Sundara Perumal Koil wears a new look, Consecration after 80years

New look Raja Gopuram, Gold plated Vimanam, Repaired Vahanas but the HR & CE has taken back all the Utsava idols to Kumbakonam preventing the conduct of the processional utsavams!!!

Historical house of the priest has been brought down with plans to build a Kalyana Mandapam!!!

For a long time, Sundara Perumal Koil located about 10kms west of Kumbakonam had remained in a dilapidated condition. A few years ago, ‘Bhagavathar’ Aravamudhan took charge of the temple as the priest after quitting his corporate job. Since then, activities have heightened at the temple with the revival of utsavams and crowds coming back to the temple in good numbers especially during the mandalabhisekam phase.

The Raja Gopuram that had a dilapidated feel about it has received a fresh coat of paint and wears a new colourful look. The young priest managed to rope in a donor to gold plate the kalasam for the inner Gopuram and also a gold plate for the Perumal Vimanam.  Taking away the historical feel, the entrance to the Andal Sannidhi has been replenished with new marble flooring. 

A Priest who served for five decades

In October 2009, this section had featured a story on the handsome lord at Sundara Perumal Koil but after the passing away of Sundara Raja Bhattar who had served as the priest for five decades from the early 1960s, the temple had been without a priest for almost a decade before the young Aravamudhan took over.  In the century gone by, Perumal provided Garuda Sevai on Tamil New Year’s day. There were also processions on the occasion of Krishna Jayanthi and on the Kanu day in Thai. 10 day Navarathri Festival too was celebrated in a grand way with Horse Vahana Procession on Vijayadasami. There was a four kalam pooja every day with sacred food presentations to the Lord that included Curd rice, Sundal and Sweet Pongal. In the outer prakara was a huge Nandavanam that was filled with different varieties of Jasmine trees. The Lord and Thayar were draped with beautiful garlands especially on festive occasions.

When this writer visited the temple in 2009 to meet Sundara Raja Bhattar, he was residing in the first house opposite the temple on the Sannidhi Street. The Mei Kavalar resided in the next house. Unfortunately, both these houses have been brought down this year with plans to build a Kalyana Mandapam!!! One wonders as to why the houses that had historically been the residence of the priest and the Mei Kavalar will be converted to a Kalyana Mandapam.

A Grand Revival by a young priest

For the first time in decades, Perumal went on a street procession on the newly repaired Horse Vahana on the occasion of Vijayadasami earlier this month. Garuda Sevai also took place this year after several decades following the consecration. The priest, who also doubles up as the cook at the madapalli, has also managed to revive the Navarathri Utsavam for Thayar bringing in good crowd that had been hitherto missing. Thayar also presented Oonjal Sevai over nine days. He also organised the Anna Kooda Utsavam on a Saturday in Puratasi. The Thaligai presentation to Perumal too has been revived and during the utsavams this year, good quantity of Thaligai has been presented and distributed among the devotees, much to the delight of the local residents.

A devotee from Chennai has come forward to take care of the accommodation for the priest and his young family. The HR & CE too has almost trebled the salary of the priest this year.

Utsava Idols taken away to safe custody in Kumbakonam

However, the HR & CE has taken away all the utsava idols back to the Ramaswamy temple in Kumbakonam despite the presence of safety lockers at the Sundara Perumal Koil. This has meant that no processions can take place every month on sacred occasions and these are possible only when the idols are brought from Kumbakonam for select festivals.

After all the efforts to undertake the restoration efforts, this has come as a dampener to the residents as well as the priest. It is hoped that the HR & CE will hand back all the utsava idols to the temple so the processions can take place for Thayar, Perumal and Azhvaars and Acharyas.

Colourful Nandavanam

The nandavanam too is now abound with colourful flowers that are knotted and presented to the deities every day. However, the pathway around the outer prakara has been stopped half way by the HR & CE thus preventing the devotees from performing a pradakshina around the prakara. It is hoped that they will soon resume this work and complete the pathway.

Despite these challenges, good times are back at the historical Sundara Perumal Koil. And a lot of the credit for this revival should go to the young priest who has enthusiastically taken up the restoration work engaging with local residents, the HR & CE and the devotee donors.

Moolavar Sundara Raja Perumal is seen in a handsome standing posture.

How to reach

Sundara Perumal Koil is located 10kms West of Kumbakonam on the Thanjavur Highway near Papanasam. Buses between Kumbakonam and Thanjavur stop near the railway level crossing at Sundara Perumal Koil. Passenger Trains stop at Sundara Perumal Koil Railway Station. The temple is about half a km from the Railway station / Gate.

When here, visit Oothukadu Kalinga Narthana Perumal Temple (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2010/05/kalinga-narthana-temple-oothukadu.html) - 10kms from here.

Sarangapani Koil Vedantha Desikar Utsavam 2024

Cauvery Theerthavari in the morning rain, a vibrant Prabhandham Ghoshti at the Satru Murai event in the evening mark a celebratory day at Thiru Kudanthai

A feature of the annual Vedantha Desikar Utsavam at the Sarangapani Koil in Thiru Kudanthai is that it starts on Puratasi Shravanam and runs for ten days. The Sannidhi archakar, Sudarshan Bhattar, who also doubles up as the Maniyakarar at the temple is at the Desikar Sannidhi at 8am. There is a small devotee crowd trickling in on this misty Monday morning that also turns out to be a muhurtham day. As is the case in temples in remote towns, the archakar has to wait for everyone to come in. The Nadaswaram player is missing as he is out at a wedding. 

