One of a kind procession for a Divya Desam
Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal go on a joint procession around the streets of Thiru Koshtiyur atop the Golden Garuda Vahana
It is just past 3pm on Tuesday (July 22) and the fourth day of the Aadi Pooram utsavam at the Sowmya Narayana Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Koshtiyur, one under the administration of the Sivaganga Samasthanam. Adyanana Bhattar, the renowned Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan has been anchoring the action plan for the Golden Vimana and on this afternoon he is overseeing the gold plating activity that is currently going there ahead of the consecration of the Golden Vimana. It has been close to two decades since the work started to gold plate the Vimana. Finally, there is a smile in Madhavan’s face with the work nearing completion.
Finally the Golden Vimana- Feb Consecration
He told this writer on Tuesday afternoon that in phase 1, around 40 kgs of gold will be used for the Vimana and more will be added subsequently. The consecration event for the Golden Vimana has been fixed for the first week of February and Madhavan is confident that the work will be completed by then. There is a high profile devotee couple who arrive at the temple and he takes them around every Sannidhi providing them with historical insights into the greatness of the temple. It is a one of a kind of an experience on this Pradosham evening as he talks to them about the Shiva Sannidhi that has now been restored.
Glittering Necklaces and Kreedam
The young next gen priest has been involved in the decoration of Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal through the afternoon. The devotees have a first glimpse of them seen in glittering jewellery. Madhavan, who is very passionate about Thiru Koshtiyur, says that this is the only Divya Desam where Perumal and Andal go out on a joint Garuda Sevai procession.
It is past 4pm and a handful of Prabhandham members begin the recital of the fourth canto of Periyazhvaar’s Thirumozhi that includes a decad on the greatness of Thiru Koshtiyur and its original inhabitants. They follow Periyazhvaar Thirumozhi with the presentation of the fourth canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi.
Following the Satru Murai, the devotees are presented with Puliyodharai, Sundal and Chakkarai Pongal. Hereditary priest Ramesh Bhattar recalls the period of his forefathers when 100s of kgs of prasadam was presented but almost all of the original inhabitants of Thiru Koshtiyur have left for bigger cities with only a few kainkaryaparas having stayed back.
காசின் வாய்க்கரம் விற்கிலும் கரவாது மாற்றிலி சோறிட்டு
தேச வார்த்தை படைக்கும் வண் கையினார்கள் வாழ் திருக்கோட்டியூர்
கேசவா புருடோத்தமா கிளர் சோதியாய் குறளா என்று பேசுவார்
அடியார்கள் எந்தம்மை விற்கவும் பெறுவார்களே- Periyazhvaar on Thiru Koshtiyur
During famine, grains sell at such a premium that even a handful of grains cost a gold coin. But even during these most testing of times, the people of Thiru Kottiyur, known for their extra ordinary generosity, feed the guests with honour as if everything was normal. They do not use such tough times to hide their stocks and claim shortfall to their guests. Would you not sell yourselves as bonded slaves to such high quality people, asks Periyazhvar.
In those few that have stayed back in this Divya Desam, this genorosity has not been lost for they invite visiting devotees for meals at the conclusion of the procession late in the evening and to stay back the night.
Devotees who have come in from other towns for this festive occasion enquire about the greatness and speciality of the temple even as they go around taking a look at the three tiered Ashtanga Vimana in the twilight of the setting sun. It was here that Vaishnavite Saint Ramanuja learnt the Thiru Mandiram on his 18th visit from Srirangam.
It is 7pm and all is set for the procession. The sripatham personnel have arrived and so have a small set of devotees. Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal have been mounted atop the Garuda Vahana. Soon after the Deeparathanai, as is now the trend in most remote Divya Desams, the utsava deities are moved on to the Wheeled vehicle for the procession. The shortage of service personnel in temples has meant that no more is the Lord carried on the shoulder like in the centuries gone by.
The prabhandham members begin the recital of Nanmugan Thiruvanthathi in front of Ramanuja Sannidhi to signal the commencement of the procession. Perumal and Andal leave the temple complex through the South gate instead of the Eastern Raja Gopuram. The Sannidhi Street is the one where traditional Vaishnavites lived till the second half of the previous century.
நளிர்ந்த சீலன் நயாசலன் அபிமான துண்கனை நாள்தொறும்
தெளிந்த செல்வனை சேவகங் கொண்ட செங்கண்மால் திருக்கோட்டியூர்
குளிர்ந்துறை கின்ற கோவிந்தன் குணம் பாடுவார் உள்ள நாட்டினுள்
விளைந்த தானியமும் இராக்கதர் மீது கொள்ளகிலார்களோ
Periyazhvaar says that the nobility of the residents and the reverberations arising from the sacred recitals at Thiru Koshtiyur is such that even the asuras would not steal from this temple town.
