Namperumal Panguni Ellakarai Procession

This section had in 2018 featured a story on Namperumal’s long 15km trip, westwards, to Jeeyapuram as part of the Panguni Brahmotsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/03/srirangam-namperumal-jeeyapuram-utsavam.html). This story is about a five hour trip to the Ellakarai Mandapam and his march towards the Eastern boundary of Srirangam on the 8th day of the Brahmotsavam.

It is 6.30am on Sunday (March 24) and the Sripatham are there in good numbers for this long and complex procession. The temple authorities have taken a decision not to allow any devotees inside the ariya bhattal vaasal given the length of the pallakku and the challenges relating to manoeuvring it inside the Naazhikettan Vaasal. Hundreds have lined up in front of the Garuda Sannidhi to have a first glimpse of Namperumal on this 8th day procession.

In the decades gone by, there were not too many mandagapadis on this procession but things have changed dramatically at temple utsavams in TN and devotees have been queuing up to associate themselves in some way during the large ustavams.

As seen in the Maasi Garuda Sevai procession last month (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/02/srirangam-namperumal-maasi-garuda-sevai.html), the mandagapadis have increased manifold on this procession too from single digit a couple of decades ago to well over 30 on this Sunday morning Ellakarai procession. 

Bhagavatha Jagadish, a manager at Axis Bank, has quietly restored many temple tanks in Srirangam over the last few years. One such is Ashwa Theertham opposite the popular Devi Talkies. This had been in a dilapidated condition not so long ago but now wears a fresh look thanks to his tireless efforts. But there is no water though inside the tank for the moment and the priests take the steps down the tank to perform the sacred pooja at the well in the middle of the tank.

The next big stop for Namperumal is the Andavan college and it would have taken only a few minutes for the Lord to reach there from the Ashwa Theertham. But it has been a tradition for him not to go over the flyover or an underpass. Hence the Sripatham have to take a long detour as they head back one km North towards the Srirangam Govt Boys school and then to Singar Koil crossing the railway line at the Srirangam station. Past Singar Koil, they reach the Andavan college where there is a large number of devotees waiting to receive Namperumal. A large part of the college has been funded by the TVS Group with the blocks inside the campus named after TS Santhanam and TS Krishna.

Namperumal heads back South again and to the other side of the flyover for a mandagapadi at Srinivasa Nagar near the sacred tank of Thiruvanaikaval temple.

It is past 10am and its scorching hot. The temple authorities have been thoughtful enough to organise two water tankers to sprinkle water on the Grand Southern Trunk road to help the Sripatham personnel. 

"My appa initiated me into this Kainkaryam even as a school boy and his message was always for me to be devoted at the feet of Namperumal and that has stood with me all through my life. There may be any number of changes happening around us but our faith in and devotion to Lord Ranganatha should never waver and we should remain steadfast in our service to him till our final breath" he tells this writer on why he is on this five hour trip on this hot Sunday.

In a kind gesture, the donor devotees at this location have organised coconut water for all the Sripatham personnel for whom it has already been close to a four hour trip on this hot summer’s day.

Unfortunately, the Ramar temple is currently in a dilapidated state and the idol had been shifted to the Srirangam temple decades ago.

It is 11.30am and five hours after his departure, Namperumal has finally reached his destination for the day measuring the Eastern boundary of the Srirangam temple. Ellakarai Mandapam is just a couple of yards off the Trichy-Madras bye pass road on the southern banks of Kollidam. 

Former correspondent of PTI and a sthaneegam at the Srirangam temple, Singan Srinivasan tells this writer that there were stone carvings endorsing the boundaries of the Srirangam temple as well as the Thiruvanaikaval temple. In times gone by, there used to be a Soolam to mark the boundary of Jambukeswarar temple and a Chakkram marking the boundary of Ranganatha temple. He bemoans the fact that a lot of important historical records have gone missing – those that have stood testimony for this trip of Namperumal and the significance of the Ellakarai Mandapam.

On Sunday evening, he takes this writer beyond the Ellakarai mandapam to the complex that marks the boundary of Jambukeswarar temple. A few minutes later, 74 year old ST Subramaniam (STS) Pandithar, the decades long hereditary priest at the Thiruvanaikaval temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/06/thiruvanaikaval-jambukeswarar-temple.html), arrives at the Ellakarai mandapam for a darshan of Namperumal. He proudly claims to this writer that his Lord arrives here a couple of months earlier for celebration of the Thai Poosam utsavam. 

His son, now past 30, works in the accounts section at India Cements in Madras but as has been the trend in recent times has not been able to find a bride for him. He told this writer that they are open to an Iyengar girl too and hoped on this Sunday evening that Namperumal would answer his prayers and soon help find a life partner for his son.

Devotees had had darshan of Namperumal through the afternoon at this mandapam located amidst the greenery of large coconut groves and now it was time for the Golden Horse Vahana procession. The sun is still beating down strongly from the west when Namperumal mounted on the Horse Vahana is ready to begin the return procession at 6pm. Hundreds of devotees have lined up the entire stretch of leading to the check post on GST road. As is the norm these days, devotees double up as photographers and videographers taking continuous shots of the Lord as they instantly shoot of the pictures and videos to their group members. 

On to the Kollidam road, the railway and the temple authorities have been working through the second half of the day to make a special path for Namperumal over the railway line (there is an underpass near Yatri Nivas but the Lord would not take that). Even the superfast Vande Bharat Express slows down as passengers from the train have a quick darshan on Namperumal as he makes his way towards the railway line.

By now, the thee panthams have lit up and Namperumal crosses the railway line after the departure of the Vriddachalam DMU. 

The sun has set and Namperumal continues his return procession led by the ghee lit torches. There is the Alavanthar Thiruvarasu ahead and it has been a tradition for Namperumal to not make his way near a certain distance of burial grounds. And thus he goes north to the Kollidam banks and enters the dry river. It turns out to be a strenuous half hour for the Sripatham personnel as they make their way through the thick sand filled Kollidam. Another reason stated for this passage through the Kollidam is for him to search the lost ring that was likely to stand him in good stead in his debate with Thayar the next morning.

The moon, a day ahead of Pournami, is just up in the East and makes for a great photo shot of the Sripatham carrying Namperumal. The Sripatham members cheer up each other motivating themselves along this hard stretch to keep the momentum going. 

It is well past 7pm when they make their way to the North Chitrai street where the prabhandham members begin their recital of the Periya Thirumozhi verses. Shortly after, there is a big cheer on the East Chitrai street for it is time for the much awaited Voyali presentation by the Sripatham. It is the big moment of the day for a large section of the devotees. Just past the Go Ratham, the Sripatham thrill the several hundred devotees present on the occasion with a 15 minute presentaiton of fast paced voyali going back and forth and sideways much to their delight. 

Interestingly, a majority of the devotees disperse after the Voyali while a few remain for the final part of the procession. 

It is past 9pm when Namperumal finally entered the Gayathri mandapam bringing to end a 15hour trip. The Sripatham members are tired after a three hour procession from Ellakarai mandapam but there is a certain sense of satisfaction and happiness in their faces of having been blessed to carry Namperumal on this historical day of measuring his Eastern boundary.

Shortly after 10pm, Harish Bhattar, son of Murali Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/01/murali-bhattar-srirangam-temple-chief.html) got down to decorating Namperumal for the next morning procession including draping him with the Rs. 60 Lakh diamond necklace presented by a devotee couple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-panguni-uthiram-2024.html).