It is past 9am when Vedantha Desikar starts on the procession through the western entrance of the temple.  The archaka and the Veda Ghosti personnel take to their two wheelers to ride their way to the Cauvery while the Kainkaryapakas who don the role of the Sripatham carry their Acharya from the temple to the Southern Banks of the Cauvery wading through the busy bazaar street and past the Chakrapani temple.

Grand Thirumanjanam

It is a once in a year event for Vedantha Desikar on the banks of the Cauvery and it really was a grand Thirumanjanam with the Vadakalai Acharya being anointed with fruits, honey and sandalwood. The Cauvery river bank reverberated with Vedic recital even as a few ladies who had gathered to watch the Thirumanjanam almost in happy tears watching their acharya's face and body turn from Turmeric paste to Sandalwood paste. It is past 10am and the slight drizzle has turned into a heavy rain but unmindful of this, the Kainkaryapakas bring several Kudams of water from the Cauvery for the Thirumanjanam.

Shortly after, scores of them make their way down the steps and enter the Cauvery in pouring rain for the Theerthavari. Devotees are excited to dip into the river in this Thula month on the auspicious occasion of their Acharya’s Theerthavari.

Following the Theerthavari, Sudarshan Bhattar along with Vedic Pundit Kesavan, also an alankaram expert, decorate the Acharya for half an hour following the Theerthavari. Kesavan's aged amma is caught in the rain and unable to leave the mandapam. She is 'happily angry' with her son as she remarks that he was unlikely to finish the alankaram soon as he gets himself lost when he is with the Acharya.

It is 11am when Vedantha Desikar makes his way back to the temple through the flooded streets with  the Sripatham showing great commitment to carry the Lord back in the rain that did not seem to relent.

Thiru Mangai's special love for Kudanthai Lord

For Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, Thiru Kudanthai was a location that seemed to be close to his heart. He found great joy in presenting a separate Prabhandham on Lord Aaraavamudhan at this temple and the Prabhandham Ghosti brought this to life with their presentation of Thiru Kurungthandagam, Thiru Nedunthandagam and Thiru Ezhu Kootrurukkai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/06/thiru-ezhu-kootrirukkai_22.html) with Vedantha Desikar seated in front of the Perumal Sannidhi and listening with joy to this rendition.

நால் திசை நடுங்க  அம் சிறைப் பறவை ஏறி

நால் வாய் மும் மதத்து இரு செவி

ஒரு தனி  வேழத்து அரந்தையை

ஒரு நாள் இரு நீர்மடுவுள் தீர்த்தனை

After Mangalasasanam at the Andal Sannidhi, Vedantha Desikar returned back to his abode near the eastern entrance of the temple where devotees were served with Chakkarai Pongal and Puliyotharai.

A Decoration that delights devotees

Past 1pm, Komalavalli Thayar and Sarangapani Perumal made their way to the Desikar Sannidhi bringing to end the morning event. After attending a wedding in the first half, Soundararaja Bhattar(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/thiru-kudanthai-soundar-bhattar.html), known for his great devotional attachment to Sarangapani Perumal, arrives at the Desikar Sannidhi and for the next three hours is involved in decoration of the Divine Couple and the Acharya.

By 5pm, devotees have gathered in front of the Desikar Sannidhi to have a first look at the alankaram. And they are not disappointed. None of them are able to take away their eyes from the delightful decoration of the Divine Couple who are to provide darshan for the next four hours at the Desikar Sannidhi.

Vibrant Prabhandham Ghoshti

At 6pm, the Prabhandham Ghoshti began their slow rendering of the tenth Canto of the Tiruvoimozhi followed by a fast paced presentation of Ramanuja Nootranthi. By 8pm, the devotees had flocked in good numbers ahead of the Satru Murai. By now, Karunakarachariar, who is closely associated with this temple, too joined the Ghoshti. 

ஆறாத அருள் அமுதம் பொதிந்த கோயில் 

அம்புயத்தோன் அயோத்தி மன்னற்கு அளித்த கோயில் 

தொலாத தனிவீரன் தொழுத கோயில் துணையான வீடணற்கு துணையாம்  கோயில் 

சேராத பயன் எல்லாம் சேர்க்கும் கோயில் 

செழுமறையின் முதல் எழுத்து  சேர்ந்த கோயில் 

தீராத வினை அனைத்தும்  தீர்க்கும் கோயில் 

திருவரங்கம் எனும் கோயில் தானே 

After Paatraachar presented Sarangapani Perumal’s parivattam to Vedantha Desikar, the Prabhandham recital reaches its peak with the Ghoshti members presenting Adikara Sangraham, Prabhandha Saaram and Pillayanthaathi in high pitched voice much to the delight of the devotees.

It had been a long day for the personnel at the madapalli. Accolades poured in from the devotees after they taste the multiple sweets, Kaaram, hot Pongal and Puliyotharai that is served to them at 10pm. 

Karunakarachariar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/karunakaran-swamy-president-award.html) is particularly happy at the way the Satru Murai of Vadakalai Acharya has been celebrated at the Sarangapani Koil. The decoration of Perumal, Thayar and Desikar, the presentation of the Prabhandham and Veda Ghoshti and the quality of the sacred food makes him feel good in the way tradition has been followed on this evening. He stays back till 11pm and as he walks alongside Komalavalli Thayar on the procession from the Desikar Sannidhi to her abode makes the remark that it is always the Thayar who makes her way back first. 

Mosquito Menace - A challenge for all

Late into the night, he is critical of the mosquito menace at the temple on this evening and bemoans the absence of the HR & CE EO at this grand celebration and the lack of steps to control the mosquitos that too were present in good numbers alongside the Kainkaryapakas and the devotees.

