming forward to keep the HR & CE at bay and revive its fortunes with a Thiruppani that cost over a crore

Santhanam Gurukal is touching 70 and is a delighted man. It is exactly a month after the consecration (July 12) of the Mangalambika Samedha Karkodakeswarar temple in Aravoor, near Nidamangalam. In December 2021, this section had featured a story on the dilapidated state of the Mangalambika Samedha Karkodakeswarar temple in Aravoor(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/aravoor-karkodakeswarar-temple.html).

At that time, the outer walls had been completely damaged, there was no electricity inside the temple and the prakara was abound with bushes. There was a thick growth of plantation atop the Ambal and Swami Sannidhis. The brick walled madapalli was in ruins. There had been no repair works of any kind for several decades and consecration had not taken place in a century. Adding to the woes was the fact that the HR & CE was pushing hard to take over the temple from the Thanjavur based trustees.

Santhanam Gurukal (Aug 12)

From no hopes to a Grand Revival

At that time, Santhanam Gurukal did not labour positive hopes of this kind of a turnaround for he had multiple battles on hand and did not foresee an immediate resolution. He himself was living in an old house that dated back to the middle of the 20th century. But this Monday morning (August 12), he sported a big smile as he opens the Sannidhis. The 48day mandalabisekam is still on and is busy with the pooja activities in this phase. The good news for him is that the crowd is back at the temple bringing back positive vibration to this remote village temple. His forefathers had performed pooja at this temple for a century and he is delighted that he has been able to see the consecration in his time.

Taking this writer around the temple on a morning when the sun is out early, he says that there are at least a 100 people for the Pradosham. He expects a full four Kaalam pooja through the night for the Maha Sivarathri in 2025. Neivedyam is being presented every day for the deities in good quantity with the once dilapidated madapalli now sporting a new look.

The village is named as Aravoor (aravam for snake in tamil) and he says that after the Mandalabishekam, devotees are likely to visit for Rahu-Kethu Parikaram as well as Kaala Sarpa Dosham Nivaranam.

A Devotee undertakes the entire Thiruppani responsibility

His namesake Mayil Udayar Santhanam, a long-time resident of Nidamagalam belonged to a team of temple service personnel under the leadership of former Chief Election Commissioner Gopalswamy and this team had restored a 100 temples in the region and in 2021 had come forward to take up the restoration exercise of this temple too. He has been a resident of the East Sannidhi street at Nidamangalam, where he had supported and renovated the Santhana Ramar temple earlier. When this writer met him in December 2021, he was vocal that the trustees from Thanjavur should hand him the renovation orders so his team could get it back to shape.

New Temple Entrance - August 2024

It was he who convinced one of the trustee brothers (Sundara Murugan) regarding the importance of the revival of this temple both for his family as well as for the villagers. The Gurukal had stuck to the temple during its darkest decades and devotee Santhanam was keen to give this temple a new look to also make the Gurukal happy.

Devotees contribute their bit

It was also Santhanam and his team that kept the HR & CE at bay having had experience of having handling renovations in many temples. He too sports a happy smile on this morning as he sits at his home opposite that of the Bhattar of the Santhanarama temple in Nidamangalam and talks to this writer on how he went about organising the renovation activities “Devotees from across the region contributed whatever they could to this Thiruppani. There were those who donated in lakhs and several of them in hundreds and thousands. Every contribution was important for this Thiruppani to become a success. Interestingly, almost all the farmers in the Aravoor belt donated their bit and were keen for the temple to be revived."

He says that he has to now take care of the archaka salary and the monthly maintenance expenses "Our immediate next plan is to create a Nandavanam so flowers can be presented to Swami and Ambal every day and we are working towards that.”

Devotee Mayil Udayar Santhanam

Rebuilding Gurukal's home

Devotee Santhanam is also keen to rebuild the archaka’s house for him to have a comfortable life at this old age “Santhanam Gurukal has been the backbone of this entire exercise. He stood by us and gave us the confidence that we could do this. This temple is very close to his heart having been associated for over half a century and he wanted the festivities to be revived.”

