Srirangam Temple Prasadam Stall Transformation Aadi 2026

HRCE Minister Ramesh has initiated two unprecedented steps that augurs well for the devotees

High Quality Prasadam will now be prepared internally at the Madapalli, and the temple has seen a drastic reduction in 'VIP reference' darshan this month

In his first 45 days as the HRCE Minister, Ramesh has taken two unprecedented positive steps at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. This section had featured a story as early as September 2018 as to how the so called ‘Prasadam’ stall functioned at the temple. And then in 2024, this section featured another story on how the High Court came hard on the HRCE regarding the conduct of the Prasadam stall (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/09/srirangam-prasadam-stall.html).

Minister breaking the flawed model

This writer had said then back in 2018 that the HR & CE had converted ‘Food’ into a lucrative business inside the temple complex with the food counter having been auctioned for around Rs. 1crore at the Srirangam temple, a mind boggling Rs. 30000 a day.In that model, food was made far away from the Madapalli and even brought from outside the temple complex. One did not know when it was prepared and how old the snacks and sweets were.

Hiring Madapalli Paricharakars for Prasadam preparation

As soon as Ramesh took charge, he has gone about initiating two transformational changes. It is Sunday morning (June 28) and the day of Aani Jeshtabhisekam for Ranganathaswamy. The sacred water is brought from Kollidam through the Thayar Sannidhi to the presentation of non stop Nadaswaram by the entire team of artistes at the temple.

Photo credit: Sundar Bhattar

JC Sivaram Kumar is near the Dwajasthambam just past 9am as part of the sacred Kudam's procession on the temple elephant. He tells this writer as to how based on the proactive initiative of Minister Ramesh, the Srirangam temple will see a new model of Prasadam that has not been seen here or elsewhere. “We are hiring specific Parijaraka personnel for the madapalli and have received the requisite certification from the Food quality authorities. We are now in the process of identifying the quantity of ingredients required for the daily preparation and will finalise these over the next fortnight. The contract with the existing prasadam stall ends in the 2nd week of July and we will be preparing the various sweets through our own newly hired Paricharakars from mid July. This is a first of its kind initiative undertaken in TN temples and am happy that it is starting off in Srirangam”, he told this writer even as scores of Nadaswaram artistes play devotional music next to the Dwajasthambam.

The Aadi Start - Minister Ramesh's Prasadam stall direction

Minister Ramesh was keen that every food packet handed to devotees from the Prasadam stall had to have manufacturing and expiry dates. As per his direction, when the sweets get prepared from the paniyaram zone from the 3rd week of July, every packet will have these details. Ramesh is expected to closely monitor this process to ensure that only high quality prasadam is handed out to devotees. Come Aadi, the devotees of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam will experience something that they have not in the last few decades that of tasting high quality food prepared with good quality ghee, oil and other ingredients and with specific deadlines on the wrapperm of the food packets sold.

VIP 'Reference' darshan model on the decline

The Ranganathaswamy temple has been witnessing big crowds on specific festive occasions such Adyayana Vaikunta Ekadasi utsavam, Panguni Uthiram, Puratasi Saturdays and the like. With the taking off of the devotional wave, devotees are now thronging the temple round the year even on non festive occasions to have darshan of the Moolavar Lord in Sayana Kolam. 

For a long time, the VIP darshan model created havoc in the path to the Moolavar darshan. There was very little the local temple authorities could do for every so called VIP dished out a ‘reference’. Soon as Minister Ramesh visited the temple, he was clear that there had to be an end to this model. He backed JC Sivaram Kumar to undertake strict steps and adopt a clear process driven model for darshan. 

Photo credit : Sundar Bhattar

JC Sivaram Kumar told this writer on Sunday morning as to how ‘I know him’ reference of VIP devotees has almost come to an end at the Ranganathaswamy temple. Once into the Aariya Bhattal Vaasal, devotees are directed to the free darshan queue or the Rs. 100 queue. Those continuing to wield VIP reference power have to get a sign off from the JC. Even the Kainkaryaparas who brought in devotees for special darshan have to now make an entry in the notebook placed near the Dwajasthambam signing off with their name and the number of devotees they are bringing for special darshan. This step has drastically reduced VIP darshan at the Moolavar Sannidhi and there is a sense of process now to this approach.