Sarangapani Perumal's return procession to his Sannidhi past 11pm marked the end of a celebratory day at Thiru Kudanthai. It had been a long day for the Kainkarayapakas but the devotees who had gathered at the temple to watch the events unfold on the Satru Murai day of Vedantha Desikar Utsavam seem to have enjoyed the celebration.

Kapali Panguni Utsavam 2024 Nadaswaram artistes not paid after 7months

Pending Payment to Nadaswaram Artistes seven months after the Panguni Utsavam shows the HR & CE and the Kapali Temple administration in poor light

"We are not asking HRCE for a favour, We only want the money promised. They are insulting traditional artistes from remote towns by making us follow up" - Artistes who performed at the Kapali Panguni Utsavam 2024

Almost, seven months after the Panguni Utsavam at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, the Nadaswaram artistes who presented during the street processions have not been paid their dues. As per the invitation (photo attached below) of the Utsavam, P Vijayakumar Reddy, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the temple and Preetha Reddy sponsored these artistes at the utsavam. They have been the sponsors for several years.

A couple of years ago as well, this writer wrote a story on delayed payments. That year, it was a matter of a couple of months but this time, almost 7 months have passed but the payments have not been made. 

This section had featured a story in April this year about the pending payment. Half a year has passed since then but the payment to these traditional artistes continue to remain pending. Interestingly, the same sponsor at the same temple made immediate payment to high profile artistes who presented Kutcheries at the Navarathri Mandapam soon after the completion of the Panguni Utsavam, as part of the Vidayatri Series. 

One wonders as to why the traditional artistes performing at the sacred street processions have been given this second-hand treatment and their payment held back for so many months.

Minister promises to solve this issue

When this writer brought this to the notice of the HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu over the weekend, he promised to take care of this issue and said that he would ensure that this long pending payment would be made. 

Artistes left saddened and disappointed

In April, Ayyappan, hailing from Mei Thiru Gnanam, one of the artistes who presented at the street procession told this writer that all that they are asking for is to be respected as a traditional artiste “The Sambhavanai is a mark of respect to the artistes who presented before the Lord. We console ourselves that we were blessed enough to present in front of Kapaleeswarar and that feeling is unmatched.”

Another artiste, Murugavel from Sithakadu, had performed on the day of the Adi Kaara Nandi utsavam. He had told this writer in April that not receiving the Sambhavanai even after one month was saddening but they have no complaints about that “as the satisfaction for us is from the performance and happiness that we saw on the faces of the devotees.”

Paid my personal money to my team members!!!

45 year old TPN Ramanathan also hails from Thiru Mei Gnanam and he presented on the second day at the street procession in March this year. On Tuesday morning, he told this writer that he feels very aggrieved and disappointed at the poor treatment of the artistes “Since my team members should not suffer financially, I have paid my personal money to them. Most of them are from mayavaram and around and not being given the promised Sambhavanai is very unfair. I followed up with Kapali Temple’s Mohan Dass anna for many months but he too has no answer. He keeps saying the same thing that they will receive the money but even he does not know when. What option is there for us other than to wait endlessly and hope that the Kapali Temple administration would pay us one day for our services.”

“I have worked hard for this. We are not asking for favour from the Kapali Temple administration or the HR & CE. They invited us to perform at the utsavam and we are only asking for what is due to us.”

Feel shy and embarrassed to ask but it is an insult to traditional artistes

54 year old  TPJ Selvarathinam hails from Thiruvisa Nallur  (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/04/thiru-nallur-sundareswarar-temple.html) has a doctorate in music. He came along with his troupe by train from Kumbakonam spending his own money. On a rainy Tuesday morning, the day when the North East Monsoon hit Chennai, he told this writer that he feels shy and embarrassed to even be talking about the pending payment. “We came only because Asthana Vidwan Mohan Dass Anna invited us. He was keen for us to present as he wanted traditional artistes from remote towns to perform at the procession. 8 of us came from Kumbakonam. Not only did we spend our own money for the train trip, but we also had to take care of our food and all other expenses. The temple administration did not give us anything – not even water during the long two hour presentation or after", he said in a very sad tone at the way the artistes have been treated.

"As a traditional artiste who performed at the annual utsavam of such a large temple, I feel embarrassed to even ask for this money but at the same time, my mind has been continuously questioning the fact as to why a the temple administration would show such disrespect to  traditional artistes who performed during the street procession on their invitation. We feel deeply saddened that such an administration would ill-treat traditional nadaswaram artistes by making us follow up for our payment. This poor treatment meted out to us would definitely bring a bad name to this temple administration at the way they are insulting nadaswaram artistes from remote temple towns", Selvarathinam told this writer.

One does not know why the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Kapaleeswarar Temple does not want to pay the money to these artistes after putting his name as the sponsor in the utsavam Nadaswaram programme invitation. Will the HR&CE minister intervene in this as promised and ensure that the payment is made to the artistes. Else this poor treatment meted out to the Nadaswaram artistes is likely to bring a bad name to the HR & CE department.

This section will track the developments on this front.

Thanjavur Palace Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple

This temple finds a reference in the Parasara Kshetra Mahatmiyam with Sage Vashishta having performed penance invoking the blessings of Perumal

The Maratha Prince found the current Moolavar Idol beneath the Ayyan Kulam a few centuries ago

One of the 88 temples under the administration of the Thanjavur Palace, Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple finds a mention as Minmalai Venkatesar in the Thanjai Vellai Pillayar Kuravanji literature alongside Thanjai Maa Mani Koil (Divya Desam), Raghunatha Perumal and Aadhi Kesava Perumal (South of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal).