Dilapidated temple complex in Dec'21 - Swami Vimana, Madapalli, temple entrance

Karungal Thiruppani

In 2022, the entire dilapidated temple was brought down and over the last two years it has been rebuilt from scratch. The Karungal stones, that were an integral part of the temple, have been restored as is with a stapathy from Thoothukudi taking care of the Karungal Thiruppani.

There had been parts of the temple that were brick construction including the Madapalli. Those zones in the temple complex have been restored in its same form.

Narayana Bhattar of Santhanarama Temple, Nidamangalam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/nidamangalam-santhanaramar-temple.html), who has just had a knee replacement, performed the consecration of the Rama and Lakshmana Sannidhi devotionally bearing the severe leg pain he has had over the last couple of months (this temple houses historical centuries old idols of Rama Sita and Lakshmana as well as Hanuman).

New Temple Complex - August 2024

The Pillayar Sannidhi too had been completely damaged and this too has been rebuilt. As this is a temple for Sarpa Dosha Nivarthi, there has been a new idol installed at the entrance of the Swami Sannidhi. There is also a separate sannidhi for Hanuman, Bairvar, Maha Lakshmi and Murugar.

Next Year's Maha Sivarathri

Santhanam Gurukal is already looking forward to a big night on Maha Sivarathri next year and believes devotees from all the neighbouring villages will congregate for the Utsavam "There were at least 25 archanais for the previous Pradosham, an indication that devotees are coming back to the temple."

Continues to live in a small old styled house

He had been given a large tract of farming land in this village in the last century and he continues to cultivate paddy there. He and his wife lead a contended life with performing pooja being at the core of his life “My appa passed away when I was in Class VI and I have been performing pooja ever since for the last six decades. My entire life has centered around this temple even when it had become dilapidated.”

The fortunes of this temple has been turned around similar to the one at the Varadaraja Perumal temple, Ayyur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/ayyur-varadaraja-perumal-samprokshanam.html) with the renovation of both these being anchored by devotees. The home of Sowrirajan Bhattar at Pinna Vaasal had been completely refurbished by a devotee. It is hoped that Santhanam Gurukal’s home too would be rebuilt for it is he who has stayed through the entire dark phase for this temple in the late 20th Century and through the first two decades of this century.

The Gurukal's current focus though is on seeing through the mandalabishekam over the next fortnight as he heads back to prepare one padi Chakkarai Pongal Neivedyam for Swami and Ambal on this Monday morning.

The Karkodakeswarar temple in Aravoor is yet another case of how a real threat of a HR & CE take over has been kept away in a remote village through the efforts of like minded devotees who came together along with the trustee to restore this historical temple pooling together Rs. 1.10crores to undertake a two year restoration exercise.

Aravoor is four kms North East of Nidamangalam off the Tiruvarur highway. An auto from Nidamangalam costs Rs. 150 (Ph.: 75025 44840).

Devotees wanting to visit the new look temple may call Santhanam Gurukal on @ 9790473398 in advance.

The Octogenarian priest, who has served as an archaka for six decades, continues to live in perpetual fear of the Moopanars

Salary in the 100s, Breathing Issues, Wife on a walker, a Physically Challenged Son – Unmindful of these, he performed a Thirumanjanam, cooked and presented Thaligai on Aadi Pooram

O. S. Seshadri Bhattar is now into his 80s and has served the Gajendra Varadar Perumal Divya Desam in Kapisthalam for over six decades as an archaka having joined this temple in the early 1960s. Five years ago, this section had featured a story on his devotional commitment amid terrible conditions. While the devotional wave that has struck the TN temples over the last decade or so has revived the fortunes of most priests in the state and the Divya Desams are now in a financially healthy state, things have worsened for this Octogenarian priest and he is still looking up for a turnaround in his fortunes.

In the second half of the previous century, Seshadri Bhattar was one of the most respected priests in the region for he had learned the Vedas and Agamas for a decade from the revered Oothukadu Sankara Ganapadigal at the renowned centuries old Raja Patshala in Kumbakonam. He wanted to become a teacher and that may have given him financial stability in his life but the sudden death of his appa meant that the responsibility of the Divya Desam service came to him at a very young age when he was still in his teens.

