Thiru Vahindrapuram Puratasi Desikar Shravanam

3.30am procession to the Hayagriva Sannidhi up the hill as disciples carry their Acharya, Vedantha Desikar, for 8 hours without a break for Mangalasasanam in multiple Sannidhis to celebrate his birthday

It is not something anyone could have visualised or predicted four decades ago when everything was falling off at temples. The infrastructure had been getting dilapidated, devotees stayed away from temples for a large part and the original inhabitants left their temple towns to move away to cities in search of greener pastures for there seemed to be no more the prospect of a livelihood in the remote towns that during the period of the Azhvaars had flourished.

Against the run of play, it has been a remarkable transformation in temples over the last decade or two with money pouring in like never before. While the priests of the 1970s and 80s waited at the entrance of the temple for the next devotee that proved elusive leading to severe financial challenges, the scenario is posing a completely different challenge for the next gen priests in many temples in Tamil Nadu.

வையமேழும் உண்டாலிலை வைகியமாயவன் 

அடியவர்க்கு மெய்யனாகிய தெய்வ நாயகனிடம் 

மெய் தகுவரைச்சாரல் 

மொய்கள் மாதவி சண்பகம் முயங்கிய முல்லையன் கொடியாட 

செய்ய தாமரை செழும்பணை திகழ்தரு திருவயிந்திரபுரமே -Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

It is Thursday (Oct 2) morning at the Devanathaswamy temple in Thiru Vahindrapuram, praised to glory by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar over a 1000 years ago and by Vadakalai Vaishnavite Acharya Vedantha Desikar over 750 years ago. It is the final day of his Avathara Utsavam and controversies and arguments had been going on through the previous nine days of the utsavam.

Why?- This year Puratasi Shravanam fell on Vijayadasami day which it so often does. This time it also coincided with Gandhi Jayanthi – a holiday for all institutions (work and education). That was not the case for arguments. The Vedantha Desikar Puratasi Shravanam happened to be on a Thursday. So what about a Thursday in a remote Divya Desam like Thiruvahindapuram from where a large part of the original inhabitants had left in the second half of the previous century.

When Vedantha Desikar whose annual birthday was to be celebrated on this Thursday composed the Hayagriva Stotram at Thiru Vahindrapuram, he would not have visualised a devotional wave of this scale and magnitude at this Divya Desam invoking the blessings of Lord Hayagriva.

ஞானானந்த மயம் தேவம் நிர்மல ஸ்படிகாக்ருதிம் 

ஆதாரம் சர்வ வித்யாநாம் ஹயக்ரீவம் உபாஸ்மஹே

The combination of Vijayadasami, Gandhi Jayanthi holiday and this being a Thursday had led the HR & CE authorities to expect a sea of devotees on this Shravanam day in Puratasi, one of celebration of Vedantha Desikar. The Kainkaryaparas (Sripatham, Veda Parayanam and Prabhandham Ghoshti) were keen for the procession of their Acharya to start around 5am to the hill temple of Hayagriva while the HR & CE authorities and the priests (now anchored by those from Andhra) were insistent that the procession starts at 3am. The reason- A 5am start for the mangalasasanam would lead to a long wait for the devotee crowd that would become unmanageable and hence they were keen for Vedantha Desikar to return from the Hayagriva Sannidhi by 6am so the Thursday crowd at that Sannidhi could be streamlined.

The Kainkaryaparas comprised of mid aged people and senior citizens as well and with the Chariot day activities (9th day) likely to go on till after 10pm the previous evening, they articulated that it would be difficult to be back again at 3am the next morning.

The Verdict: The authorities and priests stuck to their view that thousands of devotees would be stuck in long queues and it would become unmanageable if the acharya mangalasasanam procession were to start only at 5am.

And here’s the story….

It is just past 3.30am on Thursday (Oct 2). Vedantha Desikar has made his out of the Western entrance glittering with ornaments on the lines of what was inscribed about the Perumal of Thiru Vahindrapuram, a 1000 years ago. An inscription dating to the rule of Kulotunga III refers to a gift of a gold necklace to Deiva Nayagan.

There are scores of Vadakalai disciples who are up the steps to the Hayagriva Sannidhi. The Vedic members follow the acharya. A member of the Accenture team has driven all through the night from Bangalore to reach this Divya Desam just in time. He rues the fact that he missed taking the Panruti Thiru Vathigai route instead taking the Nellikuppam highway to reach Cuddalore. But he is happy that he is able to have an early morning darshan of his acharya right in front of the temple. He is one of the many who have made their specifically for this big day in the year to celebrate the birthday of the acharya.

There is a certain peace at this early time in the morning and there is a certain delight in the faces of the disciples of Vedantha Desikar in being able to be part of this procession. The traditional Vadakalai with large sized Thiruman are carrying their acharya on their shoulders step by step up the hill to the Hayagriva Sannidhi. There are ghee lit Theevattis to provide light to the Sripatham through the procession. The devotees, young and old, are capturing photos and videos of this rare 3.30am procession. They take turns to fan their acharya.

It is well past 4am when Vedantha Desikar makes his way around the Hayagriva temple to reach the aasthana mandapam.

The Vedic members have gathered in pretty large numbers and for the next hour or so, there is the presentation of the Vedas, Upanishad and Desikar Stotram – It was right here at this place where Vedantha Desikar composed the Hayagriva Stotram and he received the first of the flower garlands on this day from the Lord of Education.

As was going to be trend of the day, prasadam is presented to all the disciples following the parayanam. Vedantha Desikar makes his way inside the Hayagriva Sannidhi and takes a pradakshinam before making his way down the hill.

Prabhandham Adyapaka Kannan Swamy, now residing at Mandaveli in Chennai, has been here through the ten days of the Utsavam and he presented a praise of his acharya each step of the way through the downhill procession.

It is 6.30am when Vedantha Desikar has made his way back to the Devanathaswamy temple after a 3 hour trip for the Mangalasasanam at Desikar’s favourite Hayagriva Sannidhi. Going around the temple complex, he was carried to the Perumal Sannidhi by the energetic sripatham kainkaryaparas. The utsavam had begun ten days ago with the prabhandham ghoshti presenting Vedantha Desikar’s praise of Deivanayaka in his Mumanikovai verses. After the Vedic / Upanishad recital, the prabhandham members present their acharya’s praise of Devanathaswamy in front of his Sannidhi.

As expected by the HR & CE authorities and the priests, the devotees began streaming in after 7am. While the Hayagriva Sannidhi was open for them to have darshan, they had to wait a long while to have darshan of Deivanayaka Perumal for the Mangalasasanam at this Sannidhi was a one of its kind for a Divya Desam and presentation was extensive and highly devotional. It is past 8am when the Vedic members present the sacred verses around the inner prakara of the Perumal Sannidhi. There is a certain impatience among the ‘Thursday’ devotees who are in several hundreds. They had begun making their way to the temple after 6am but for over two hours they have not been able to have darshan of Perumal. The queue had been directed to Shegamala Thayar Sannidhi but those that had finished darshan there were now waiting for a darshan of Devanatha Swamy.