The Moolavar idol that one finds today was located by the Thanjavur prince centuries ago in Ayyan Kulam following an invisible message from the Lord directing the Prince to that tank.

Parasara Kshetra Mahatmiyam refers to the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple as being located 4miles South of Panchanatheswarar temple (Thiruvayaru) and South West of Vashishteswaram (now Karanthai). As per the legend, Sage Vashista undertook penance here in this Kshetram invoking the blessings of Perumal who happy with the penance provided darshan to the Sage. A beautiful temple tank and a Nandavanam was created at this place.

Parasarar performed his pooja with the sacred water and flowers presenting 108 names of Prasanna Venkatesan.

Following the killing of Thanjakasuran, Perumal acceded to his request of naming this place after him as ‘Thanjai’.

Muthuswamy Dikshithar has also presented verses in praise of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal “Prasanna Venkateswaram Bajarey, Vaadi Vasantha Bairavi Nutham Shri”.

This section had featured a story on Venkatesa Bhattar, archaka at Saligrama Kothandaramar temple in Punnai Nallur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/punnai-nallur-kothandaramar-temple.html). His younger brother Srikanth Bhattar has been performing the role of the archaka at the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Thanjavur over the last two decades after the Vaikanasa Agama initiation from Dr. Muthu Bhattachar for four years. 

He has just sent his 10 year old son to the Agama Patshala in Kudavasal and is hoping that he would continue the temple service in the future.

The two big annual utsavams takes place in Chitrai and Puratasi.

As with other temples under his administration, Babaji Rajah Bhonsle (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/thanjavur-palace-babaji-rajah-bhonsle.html), the current Prince of the Thanjavur Palace takes good care of the Priest with a fair salary and other benefits. Currently, the Prince is actively involved with the restoration of the Venugopalaswamy temple on the Southern Banks of Cauvery in Thiruvayaru (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/09/thanjavur-palace-venugopalaswamy-temple.html).

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple is located near the Ayyan Bazaar Street in the heart of Thanjavur and about 3kms South West of Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/08/thanjai-maa-mani-divya-desam.html).

Dr Venkatesh Thiru Kudanthai Upanyasakar

At a young age, this doctor from Kumbakonam has carved out a niche for himself in the ‘Spiritual Lectures’ world 

A Debut on Kal Garuda Sevai day, an unexpected 30 days Thiruppavai upanyasam at Sarangapani Koil and a chance meeting with Karunakaraswamy transforms his life

As a young student of ARR Matriculation school, Thiru Kudanthai N Venkatesh showed his devotional flavour by reciting and presenting the meaning of the verses from the Bhagavath Gita at the prayer every morning from his early teens. When he was 15, he won the first prize in an oratorical competition organised in Kumbakonam. By this time, he had also begun writing poems. Following a district rank in class XII, he joined Medicine at the Government College in Erode. Seeing his spiritual interest, his professor motivated and spurred him to pursue that interest. Over the last few years, he has captured the minds of the devotees with his style of presentation and a down to earth way of life. Here’s the story.

Like all boys his age, Venkatesh spent his childhood playing cricket on the streets and at school. But by the time he was into his teens, he had begun to probe within as to how he wanted to live his life and what he wanted to do with it. When a professor at college asked all the students as to what their vision was in life, Venkatesh began thinking about his talent and found that his biggest was his ability to express and present. 

மாண் கொண்ட தோல் மார்வின் மாணியாய் 

மாவலி மண் தான் கொண்டு தாளால் அளந்த பெருமானே 

தேன் கொண்ட சாரல் திருவேங்கடத்தானை  

நான் சென்று நாடி நறையூரில் கண்டேனே 

From a young age, he was a regular at Nachiyar Koil in the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Thiru Naraiyur Divya Desam and was devotionally inclined. While there was no big family background in spirituality and lectures, he began reading devotional texts extensively. In the internal assessment exams at Erode, he taught students abstract subjects and they went back and succeeded in the final exam. He found great insights from this and the idea struck him to extend this teaching exercise to the spirituality space.

The Debut Upanyasam

Seeing his spiritual interest, his amma spoke to the Bhattars at Nachiyar Koil and secured him an opportunity to present an upanyasam at the now popular for Kal Garuda Sevai in 2011. It turned out to be a great experience. The Kal Garuda Sevai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/12/kal-garuda-utsavam-nachiyar-koil.html) had by then become a very popular event and huge crowd thronged the temple on that evening. After Kal Garuda had made his way to the mandapam at the entrance of the temple and ahead of the street procession of Perumal and Garuda, Venkatesh presented an one hour upanyasam that turned out to be a hit. He had not yet completed college but he saw a new life for him in this spiritual space and this journey of spreading dharmic messages from the historical scriptures began that evening.

                        

The Thiruppavai Opportunity - A surprise call from HRCE EO!!!

In 2013, he had his Pancha Samskaram from Sirupuliyur Swami at Srirangam. Later that year, during his visit to the Sarangapani Koil as a devotee on the first day of Margazhi, the EO of the temple made a surprise invitation to Venkatesh to present Thiruppavai Upanyasam at the temple during the entire Margazhi. He had no prior experience in daily upanyasams but he went back home immediately, prepared through the day and began his upanyasam that very same day. 

ஆரா அமுதே அடியேன் உடலம்  நின்பால் அன்பாயே

நீராய்  அலைந்து கரைய உருக்குகின்ற நெடுமாலே

சீர் ஆர் செந்நெல் கவரி வீசும் செழு நீர் திரு குடந்தை

ஏர் ஆர் கோலம் திகழ கிடந்தாய் கண்டேன் எம்மானே

A special feature of the Adyayana Utsavam at the Sarangapani Koil is that the 21 day utsavam starts every year on the first day of Margazhi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/sarangapani-koil-pagal-pathu-utsavam.html). He decided to stick to presenting only that day’s verse during each of the days of Margazhi and has followed that model ever since in the Thiruppavai Upanyasams over the last decade.