That decade, in the 1960s, he ran a Patshala in Kapisthalam, a temple on the Northern Banks of the Cauvery, teaching over 20 students and creating the next generation of agama experts. Most of his students have done financially well in their lives but very few have come to serve their Guru or help him financially in his tough times.

Way back in 1963, when he was just 21 years old, Thiru Kudanthai Andavan of Andavan Ashram conferred the title of ‘Mantra Mani' for his rendering of Vishnu Homam for 20 hours nonstop in Kumbakonam without a water or a toilet break. But financial rewards have eluded Seshadri Bhattar all through his life.

Serious health issues but performs Thirumanjanam and Thaligai!!!

Recently, he has had serious health issues with breathing trouble and had to use a nebulizer for a brief period. Unmindful of the health challenges, he continued to perform pooja including celebrating utsavams. Last week, on the occasion of Aadi Pooram, he performed a Thirumanjanam. He has also been doubling up as a cook at the madapalli and presented a Thaligai on August 7 having woken up early to prepare the sacred food. During this month of Aadi, he has also been performing Thirumanjanam every Friday.

கூற்றமும் சாரா கொடுவினையும் சாரா

தீ மாற்றமும் சாரா

வகை அறிந்தேன்

ஆற்றங்கரை கிடக்கும் கண்ணன்

கடல் கிடக்கும் மாயன்

உரை கிடக்கும் உள்ளது எனக்கு

A paltry salary - Poor Treatment meted out to him

Having started out with a salary of Rs. 16, he is still being paid a paltry sum in the hundreds and even that is paid only once a year. But despite the treatment meted out to him over the last many decades by the Moopanar family that administers the temple, he refuses to speak a single word against them and has been living in perpetual fear. He lives in a small old model house that is messy for most part. He has refused any large scale renovation of the house and continues to sleep each day on an old cot beside a table fan!!!

His wife who has been a pillar of support standing by him over the last several decades is also facing health issues and now walks inside the house with the help of a walker. His son has been physically challenged from birth and cannot hear or speak. If this was not enough, in recent months, he has lost the sense of ‘touch and feel’ and does not react even when he is pinched adding to Seshadri Bhattar’s woes.

Priests in TN shy away from this Divya Desam

This year, he tried to rope in young priests to support him but none of them have stayed over a month. The sub 1000 salary and having to cook in the madapalli as a priest would not excite any young priest especially at a time when there is lot on offer for them at consecration events and performing homam.

Rides a TVS XL at 82 on the Kumbakonam highway!!!

Seshadri Bhattar makes both ends meet by performing pooja in two village temples. Into his mid 80s, he continues to go on a TVS XL bike on the Thiruvayaru – Kumbakonam highway riding 5kms to these temples leaving his wife and local residents worried.

Over the last decade, activists in the temple space have taken on the HR & CE administration in the poor way they have managed the temples. This Divya Desam is an example of how a privately run temple that is in the hands of the wealthiest is no better in terms of taking care of a priest who has served them and taken care of the pooja every day for the last six decades.

Tears tell a tale

On a hot Monday afternoon this week, Seshadri Bhattar wears a tired look and has no words to offer on the way his life is going. Lost for words, tears roll down his cheeks as he faces financial insecurity and wonders as to what the future holds for his physically challenged son. His wife gathers a bit of strength and says that her husband has lived almost his entire life performing Thiru Aradhanam for Gajendra Varadar and till the time his body allows him to walk to the Sannidhi, he will continue to serve the Lord at this Divya Desam, irrespective of the financial and health challenges that are hurting them.

This Octogenarian Priest serving at this Pancha Krishna Kshetram definitely deserves to be treated better.

The archakas have been directed by the HR & CE to remove all the vastrams and kavachams of the deity to facilitate a photo shoot

The HR & CE has ordered taking photographs of the Moolavar deity at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam without any vastram. The order requires the archakas to remove all the vastrams and kavachams of Moolavar and Utsavar in order to facilitate the photoshoot.