It is almost 8.30am when Vedantha Desikar makes his way to the third of the Sannidhis. At the Rama Sannidhi, another of his favourites, the fast paced Raghuvira Gadyam is presented. For the young pavadai clad traditional girls of Thiru Vahindrapuram this is a favourite too and they join in the presentation rendering these verses as devotees in the background. There is great happiness in the faces of all the presenters as they are emotionally highly charged in this recital of Vedantha Desikar’s praise of the greatness of Rama as he narrates every episode in the Ramayana (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/01/vedantha-desikar-mahaveera-vaibhavam.html).

And then the procession to Chakkarathaazhvaar’s Sannidhi, just next to the Rama Sannidhi. And the recital here has become highly popular among the devotees in the last few decades. Sri Sudarshana Ashtakam slokam led all the disciples of Vedantha Desikar to utter alongside the Vedic members.

It is past 9am. The devotees have now been able to make their way to Perumal Sannidhi but there is a co-ordination problem with the HR & CE authorities. The long queue has blocked the way for the Mangalasasanam at the Shegamala Thayar Sannidhi. Malola Kannan, whose heart is very close to this temple, is vocal with the authorities to clear the ‘Thursday’ crowd away from outside the Thayar Sannidhi and he bemoans the fact that there is no one support him. Adyapaka Kannan joins him but their voices are not heart as the HR & CE staff stands firm that the devotees from the Perumal Sannidhi have to make their way through the Thayar side.

The Kainkaryaparas give up and their acharya is taken inside the Thayar Sannidhi for the Mangalasasanam and the presentation. The lady devotees hailing from Thiru Vahindrapuram are devotionally excited at this rendering and almost all of them recite the Sri Stuti (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/vedanta-desika-sri-stuti.html) while the vedic and prabhandham members present in front of their acharya as he makes his way around the Thayar Sannidhi in a pradakshinam.

கல்யாணாநாம் அவிகலநிதி: காபி காருண்யாஸீமா

நித்யா மோதா நிகம வசஸாம் மௌளி மன்தார மாலா

சம்பத் திவ்யா மதுவிஜயிந: ஸந்நிதத்தாம் ஸதா மே

ஸைஷா தேவீ ஸகல புவந ப்ரார்த்தநா காமதேநு:

Devotional Kainkaryam by the Disciples

Challenges continue to galore as the Thursday devotee crowd on this Vijayadasami day has soared well past 1000. The Kainkaryaparas scramble to clear the barricades and plead with the devotees to make way for their acharya to the Rajagopalan Sannidhi. The return trip from this Sannidhi to Andal and Nam Azhvaar Sannidhi is just as difficult as devotees are stacked in a long queue to have darshan of Perumal and Thayar and those that have are now leaving through the Western exit.

At these final three sannidhis, the Kainkaryaparas who have already served this morning for over 7 hours, have to go in search of the archakas to present the Thaligai at these last few sannidhis and to present the parivattam to Desikar. The crowd has swelled at Perumal, Thayar and Hayagriva Sannidhis and almost all the priests are functioning in those sannidhis trying their best to manage the huge crowd. At each of these last sannidhis, the kainkaryapas make frenetic calls to the priests to get at least one of them to come for the Mangalasasanam activities.

It is past 11am. Vedantha Desikar has received flower garlands and parivattam from Andal and Nam Azhvaar. Godha Stuti is another favourite of the lady devotees and those that have remained all through the morning recite that while the kainkaryaparas present in front of their Acharya. 

The Final Mangalasasanam at Ramanujar Sannidhi

And then the procession moves to the final Mangalasasanam. The Ramanuja Sannidhi is still locked. The barricades are in place. The Kainkaryaparas scramble once again to unlock the Sannidhi and to remove the barricade so their acharya can position himself in front of the Bashyakarar Sannidhi.

And then finally after 8 hours of the most extensive Mangalasasanam at multiple sannidhis, and by this time it is really hot on this late Thursday morning, Vedantha Desikar makes his way back to his Sannidhi from where he had begun at 3.30am.

11.30am, the big screen comes on after Desikar’s Shatari blessings to the Kainkaryaparas. While there is happiness in their faces of this great service for their acharya, there is also a certain sense of relief after the 8 hour ordeal dealing with the devotee crowd, the barricades and the HR & CE.

Sumptuous Lunch for Kainkaryaparas
There is a Thathiyaraathanai organised at the Patshala on the West Street and the Kainkaryaparas move there ahead of their engagement. Even as they complete their meal, there is a call from the temple that Desikar is ready for the Pattina Pravesam, the procession around the streets of Thiruvahindrapuram. But it is 1pm and the Sun is at its peak. 

While on the topic of Thathiyarathanai that was taken care of this Thursday by a devotee couple, historical inscriptions record gifts of lands and villages for offerings and worship to the Lord, gifts of sheep and cows for perpetual lamps, gift of ‘Kasu’ for feeding the Vaishnavas at the temple Mutt and for providing offerings to God on the 8th day of the Brahmotsavam.

Pattina Pravesam in Scorching Heat

The Prabhandham members begin their presentation of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi from where they had left off the previous evening but they are in a hurry as the scorching heat burns their feet. One young kainkaryapara rushes to the entrance of every house to receive and break the coconut that is being presented by the residents of the West street. It is quite a fast paced procession as even ‘non-traditional’ sripatham personnel who are physically well built and strong find it difficult to carry Desikar in the soaring heat.

The procession takes a detour and the kainkaryaparas and Desikar reach his Thirumaligai. There is long presentation of the Vedas and the sacred verses of the sixth and seventh Cantos of Periya Thirumozhi by the Prabhandham members but a lot of it is not heard as both sets of members recite in loud tone stand in rows in front of each other at the Desikar Thirumaligai.

(Periya Thirumozhi is rendered at a certain pace and tone that makes for good listening. Like the prabhandham members of Srirangam who have created a separate tone for Iyarpa verses, those at Thiru Vahindrapuram rendered the Thirumozhi verses in a way quite different from all other Divya Desams that did not seem to do justice to the verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. It is hoped that the Prabhandham members would revert to the standard way of recital of Periya Thirumozhi in the future)

It is 1.30pm and a call is taken to return to the temple via the Sannidhi street letting go of the Pattina Pravesam around the East and South streets. The Thursday crowd continues to remain big on the Sannidhi Street as those that have visited the temple are now busy shopping and sipping cone icecreams on the way back making it difficult for Desikar to wade his way back to the Western entrance of the temple.