A Refreshing outlook of the new Minister

While the previous HRCE minister focused on ‘Kumbhabhisekam’ target and giving a new look to the temple infrastructure, the new minister is focused on streamlining important processes within the temple so as to create a friendly environment for the devotees who are coming to have darshan of the Lord. The two initiatives Minister Ramesh has undertaken at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam has sent a strong message to everyone at the temple that he would not tolerate anyone wavering from devotee friendly processes.  He has said that he may seem young and inexperienced but he has toiled hard in the background for years to come to this level. With the clarity on what he wants to achieve for devotee welfare, he is taking bold, unprecedented steps that very few at the Ranganathaswamy temple had expected or have experienced in the past. And that is great news for devotees who are thronging the temple from far and wide for a few seconds darshan of the Sleeping Lord.

Koodal Azhagar Periyazhvar Avathara Utsavam Aani Swathi

Reminding one of the legendary episode - Periyazhvar atop Elephant, Perumal providing Garuda Sevai

Celebrating Periyazhvar’s Birthday on Aani Swathi at the location where he praised the Lord with the Pallandu Verses after seeing him descend on his Garuda Vahana

Vishnu Chittar (later Periyazhvar) who had dedicated his entire life to selfless service of the Lord in Srivilliputhur,  was invited to a debate in Koodal Nagar (Madurai) after King Vallabha Deva was told by an invisible voice that ‘what is required / you want after death should be accumulated in this life itself.’ The King summoned his head priest Selva Nambi to find him the answer. Selva Nambi, who had heard of Vishnu Chittar, sent an invitation to Srivilliputhur to get him to participate.

There was a huge prize on offer to the one who provided insights into this. Many scholars came forward but the bag with the golden coins hung in the balance. When it was time for Vishnu Chittar to come up with his presentation, he stunned the Pandya King with his description of Lord Narayana projecting him as the Supreme Being giving various references from the Vedic Scriptures and stating that worshiping him in one’s life time with devotion was the highest form of worship and was likely to lead one to what we want after death.

Even as he was finishing his speech, the golden coins were showered on him, for Vallabha Deva was truly impressed with his presentation. It was then that he was conferred the title of ‘Bhattar Piran’ by Raja Simhan I (Vallabha Deva) and led into a royal procession around the streets of Madurai in a grand event witnessed by a huge crowd. The melodies of musical instruments resonated everywhere and Bhattar Piran was surrounded by a royal retinue with the Pandya king requesting him with open arms to ascend and mount on to the elephant top.

As he moved along in the procession, he suddenly had darshan of the Lord along with Goddess Lakshmi on Garuda mount against the back drop of the clear blue sky. Immediately he fell into a trance and watching the Lord in high sky praised him expressing concern of his safety. Verses poured out instantly as he sung for the Lord’s long life. It was seen as so sacred that Thiru Pallandu became the first decad of the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham.

Vedanta Desikan in his Prabhanda Saaram provides a delightful description of this event in Madurai

பேர் அணிந்த வில்லிபுத்தூர் ஆனி தன்னில்

பெருந் சோதி தனில் தோன்றும் பெருமானே

முன் சீர் அணிந்த பாண்டியன் தன் நெஞ்சு தன்னில்

துயக்கற மால் பரத்துவத்தைத் திருமாச்செப்பி

வாரணமேல் மதுரை வலம் வரவே

வானில் கருடவாகன நாய்த் தோன்ற

வாழ்த்தும் ஏரணி  பல்லாண்டு முதல் பாட்டு

நானூற்று எழுபத்து ஒன்று இரண்டும்

எனக்கு உதவு நீயே

Birthday Celebrations begin with Thirumanjanam

It is Aani Swathi (June 25) and the birthday of Periyazhvar. 27year old Kesava Bhattar, who secured an engineering degree from Sastra University, performed a quick 5minute Thirumajanam for Periyazhvar. With the Challenges in temples for archakas, it is likely Kesava Bhattar would have pursued the Engineering path at least for a while but unfortunately soon after he joined a top Tier 1 IT company, his appa passed away and he made his way back to the temple. His family is one of the three hereditary archakas of the Koodal Azhagar temple with each family sharing 10 days each at Perumal, Thayar and Andal Sannidhis every month.

பருப்பதத்துக் கயல் பொறித்த பாண்டியர் குலபதி போல்

திரு பொழிந்த சேவடி என் சென்னியின் மேல் பொறித்தாய்

மறுப்பு ஒசித்தாய் மல் அடர்த்தாய் என்றென்று உன் வாசகமே

உருப் பொலிந்த நாவினேன் உனக்கு உரித்து ஆக்கினையே - Periyazhvar Thirumozhi

Hereditary Bhattar decorates Periyazhvar

47 year old Gopi Bhattar, who has been performing archaka kainkaryam at this Divya Desam for over 25 years, arrives at 9am to decorate Periyazhvar after the Thirumanjanam. The Prabhandham members are on the dot at the scheduled time of 9.30am for the Ghoshti that lasts just over an hour with them presenting Thiruppavai, the fifth canto of Periyazhvar’s Thirumozhi and the tenth canto of Tiruvoimozhi. Following Thiruvarathanam, it is time for the Sripatham Personnel to carry Periyazhvar for the Mangalasasanam first to the Moolavar Sannidhi where the Prabhandham members present the Pallandu verses. And then at the Thayar Sannidhi, they present the Thiruvappai verses.