A year after he became a house surgeon and joined night casualty duty which he particularly enjoyed, he had a transformational meeting with Karunakaran Swamy (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/karunakaran-swamy-president-award.html). It was a meeting out of the blue and quite unexpected and it changed his life completely. Karunakaran Swamy offered to initiate him into ‘Sri Bashyam/ Geetha Bashyam and Vishnu Puranam and Venkatesh has engaged himself in close spiritual discussions over the last decade. He has also reached out to his mentor whenever he has faced challenges in life during this period.

In 2015, he secured a Government job and joined the Government Hospital in Kumbakonam where he continued to perform the professional role of a doctor.

Facing New and Unexpected Challenges in Life

Very quickly his spiritual lecture series became popular but it also saw encounter new challenges that he had not hitherto faced. There was demand for his Upanyasam from across the country and overseas, In 2018, he went on an overseas tour to Dubai to present an upanyasam there. Being present on social media led to viewers raising controversial questions on spiritual topics. He was new to this and initially found it challenging to handle. In 2019, he understood the concept of the success of TV serial makers and launched an online video series explaining the 1000 names of the Lord but here too a few controversies followed him with the online audience raising poking questions. 

It was Karunakaran Swamy who gave him the confidence to continue with his upanyasams "In spiritual lectures, mental focus and strength is very important. It is important not to get distracted" Karunakaraswamy told me, says Venkatesh. He began to see each of these as lessons for life and interestingly now keeps a count of the lessons he has learned from his Upanyasams and the hard hitting feedback from the audience that have held him in good stead since.

Moves up into the ‘Sadas’ space

It was also his mentor who asked him participate in the Sadas at the Vanamamalai Mutt. His mentor has always tested his ability to face new challenges and in one of the Sadas, Karunakaracharya surprised him by asking him to present in Sanskrit what he had just presented in Tamil. “It shook me completely for a minute but I gathered the courage, collected my thoughts and presented in Sanskrit much to the delight of my mentor” recalls Venkatesh of that day.

That presentation gave him greater confidence and he has thus far participated and presented in 35 Sadas.

Within a few years of his debut at Nachiyar Koil, he has gone on to present Upanyasams in Geneva, Frankfurt, Luxemburg and Paris. Following the Pandemic, he presented to the audience in the US.

Quits Govt Job, Starts own Clinic

While he was thus presenting upanyasams around the globe, he continued to don his professional role as a doctor at the GH in Kumbakonam. Venkatesh has always risen to the challenges he has faced in life even at a young age. Hence when in 2020-21, he was transferred from GH to the Primary Health Center a move that he felt would lead him into mundane work, he contemplated quitting the Govt job. But prior to taking this call, he was blessed to have got great insights from the Head of the Poundarikapuram Mutt in Srirangam. “When I was in a bit of a confused state, He gave me the confidence that Lord Ranganatha would take care of me. He provided insights about what every devotee should do at Srirangam. He asked me to perform a pradakshanam of the seven prakaras starting from the outermost prakara and then quit the Government job” he told this writer even as his caring amma provides him with another tumbler of hot water.

A day prior to this writer meeting Venkatesh, he had a chance to meet the Head of the Poundarikapuram Mutt in Thiru Kudanthai and the latter expressed happiness at the Doctor starting his own clinic while at the same time continuing to spread the dharmic messages among people through his spiritual lectures. 

Now into Nalayira Divya Prabhandham

After presenting insights into the 1000 namaas, he wondered what next “Many of the devotees listen to the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham but I realised that not all know the indepth meaning of each of these sacred verses. I decided to present insights into the word by word meaning of the sacred verses.”

A saivite devotee who met this writer in front of the Kapaleeswarar temple on Tuesday said as to how she has been captivated by his presentation on Divya Prabhandham and how she wants to now understand the meaning of all the 4000 verses.

He has also written books on Sampradayam and its relevance to annual festivals in Perumal temples. 

Unflinching Devotion as a way of life

He does not see Upanyasam and his lecture series as a money making opportunity. “Philosophical explanation of scriptures is my way of life. I see any financial returns from Upanyasam as Prasadam.” 

He points to the story of Karunakaraswamy as an endorsement of this. "Facing financial challenges, my mentor's forefathers had sold their lands including the Thiru Maligai in Vaduvur that left them saddened. He went to Lord Rama and challenged him that he had taken everything from the family but the Lord would not be able to take away the Bhakthi from him. 4 decades later, after securing back the financial strength, Karunakaraswamy was able to get back the same Thirumaligai in its same form and structure and the name of the man who sold it back to him was Kothanda Raman!!!"

"That is my real inspiration. If we show unflinching devotion towards the Lord, he will bless us. Hence only Spiritual Power can help us sustain my upanyasams and not focus on money" says 32 year old Dr. Venkatesh even as he gets ready to head to his clinic in the evening.

Sikkal Singara Ramanathan Gurukal

Low devotee turnout and fading fortunes led this Gurukal to accept overseas offers and he served there as an archaka for almost 15 years

With an overflowing crowd, he is back at the Sikkal temple to continue the service as the 7th Gen archaka

This section has, in the past, featured many stories on priests letting go of lucrative overseas opportunities to stay back in their hereditary location to continue pooja in the temple where their forefathers had served as archaka. Only last week this section one such story of a priest not too far away from Sikkal, who following the orders of his acharya went to a remote temple in Rayanallur and has been serving there for the last many years (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/09/yathulan-bhattar-rayanallur-parayanam.html).