The Prabhandham members present the verses of praise of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on Aamaruviappan of Therazhundur to end the morning session that had started just after 3am with the focus now shifting to Thirumanjanam at the mandapam near the tank and Theerthavari. 

This being a Theerthavari day for Vedantha Desikar, it is useful to point out inscriptions at Thiru Vahindurapuram that record minute details like taking care of God's bath during his processions on festive occasions. Expenses were sanctioned for providing a sacred bath to the Lord. One such inscription in Tamil on the South Wall of the Prakara records an order communicated to the trustees of the temple granting lands and a garden, free of taxes, for expenses of taking God for a sacred bath to the sea near Nissankhamallan Pattinam on the Maasi Magam day.

The kainkaryaparas went away for some rest even as the Hayagriva devotees continued to make their way to the temple complex.

A few decades ago, there was very minimal public transport from Thirupadiripuliyur (Cuddalore) but on this big Thursday, the state run buses operated Thiruventhipuram specials in big numbers cashing in on the devotion for Hayagriva.

A couple of hundred traditional Vadakalai Vaishnavite devotees had made it to the Devathanathaswamy temple in Thiru Vahindrapuram on Thursday to celebrate their Acharya’s birthday with many of them performing selfless kainkaryam through the day and the rest enjoying the birthday celebrations as devotees. But the winner on the day was the several thousands of devotees who made it on the Shravanam Thursday on the occasion of Vijayadasami and stood in queue for long hours to have darshan of Devanathaswamy, Shengamala Thayar and Hayagriva. It showed the extent of the devotional wave that has struck TN temples and how certain Lords – in this case the Lord of Education – have captured the attention of the devotees and their strong belief that the future will turn bright if they present their sincere prayers on certain days in the month.

Four decades ago, it was unlikely that someone would have predicted such a devotional wave in remote once deserted Divya Desams in TN for most of the original inhabitants had left these temple towns for good with most selling their centuries old properties. While those traditional inhabitants are back in some small numbers for select utsavams in the year – in this case to celebrate the birthday of their Acharya, the larger section of the society has strengthened its belief in prarthana and parikara idols and they genuinely believe that their prayers will be answered and their wishes fulfilled if they visit these temples on special occasions for each of these deities.

The powers that be succeeded in sending the original traditional inhabitants out of their temple towns into the IT sector globally but they have not been able to kill the devotion of crores of people in TN as this day at Thiru Vahindrapuram indicated. For a majority of those who made their way to this temple on Thursday, they did not have an inkling as to who this ‘birthday’ boy was but they did believe in the fact that this idol that was being carried from Sannidhi to Sannidhi had some special powers as they shouted out the name of ‘Govinda’ repeatedly through the morning session as and when they saw him coming out of each Sannidhi.

Kudos to the Kainkaryaparas who gave their everything for their Acharya Vedantha Desikar on this Thursday at Thiru Vahindrapuram.

Thiruvanaikaval Akilandeswari Navarathri Saraswathi Alankaram

Parichakar Nagarajan’s alankaram, Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan rendering the sacred verses on Thiru Aanaikka and Elephant Akila’s dance at the sight of Ambal make it a great evening for the devotees on this 8th day of the Navarathri Utsavam at Thiruvanaikaval

It is a special evening at the Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari temple in Thiruvanaikaval on Monday (Sept 29) for the 8th day of the Navarathri Utsavam in Puratasi is one when Akilandeswari is seen in the most beautiful of alankarams.

Passionate about decorating Ambal

Paricharakar Nagarajan has been decorating Akilandeswari for 25 years now and he has been all excited the whole of last week at the opportunity to be blessed with draping the Ambal in a different alankaram each day. It reached a peak this evening as he knew there would be a sizeable devotee crowd to have darshan of Ambal for it was the evening of the Saraswathi Alankaram. 

Early into the evening, Nagarajan began his work of meticulously placing each ornament at the right place and even as the devotees began streaming in via the North Gopuram just past 6pm, he had one final look at Ambal after completing a two hour alankaram. It is 6.30pm and as Akilandeswari makes her way from the alankara mandapam, devotees are thrilled at seeing her in a beautiful white and pink saree holding her favourite veena.

She made her way first around the inner prakara and then around the outer prakara before moving on to in front of the Golu Mandapam. Devotees lined up both sides to take a close look at each of the ornaments of Ambal and the beautiful alankaram.

Paricharakar Nagarajan is congratulated by a few for the attention to detail and for the happiness he brought on the faces of the devotees with his decoration. With a gleaming face, he told this writer even as Akilandeswari made her way to the mirror that he finds great peace in this kainkaryam of decorating Ambal “Devotees look forward to each alankaram and this one on the 8th evening is particularly special for Akilandeswari provides darshan as Saraswathi”.

Othuvar's message to devotees

Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan ( has been the sole othuvar at this temple for 25 years. He is as devotional as it gets when he begins presentation of the Thevaram verses.

வானைக்காவில் வெண்மதி மல்குபுல்கு வார்சடைத்

தேனைக்காவில் இன்மொழித் தேவிபாக மாயினான்

ஆனைக்காவில் அண்ணலை அபயமாக வாழ்பவர்

ஏனைக்காவல் வேண்டுவார்க் கேதும்ஏதம் இல்லையே

Presenting the sacred verses of Thiru Gnana Sambandar on Akilandeswari (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/06/thiru-gnana-sambandar-mukthi-utsavam.html), Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan told this writer on Monday evening that the Ambal is as beautiful as the clear sky and her words for the devotees are sweeter than even nectar and honey and blesses the devotees who come to offer their sincere prayers.

He points to another great verse of praise of Thiru Gnana Sambandar and says that the Ambal who came here from Kailasam where he was with Lord Shiva is beautiful and lures the devotees to her side.

Appar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/12/thiru-vathigai-veerateswarar.html) in his praise of Thiruvanaikaval says those who do not come here to invoke the blessings have lost a great opportunity to secure Mukthi. “When we have the Lord of Thiruvanaikaval in our hearts, we become cool and attain a peace of mind. He is sweet as honey. If we do not reach out to him in this life, then what use it is to be born in this world and our body is equal to meat. This life is meant to sing praise of him. If we do so, he will go all out to protect us” Othuvar Ramani told this writer presenting this great verse.

விண்ணின் மாமதி சூடி

விலையிலி கலன்அணி விமலன்

பண்ணின் நேர்மொழி மங்கை

பங்கினன் பசுவுகந் தேறி

அண்ண லாகிய ஆனைக்

காவுடை ஆதியை நாளும்

எண்ணு மாறுவல் லார்கள்

எம்மையும் ஆளுடை யாரே

Appar in his praise refers to Akilandeswari as Vadiveyum Mangai, the one who is most beautiful. Befitting that praise, Parichakarar Nagarajan presented Ambal in a most alankaram that was pleasing to the eye and the devotees were fully engrossed through the three rounds in front of the Golu Mandapam.

