Rajkumar Bhattar and his appa Kulothu Bhattar have performed service for over 50 years at a three digit salary with no permanent posting yet
Funds will be handed out for Thiruppani as per the allocation made - We will start the Restoration Exercise soon - HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu
41 year old Rajkumar Bhattar has been the sole priest at the huge Kailasanathar Koil at Brahmma Desam, a few kms North of Ambasamudram having joined at a monthly salary of around Rs. 200. His appa Kulothu Bhattar served there for four decades from the late 1960s and retired at a salary of Rs. 165!!! Once upon a time, there was a Brahmotsavam in Panguni, Thiru Kalyana Utsavam in Aipasi and Vada Kaappu Utsavam in Aadi. Each of these had been grand in the century gone by. There were 400 brahmin families in the agraharam with the North and South streets vibrant with Vedic chants heard all through the day. There were close to 20 service personnel at the temple including paricharakas and adyayana bhattar. This has come down to just 2 with Rajkumar Bhattar being accompanied by a Pala Velai person who has been working at a monthly salary of Rs. 900
The temple town referred to as Ayaneeswaram signifying the presence of Brahmma and Shiva at the temple is home to Kailasanathar and Brihantha Nayaki. Reference to Ayaneeswaram is made in the 8 song of the 6th Thirumurai Adaivu Thiruthandagam.
Financial Poverty
It was financially challenging times for Rajkumar Bhattar when he was growing up as a school boy in the 1980s but he began to accompany his appa from the time he was just 6years old. At that time, there were just 10 electrical bulbs inside this huge temple. There were no devotees and almost no salary to the priest. It was the phase when the Panguni utsavam came to a halt. There was no oil even to light the lamp. There was not enough rice for daily Neivedyam. And it was a struggle for Kulothu Bhattar to make both ends meet.
Appa directs son to academics, but Rajkumar chooses temple service
Rajkumar Bhattar recalls that phase “Given the terrible financial condition and the state of the temple at that time, my appa asked me to focus on academics but we have been hereditary priests and my thatha and appa had performed service for almost a century. I wanted to continue the temple service irrespective of the financial challenges.”![]()
After class XII exam, he moved into agama and vedic education. He learned the agamas from Pillayarpatti Patshala Acharya for five years and vedas from Veeraraghavan Gandapadigal.
Almost 15years at Three Digit Salary and No Permanent Appointment
From his mid teens, he had started to perform pooja in two local pillayar temples. He also continued to assist his appa at the Kailasanathar Temple. In 2009, after the retirement of his appa, he officially joined the temple as the archaka at a salary of Rs. 165 that has now gone up to Rs. 1200 after 14years. His appa too did not get an official permanent posting and Rajkumar Bhattar too has not yet secured a permanent appointment. Sadly, he continues to get paid by signing on the voucher!!!
Single Handedly Revives Utsavams
During this phase he has revived the Theppotsavam in Panguni, the Vinayaka Chathurthi Utsavam. Through his single handed effort, Pradosham now attracts a couple of hundred devotees. There are close to 50 devotees for the Palli Arai pooja every night all through the devotional efforts of the priest. He has also revived utsavam on the occasion of Pournami, Amavasai, Ashtami and every last Tuesday of the month. Sivarathri, Kanda Sashti and Navarathri utsavams too have been revived by Rajkumar Bhattar. Both Aadi Pooram and Aippasi Utsavams have now been revived as a one day utsavam with Poo Pallakku street procession on Aippasi Uthiram.
The electricity bills are paid by the devotees every month!!!
Pancha Lingam Kshetram
The temple is unique in that there are five Separate Sannidhis for Lord (and Ambal) with a separate Vimanam and Nandi. These include Kasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi, Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Ammai, Madurai Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, Ilaintha Adi Nathar and the Moolavar of this temple Kailasanathar, flanked by Brihandha Nayaki in a separate sannidhi. Hence this is referred to as Pancha Lingam Kshetram.
Ilanthai Adi Nathar (Badarivaneswarar), a Swayambu idol, is the original deity at this temple. One finds an Ilanthai tree as the Sthala Vriksham.
This is the birth place of the second Acharya of Kanchi Mutt Sarvagna Atmendra Saraswathi Swami.
The Bikshaada Nathar Sabha is a distinctive Sannidhi where one finds one of a kind of images not found in any other temple in Tamil Nadu. The seven feet tall Lord Shiva presents himself as Bikshaada Nathar without a peedam standing tall like a human being. He is seen with a Bhootham Vadhyam in a typical posture of going out for Bikshai.
Around him are carvings of Brahmma, Vishnu, Muruga, Pillayar, Ashta Dhik Baalakars, Surya, Chandra, Kinnarar, Kim Purushar, Agastyar, all seen in their respective Vahanas offering worship to Bikshaada Nathar. Seen above the Lord are two Apsara Kannis sculpted on a single stone, yet another marvelous piece. Below the Lord are three Apsaras in three different postures including one in a Sayana Kolam.
HR &CE minister visits the temple, allocates Rs. 7.5crores for renovation
The temple has been in a dilapidated condition for many years now. The previous consecration had taken place in 2004. This is easily the biggest temple in the region and has the most exquisite stone sculptures. Rishabha Vahana Mandapam, Theerthavari Mandapam and the Ther Mandapam are all in dilapidated condition. The Chariot itself is in a broken state and a new one needs to be built. HR & CE minister PK Sekar Babu visited the temple to get a firsthand feel of the state of the temple. The Government has made an announcement in the assembly and passed an order allocating Rs. 7.5crores for the renovation exercise. The Thiruppani application has already been screened by the District and State committees.
7 Tier Raja Gopuram in Poor Condition
The Gadana River runs right near the temple from South to North. The towering 7 Tier Raja Gopuram at the Eastern Entrance casts its shadow on the big temple tank, just North of the tower but the temple tower is in a bad shape and needs immediate repairs. The devotee from Coimbatore who undertook the Raja Gopuram repairs in 2004 has been ready to take care of the Raja Gopuram restoration this time too. However, there has been a long delay in the approval process.
The temple has three towering Gopurams and seven Vimanams, the most exquisite stone sculptures and was once a War Temple offering protection to the people. When the poor state of the temple was brought to the attention of HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu, he told this writer on Wednesday that the Government Order has been passed for the renovation of this temple and he will ensure that the restoration exercise starts soon. "I remember visiting the Kailasanathar Koil recently and having darshan here. I will make sure that the allocated funds is handed out to this temple for the Thiruppani exercise. You will be happy to see this temple wearing a new look very soon", the Minister assured this writer in an exclusive chat on Wednesday.
It is hoped that sometime in the near future the words of the HR & CE Minister will come true and that this historical temple will be back to its glory days including the revival of the Panguni Brahmotsavam and the procession of the Chariot around the four streets. It is also hoped that the HR & CE will provide a permanent appointment to Rajkumar Bhattar and also a fair salary to him in line with the current cost of living.