Mangalasasanam - Perumal, Thayar and Andal

Past 11.30am, it has got hot in Madurai and Periyazhvar goes around the prakara to Andal Sannidhi with everyone sweating with the Prabhandham members presenting Ramanuja Nootranthathi. There is a sizeable local crowd for the Mangalasasanam and a New Zealander as well who now straddles between Tiruvannamalai and the Kiwi land. She is not much of a cricket fan but is excited about the third test against England starting in the next few hours at Trent Bridge. 

By noon, there are over a 100 devotees for the Satru Murai verses followed by the distribution of Puliyodharai prasadam, 58 year old Yamanan has been the sole cook at the Madapalli for over a decade at a daily wage having been roped in by Suresh Bhattar from the Vanamamalai Mutt in Thiruvallikeni and earlier the 'Vada Malai' cook at the Anjaneya temple in Nanganallur for over a dozen years. He has been busy all morning having made dosai in the morning for vishroopam with him also now doubling up on such utsavam days as the one who distributes the prasadam. He tells this writer that he enjoys preparing the sacred food and though he is alone at the madapalli, the blessing of preparing Thaligai for Perumal takes away the physical tiredness of this activity. He also seems to be the most friendly kainkaryapara as he engages with everyone - his kainkaryapara colleagues, the devotees and the HRCE and is sporting a smile throughout.

Delayed Procession 
And now the disappointing aspect of Periyazhvar’s birthday celebrations. While the Satru Murai and the Theertha Shatari Prasadam took quite a while given the good sized devotee crowd, the utsava deity could have been brought from the Moolavar Sannidhi to the alankara mandapam and one of the archakas could have been assigned the task of decorating Koodal Azhagar atop the Garuda Vahana so Perumal could have been ready for the street procession after the Satru Murai event of Periyazhvar. But unfortunately that aspect was neglected and the utsava deity did not make to the alankara mandapam till 12.15pm. Also, the vastram for Perumal was not kept ready and one had to scramble around to secure a suitable vastram for the occasion. This meant that the procession did not start till after 1.15pm with devotees having had to wait for well over an hour for the plan had been to start the Garuda Vahana procession around noon with the multiple posters of this utsavam pointing to the Garuda Sevai in ‘Nanpagal’!!! Ofcourse in divya desams outside of the cities such as Chennai, there is shortage of service personnel. In this case there are three sannidhis to be managed and the Periyazhvar mangalasasanam and satru murai event. Archakas in such locations are always looking for physical presence and support from kainkaryaparas as against just a financial contribution as a devotee donor.

Reminded of the Legendary Episode on his birthday

There were around a hundred devotees outside the Rajagopuram to witness birthday boy Periyazhvar providing ethir sevai when in the sweltering heat Koodal Azhagar made his way atop the Garuda Vahana through the new look eastern raja gopuram to be mounted on to the wheeled vehicle for a quick fast paced procession around the four streets. This procession reminded these devotees of the legendary episode when Periyazhvar atop the elephant suddenly saw Perumal on his Garuda Vahana in clear blue sky. Indeed it was absolutely clear sky on this afternoon and devotees thoroughly enjoyed the joint darshan of Periyazhvar and Koodal Azhagar.

Vandiyur Veera Raghava Perumal Sundararaja Bhattar

Poverty Sticken childhood to a popular Bhattar in Vandiyur

Two decades of tireless solo effort leads to a grand consecration at the Veera Raghavan Perumal temple in Vandiyur

51 year old Sundararaja Bhattar  has been serving as the sole archakas at the Veera Raghava temple in Vandiyur for 27 years having taking over the role in 1999 at a time when the temple was in a dilapidated state. On this Saturday ( June 20) morning, he sports a happy smile looking at the Raja Gopuram whose construction he has anchored. The consecration took place under a year ago after a gap of almost 30 years. Every devotee that passes by this morning wish him well and exchange pleasentries with him enquiring about his well being, a testimony to the huge devotee network he has built over the last couple of decades.

This assumes even greater importance as he spent his entire childhood in poverty. His appa performed Sannidhi paricharaka kainkaryam at the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Thiru Maliruncholai. Sitting outside the Veera Raghava Perumal Sannidhi, he recounts to this writer his life during his schooling phase “Me and my siblings would have our meal only after our appa returned from the temple with the Thaligai. Sambhavanai was almost non existent with devotees being few and far between in the 1970s. We were dependent entirely on the temple food and grew up eating Sambhaa Satham and Ven Pongal.”

