Pasupathi Koil Kettai Temple

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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