In the order, a copy of which is available with this writer, a warning has been issued to those (read archakas!!) trying to prevent the photo shoot “Those trying to prevent the photo shoot and not adhering to this direction will be taken to task and severe action taken against them” says the order of the JC.

The JC states that this decision to take photographs of the Moolavar without any vastram is as per the court order.

It may be recalled that activists have been pursuing the case in the High Court of the idol of Namperumal being replaced during the previous consecration as well as changes having been made to the Moolavar Vigraham a decade ago.

Those in the know at the temple expect the photographer(s) to do the photo shoot at the Moolavar Sannidhi without any vastrams on the deity sometime in the near future.

As has been the way in the recent past, there are not too many voices within the Kainkaryaparas at the Srirangam temple opposing the moves of the HR & CE though one person that this writer spoke to earlier today (Sunday Aug 18) is apprehensive about this photo shoot becoming a reality and said that there would not be ‘Ekantham’ any more if all the vastrams are removed of the moolavar and utsavar and a photo shoot is done.

Over the last decade, this writer has written many stories on the trend of photo and video shoots at temple utsavams and expects photography at all zones within temples to become a reality in the future.

This section will track the developments.

The legendary episode of Raja Raja Chozhan and Nambi Andar Nambi securing Panniru Thirumurai verses was played out at the Kapali temple on the first Sunday of Avani

As per the Vaishnavite legend, it was after listening to the devotees' recital of Nam Azhvaar's sacred verse 'Aaraavamudhe' (Tiruvoimozhi 5.8) on Thiru Kudanthai (Kumbakonam) Sarangapani Perumal koil and after being totally swarmed by its content "Aayirathil Ippathe"( these 10 verses of the 1000) that Natha Muni wanted to listen to the 1000 verses of the Divya Prabandham (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/10/108-divya-desam-thiru-kudanthai.html).

The devotees themselves did not know the whereabouts of the other verses and not knowing where to go to collect the entire Prabandham verses, he invoked the blessings of Lord Aaraavamudhan of Thiru Kudanthai who directed him to go to Azhvaar Tirunagari, near Tirunelveli, to locate and compile the works of the Divya Prabandham. Having searched for the 1000 verses, Natha Muni managed to compile the entire 4000verses (Nalaayira Divya Prabandham).

Similarly in the Saivite legend as well, the Thirumurai had been lost. Raja Raja Chozhan, who built the Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/02/thanjavur-big-temple-kumbhabhishekam.html), was a great Saivite devotee and would often immerse himself in devotion while listening to the Thevaram verses presented in his court by devotees. Like the Vaishnavite legend, when he asked them for the entire collection, they said they knew only those select verses and were clueless about the remaining verses.

He invoked the blessings of Lord Shiva who directed him to Nambi Andar Nambi, a great devotee of Pillayar. The ‘Elephant headed’ Lord pointed Nambi to Chidambaram and he took Raja Raja Chozhan to Thillai. When Thillai Moovaayiravars informed the king that they could open the Chamber only in the presence of the Saivite Saint Poets, Raja Raja Chozhan invoked the blessings of Thillai Nataraja placing the idols of the Saint Poets in front of the Lord (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/07/chidambaram-aani-thirumanjanam-2024.html).

The Chamber then opened and thus Raja Raja Chozhan was able to secure the Thirumurai for posterity. Like Natha Muni, it was Nambi Andar Nambi who compiled the entire collection of the Thirumurai – the first three of Thiru Gnana Sambandar, the next three of Thirunavukkarasar and the seventh one relating to Sundarar. He also added the compositions of Manikkavachakar and other Saivite Saint Poets and completed the Panniru Thirumurai with the composition of Sekkizhar.

