The Saint Poets praised historical temple near Thiruvayaru finds itself neglected
Brahmotsavam halted, Uriyadi Utsavam has lost its grandeur, Priest's salary has not been paid for years
Unmindful of the financial challenges, Swaminathan Gurukal continues the service that has been passed on to him from six generations
43 year old Swaminathan Gurukal (Raja to those in the temple circles) has been at the Abath Sahayeswarar temple, one praised by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and Thirunavukarasar (Appar), since the time he was a school boy in the 1980s. His appa Jeppeswar Gurukal performed archaka service at this Paadal Petra Sthalam for over five decades at a time when the temple was invaded by snakes, water logging a common feature during monsoon rains and power facilities not yet installed. As a young school boy, he would walk along with his appa from their home in Thiruvayaru to the temple for the morning pooja. Later his appa cycled to the temple with the young boy seated behind. After Swaminathan Gurukal discontinued his school education on completion of Class X, he began a stringent five year agama initiation under his appa.
Golden Period
It was a practical initiation into the temple processes for him. Very early on, he learned the devotional process of an abhisekam as well as the specific pooja to be performed in each of the Sannidhis. In the evening after coming back from school, he would light oil lit lamp in the Sannidhis. Till the early 1990s, the temple was under the administration of the relatives of the Prince of Thanjavur. Historically, the priest was handed 56 Kalam Paddy. It was a golden period when Jeppeswar Gurukal was at the temple, especially the early years of his service. There was a vibrant agraharam east of the temple and they were an integral part of the temple festivities. The Saptha Sthanam Utsavam in Chitrai was another big utsavam at the temple with devotees gathering in good numbers. The archakas were supported well by the service personnel – Mei Kavalar, Kothanar, Flower maker and Sirpanthigals.
Jeppeswar Gurukal lived a contented life. For a large part the family lived in a hut house in Thiruvayaru. He did Japam each day of the year at the temple. He himself washed the vastrams of the Lord. Son Raja Gurukal recounts his childhood days with his appa at the temple “He used only well water for all the sannidhis throughout his five decades at the temple. He would carry one Kudam on his shoulder and one in his hand. He cooked food at the huge 2000 sq ft madapalli and presented Neivedyam to the Lord. The sacred food was distributed to the service personnel.”
A variety of food would be cooked in each of the Kaalams, presented to the Lord and distributed to the devotees, who all considered it a blessing to be here. Even as a 12 year old, Raja Gurukal himself carried heavy weight Kudams with the well water to the Sannidhis.
“Appa’s lessons were the real lessons of my life. He had a cane and I would be whipped for any wrongs. He taught me everything – the temple processes, devotees, madapalli. More importantly he taught contentment. It was this early initiation that helped me stick to this temple. One week before his death in 2016, he took a promise from me that I will not leave this temple under any circumstances. He was my acharya and his words have been strongly inscribed in my heart” says Raja Gurukal.
Uriyadi Utsavam - Joint Shiva Vishnu Procession
There is a separate sannidhi for Venugopalan right behind the Moolavar Sannidhi. In centuries gone by, Uriyadi Utsavam was a popular festival here with Lord Venugopalan and Lord Abath Sahayeswarar providing darshan on a Sesha Vahana around the streets of Thiru Pazhanam. Hence there are two Sesha Vahanas here.
Utsavams lost
Unfortunately as with most other agraharams in the state, the original inhabitants made their way out of this temple town in the 1970s selling away their traditional homes. Not a single one is left now. The vibrancy of the agraharam made a big difference. They took care of the temple mandagapadis and the priests. Soon after they quit the agraharam, the utsavams came to a halt. Devotee crowd began to dwindle. After a decade long case, the temple changed hands and the HR & CE has been administering the temple since the mid 1990s. The grand utsavams of the decades gone by have now become a thing of the past. The Brahmotsavam has come to a halt. Even the grandeur of the Uriyadi Utsavam has been lost with the going away of the agraharam residents.
Enter HR & CE, Gurukals off to Mauritius
A year after the HR & CE took over Jeppeswar Gurukal made his way to Mauritius to perform pooja there. After his return three years later and at the turn of the century, son Swaminathan Gurukal too went there for three years. He continued to get offers from overseas temples but has chosen to remain at Thiru Pazhanam. Of Course, he was an active participant at Kumbabhisekam events and that made up for the financial challenges at the temple. Today, he makes his way from Thiruvayaru on a majestic Royal Enfield bike and says that God has taken care of him financially.
Like minded devotees can have a role to play at the temple. The Nandavanam does not resemble anywhere close to what it once was with thick bushes. The pandemic has led to shortage of oil to light the lamp.
Original Inhabitants are looking to come back
As with many other historical temple towns, here too the original inhabitant are looking to make their way back to the town where they had spent their childhood all those decades ago. Raja Gurukal almost laughs at the new trend that one is witnessing “The original inhabitants are returning to the agraharam but most of them are above 60. They narrate old stories about their lively childhood days in the agraharam but that is of no use. They failed to initiate their next gen into a life around the temple. The traditional way of life is gone. Contentment is not there anymore.”
The role of an Adhi Saivar
Raja Gurukal is now taking on the temple from where his appa had left. He is looking to fulfil the promise handed to his appa just prior to his death of dedicating this life to the service at the feet of Abath Sahayeswarar. The trip to Mauritius and the income from Kumbabhisekams have kept him financially well off in the years gone by and the lack of income from the temple does not worry him much.
His appa’s salary was pending for many years at the time of his death in 2016 and Raja Gurukal’s salary too has likewise been pending now. But he is unfazed. He says that the role of the Adhi Saivars is to dedicate their lives to Shiva Kainkaryam. “I cannot do anything else. My duty is to perform pooja for the welfare of the world. I consider it my blessing to be performing service here at a temple sung by Saint Poets. Each day I remember the lesson that out of all those in this world, God has chosen me as the designated one to serve at this historical temple.”