This 50year old priest has had a long and lonely 3decades devotional engagement with Gajendra Varadar performing Thiru Aradhanam and preparing the Sacred Thaligai all alone at this historical temple in Attalanallur
Hailing from Sri Mushnam, Raman Bhattar moved to Thiru Kurungudi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/08/thiru-kurungudi-divya-desam.html) as a school boy. His appa performed archaka service and madapalli Kainkaryam at Sri Mushnam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/04/bhoo-varaha-swamy-sri-mushnam.html) in addition to taking care of the administration of the Uthirathi Mutt there. After his graduation at Valliyur and having done a computer course at Aptech, he worked in Tirunelveli for a brief period.
Raman Bhattar, who belongs to the Swayam Acharya clan and a descendant of Natha Muni, has lived a traditional way of life right from his childhood.
A Historical Temple
The Gajendra Varadar temple in Attalanallur on the banks of Tamaraibarani is one associated with the Gajendra Moksham episode. A rock inside the temple tank referred to as the Elephant Rock, there is reference to the Gajendra Moksham episode having taken place in the foot of the Pothigai hills and the presence of Sage Agastya inside the moolavar sannidhi. As per inscriptions inside the temple that date back a 1000years, this place was referred to as Athaani Nallur (Athaani = Elephant), another indication for the elephant episode connection to this temple.
Sitting in front of the towering presence of Aathi Moolam, seen in a standing posture, on a quiet Tuesday morning, Raman Bhattar told this writer that he quit his marketing job in Thalayathu and came here to Attalanallur to settle here for ever “My uncle was performing archaka service. Over the last century, my relatives have been performing archaka service at this temple and hence him joining was a natural extension. I would often come to Attalanallur to support him and that’s how my association began with this temple in the 1990s. In 2001, during the Samprokshanam, I was assigned the task of taking care of the jewels. Following this, during the 48 day mandalabhisekam, I stayed back and supported the daily Thirumanjanam. The then archaka was getting on in age and asked if I could support him daily.”
"For a decade, I worked alongside the senior archaka at a HRCE salary of Rs. 1000."
He has also doubled up as the cook at the Madapalli at no extra salary!!!
Similar to Thiru Pudai Maruthur, there was a vibrant smartha agraharam here too till the middle of the 20th century. There was a Brahmotsavam too once upon a time. Almost all the Brahmins have left this town and many of the utsavams have become a thing of the past.
A 1000 years ago Special Initiatives were taken to maintain a beautiful Nandavanam to ensure the presentation of Flower Garlands for the Lord every day and even Gardeners were provided for at the temple and their interests taken care of. Nandanavam seems to have been given great importance during ancient times at this temple as seen from the different flower gardens referred in the inscriptions, the appointment of gardeners to maintain the garden and initiatives to take care of them.
There was a gift of prasadam to two gardeners for rearing the flower garden called Ramanuja Thiru Nandavanam during the rule of Kulasekara Pandya. They were exempted from tax and they were to grow flowers, pick them and string them together into garlands. There was a gift of Kadamai on certain lands by the temple for providing maintenance of gardeners of the Iladaraiyan flower gardens.
There was a gift of tax free land for flower garden called Tambikku Nallan Thiru Nandavanam during the rule of Vira Pandyadeva Pandya. On the north wall of the temple is an inscription dating to the rule of Jatavarma Pandya that refers to gift of land to the temple by a big army with 10 commands for maintaining the garden. There is also a record of a sale of garden lands.
There was also a gift of one kalam of food by the temple for feeding the men in charge of Ramanuja flower garden.
During the rule of Jatavarama Srivallabha Pandya there was a gift of land for conduct of worship on Puratadhi day at Athalanallur. The queen of the place has been mentioned as Uagamuludu Mudaiyaal.
Remains Single, Refuses the 'City Life' call!!!
For the last dozen years, he has been all alone at the temple performing both archaka service and madapalli kainkaryam without any support. Despite a long search, no girl was ready to accept his traditional ways and settle in this remote temple town with minimal facilities. And thus at 50 he has remained unmarried “My brothers have been trying to persuade me to move to Chennai where they are well settled in the corporate sector. Also, there is an open invitation to move back to my home town (Sri Mushnam) to perform kainkaryam there but I have told them that my devotional engagement is with Gajendra Varadar and refused to move out of Attalanallur.”
He rarely moves out of this temple town and has not attended even his family functions for he is all alone at this temple.
Select Grand Utsavams
The Puratasi Saturdays are a grand affair at this temple with devotees thronging in several thousands. Garuda Sevai takes place on Vaikasi Uthiradam, Aani Swathi, Puratasi Thiruvonam and Thai Poosam. Aadi Pooram, Chitra Visu and Pournami are the other celebratory occasions at this temple. As part of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, he presents Gajendra Varadar in a special Thiru Kolam with Thirumanjanam, six Thiru Aradhanam and six Thaligai.
Five Sacred offerings every day
There were five sacred offerings to the Lord each day as organised by the assembly of Cheran Maha Devi during the rule of Maravarma Pandya. One of the inscriptions refers to the land originally held by the temple for this purpose as lying waste due to petty quarrels. There is also a record of gift of one achchu by Emberumanar Ammai for providing offering to the God and providing from that prasadam to the servants and worshippers of Emberumanar in the temple. The Vaishnavas in the temple received the achchu and agreed to maintain the charity. There was a grant of prasadam to a certain Ramanuja Jeer for a quarter Annai achchu which the vaishnavas had received from him.
Raman Bhattar keeps himself busy everyday performing the Thiru Aradhanam and the sacred cooking morning and evening. He has no time to think as to what life could have been had he moved to a city life. He has no second thoughts other than that of presenting aradhanam to Gajendra Varadar. He has had a very close long standing association with devotees in and around Attalanallur. He does not see a life for himself outside of Gajendra Varadar and even as he turns 50, he is clear that he wants to spend the rest of his life at the feet of the Lord of Attalanallur. Raman Bhattar continues to be paid a salary of Rs. 1000 but he is not here for the salary, for his mind is firmly settled on the eyes of Perumal Aathi Moolam with whom he has had a long three decades engagement. He requires no other motivation and inspiration than the blessed feeling of serving each day of his life at his feet. And no temptation can take him away from Gajendra Varadar.
Gajendra Varadaraja Perumal temple in Attalanallur is located 10kms North East of Ambasamudram and about 25kms from Tirunelveli amidst green fields on the Eastern Banks of over flowing Tamaraibarani. The temple is open from 7am-11am and 430pm-730pm. Contact Raman Bhattar @ 9566339717.