கூற்றாயின வாறு விளக்ககிலீர்

கொடுமை பல செய்தன நான் அறியேன்

ஏற்றாயடிகே இரவும் பகலும்

பிரியாது வணங்குவன் எப்பொழுதும்

தொற்றாதென் வயிற்றின் அகம்படியே

குடரோடு துடக்கி முடக்கியிட

அற்றேன் அடியேன் அதி கைக்கெடில

வீரட்டானத்துறை அம்மானே– Appar's First Thevaram Song

Having thus secured the Panniru Thirumurai, Raja Raja Chozhan made copies of these and ensured that this reached the masses so Saivism was spread across the globe. He was keen that the recital is not restricted to a select few and wanted all the devotees to immerse themselves in devotion like he did in his court when listening to the recital.

This legendary episode was played out at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore on Sunday (August 18). Following an abhisekam, the four Saivite Saint Poets went around on a procession inside the temple at 9.30am before positioning themselves in front of Lord Nataraja.

Othuvar Sathgurunathan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html), who organised two dozen presentations of the Thevaram verses over the previous 12 days by Othuvars from across the state, presented a verse from each of the Thirumurais in front of Nataraja with devotees in good numbers glued to his recital. He has been organising this Panniru Thirumurai Vizha in a grand manner over the last two decades with the legendary episode being enacted on the first Sunday of Avani every year.

Othuvars this year included Tiruttani Swaminathan Othuvar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/othuvar-tiruttani-swaminathan.html) and Subramanyam Othuvar who served for many decades at the Kutralanathar temple in Courtallam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/07/kutralanathar-temple-hereditary-priests.html).

A One of its Kind procession

As a mark of respect to this great collection, the sacred Thirumurai books were taken out on a one of its kind procession on an elephant vahana around the four Mada streets starting at 10am.

Consultant to the PMO and ‘Sanyasi’ V Ramkumar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html), who has been carrying the Thee Pandham during every procession at the Kapali temple over the last couple of years, had been on official duty to temples around Kumbakonam this week. He returned in time to carry the Theevatti at the Sani Pradosham procession on an evening that saw a huge crowd at the Kapali temple till well past 9pm. Having spent 5 hours at the temple on Saturday evening, he was back again on Sunday morning to carry the Thee Pandham around the Mada Streets leading the Yaanai Vahana procession ensuring that vehicles were by the side during the hour long procession.

After a Maha Abhisekam of the Naalvar just after 4pm, hereditary priest Venkatasubramanian (Jayakanthan) Shivachariar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/kapaleeswarar-temple-jayakanthan.html), led his team for an hour long alankaram of the four famous Saivite Saint Poets. Just after 8pm, Sundarar led the procession from the temple complex followed by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and Thirunavukkarasar and then Manikkavachakar to the entrance of the 16 Pillar Mandapam where they were pooled together in a wheeled vehicle for the procession around the Mada Streets with a colourful canopy atop them. The procession was led by a new group of adiyars playing the Udal.

பித்தா பிறைசூடி பெரு மானே அருளாளா

எத்தால் மற வாதே நினைக்கின்றேன் மனத்துன்னை

வைத்தாய் பெண்ணைத் தென்பால்

வெண்ணை நல்லூர் அருட்டுறையுள்

அத்தா உனக் காளாய் இனி

அல்லேன் எனல் ஆமே - Sundarar's first verse

Naalvars' return to the temple at 9.30pm brought to an end this year's Panniru Thirumurai Utsavam with the devotees who witnessed the enactment of the legendary episode recalling the event from a 1000 years ago.

If the adiyars followed the Yaanai Vahana procession in the morning around the Mada streets reciting the sacred verses of the Saint Poets, they owe its compilation to the great Raja Raja Chozha and Nambi Andar Nambi. The first Sunday of Avani every year is a fitting tribute to those two for their great contribution to the Saivite World.

Around 30 shops near the Ranga Vilas Mandapam at the Ranganathaswamy Temple have been sealed giving visibility to Thirupaan Azhvaar, Vittal Krishnan and Natha Muni Sannidhis

The shutting down of these shops is likely to help devotees have better darshan

Thirupaan Azhvaar Sannidhi

The shops around the Ranga Vilas Mandapam that had become popular among devotees over the last 50 years have been shut down paving the way for better darshan for devotees. This follows a court order after the fire accident at the Meenakshi Amman temple a few years ago.

