Devotionally inclined, keen on archaka kainkaryam
28 year old Balaji Bhattar has taken over as an archaka at Thiru Pullani succeeding his appa but his future remains uncertain
Jayaraman Bhattar is now past 60 and has just handed over the reigns to his son Balaji Bhattar. He served at the Aathi Jagannathan Perumal temple in Thiru Pullani Divya Desam, praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as an archaka for four decades. His appa Padmanabhan Bhattar served for over half a century. There were no devotees at the temple when Jayaraman Bhattar entered his teenage phase in the early 70s. It was financially a big struggle for the entire family. . They lived in a hut house on the South Street and it was in a bad shape. There was also severe water shortage in the region and that compounded the archaka family's troubles. There was no electricity in Thiru Pullani till the mid 1970s and he studied under the Chimney light through his schooling years.
In 1979, he joined the temple at a monthly salary of Rs. 50 that went up to Rs. 2500 almost 45years later at the time of his retirement. He and his appa had 7 ½ days service each every month at the temple. Soon after he topk over, the scenario deteriorated further and things did not seem to look up with most of the original inhabitants leaving this Divya Desam towards larger cities. There was shortage of service personnel too.
Against this backdrop, he received an offer from Srinivasa Perumal temple in Singapore in 1987 and took that up while Padmanabhan Bhattar continued to serve Darbha Sayana Ramar.
For five years, Jayaraman Bhattar served as an archaka in Singapore and returned to Thiru Pullani in 1992. He renovated the hut house after his return and has been living there ever since.
The Samprokshanam in 2003 and the return of the devotees in large numbers over the last 15 years has turned around the fortunes of the temple and the archakas.
Temple Legend
The Aathi Jagannatha Perumal temple in Thiru Pullani is one whose legend dates back to the Ramayana. It is believed that Raama invoked the blessings of Adhi Jagannathan before he departed for Lankan battle. It was here that Vibheeshana, the brother of Ravana, came for refuge and surrendered to Lord Raama asking him for help and hence this is a temple said to be the most sacred for those devotees seeking ‘Absolute Surrender to Lord’.
It was also here on the banks of River Sethu that Raama spread the Darbha grass and undertook a fast addressing Varuna (Sea Lord) looking to him for a solution to cross the sea. There is a separate sannidhi for Darbha Sayana Raama at this temple.
Raama’s marks on Squirrel
The Squirrel, which on seeing the monkeys helping Lord Raama, too wanted to help out the Lord. Being small in nature, they could not carry the trees and boulders. Hence, they did something innovative. The squirrels rolled on the sand and then ran back to the Sethu Bridge and dropped off the sand that had stuck to their body. So impressed was Lord Raama that he rubbed the squirrels with warmth, a mark that remains to this day on the body of every squirrel.
Next Gen- Choices to make?
Both his sons have chosen the traditional path for their future though there is one big challenge ahead of them. His elder son Balaji Bhattar is 28 and has taken over charge as an archaka at this Divya Desam. They have been looking for a girl for him for a few years but brides are not forthcoming to reside in Thiru Pullani. His amma is keen for him to switch over to the Corporate World while his appa wants him to continue the Divya Desam Kainkaryam. Currently, they are in a dilemma caught between temple service as a way of life and working in a company in a city to get brides interested.
தன்னை விக்கிலேன் வல்வினையேன் தொழுதும் எழு
பொன்னை விக்கும் அப் பூஞ் செருந்தி மண நீழல்வாய்
என்னை நைவித்து எழில் கொண்ட அகன்ற பெருமான் இடம்
புன்னை முத்தம் பொழில் சூழ்ந்து அழகாய புல்லாணியே
Referring to the Lord as one residing by the sea shore, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar says in the Priya Thirumozhi that the waves hit the shores with such thundering velocity that it looks like a galloping horse running at full speed.
Devotionally Inclined
Balaji Bhattar has been devotionally attached to the temple right from his childhood. He told this writer that even as a school boy, he spent a lot of time at the temple. He preferred the Veshti as an attire even before he touched the teens and performed Thiru Aradhanam for Perumal at home. In 2008, after his thread ceremony, he began to perform kainkaryam at the temple. He says that he wants archaka service as his way of life but not getting a bride is a worry for the family. He does not have an answer to his amma’s query as to how he will be able to pass on this kainkaryam to the next gen if he does not get to find a bride.
His younger brother is learning the agamas at Shengalipuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/08/senkalipuram-perumal-temple.html?m=1) and he too is interested in a traditional way of life.
An uncertain future
Four decades ago, there were no devotees, low salary, minimal thattu kaasu but Jayaraman Bhattar chose to continue in his appa's footsteps. Today, devotees are thronging this temple and it's financially fulfilling but a new trend of girls' non acceptance to marry archakas in remote temples has put the next gen priests in a spot.
Balaji Bhattar is high on devotion and is keen to live a life at the feet of Jagannathan Perumal and Darbha Sayana Ramar. But at the moment, it looks like service as an archaka with a tuft especially in a remote town will not get him a girl. Time will tell if he chooses to let go his go away his traditional attire and move away from archaka service into the cities and the corporate world as per his amma's wishes or if he will continue this kainkaryam that he has just taken up from the long serving Jayaraman Bhattar.