Kothandarama temple Dhanushkodi

Sanjeevi Bhattar has just turned sixty and officially retired last month but his selfless service over a long close to four decades to Kothandaramar has led the HR & CE to request him to continue to offer his Kainkaryam. And thus this Saturday (Oct 14) morning, he accompanied for yet another time the handsome looking Kothandaramar from the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram on a ten kilometer trip to the Kothandaramar temple in Dhanushkodi.

He moved to the temple in the 1980s when there were absolutely no devotees. His appa had passed away when he was just three years old and it was his amma who helped him through his school education. The financial situation had turned so bad that he chose not to pursue his academics and told her that he would take care of her but unfortunately she too passed away in the mid 80s. 

Dhanushkodi had been ravaged by a terrible cyclone a couple of decades prior and the entire town had been damaged after the devastation leaving only a few survivors. The railway station in Dhanushkodi had buried under the impact of the cyclone. His predecessor had performed archaka service in the worst of times for over four decades and it was who protected the utsava idol from the cyclone when he carried the heavy deity by hand to safety. The previous archaka also provided food to the odd devotees visiting Dhanushkodi to see what remained of that location. 

There were no bus services to Rameswaram till the launch of the Pamban road bridge in late 1980s. In those early years, Sanjeevi Bhattar spent a lot of time alone with Kothandaramar. This Saturday is one of the few utsavam days in the year at this temple when the utsava idol Rama, who has been in safe custody at the Ramanathaswamy temple for the last several decades makes his way to Dhanushkodi. Sanjeevi Bhattar is all excited to be part of this long Garuda Sevai trip yet another time. Right from his childhood, he had decided to make this a spiritual journey for himself. Even as a school boy, he performed archaka service at a local Hanuman temple in Dindugal where he spent his early years. 

He recounts to this writer his memorable devotional engagement with Ramar in his initial phase at this temple “ I walked to the temple all the way from Rameswaram and later there was just one bus.  It did not tire me for I seemed to have the devotional energy. A total of 20 devotees visited the temple through the day. I consider it my greatest blessing that I was assigned for this kainkaryam and being all alone with Rama I engaged in great devotional conversations with the Lord. I read the Sundara Kandam several times and many other religious books sitting in front of Rama in those years.”

 

During his long engagement at this temple as the sole archaka, he encountered many interesting experiences. From Sankaracharya to Corporate Chiefs, he had seen them all. Devotees from the North see Vibheeshana as a villain who usurped the kingdom from Ravana. Sanjeevi Bhattar considers it his duty to clarify that posititioning. He says that to all of them he extols the greatness of Vibheeshana and his surrender to Lord Rama as the greatest lesson from the epic.

When the Judge of Hyderabad High Court had darshan at the temple in the early 1990s, he was very impressed with the way the priest performed archaka service and had good words of praise. Buoyed by this encouragement, Sanjeevi Bhattar gathered courage to write a postal letter to him asking for a job. He recollects the response from the Judge that turned out to be an eye opener for him “There were no devotees and I was paid a salary of just Rs. 5 per day. In one of those excitable moments, I wrote a letter to the Judge. He wrote back promptly saying that he considered my service as higher than any other job in the country. To be serving at this historical sacred location as an exclusive priest was more prestigious than a job in a company. That letter from him opened my eyes and I realized as to how blessed I was to be performing this Kainkaryam.  I consider those early years as a glorious phase in my life as I was able to talk to Rama all alone and received a devotional enlightenment.”

For over a decade, he slept every night in the Thinnai at a friend’s house in Rameswaram. He asked Kothandaramar if he would bless him with a small house. At the turn of the century, a surprise offer came his way. He was interviewed in Delhi for a global Kainkaryam opportunity. When he told them that he was performing archaka service at the location where Rama performed Pattabhishekam for Vibheeshana, he was immediately offered and moved to Netherlands for a year. 

There were longer term overseas contracts coming his way and lucrative financial deals on offer. When the HR & CE asked him a Yes or a No between Rama Kainkaryam and overseas engagement, he chose service at the feet of Rama and never went back again. He built a small 500 square feet house in Rameswaram and has been living there for the last two decades. 

After almost thirty years, Samprokshanam was performed in 2007 (the earlier consecration had taken place in 1978) and he felt blessed to be anchoring the event. 

The Aani Utsavam is the big day in the year at Dhanushkodi. A day before Hastham, the utsava deity of Rama makes his way to this temple for Vibheeshana Pattabhisekam. On the fourth Saturday of Puratasi Rama makes his way on the Garuda Vahana for Pancha Deepam at this temple. 

Even today there is no electricity at this temple. Hence after sunrise on the first day of Margazhi, there is a Thirumanjanam followed by a Grand Alankaram.

Over the last decade or so, the crowds have swelled but Sanjeevi Bhattar has not been happy in the was this development has turned out “In the 1980s, real devotees came to the temple. Even high profile people came as simple devotees and had the greatest respect for archaka service. Today, this has turned into a tourist spot with visitors focusing on taking photo shots of this location than understanding Vibheeshna Saranagathi and its relevance in our daily life.”

The HR & CE is now planning a massive Rs. 10crore renovation and reconstruction of the Kothandaramar temple in Dhanushkodi. With the modernization of the temple, this historical location may never be the same again. But for the moment Sanjeevi Bhattar feels very blessed that he performed the exclusive archaka service for close to four decades and at a time when the temple still retained its old world charm. 

The temple is open from 6.30am to 6pm.