There have also been those who have opted to take the overseas route to archaka service like the one at the Aabathsahayeswarar temple in Thiru Pazhanam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/thiru-pazhanam-devotees-neglect.html). This story is about one such priest who took up an overseas opportunity that came his way through his Patshala Guru soon after the completion of his agama education and went on to perform archaka service in multiple countries for over a decade. During his overseas stint, he also undertook a research in Saiva Agama and received a Doctorate from the Durban University. After the retirement of his appa last decade, he has returned and taken over as archaka at the Navaneetheswarar temple in Sikkal(now popularly known as Sikkal Singaravelar temple) where 7generations of his family have performed service.

Overseas temple stints in his 20s

After completing class X exam, Ramanathan Gurukal underwent Agama initiation at the Patshala in Tippirajapuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/thippirajapuram-vikrama-choleswarar.html). At the turn of the century, after his agama education, he received an offer from Durban, South Africa to perform pooja at the Emperumal temple. After four years, he moved to Singapore to perform pooja at the Shiva temple there. From there he moved to another continent and to Australia for three years. He then went back to Africa and the Eastern part of the country and performed pooja for four years at the Navasakthi Vinayakar temple in Seychelles Island.

In 2013, when his appa, Senapathi Gurukal, retired from service at the Singaravelar temple in Sikkal after over four decades as an archaka (he too had served in a temple in Singapore for 2years in the late 1990s), Ramanathan Gurukal returned from East Africa to take over charge at this temple.

Financial challenges led him into overseas temples

Ramanathan Gurukal looks back at the challenging days during his appa’s service that prompted them to go overseas “The patta satham that we got as 'Uchi Kaala' prasadam from the temple served as our lunch during my schooling days in the 1980s. My appa had to take a loan from the temple to even pay my school fees. Kandha Sashti Utsavam was the only one where devotees came in big numbers. For the rest of the year, there were hardly any devotees in the first two decades of my appa’s service. Thattu Kaasi was minimal and the salary of just over Rs. 200 that my appa received in the 1980s made life financially challenging. Into the 1990s, many of the other priests had made their way to cities with my appa taking care of the temple all alone for a few years”, he told this writer sitting in front of the Singaravelar Sannidhi last Thursday morning.

A doctorate in Saiva Agama

It was against this backdrop he grabbed his first overseas opportunity in the Durban temple when his Patshala Acharya offered this overseas stint. Interestingly, during that phase, he also completed a doctorate in Shiva Agama from the Durban University!!!

Ambal hands Murugan the Vel with her blessings

Legend has it that Vel Nedung Kanni Ambal presented Singaravelar with the Vel ahead of his Soora Samhara battle. On the Shukla Panchami in Aipasi, there is an abhisekam for Ambal with the Vel. It was after Swami returns from the Chariot Procession that she presents the Vel to Murugan blessing him for the battle with the asuras. Till the previous century, the Vel used to go from Sikkal to Tiruchendur for the Soora Samharam event. The ancient Vel is still here  and is seen in his hand during the Abhisekam.

Singaravelar sweats

A special annual feature at this temple, one that now sees devotees thronging in thousands, is that one can see Singaravelar sweating on this day. It is a unique occurrence that devotees queue to take a look at the mandapam.

Prarthana Sthalam to get rid of one's enemies

At this temple, there is only the utsavar idol for Singaravelar praised as ‘Seppu Thirumeni’ in the Thirupugazh. Arunagirinathar also refers to Singaravelar of Sikkal as the Samhara Moorthy. The Shatru Samhara Neethi was written here. It is in the belief that all your enemies will go away are devotees now flocking this temple to have darshan and invoke the blessings of Singaravelar.

On the first four morning of the Kandha Sashti utsavam, Singaravelar is decorated as Perumal including presenting himself in the Sesha Vahanam and in Venugopalan Thirukolam.  Ramanathan Gurukal points to the Perumal Sannidhi in the 2nd prakara as indication of the Saivite Vaishnavite unity at this temple. There was a Vathula Agama Pooja performed by Shivachariar for Perumal till the 1950s. He says that the Bhattar from the Perumal Sannidhi supports the Shivachariars during the crowded days at the Murugan Sannidhi. 

Turnaround in fortunes

This is a historical temple with Lord Shiva praised by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and Appar. However, as with many other temples in Tamil Nadu, this temple dedicated to Navaneetheswarar has come to be renowned for Singarvaler and most devotees refers to this as the Sikkal Singara temple similar to the Thirunallur temple now being referred to as Saneeswarar temple. Also, the bhakthi towards Murugan has increased manifold as can be seen from the devotee crowd here at Sikkal in recent years as well as at the Ettukudi temple, not too far away from here (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/ettukudi-pachakshara-shivachariar.html). 

Back to Glory Days at Sikkal

Things have turned around quite remarkably over the last decade or so at this Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/thiruvanaikaval-jambukeswarar.html) on the back of the devotional wave dedicated to Singaravelar. From the time when the priests had to look elsewhere for opportunities including overseas, they now have reached a stage where they have to appoint support priests to help them manage the crowd that is thronging the temple including on Karthigai and Shashti days every month.  Like at the Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam in Thiru Naraiyur, another temple built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan, where devotees are thronging the Kal Garudan Sannidhi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/12/kal-garuda-utsavam-nachiyar-koil.html), here too a majority of the devotee crowd is seen seeking the blessings of Singaravelar, such has been the revival in temples this century.

