Madhava Perumal Mylapore Next Gen Sudarshan

Over the last couple of years, this section has featured multiple stories on next generation in the priest family in ancient temples in Tamil Nadu taking to Engineering as a way forward in life (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/bhattars-gurukals-move-away-from-temples.html).  Of Course, there are instances as in the case of Rahul Bhattar of Thenthiruperai Divya Desam where he chose to return to the remote hereditary location after completing his Patshala education at Madurantakam when almost all his classmates went North (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/thenthiruperai-rahul-bhattar.html). 

In March this year, this section had written on 22 year old Ashwin Bhattar, a Post Graduate in Commerce, taking over soon as a priest at the Madhava Perumal temple in Thyagarajapuram Mylapore continuing in his father’s footsteps. In the months that have passed he has cleared the interview conducted by the Agama expert and the HR & CE and is awaiting his appointment order at the temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/madhava-perumal-temple-next-gen-bhattar.html).

In the meanwhile, there has been another positive development at the temple. Ashwin’s younger brother and son of Sundar Bhattar Sudarshan who had completed his class XII exams this year has decided to take the traditional route and has joined BA Sanskrit in Vivekananda college. More importantly, he has taken to agamic lessons and is being initiated by Muthu Bhattar.

He had an option to take to B. Com but instead chose Sanskrit in which there are only three students in the class. He told this writer that he would like to take to indepth research in Sanskrit and is looking to do a P. hd after he completes his Post Grad five years from now. By then it is also likely that he will be able to converse fully in Sanskrit. With the expert guidance from Muthu Bhattar, he is likely to have been fully initiated into the Vaikanasa Agama Kramas.

Much against the trend, he is keen and focused on a life at the Madhava Perumal temple performing archaka service. His elder brother Ashwin Bhattar has already come to be appreciated by the devotees for his alankaram that was seen in full grandness at the Rama Navami Utsavam, the Chitrai Brahmotsavam and recently at the Aadi Pooram utsavam.

17 year old Sudarshan has been supporting his appa in temple service in the last few years outside of his school time and exams. This year, he was an integral part of the Brahmotsavam celebrations being with Madhava Perumal during the street processions. 

Sundar Bhattar is quite delighted at the decisions taken this year by Sudarshan.“Despite just three students at the Vivekananda College in the Sanskrit section, he has expressed interest to pursue the historical language for five years and I feel really happy that Sudarshan is going against the wave of the next gen taking to courses that will lead them to a life in the corporate world.”

In a space of six months, this is double bonanza for traditionalists at the Madhava Perumal temple in Mylapore with both the sons of Sundar Bhattar taking a liking to temple service and committing to a life time service at this ancient temple. 

Contrasted with Vedantha Desikar and Kesava Perumal temples in Mylapore, Madhava Perumal temple has been away from limelight. But this year has been one of many positive developments. The Ghosti team is gaining strength, repair works is likely to start soon and a Samprokshanam likely next year, there has been a steady stream of devotees walking into the temple and now two youngsters committing to temple service as their way of life. 

With these positive happenings, there is also hope that the court case relating to the now dilapidated avathara sthalam of Madhava Perumal temple on Arundel street will also see a positive turnaround for it has been a historical tradition for Pey Azhvaar to visit that location every year on Aippasi Sathayam.