JC Mariappan, who took over a year ago, has been strict in taking action on many aspects at the Ranganathaswamy temple and this is one such where he has gone ahead and implemented the order when many efforts in the past had failed.

Over the last decade or so, efforts had been made to vacate the shops that numbered over 30 but as has been the case in most temple locations, the shops managed to get a stay. But this time, under the supervision of the JC, all the shops that had been selling toys, devotional items and kitchen utilities have been sealed. It had become a practice among the outstation devotees to buy something from these shops after they have had their darshan and while making their way back from the temple.

Had been a good source of income to the temple decades ago

Located at the entrance of the Ranga Ranga Gopuram, these were too tempting for the devotees and the shops have been doing good business over the last few decades. These shops had come at a time when there was not much income at the temple and the rental income from these shops served as a boost to the temple at that time, several decades ago.

Vittal Krishnan Sannidhi

But after these shops came up in good numbers, the visibility to Thirupaan Azhvaar and Vittal Krishnan Sannidhis had reduced. Similarly, the shops selling kitchen utilities either side of the Natha Muni Sannidhi blocked the visibility to that Sannidhi located on the western side of the Ranga Ranga Gopuram.

Natha Muni Sannidhi

A facelift to Natha Muni Sannidhi

With the sealing off of these shops, the Natha Muni Sannidhi has received a facelift and devotees have begun visiting the Sannidhi that had not been the case previously.

Former CFO of Wheels India S Srivathsan

(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/srivathsan-cricket-to-tvs-cfo.html) has been a regular at the Ranganathaswamy temple over the last few years with his now 95 year old amma residing all alone on North Adayavalanjan street.

He told this writer that though he is upset that the shops have been sealed and the shop owners will face financial hardship, he has suddenly begun having darshan at the Natha Muni Sannidhi in the last few days “I did not even know the presence of the Sannidhi in the past as the shops blocked the view but with all the shops sealed on either side of the Sannidhi, it has now received a facelift and more devotees are now likely to visit the Sannidhi.”

The physical structure of the shops next to the Ranga Vilas Mandapam will have to be removed for Thirupaan Azhvaar and Vittal Krishnan Sannidhis to receive the visibility. It is likely that action will take place once the shop owners take back all the items from their shops. This is also likely to make it easy for the Sripatham personnel to make their way through this stretch to the Ranga Ranga mandapam.

If it happens soon enough, more devotees may visit the Vittal Krishnan on the occasion of Sri Jayanthi next week.

The shops in the stretch leading to Chakkarathazhvaar Sannidhi that sold Thiruman and photo frames, among other items too have been sealed off.

A couple of weeks ago, the JC had made an attempt to similarly seal off shops in front of the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi and near the Jeer Mutt but with the shops asking for more time, he put off the decision to seal off but it is likely that in the near future those shops too would be sealed off.

It's unlikely that devotees, especially outstation ones, who visited the temple would not have bought something from these shops sometime in their life over the last few decades, such was the experience that these shops provided.

These shops played a part in the devotees' temple experience for many decades and made good business but it's now time to bid goodbye to that 'shopping experience' inside the Srirangam temple.

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the HR & CE to not commercialise the 'sacred food' and to not lease out Prasadam Stalls through auctions

Six years after this section featured a story on the HR & CE converting ‘Sacred Food’ into a lucrative business inside the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the HR & CE to not commercialise 'Prasadam' and to not lease out the Prasadam to outside individuals through auctions. In that story in September 2018, this section had highlighted the fact that the food Counter had been auctioned for around Rs. 1crore at the Srirangam temple, a mind boggling Rs. 30000 a day while at the Varadaraja Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram, it had fetched the HR & CE Rs. 65 Lakhs. This section had in that story brought to light the fact that food made outside the Madapalli and not presented to the Lord was being wrongfully sold as ‘Prasadam’ https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/09/srirangam-prasadam-stall.html).