From a salary in the 100s during his appa’s four decade service, Ramanathan Gurukal is happy that the archaka salary has grown manifold and has now topped Rs. 20000 at this Grade 1 temple with the complete turnaround in fortunes for the priests.

Ramanathan Gurukal has archaka service through the month in different sannidhis at this temple and is quite enjoying the current phase of a devotional wave that has set in Tamil Nadu. While his appa would often sit at the temple entrance waiting for the next set of devotees, there is not too much of rest for Ramanathan Gurukal on days dedicated to Murugan with devotees lining up in long queues to offer their prayers to Singaravelar. Devotees visiting Thirunallaru and Velankanni/Vedaranyam have made Sikkal an integral part of their temple trip and that has also been bringing in sizeable crowd to this temple.

For the 44 year old Ramananthan Gurukal, it is back to glory days at the Navaneetheswarar temple and he is confident that for the next decade and a half of his service, it is likely that this trend of devotional wave directed at parikara and prarthana sthalams will not be reversed. 

Yathulan Bhattar Rayanallur 7 temples Parayanam Initiative 2024

This young bhattar, who let go lucrative opportunities, to settle down in Rayanallur has put together a four member team to present monthly Veda and Prabhandham Parayanam in 7 temples in the Thiruthuraipoondi region

He has also just revived the celebrations on Azhvaar and Acharya star days every month

It is just past 8am on the Moolam day in Avani (Sept 12) and 32 year old Yathulan (R Srinivasan) Bhattar, the archaka at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Rayanallur, has already started out on his two wheeler on a long 25km ride to Kadanthethi, near Thalai Gnayiru (the place where the idols of Vaduvur Ramar were found by the Thanjavur Prince) for the monthly parayanam he kick started in Chitrai this year. It is a mega initiative quietly launched with a great vision by this young Bhattar from a remote town.

The homam event that created the spark in Yathulan

It was at a homam event in Kamalapuram earlier this year that triggered this move. When Yathulan Bhattar heard the Chairman of a Brahmin Sangam from Chennai talking about a parayanam he has been organising at homes in the capital city, it created a spark in him and he wondered as to why a Parayanam could not be organised in remote temple towns to create a devotional vibrancy in those places. He spoke to a couple of other young archakas to see if they would be interested to join him in this endeavour.

Yathulan Bhattar identified 7 temples in the region – Varadaraja Perumal temple in Rayanallur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/rayanallur-varadaraja-perumal-yathulan.html), Kadanthethi and Ayyur, Kasthuri Ranganatha Perumal temple in Vilakkudi, Srinivasa Perumal in Kottur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/kottur-srinivasa-perumal.html, Ranganatha Perumal temple in Keezhayur and Kalyana Mahadevi temple and the specific days for parayanam in each of these temples.

Every Moolam, the star day of Kadanthethi Andavan, he has been doing this 50km ride to and fro from Rayanallur for Veda Parayanam and Prabhandham Seva Kalam at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kadanthethi, around 15kms east of Thiruthuraipoondai. He has roped in three other archakas for this initiative whereby they congregate at these seven remote temples in the region on select days every month to present Veda Parayanam, Nalayira Divya Prabhandham and Desikar Prabhandham.

There is an idol for Thiruthuraipoondi andavan at the Vilakkudi temple and hence his star day was chosen for the parayanam at the Kasturi Ranganatha Perumal temple. Similarly, he chose Moolam, the star day of Kadanthethi Andavan for the Parayanam at Kadanthethi, the idol installation date at Kottur, the star day of Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan at Vilakkudi and so on. 

Sriram, the archaka at Panaiyur temple, Varadarajan, the archaka at Kottur temple and archaka by the same name at Kadanthethi temple have joined him on this initiative and the four of them have been presenting the parayanam at these 7 temples every month from Chitrai this year. 

While Sriram presents Yajur Veda Parayanam - Yathulan's idea was to complete one entire recital of the KYV in a year and that is on track at the moment, the other three recite select verses from the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham (Koil Tiruvoimozhi, Ramanuja Nootranthathi and the like) and Desikar Prabhandham.

Thaligai is also presented on these days following the Parayanam and distributed to the devotees. 

Yathulan travels around 50kms on the Parayanam days to Keezhayur, Kadanthethi, Ayyur and Kalyan Mahadevi. That is a lot of distance to cover and can easily tire one out but he sees the positive side of it “I get an opportunity to visit different temples, interact with people in these temple towns and keeps me active. I see it as a small contribution from my side to revive the devotional vibrancy in these towns from where most of the original inhabitants have left”, he told this writer on Thursday on the Moolam day in Avani at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kadanthethi, where he performed a Thirumanjam for Perumal reciting from the Vedas as well as the sacred Neerattal verses of Periyazhvaar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/08/krishna-special-oil-bath.html) while the Varadaraja Bhattar performed the Moolam Thirumanjanam for Anjaneya.

Original Inhabitants supporting these temples

Interestingly, some of those original inhabitants are now reconnecting with their home town and getting to support these temples. For example, they came forward to rebuild the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kadanthethi and the subsequent consecration. He is hoping that a madapalli will be built at this temple soon on the land belonging to one of the Mutts. 

Revival at Rayanallur

At Rayanallur,  lands belonging to the temple are on the verge of being recovered following a court order. Yathulan Bhattar is hopeful that his dream of building a wall around the temple will become a reality soon once the encroachers are vacated from the temple land that they are currently occupying. He is also hopeful of reviving the Maasi Magam utsavam and a trip to the now dilapidated sacred tank for the Theerthavari. For this a proper path has to be created and is possible only after the encroachments are removed. This fortnight, following the court order, an ad has been released in a newspaper and a copy handed to the encroachers as a first step towards the eviction. One can expect the HR&CE to take the next steps soon after the Pavitrotsavam later this month. Yathulan Bhattar can already visualise the tall walls around the temple and a procession on Maasi Magam.