Even Akila the elephant was so excited at the Saraswathi Alankaram that for the first time in 8 days of this utsavam, she danced in front of Ambal much to the delight of the devotees. It was quite an unexpected show of happiness from the elephant but the alankaram was so beautiful that she could not control her emotions and exhibited her delight.

While Thiru Gnana Sambandar praised Akilandeswari’s beauty as being sweeter than honey, Sundara Moorthy Nayanar(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/01/thiru-vennai-nallur-kripapureeswarar.html) compared Ambal’s beauty to the most beautiful music “Like how it is difficult to get one’s ears away from sweet music, one cannot take the eyes away from the Ambal of Thiru Aanaikka for she is so beautiful.”

வலங்கொள் வாரவர் தங்கள்

வல்வினை தீர்க்கும் மருந்து

கலங்கக் காலனைக் காலாற்

காமனைக் கண்சிவப் பானை

அலங்கல் நீர்பொரும் ஆனைக்

காவுடை ஆதியை நாளும்

இலங்கு சேவடி சேர்வார்

எம்மையும் ஆளுடை யாரே

Sundarar says a devotee’s presence at Thiruaanaikka will serve as a medicine to all issues in life.

Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan’s devotion peaks during these utsavams and as his eye sets on Akilanda Nayaki at the Golu Mandapam, he rolls out verses in praise of her as described by three of the Saivite Saint Poets.

Well past 7.30pm, devotees continue to stroll in for a darshan of Akilandeswari presenting herself as Saraswathi on this 8th day of the Navarthri Utsavam. 

Parichakar Nagarajan’s alankaram, Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan rendering the sacred verses on Thiru Aanaikka, Elephant Akila’s dance at the sight of Ambal make it a great evening for the devotees and they head back home after the Deeparathanai chatting with their friends and relatives looking back at the hour gone by at the Akilandeswari Sannidhi.

A story on Othuvar Ramani Srinivasan: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/thiruvanaikaval-othuvar-srinivasan.html

Oppiliappan Koil Puratasi Garuda Sevai

The ever growing popularity of Puratasi Saturday Prarthanai was seen in full light  on the Garuda Sevai evening  at Oppiliappan Koil in Thiru Vinnagar

Tractor pulls three deities around the four streets of this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam

It is an unrecognisable transformation in TN temples. It is 3.30pm on the 2nd Saturday of Puratasi and there is an unprecedented crowd at the Oppiliappan Koil in Thiru Vinnagar Divya Desam. Special arrangements have been made in advance for free darshan and Rs. 50ticket and there are VIPs seeking a quick darshan. Rs. 50 ticket queue is overflowing even as several hundreds make their way to the free darshan queue at 3.30pm, half hour ahead of the darshan opening time.

The routes to the Sannidhi have been so cut off for this Saturday evening that even the priests have to jump the barricade to enter!!!

Just over two decades ago, priests waited at the entrance of the temple awaiting the next set of devotees but on this Saturday evening, the large number of priests had their hands full with one set of them at the Moolavar Sannidhi, another few at the Thiru Kalyana mandapam with a third set working behind the screen for the Garuda Sevai alankaram on this fourth day of the Puratasi Brahmotsavam.

வண்டொறுநறுமலர் இண்டைகொண்டு பண்டைநம் வினை கெட என்று
அடிமேல் தொண்டரும் அமரரும் பணிய நின்று அங்கு அண்டமொட அகலிடம் அளந்தவனே
ஆண்டாய் உனைக் காண்பதோர் அருளெனக்கு அருளுதியேன்
வேண்டேன் மனை வாழ்க்கையை விண்ணகர் மேயவனே

Past 4.30pm, three prabhandham members arrived for the presentation of the fourth canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi.

Even as the Bhajanai troupe reach the temple at around 6pm, the devotee crowd has swelled. The troupe from Kumbakonam presented for over an hour on the mike!!! The long queue to the Moolavar Sannidhi only increased as the evening went by with the HR & CE delighted at the huge sale of special entry tickets.

Garuda Sevai delayed
It is 6.30pm when the huge screen opened for the devotees to have a first glimpse of Venkatachalapathy atop the Silver Garuda Vahana and Thayar atop the Hamsa Vahana as well as Vedantha Desikar. The Garuda Sevai procession is slated for 7pm but the programme is behind schedule as the devotees continue to pour in on the Saturday evening.

After deeparathanai, the screen closed again for another hour as the pooja formalities of Thaligai presentation to Moolavar Perumal is delayed with the long devotee queue.

It is almost 8pm when prabhandham members present the satru murai verses of the fourth canto of Tiruvoimozhi after the return of Selvar’s safety check procession around the four streets. Following this, a ‘saltless special’ sundal and puliyodharai is presented along with Kesari. It is 8.15pm when the Garuda Sevai procession begins 75 minutes behind schedule.

The devotee wave has moved from utsavam darshan to prarthana sevai and this Saturday evening was an indication of that. Even as devotees thronged the Moolavar in long queues, there were fewer devotees for the Garuda Sevai.

Thattu is presented at each house on the Sannidhi street in front of the Eastern Raja Gopuram. On to West end of the Sannidhi street, the prabhandham members numbering around ten began their presentation of Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi. Three Vedic members followed the procession with the recital of the Vedas.

There was a time in the past when sripatham personnel carried the Lord on street processions but that was when the agraharams of historic Divya Desams were filled with traditionalists and there was a certain vibrancy around the sacred streets. Most of the original inhabitants have since moved away seeking greener pastures in bigger cities. And Thiru Vinnagar is no different.

In line with the current trend, Vedantha Desikar, Venkatachalapathy Perumal and Bhoomidevi Thayar were mounted on to the tyred vehicles and all the three were locked together by the tractor that pulled the three through the entire procession in a way that the engine of a train is locked on to the bogie. The tractor is driven by the HR & CE staff as the procession moved on to the South street with another staffer ensuring the overhead wires don’t affect the procession. Fire crackers and rockets signified the procession moving into the next street alerting the residents on the progress.

In the second decad of his praise, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar says that he has realised the wife and children are likely to be of no help and that he has moved away from them cutting himself away from the wavering senses of the past to fall at his feet seeking his grace.

பிறந்தேன் பெற்ற மக்கள் பெண்டிர் என்று
இவர் பின் உதவாது அறிந்தேன்
நீ பணித்த அருள் என்னும் ஒள் வாள் உருவி எறிந்தேன்
ஐம்புலன்கள் இடர் தீர எறிந்து வந்து செறிந்தேன்
நின் அடிக்கே திருவிண்ணகர் மேயவனே 

At this utsavam and as with street processions in many other remote Divya Desams, residents stood firm in front of their respective homes to present the Thattu far away from the thoughts of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. It is hoped that going forward this trend will change and that residents of 3-4 houses will come together and present their thattu in one location on a street instead of the procession stopping in front of every single house. It has been a belief of devotees that they are welcoming the Lord into their homes and hence they have stood firm to present the thattu only in front of their home but this has meant that the Lord has to stop in front of each home. 