Historical Practice at the Srirangam Temple

Till the 1970s, paniyaram at the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam was presented to the Lord and brought to Sri Pandaram(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/09/sripandaram-krishna-jayanthi-utsavam.html), where it was given to the devotees. In that story, this section had stated that it was a tradition for the food presented to the Lord to be distributed amongst the devotees present based on the quantity available. It had also been a historical tradition and belief that prasadam of the God is to be consumed in minimal quantity and devotees typically shared even this minimal quantity handed to them with other devotees who missed out. The traditionalists who understood the process waited near the flag post at the Ariya Bhattal Vaasal and picked up the real ‘hot’ prasadam.

With the HR and CE gaining dominance in the 1970s, the sacred food began to turn commercial. The focus shifted to generating revenue out of the open spaces in the temple. Out of nowhere, a small 200 feet space opposite the Garuda Sannidhi was converted to a food counter disguised as a Prasadam stall. But even the HR and CE would not have visualized the potential of this new revenue model, one that was to turn into a big money spinner for them across the large temples in Tamil Nadu.

As decades passed by, the value of the stall went through the roof. The menu on offer had a luring element to it, so as to entice the devotees into believing that this was from the God. The devotees fell for it, the young and old, the modern and the traditionalist. Laddu, Athirasam, Chakkarai Pongal, ‘Mysore’ Paakku and Puliyotharai gave devotees the feel that it was Prasadam. Little did they know that this was food that was neither made at the Madapalli nor presented to the Lord.

Sales sky rocketed and the HR and CE cashed in heavily on this opportunity to bolster its income from the temple. It had become a full fledged business inside the temple. Over a 3-4 decade period, the HR and CE, across all temples in Tamil Nadu, coined the vulgar title of ‘Prasadam’ stall misguiding devotees to consume outside made eateries as the Lord’s Prasadam.

First the Devotional Wave, Now the Food Wave

Wrongs over several decades have now been formalized as the rights of the temple and have become part and parcel of the system, misguiding the devotee in the process. But like so many other twists that have happened inside temple in recent decades, the concept of prasadam and the way it has been positioned and now viewed too has undergone a dramatic change. A temple trip is now incomplete without the consumption of the now popular delicacies of the respective temple. A long distance had been travelled since the 1970s and this section had said in September 2018 that it would require a herculean effort to undo the wrongs that had become an integral part of everyday life at the temples in Tamil Nadu.

That herculean effort has come now in 2024 thanks to a case filed interestingly by one who was refused the right to participate in the auction at the Ranganathaswamy temple. Last fortnight, the judge made the same point that this writer had highlighted in the story in 2018 and rapped the HR & CE on its knuckles by questioning the department's practice to commercialise the sacred food by leasing it to private individuals where those that are selling are doing it as a commercial activity to make money. The court noted that whatever is offered in the temple as prasadam must have its own unique identity and a tradition as 'Prasadam' refers to the blessings of the deity. The court also questioned the quality of the so called prasadam.

This Wednesday on the occasion of Uriyadi Utsavam, a cook who prepares the sacred food at the Srirangam temple told this writer that only Sun Flower oil is being used for preparation of the dishes that are sold at the Prasadam stall, a live testimony to the issue of quality of these prasadams.

In response to the court's direction, the HR & CE has promised the court to look into the possibility of preparing the prasadam on its own through the sacred madapalli without outsourcing to private individuals.

This section will track the developments.

For four decades, this bhattar's life has centered solely around Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal

It is just past 2.30pm on Tuesday (Sept 3). 53 year old Kannan Bhattar has not yet had lunch and is all alone carrying items to the Yaaga Salai for the Pavitrotsavam in front of Kamalavalli Nachiyar Sannidhi in the evening at the Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal temple in Thiru Kandiyur, a Divya Desam where Shiva got rid of ‘Brahmma’s Curse’. He has been serving at this temple since his early teens and has just completed 40 years of non-stop Kainkaryam. He has not had a life outside of the temple, did not marry and has dedicated his entire life to Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal.

