Srirangam Temple Naidu Venkatesan Passes away

On 1st May this year, Naidu Venkatesan, who had been serving at the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple for almost four decades called this writer to update about the Chitrai Utsavam and how devotees were not being allowed into the temple. The scenario, he said, took him back to the 1960s when there were no crowds and devotees could come and have darshan of Moolavar Ranganathaswamy as many times as they wanted each day of the year.

In that telecon, he specifically praised the new JC of the temple, Marimuthu, who had taken over in January this year. He told this writer that the new JC had made it a point to attend the commencement of every procession and this took him back to 1984 to the JC of the time who too would be present for every procession at the temple. He said it was refreshing to see the JC come in traditional attire to be part of the utsavam.

Naidu Venkatesan began his service at the Srirangam Temple in the 1980s and performed his duties as selflessly as one could over an almost four decade period. Sometimes he would carry the Thee Pandham, at other times he would look at the electrical issues. While he had designated work as a HR & CE appointee, he was a man for all seasons. He would never say NO to anyone and never complain about anyone. Such people, only a few in number, are always taken advantage of.  

Four years ago, it was the Garuda Sevai day in Thai. The procession that evening starts from Veereswaram on the banks of the Cauvery, near Amma Mandapam. Almost everyone these days uses vehicular service to reach the destination but not Venkatesan. Carrying the huge big sized White Canopy from inside the Srirangam temple, he walked over 2kms chatting with this writer through the 45minute trip to banks of the Cauvery. When asked as to why he would not use a motor transport, his response over the last many decades had always remained the same “God has given me a great opportunity to perform Kainkaryam at the temple. I want to do it as sincerely as possible and in as traditional a way as possible in the way I had done it in the year I joined.” And for this service on a hot afternoon, he would be paid Rs. 5 or Rs. 10.

He was always the man for measuring the Paddy in the Thiru Kottaram near the Garuda Sannidhi on the 7th day of the Utsavam, one that is referred to as ‘Nel Alavu’ event. The 7th day of the Dolotsavam for example is particularly special in that it is on this evening that Namperumal used to personally inspect the granary and witness the measurement of paddy that had accrued to him through gifts from Kings as well as from his devotees. The quantity of paddy also symbolises the prosperity or otherwise of the kingdom. When Namperumal, with his Ubaya Nachiyars reached Thiru Kottaram, West of the Garuda Sannidhi, it was always Naidu Venkatesan who measured and displayed to them the presence of 25kgs of Paddy. He would later shout out the next measurement as 250kgs and 2500kgs of Paddy thus informing Lord Namperumal that all was well in the region and that devotees were taking good care of him by gifting in plenty.

In a world that is increasingly seeking financial glory, Naidu Venkatesan remained unchanged over four decades in the way he carried out his services. Not once in this period did he ask any devotee or donor for financial returns for the service. In all utsavams, he would always stand in a corner after performing his service and would not reach out to the Ubayadharar for Sambhavanai unless he was called. 

He was so silent and went about his service in such an unnoticed manner that he was not even part of the long ‘Sambhavanai’ list of TVS for a long time. Several hundreds of service personnel at the Srirangam Temple have been handed monthly Sambhavanai by Venu Srinivasan’s Trust. Till last year, Naidu Venkatesan was not one of them. The powers that be at the temple – the Archakas or the Maniyakaarar or the other powerful service personnel - did not pitch for him and include him in their list 7 years ago. But he never complained. He did not even let anyone know that despite being an integral part of the service personnel performing service every day of the year, he was not in that list. He simply did not pitch with anyone for financial rewards. 

He was always a contented man and did not seek additional financial aid “If God decides to give, it will happen” was the way he lived. It was that unflinching belief in God that finally led to him being included in Sambhavanai list without his asking. When Venu Srinivasan came to know about his non inclusion, he immediately added him in the list and provided him with Corona Relief aid as well as monthly Sambhavanai from the Summer of 2020.

When the service personnel of the temple asked for something from him, there was never a NO from Naidu Venkatesan.  Even at the end of a long and tiring day, he would accede to their requests and would cheerfully perform the service. On most of the utsavam nights, he would be one of the last to leave the temple for he would stay back right till the end.

He officially retired a couple of years ago but continued to perform service at the temple. Soon after the Maasi Theppotsavam this year, he suffered a Heart Attack and underwent an operation. Even at this post retirement stage, he did not ask for financial assistance following the attack. As has come to be expected of him to those who have known him over the last four decades, he came back to the temple to be part of the Panguni Utsavam. And performed service at the Kodai and Ramanuja Utsavam as well in April.

Following the call he made on the first day of the Chitrai Brahmotsavam, he did not call this writer again. And now, he will never call again.

With the passing away, last evening, of Naidu Venkatesan, the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam has lost one of the most sincere and selfless service personnel of the last four decades. 

It will be difficult to find another like him.