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to an elevation of spirit as his devotee and says that is the path he seeks to follow. At the procession on Saturday evening, the tractor had to start and stop at every home. This process of the renunciation of the informal rights of presenting thattu only in front of their home should start from traditionalists on Sannidhi street who should set an example on this front for the residents of other streets to follow.

மை ஒன் கருங் கடலும் நிலனும் மணி வரையும்

செய்ய சுடர் இரண்டும் இவை ஆய நின்னை

நெஞ்சில் உய்யும் வகை உணர்ந்தேன் உண்மையால் இனி

யாதும் மாற்று ஓர் தெய்வம் பிறிது அறியேன்

திருவிண்ணகரானே

It is ten pm when the Prabhandham members present the satru murai verses of Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi at the eastern entrance of the temple even as a stream of devotees head back from the Moolavar Sannidhi after the darshan on this Puratasi Saturday evening. Interestingly, the EO was present both at the start and the end of the procession.

For the devotees, Puratasi Saturday has become a big Prarthana day in the year while for the authorities it has turned out to one of the biggest revenue earners of the year in many perumal temples in TN. The Garuda Sevai is usually a big event in a Perumal temple but for once Puratasi Saturday Prarthana out beat Garuda and Lord Venkatachalapathy at the Oppiliappan Koil in Thiru Vinnagar last evening.

Thiruvahindrapuram Vedantha Desikar Utsavam

The Vadakalai Vaishnavite Acharya provided darshan around the four streets on a Hamsa Vahana on Tuesday evening on the first day of the Avathara Utsavam

It is a Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as being home to devotees whose high rise mansions almost seemed to touch the sky, such was the prosperity of those at Thiru Vahindrapuram in the centuries gone by. It is also the location where Vadakalai Vaishnavite Acharya Vedantha Desikar composed the Hayagriva Stotram.

In celebration of his huge contribution, the annual ten day celebrations of his Avathara Utsavam began on Tuesday (Sept 24). With the Desikar Utsavam coinciding with Navarathri celebrations, Devanathaswamy made his way at 4.30pm from his Sannidhi to Shenbagavalli Thayar Sannidhi for Serthi Sevai even as the priests were decorating the acharya at his Sannidhi ahead of the first day vahana procession slated for later in the evening. 

Traditionalists' Kainkaryam

It was heartening to find the Vadakalai traditionalists gathering in good numbers in their traditional attire on this opening day to perform the Sripatham Kainkaryam as they carried their acharya on their shoulders from his Sannidhi at 7pm. Till the acharya made it to the vahana street procession, they managed and took care of every Kainkaryam inside the temple complex.

அருள் தரும் அடியவர்பால் மெய்யை வைத்து 

தெருள் தர நின்ற தெய்வநாயக 

நின் அருளெனும் சீரார் அறிவையானதென 

இருள்செக எமக்கோர் இன்னொலி விளக்காய் 

மணிவரை அண்ணா நின் திரு உருவில் 

அணி அமராகத்து அலங்களாய் இலங்கி 

நின்படிக்கு எல்லாம் தன்படி ஏற்க 

அன்புடன் நின்னோடு அவதித்தருளி 

வெண்டுறை கேட்டு மீண்டு அவைகேட்பித்து 

ஈண்டிய வினைகள் மாண்டிட முயன்று 

தன்னடி சேர்ந்த தமருணை அணுக 

நின்னுடன் சேர்ந்து நிற்க நின்திருவே

The Priests from Andhra at this Divya Desam

A decade ago, when this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised temple was going through tough times, the HR & CE,in a first of its kind unprecedented move, roped in two archakas from Andhra Pradesh to carry out the archaka service at this Divya Desam. One such priest is Sesha Bhattar who this evening carried the huge flower garland from the Divine Couple to present to Vedantha Acharya who had positioned himself at the East end of the Thayar Sannidhi. Over a decade later, the ‘Outsider’ tag has been dealt with successfully and the two have made the Deiva Nayakan Perumal temple their own with their sincere and devotional service and have now become an integral part of this Divya Desam. The residents on the North and East streets have a pleasant word or two with Ranga Sai Bhattar who comes along with the Acharya on the procession through these streets (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/thiru-vahindrapuram-andhra-priests-10.html).

Following the Vedic presentation, the Kainkaryaparas and the devotees were presented with Sundal and Pongal in front of the Thayar Sannidhi before Vedantha Desikar made his way to the West end of the temple to be mounted on the Hamsa Vahana ahead of the street procession. The traditional kainkaryaparas then made their way to the Thayar Sannidhi to carry Devanathaswamy back to his Sannidhi after providing joint darshan through the evening.

Next Gen Kainkaryam

19 year old Kosagan, son of the renowned Malolo Kannan, is on the verge of completing his Vedic studies and he was there this evening at the temple. In addition to being part of the Vedic presentation, he also carried the Kudai atop his acharya. He told this writer on Tuesday evening that he has been devotionally attached to this Perumal and Acharya right from his childhood and he does not miss an opportunity to perform Kainkaryam here. “In addition to performing Kainkaryam through this utsavam, I am also here every Shravanam for Desikar’s monthly Thiru Nakshatram celebrations”, he said.

An inscription dating to the rule of Kulotunga III refers to a gift of a gold necklace to Deiva Nayagan and another one refers in simple terms to the Lord of Thiru Vahindrapuram as ‘The Standing Vishnu’.

It is almost 8.30pm when the screen opened for devotees to have a first darshan of Vedantha Acharya atop the Hamsa Vahana on this first evening of the Avathara Utsavam. The vedic members have arrived in good numbers and they begin the presentation of the Vedas. 

The Prabhandham members gathered at the West Sannidhi street for the Thodakkam of Muthal Thiruvanthathi. Old time residents had left this historic town in the second half of the previous century seeking greener pastures in bigger cities. Many of them have now rebuilt their old styled homes in mansions some of these like the praise in Thiru Mangai’s verses where he described the sugarcane shoots as growing to the sky similar to the mansions of Thiru Vahindrapuram. 

இருந்தண்  மாநிலம்  ஏனமதாய் வளைமறுப்பினில் அகத்தொடக்கி 

கருந்தன் மா கடல் கண்துயின்றவனிடம்  கமலநன்மலர் தேறலருந்தி 

இன்னிசை முரன்றெழும் அளிகுலம் பொதுளி அம் பொழிலூடே 

செருந்தி நாண் மலர் சென்றணைந் உழிதரு திருவஹீந்திரபுரமே

The temple complex including the Gopurams are lit with colourful lights while the streets have been dotted with white pulli kolam. Each of the residents welcomed Vedantha Desikar into their homes presenting coconuts and flowers as the Vaishnavite Acharya made his way through the West street. 