Hailing from Perumpuliyur that is home to Sundararaja Perumal (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/08/perumpuliyur-sundararaja-perumal.html), Kannan Bhattar did his schooling at the Tamil Sangam in Karanthai. When he was in class VII, his parents passed away leaving him in shock. His Thatha Krishnamurthy Bhattachar had been serving at the Kandiyur Divya Desam and he took the young boy under his fold.

பிண்டி ஆர் மண்டை ஏந்தி

பிறர் மனை திரிதந்து உண்ணும்

முன்டியான் சாபம் தீர்த்த ஒருவன் ஊர்

உலகம் ஏத்தும்

கண்டியூர் அரங்கம் மெய்யம்

கச்சி பேர் மல்லை என்று மண்டினார்

உய்யல் அல்லால் மற்றையார்க்கு

உய்யல் ஆமே - Thiru Kurunthaandagam

A Tragic childhood but blessed by Kandiyur Perumal

On this Tuesday afternoon, Kannan Bhattar is brisk and active like he always is despite the fact that he has not had food on this day. While his mind is all on getting it right for the Pavitrotsavam in the evening and refuses to sit, he recounts to this writer those tragic moments in the 1980s “I lost my parents before I was into my teens. My appa had been an archaka at the Navaneetha Krishnan temple on Sourashtra Street in Thanjavur. I had no money and even next day’s survival was an issue. When my Thatha asked me to come to Kandiyur and stay with him, I quit school and began supporting him at the temple. I was given no money but over the next decade, I resided in the house opposite the temple. He was everything to me and guided me on pooja krama and the utsavams. I also learned learnt performing Thirumanjanam and decorating the Lord.”

From that day in the early 1980s, serving at the feet of Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal has been the only way of life that Kannan Bhattar has known. Being the place where Shiva himself got salvation from Brahmma Hathi Dosham, it is believed that one's curses will go away if one visits this temple and offers sincere prayers here.

He says that devotees come to the temple with problems and he sees as his role carrying their messages to Perumal and securing relief for them. To this, he actively engages with all the devotees who turn up at the temple and provides solace to them and sends them back with the confidence that their problems will be taken care of by this Divya Desam Lord.

He is also always in engaging conversations with the Mei Kavalar and Sweeper keeping them in good spirits especially on weekdays when devotees are few.

Enjoys the Utsavams
Brahmotsavam, Pavitrotsavam and Desikar Utsavam continued to be celebrated at this Pancha Kamala Kshetram and he gained great insights into the way utsavams are organised even as a teenager. He would stick to his Thatha like a glue through the day and watch him perform Kainkaryam at this temple.

At the turn of the century, his thatha, well into his 90s then, passed way and Kannan Bhattar took over at daily wages of Rs. 10. Only a decade ago was he given an official posting as an archaka. And only this year, after four decades of service and with the implementation of the 7th pay commission, his salary has gone up to Rs. 6700.

Doubles up as Madapalli Cook

He is all alone at the temple and also doubles up as the cook at the Madapalli but says he has enjoyed this way of life “I have not gone anywhere else in my life. My day starts with Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal and ends with him. Every night when I go to bed, I feel like I am on top of the world having served the Divya Desam Perumal that day.”

Currently, he is also actively engaged in the Thiruppani works at the temple and is the one who is pooling together funds from devotees for the renovation activity.

As a child, even before he could begin to dream about his future, he had lost his parents and did not get to enjoy the freedom of being a school boy with friends. He says Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal decided that he should perform a lifetime of service at this historical Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and he has accepted that with great joy including the grand street processions of Kamalanathan during the Brahmotsavam. With Perumal and Kamala Valli Nachiyar around him, this bhattar does not feel the loneliness that one would otherwise feel in life!!!

Located 6kms North of Thanjai Maa Mani Koil Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/01/thanjai-maa-mani-koil-divya-desam.html) and 2kms South of Kalyanapuram Srinivasa Perumal Koil (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/11/kalyanapuram-srinivasa-perumal.html), the temple is open from 8am-12noon and 5pm-8pm. Kannan Bhattar can be reached on 9487252321

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