All the streets are dotted with beautiful white pulli kolams. Some reconstruction has taken place on this street in line with the modern trend. G Madhavan Bhattar who has performing archaka service for over two decades at the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Kothankulam too has rebuilt his house on this street and let it out on rent. A big sized photo of his and his wife hangs outside this remodelled house opposite the South entrance of the temple(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/07/kothankulam-sikkal-kidaram-madhavan.html).
Residents present coconut and flowers as the deities stop almost in front of every house on this street. With the Vaishnavites having moved out, the South street has come to be occupied by others who with great devotion invoked the blessings of Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal.
The prabhandham members lead the procession as they move on the West Street, one that is now abound with shops. The procession stops in front of the Ahobila Mutt and then a few buildings after in front of Adyayana Bhattar Madhavan’s house for the sacred presentation to Perumal and Andal. Madhavan is a renowned and a well respected personality in Thiru Koshtiyur and almost everyone in the town reach out to greet him with warmth and engage in conversations with him.
An elderly devotee couple have made their way from Srirangam for the Garuda Sevai procession and they bid goodbye to the deities as they have to catch the 8pm direct bus to Trichy from in front of the temple.
Devotees in good numbers have darshan of Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal at the junction of West and North street. It is past 8pm when the procession reaches the Raja Gopuram on the East Sannidhi street in front of the hugely popular Theppakulam, where Perumal provides darshan to several lakhs of devotees during the Maasi Theppotsavam.
The Thiru Maligai of Koshtiyur Nambi, who was born here has been remodelled for visiting devotees to stay during the big annual utsavams (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/06/thiru-koshtiyur-nambi-avathara-utsavam.html). The descendants come out to present their offering to Perumal and Andal.
Ramanujam - Staying back in troubled times
A few yards away is the Thiru Maligai of Selva Nambi, the revered chief priest of the Pandya King in Madurai. Descendant Veda Vinnapam Bhattar Ramanujam is one of those few who chose not to leave this Divya Desam in troubled times back in the 70s and 80s and stayed back to perform Veda and Prabhandham Kainkaryam at this temple. Through the evening, he provided insights into the significance of the Ramanuja and Thiru Koshtiyur Nambi Sannidhis that he has been taking care of over the last four decades.
There is an inspiring message for those who quit this temple town in the most challenging times in the 1970s and 80s. And a recital of this sacred verse of Periyazhvaar could lead them back to this legendary temple where Ramanuja was presented with the Ashtachara Mantra.
நரக நாசனை நாவில் கொண்டு அழையாத மானிட சாதியர்
பருகு நீரும் உடுக்குங் கூரையும் பாவம் செய்தன தாங்கொலோ
Periyazhvaar says that those who were blessed enough to be born in Thiru Koshtiyur, if they did not spend their entire life time here to utter the Lord’s name, then the water he drinks and the clothes he wears must have sinned for him to be so!!!
It is almost 9pm when Sowmya Narayana Perumal and Andal made their way back into the Sannidhi Street to the temple through the South entrance. The prabhandham members presented the Satru Murai of Nanmugan Thiruvanthathi verses bringing to end the Garuda Sevai on this fourth evening of the ten day Aadi Pooram utsavam.
Devotional commitment of Kainkaryaparas
It is a lot of work during such utsavams for the limited number of kainkaryaparas at the temple. From being present at the moolavar sannidhis for daily Thiru Aradhanam and devotee darshan to decorating utsava deities of Perumal and Andal for the morning and evening processions, cooking the sacred food for daily poojas as well as for the procession and seva kaalam, it is quiet a strenuous exercise. But those that have stayed back for the kainkaryam have been doing it with great devotion.
The good news is that a few of the next gen too have chosen to continue this kainkaryam at this Divya Desam and kudos to them for letting go of more financially lucrative opportunities in cities to continue to reside in this remote temple town to take over and continue the Kainkaryam.
நாவை காரியம் சொல்லிலாதவர் நாள்தோறும் விருந்தோம்புவார்
தேவ காரியம் செய்து வேதம் பயின்று வாழ் திருக்கோட்டியூர்
மூவர் காரியமும் திருத்தும் முதல்வனைச் சிந்தியாத
அப்பாவ காரியங்களை படைத்தவன் எங்கனம் படைத்தான்களோ
"The people of Thiru Koshtiyur always spoke the truth. They welcomed guests with honour. They performed selfless services to the Lord. Youngsters learnt the Vedas all the time and tried to perfect it through their life time, such was their dedication."
These young Kainkaryaparas obviously have understood the significance of Periyazhvaar's message presented a 1000 years ago.....