In the Periya Thirumozhi, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to Thiruvahindrapuram as a place where bees in large numbers drink nectar from the lotus flowers and then sing and dance amid the dense groves around the temple. This was a location where Shenbagam trees were seen in abundance and Mullai creepers waved in the wind. 

A stopover at Desikar's Thirumaligai

As the clock ticked to 9pm, he made his way on to the North street where there were not too many devotees with Thattu. It was a quick procession through the North and East streets as he made his way on to the Sannidhi street. The procession had a stop over at Vedantha Desikar’s Thirumaligai with the Vedic members presenting the verses there. Following this, another round of prasadam was presented.

It is past 9.30pm when Desikar made his way back to the temple with Prabhandham members presenting the Satrumurai of Poigai Azhvaar’s verses. It had been a long evening for the Kainkaryaparas having to manage both the Navarathri utsavam as well as the Avathara Utsavam of Vedantha Desikar. There was a sense of delight among the Vadakalai Kainkaryaparas on this first evening with the opportunity they had been presented with to perform the Kainkaryam at the start of this utsavam.

Thiruvahindrapuram Krishna Desikan (Kannan), currently a resident of Mandaveli in Chennai, is a senior member of the Prabhandham Ghosti. He told this writer that he considers it a great blessing to be an integral part of this utsavam and to present the sacred verses of the azhvaars and the acharya every day.  Earlier in the morning, to kick off the ten day utsavam, the members began their presentation of the Desikar Prabhandham with the Acharya’s verses of praise on the greatness of the Lord of Thiru Vahindrapuram (Mummani Kovai)

ஆரணங்கள் தேட அய்ந்தையில் வந்துதித்த 

காரணராய் நின்ற கடல்வண்ணர் 

நாரணனார் இப்படிக்குமிக்கு அன்று எடுத்த பாதம் கழுவ 

மெய்ப்படிக்கம் ஆனது பொன் வெற்பு

Like many others his generation he too had moved to a city life decades ago, but he is hoping that he would return to his hereditary location sooner than later to spend the next phase of his life here at this Divya Desam where his forefathers had performed Kainkaryam and to recite the sacred verses of the Azhvaars and his Acharya every day of the year. For the moment, he will be spending these ten days of the Avathara Utsavam of the Vadakalai Vaishnavite Acharya at Thiru Vahindrapuram reciting the sacred verses morning and evening of the utsavam. 

(The Chariot procession will take place on the morning of October 1 and Vedantha Acharya's birthday through the day on Thursday October 2)

Melattur Varadaraja Perumal Seetharama Bhattar

He saw the mass exodus of Agraharam residents in the late 1970s and early 80s but committed himself to a lifetime service at the Varadaraja Perumal temple as per his appa's wish even rejecting a lucrative archaka service offer from a Singapore temple four decades ago

This family has performed the archaka service for seven generations at the centuries old Varadaraja Perumal temple in Melattur, now famously known for the Bhagavatha Mela. 61year old Seetharama Bhattar has spent over four decades performing Kainkaryam since the time he was a teenager when his appa designated him for archaka kainkaryam and directed him to perform this as a lifetime service. While his elder brothers made their way into the corporate world, Seetharama Bhattar who had developed a devotional attachment to Varadaraja Perumal right for his school days stayed back in Melattur to perform Kainkaryam at the temple.

He discontinued academics after class X and joined the Patshala at Mangudi to learn Vaikanasa Agama. Soon after, his appa, Gopalan Bhattar, asked him to join the temple as support to him. Seetharama Bhattar recounts those early years of his life at Melattur in the 1960s and 70s. “The Agraharam was vibrant with Smartha families forming a major part of the North, South and Sannidhi Street. We were provided paddy for our service and our service each day of the year at the temple provided a lot of satisfaction.”

And then, as with many other small towns in TN, the original inhabitants began leaving their hereditary locations to larger cities in search of jobs that served as a dampener to the spirit of the archaka family. 100s of traditional families left the Agraharam and by the 1990s, only a few families were left. “Devotees dwindled into single digit, there was minimal thattu kaasu and survival became a challenge”, Seetharama Bhattar told this writer looking back at the dramatic turnaround in fortunes at the temple in the later part of the previous century.

Following the mass exodus of the Agraharam residents, Saturdays and the No Moon day have been the only days in the month when there is a reasonable devotee crowd at the temple. “I perform Thirumanjanam for Anjaneya on Saturdays and for Perumal on Amavasya. There is some Thattu Kaasu on these days but otherwise even on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day, there is not more than Rs. 150” says Seetharama Bhattar on how there is very minimal income from the temple.

Rejects Overseas archaka offer

The temple became dilapidated with no financial support to undertake the repair works. With no devotees in sight and father and son jointly performing archaka service, there was not enough income from the temple. Seetharama Bhattar received a lucrative offer for archaka service from the Balaji temple in Singapore but he resisted the financial temptation and stayed back in India. 

For a few years, he provided archaka service support as and when required at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Royapettah, Chennai and at the Devanathan Divya Desam in Thiru Vahindrapuram. “Neela Megha Bhattar, then in his 70s and 80s (he passed away a few years ago) would call me for support on high crowd days and I would go there for a few days every month to perform the role of a support priest for which I was paid some fixed amount by the Bhattar. But after the passing away of my appa over a decade ago, I have not been able to go out of Melattur for there are no substitute priests available here.”

The Fridays in Aadi and Thai too see some crowd and that contributes to some income for the priest.  There is some kind of crowd only in Puratasi and Margazhi says Seetharama Bhattar sitting at the Verandah of his traditional house behind the temple. For a large part of his life, he lived in a mud house. Only recently, has he been able to see cement flooring at his house. The roof continues to be the old styled Agraharam modelled house.

On the positive note, one of his elder brothers has returned recently to Melattur after his retirement and his sister too has made her way back to Melattur with her husband, who offers archaka support service to Gopalan Bhattar at Pullam Bhoothangudi Divya Desam.

Newly constructed temple 

After several decades, Samprokshanam took place in 1980, one that Seetharama Bhattar remembers well “I was not yet 20 at that time. It was a consecration after a long time but it was limited in repair works given the financial scenario of the time. After that for almost three decades, the temple was in troubled times and reached a dilapidated state at the turn of the century. It was then that the original inhabitants who had settled down in larger cities took to the rebuilding of the temple after bringing it to ground.”

A long time provisions shop owner at Melattur bemoans the demolition of the centuries old temple “The old structure was beautiful with a dome shaped roof typical of some of the temples in this region. Unfortunately, the traditional infra has been replaced by tiles and the temple has lost its old flavour.”