Remembering  and Celebrating Azhvaars and Acharyas

This month, Yathulan Bhattar has also taken another big step. Through support from like minded devotees, he has begun a Thirumanjanam for Azhvaars and Acharyas on their monthly star days. On the pooram day in Avani, doubling up as a cook at the madapalli, he presented Kesari to Andal following the Thirumanjanam. This Sunday (Sept 15), on the sacred occasion of 'Thiru Onam', he is planning to revive the Thirumanjanam and Thaligai for Vedantha Desikar.

The devotional quotient among the local residents especially the kids in Rayanallur has certainly gone up in the last year or two with Yathulan Bhattar presenting Thirumanjan, Thaligai and organising a procession on the occasion of Ekadasi. Now he is expanding this to celebrate the Azhvaars and Acharyas in the process also educating young kids on the contributions of these Saints.

He had also kick started an initiative to teach Prabhandham to kids in this town to get them more closely attached to Varadaraja Perumal. 

Yathulan Bhattar has also been taking Prabhandham classes for the Kadanthethi archaka, who quit his corporate job at Accenture in Chennai ahead of Covid and moved to this village from where his wife hailed. 

Restoration devotee commits to the first Sambhavanai

Youthful Bhattar spoke with Dasarathi, the devotee who had anchored the restoration of the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Ayyur about the idea of presenting at the Ayyur temple.  The latter liked the idea and immediately offered and committee to a Sambhavanai for this four member team for their monthly presentation there (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/ayyur-varadaraja-perumal-samprokshanam.html).

Deserve more Sambhavanai

At the moment, the Sambhavanai for the Seven Temples Parayanam is very minimal with Yathulan Bhattar not having reached out to anyone for contributions. It is hoped that given the long distances this young team of archakas have to cover every month, more devotees will come forward to support this initiative, but that is not in the mind of this Bhattar at the moment.

He has a vision of spreading Bhakthi and the messages from the scriptures deep into remote towns in the Thiruvarur region and these are just baby steps he is taking towards this endeavour. He is solely focused on creating that Bhakthi among the local residents in each of these towns. Already, he is seeing increased participation with devotees coming to these temples on select days in the month. Through this Parayanam, the Vedic and Prabhandham verses are reverberating once again, albeit in a small way, in these temple towns like it once did centuries ago.

Thanjavur Palace Venugopalaswamy temple Thiruvayaru

Prince Babaji Bhonsle is renovating the centuries old now dilapidated Venugopalan temple on Southern Banks of Cauvery in Thiruvayaru

Once consecration takes place, this temple, located opp the Munsiff Court, is likely to attract devotees in good numbers 

In June 2020, this section had featured a story on the challenging times the then new and young prince Babaji Rajah Bhonsle had faced in the mid 1980s and how he was able to overcome those at the turn of the century in the 88 temples under his administration (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/thanjavur-palace-babaji-rajah-bhonsle.html). Just a few months earlier, in February 2020, a grand consecration had taken place at the Big temple after over two decades. Along with Punnai Nallur Mariamman Temple, this was one of the two big income generating temples under his administration.  These two temples have seen a big financial turnaround and crowds are now thronging these temples after the Pandemic. 

However, while these two and a few other temples including the likes of Thanjai Maa Mani Koil Divya Desam, Punnai Nallur Kothandaramar and Karunaswamy Koil, Karunthittakudi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/02/karunaswamy-koil-karunthittaikudi.html) had been restored to its old glory, there were still a few temples that had remained in a dilapidated state. One such temple is the Venugopalaswamy temple on the Southern Banks of Cauvery near Thiruvayaru and a km North of Kalyanapuram Srinivasa Perumal temple.

Over the years, encroachers had taken over and the temple has been surrounded by temporary residential constructions. Earlier this year, Rajah Babaji Bhonsle took a  strong call to renovate the temple and bring back the old vibration that had been missing for quite sometime.
 
The temple is located opposite the Munsiff Court and hence could attract good devotee crowd once the reconstruction is completed and consecration takes place.
 
Work has begun in right earnest inside the temple complex. The path to the dilapidated temple had been thorny and no one could make their way to the temple in the past. However, over the last couple of months, a temporary path has been laid amid the encroached houses.
 

Encroachments abound around the temple complex

Encroachments to be removed

The challenge as with many other ancient temples is the issue of encroachment. The temple complex has a huge space but at the moment these are occupied by those who have made this their temporary home. Supervisor Ramesh who has been working at the Thanjavur Palace for well over two decades is waiting for the green signal from the Prince for him to go ahead and remove the encroachments. He has already alerted the residents that the plan is for a complete restoration of the Venugopalan temple under the instructions of the Rajah and hence the entire space belonging to the temple will be utilised for a fully functional temple. 

Only last month, this section had featured a story on how new age shops that had come up in recent decades at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam had been sealed  (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/08/srirangam-temple-popular-shops-shut-down.html).

It is expected that the encroachments near the Venugopalan temple will be removed within the next three months after the first phase work around the Moolavar Sannidhi is complete. This will pave the way for the construction of the prakara walls, one that will help devotees perform pradakshinam around the temple. Once the encroachments are removed, a proper pathway can also be built from the main road to the temple.

In 2025, one can expect a fully restored temple, with the resumption of daily Thiru Aradhanam and the celebration of festivals at this centuries old temple under the administration of the Thanjavur Palace.  And when that happens, it will be a real blessing to those residing south of the Cauvery, in Thiruvayaru.