Brahmotsavam in the last 15 years

Following the new construction, Brahmotsavam was initiated and a ten day utsavam including vahana procession takes place every year with Theerthavari on Akshaya Trithiya day.  For his Thirumanjanam and Purapadu services during the Brahmotsavam, he is presented with the largest Sambhavanai of the year. 

Despite the minimal income, his appa performed archaka service for over six decades till his death last decade when he was 84. His amma has been bedridden for the last few years and the medical bills have been mounting. Seetharama Bhattar continues to ride the 15+ year old TVS 50XL to buy the medicines from Thanjavur every month and remains committed to taking care of his amma in this phase of her life.

Like his elder brothers, he could have chosen a lucrative financial path had he accepted the offer from the Singapore temple. But despite the financial challenges arising out of living in a remote village, Seetharama Bhattar committed himself to devotional service at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Melattur as per his appa's wish. That financial offer in the 1980s looks a far time back now for he has served at the Melattur temple for over four decades. He has no regrets at rejecting that lucrative offer for he sees acting as per his appa's wish as the greatest blessing and he sees himself serving at the feet of Varadaraja Perumal for the rest of his life at the temple that has meant everything for him right from his childhood.  

Seetharama Bhattar can be reached on 9944994691

Hindu Funeral Final Rites

Former TNCA cricketer and now US IT professional fights for women to perform final rites

Two lady Dentists perform entire final rites of their father in Chennai this week

In the last few years, there have been a lot of initiatives towards women empowerment. Specific seats on the Board of listed companies in India, cricket commentators referring to players (the ones who bat) as Batters (from the previous batsmen), equal rights for daughters in parental properties and priests of historical remote temples in TN sending their daughters to high profile engineering colleges (while their sons continue to go to Patshalas without TV and mobile phones).

This story is about a first of its kind initiative by R Vijayakumar, a former TNCA league and Collegiate cricketer who has been in the IT space in the US for almost three decades. In the recent past, this IT professional now in his mid 50s has been carrying out digital campaigns for the AAP through his twitter handle sitting in the US. During this phase in his life, he has also been advocating a more modern outlook towards life in general and specifically the man’s attitude towards women. And he has been carrying out this campaign within his family members.

As expected a lot of this has not found favour among the senior members of the family who have had a more traditional outlook to life. While the fight for women empowerment conversations have been going on for a while within his larger family most of whom are based in different cities in India, this week he created a flutter in the family with his so called revolutionary idea at a most sensitive time.

Following the sudden death of his brother in law,  Vijayakumar, much to the shock of his family members, pitched for the two daughters, both dentists, of the deceased to perform the entire final rites. His family members as per the custom in vogue in the Hindu community were keen for the son in law to perform the final rites but he would have none of it.

He questioned the fundamental aspects in the scriptures or the practices stating that those were scripted by men and biased in favour of men and asked as to why the loving daughters should not be an integral part of the final journey of their father.

A long standing devotees of the Vedantha Desikar Srinivasa Perumal temple in Mylapore, Chennai who is now into Kalakshepams going in-depth into understanding the inner meaning from the scriptures told this writer that these are 1000+ years old well laid out practices based on strong foundations and one should not needlessly question best practices in the name of empowerment. He also said that like the one’s belief in God and His existence, one should not ask for everything to be validated with proof.

Vijayakumar has been vocal with his views with a firm commitment to dispel the long standing position that only men hold rights in certain aspects of life. His view has been that these were made in the past to supress women and keep them under the man’s control.

If the daughters loved their father for three decades of their life and if he meant everything to them, why would they not be allowed to show their love in this final journey, Vijayakumar argued.

And much against the run of play, he won over the hearts of the daughters and overturned the large consensus that stood firm with his family members that the son in law should perform the final rites. 

Centuries old custom in the family had been done away with on Tuesday and the two daughters performed the final rites in Chennai. Vijayakumar lauds the daughters for their fresh outlook to life and accepting his view point and getting the senior members in the family to allow them to perform the ceremony.

It may not be the first in Chennai but it looks like it is the start of a trend where the next gen women believe that they have equal rights in every aspect of life including in events such as these.

The final word on this goes to Hari Pandithar, the priest at the Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari temple in Thiruvanaikal. He told this writer that a lot of these age old practices would have been laid out based on the existing scenario at that time. He points to the widowhood scenario in Bengal in the mid 19th century as an example. “A large number of young widows turned to ‘Daasis’. This didn’t seem heading in the right direction and hence widow remarriage system came into vogue”, said Hari Pandithar.

Similarly, a lot of the historical practices that were established once upon a time would have been a direct outcome of the then existing challenges and the new practices of the time would have been revolutionary at that point of time when it was first set up. And after a few centuries, this would have become the norm. 

He told this writer that the Hindu system has always given the freedom to discuss and debate issues where as other religions do not give that freedom to make easy and immediate violations of centuries old well established practices.

However, once the system has gone global where in the once traditionalists, who lived a different way of life in the centuries gone by, have gone overseas to earn their living and their most fundamental food habits have changed, some of these systems would lose relevance. Given this scenario, it is best to put the deceased to rest in peace and move forward with life instead of fighting over rights over a person’s body. And if the daughters are to perform the final rites, so be it, concluded Hari Pandithar.

Thiruvanaikaval Hari Pandithar

Lalitha Trisati and Saharasnama Rendition

With less than 50 days in a year of Archaka Service, this priest created a niche for himself to remain devotionally attached to Akilandeswari and to perform a lifetime of service at the historic temple in Thiruvanaikaval

The challenging scenario in temples in TN in the 1970s and 80s led his appa to move into the corporate world but K Hari Hara Subramaniya Pandithar ( Hari Pandithar) decided early on that Kainkaryam at the feet of Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari at the Saivite Poets praised Thiruvanaikaval temple, one of the Pancha Bhootha Sthalams, where Lord Shiva manifests himself as ‘Water’,  would be his way of life. While his elder brothers took to academics and completed their Masters, Hari Pandithar spent five years at the Sankara Mutt administered Veda Patshala on the North Street opposite the Akilandeswari Sannidhi.

While historically the archaka service was divided among the Gothra descendants, over the centuries various events led this to be distributed among the next gen priests and Hari Pandithar’s Thatha and appa were left with under 20 days of annual service at the temple. 

நன்றும் இழைத்த சிலம்பி வலைப் பரப்பை நாதன் அடி வணங்கச் 

சென்ற யானை அநுசிதம் என்று அதனைச் சிதைக்கச் சிலம்பிதான்

இன்று களிற்றின் கரம் சுலவிற்று என்று மீள இழைத்ததனை

அன்று கழித்த பிற்றைநாள் அடல் வெள்ளானை அழித்ததால்

5th Century AD temple

Thiruvanaikaval is the first of the 70+ ‘Maada Koils’ built by Kochenganan Chozha. Ruling from Uraiyur, the then capital of the Chozhas, Ko Chenganan crossed the Cauvery and found an idol of Shiva beneath the tree. He also remembered his life as a spider when he had provided shade right above. His devotion touched a peak and he built Thiruvanaikal as his first Saivite temple. In recognition of his great contribution to temple architecture and as the one who built the Thiruvanaikaval temple, Kochenganan’s idol is seen inside the temple and his procession around the four streets takes place on the Sathayam day in Maasi every year (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/03/thiruvanaikaval-ko-chenganan-maasi.html).

                               Ko Chenganan Chozha

Appa's untimely death leaves him with an uncertain future

When he was still in his late teens, his appa passed away all of a sudden leaving him in a state of shock and an uncertain future beckoned. Soon after his Vedic initiation, Hari Pandithar had to find ways to sustain his service at the temple. It was a phase when he came in close contact with L. Ranganathan, Trichy correspondent of The Hindu. Hari Pandithar recounts as to how his conversations with Ranganathan transformed his way of service at the Thiruvanaikaval temple “To create a niche for myself, he asked me to learn Trisati and this transformed my way of service at the temple. It was Ranganathan’s motivation that helped me serve at the temple at the turn of the century.  My appa’s friend at LIC was the first to reach out to me for four archanai’s every month for which I was paid Rs. 50. I did this for a decade and a half with devotees reaching out to me for special archanai on specific days of the month.”

The Hindu Ranganathan's transforming message

It was also Ranganathan who initiated Hari Pandithar into the newspaper reading habit “I took a special liking to Business Line and he would share the paper every morning and I would read every section of the paper. And then for many years, I bought BL myself and continued the reading process. This helped me with insights into the external world”, Hari Pandithar told this writer at his home on North Car street in Thiruvanaikaval where he has been residing from birth.

Interestingly, another journalist, again from The Hindu (and later PTI) was among the first to reach out to him for this archanai. Hari Pandithar recalls a Vadakalai Iyengar to have also called him for the archanai in that initial phase of his service at the temple. He also recalls devotees reaching out for specific archanai including a few requesting him for Rahu Kaalam archanai on Tuesdays. 

While Hari Pandithar did not have too many days of archaka service in the year, his special devotional rendition of Lalitha Trisati and Sahasranama led devotees to take a special liking for me and this created a big devotional bond between him and Akilandeswari. The Sambhavanai for an archanai and this special rendition was minimal in those days, over two decades and he had to manage the expenses within the Rs. 1500 or so he received every month. A lot of this money went each year to performing his appa’s shraddam every year.

Following his wedding, the number of days of his annual archaka service increased a bit with his aunt, uncle and the HRCE distribution taking this up to close to 50days.

Hari Pandithar has not once gone after devotees for his archaka and every single rendition of the Trisati and Sahasranama archanai has been at the request of the devotees who have reached out to him through word of mouth of his special devotional presentation.

Sundarar’s Thevaram Verse

One of Sundarar’s Thevaram verses on Thiruvanaikka refers to an interesting episode that suggests that every devotee should first offer to the Lord before consuming it. A Queen who was a gifted a set of glittering necklaces adorned herself and showcased it with all joy. After bathing in the Cauvery, she found the necklaces missing. Shocked at this loss, the king and the queen invoked the blessings of Lord Jambukeswarar to help find the necklaces. Shortly after, as the priest provided the Lord with the sacred bath the necklaces were seen on the Lord’s Lingam making them realise that in their hour of joy and greed they had forgotten to first thank him for their state of happiness. This story is beautifully narrated by Sundarar as a message to all devotees that we should not forget the Lord in our hour of happiness.

                                              Sundarar

For almost 15years, he would take the Neivedyam on the day of his rendition and present it at the devotee’s house in different parts of Trichy. Not once did he forget that those initial set of devotees were the ones who gave him an opportunity for this close engagement with Akilandeswari. It was also for this reason that though the archanai Sambhavanai remained stagnant for a decade, he did not once ask for a raise. 

Navarathri Rendition

Over the last two decades, the special archanai during Navarathri has also taken off and it was with the sambhavanai accruing from this that he was able to manage the Deepavali expenses. With devotees coming in good numbers following the Pandemic seeking his devotional presentation and to secure the blessings of Akilandeswari, he was able to buy a new Fridge in 2023!!!

His Trisati and Sahasranama archanai entails him being inside the Sannidhi for over 45 minutes. At the Thiruvanaikaval temple, he is a lone hand with deep interest in such renditions for most other archakas are focused on the routine pooja service and managing the devotee crowd.

Those who have been to the Jambukeswarar Sannidhi would know as to how physically challenging it is for Kainkarayaparas to be inside the Sannidhi for a length of time with the closed walls and lack of fresh air leading to suffocation and over sweating arising of the heat generated there. This temple built by Kochenganan Chozha is such that the elephant would not be able to enter as it a small entrance into the sanctum with a narrow passage.

ஆன செயலால் திருவானைக்கா என்று அதற்குப் பெயராக

ஞானம் உடைய ஒரு சிலந்தி நம்பர் செம் பொன் திருமுடிமேல்

கானல் விரவும் சருகு உதிரா வண்ணம் கலந்த வாய் நூலால்

மேல் நல்திரு மேற்கட்டி என விரிந்து செறியப் புரிந்து உளதால்

Undeterred at low archaka service days

While the less than 50 days in a year of archaka service could have proved as a deterrent and been demotivating to an archaka who looked at temple service as a way of life, Hari Pandithar did not allow this to pull him down. Instead, having decided service at the feet of Akilandeswari as his lifetime commitment, he identified the devotional rendition of Lalitha Trisati and Sahasranama as a way to remain in front of the Ambal of Thiruvanaikaval all the time.  And hundreds of devotees over the last couple of decades have found solution to their problems through Hari Pandithar’s devotional prayers in front of Akilandeswari. 

Great Satisfaction in serving Akilandeswari

At 48, Hari Pandithar looks back with great satisfaction at how blessed he is to have been the designated one to perform this Naamavali for this long a period of time. He lives a simple traditional life continuing to ride the 15year old TVS Scooty around the streets of Thiruvanaikaval. To him, the divine couple of Thiruvanaikaval has meant everything and he has rarely left the shores of Cauvery and Kollidam in the last 25years residing right in front of the Ambal Sannidhi all through his life. In the close to 50 days of archaka Murai in the year, he takes delight in performing the daily pooja krama on those days. To this day, he follows the same model that he started out with – he would not market himself and reach out to devotees asking for archanai. He believes that if he has served Akilandeswari with the truest devotion, she will direct devotees to him and get him to continue to sing praise of her.

At Thiruvanaikaval, Hari Pandithar is a role model for the next gen seeking to enter the temple Kainkarya space in how one can create that special devotional bonding with the Divine Couple through one's service. For the huge number of devotees, he is the anchor to reach their messages to Akilandeswari.

Hari Pandithar can be reached on 9894914466