Paricharaka at Azhagar Koil

After class X, he learned the Pancharatra Agama at the Kuppan Iyengar Patshala in Srivilliputhur and began performing Paricharaka service at Azhagar Koil in the 1990s. He says his Chittappa had 15 day paricharaka service but did not have descendants and thus the Kainkaryam fell on him. 

Rangaraj Pandey's jeweller family

He recounts his association with Rangaraj Pandey’s family in those years “We were in such dire straits that my appa pledged jewels at Rangaraj Pandey’s appa jewellery shop to run the family. Later he sold historic lands to organise family functions. It was a terrible phase for the family, financially.”

The one silver lining was that though many of the kainkaryaparas went through a challenging life, they were all united and supported each other in whatever way they could. That unity is now missing at a time when all the Kainkaryaparas in temples are amassing wealth. When they were in financial trouble, they were united. Now when they are all rich, one is jealous of the other, says Sundararaja Bhattar pointing to the way temple service personnel have changed for the worse in recent times.

Sundararaja Bhattar would carry several Kudams of water from the sacred tank in Srivilliputhur every morning and would be paid 50 paise for his service. 

Azhagar Koil Bhattars inspire him

He credits Ambi Bhattar and his appa Paraswamy Bhattar of Azhagar Koil for taking care of him as one in their family after he made his way to Madurai to perform Paricharaka service at Thiru Maliruncholai, especially at a time when his appa and amma passed away one after another in quick succession when he was still in his teens. He recalls not having money even to perform their final rites such was the financial state of the family in the 1980s.

To Vandiyur for archaka service

In 1999, the Veera Raghava Perumal temple lay in a dilapidated state. The previous Bhattar who had performed selfless service for many years left the temple. That was when Sundararaja Bhattar was roped as the archaka by the HRCE at a salary of Rs. 1000!!!

Azhagar's Chitrai trip to Vandiyur

He was clear that the devotees had to form an integral part of the temple and began building that network. He was an extrovert right from his childhood and mingled well with people. He was also vocal with his views. He recalls how the Ekantha Sevai of Kallazhagar at the Veera Raghava Perumal temple attracted very few devotees for most of them went away after he stepped into the Vaigai. “Most of them did not understand the significance of the entire trip of Sundararaja Perumal from Thiru Maliruncholai to Madurai for it was to liberated Manduka Maha Rishi from his curse and to provide him with Moksham” says Sundararaja Bhattar looking back at that early phase at the Vandiyur temple. 

In that early phase, he would cycle from Simmakkal where he lived in a small rented house to perform kainkaryam every day at Vandiyur.  

Building a friendly devotee network

As more devotees pass by on this Saturday morning, one gets an indication of the positive vibrancy Sundararaja Bhattar has created at the temple as each one of them recall the role he played in restoring this temple to its historic glory. He worked tirelessly for many years and through contributions from devotees built the Thayar, Chakkarathazhvaar and Hanuman Sannidhi assigning one archaka to man each of these sannidhis. Through the devotee donors, he also built the Raja Gopuram that had remained half built during the Thirumalai Nayakar period.

With Kallazhagar having given him the early boost in the 1990s, he continues to go there during all the festivals to support Ambi Bhattar with whom he shares a close bonding (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/06/azhagar-koil-ambi-bhattar.html).

As clock ticks to 9am on this Saturday morning, a parent reach out to him to present their son to Veera Raghava Perumal and look up to Sundararaja Bhattar for the process to hand over their son to the perumal of Vandiyur. 

The Face of Vandiyur

For the residents of Madurai, Sundararaja Bhattar is the most renowned face at Vandiyur for he has created positivity in 1000s of devotees and the belief in them that sincere prayers will be answered by Veera Raghava Perumal. And in return, they listen quietly to everything he says and support him in all his devotional endeavours.

It has been a remarkable turnaround at this temple one that has been made possible through the sole efforts of Sundararaja Bhattar. With things looking up for him, he has managed to build a own house at Vandiyur. But despite the financial turnaround, almost every single day he looks back at his childhood days to remind himself of the humble background that he had risen from, a phase when he did not know when the next meal would come. Recalling this background from his life in the 1970s and 80s, he says he will forever remain firmly grounded and perform a lifetime of service to Veera Raghava Perumal.

Srivilliputhur Periyazhvar Avathara Utsavam 2026

Celebration of Periyazhvar's Prabhandham Contribution

Periya Perumal's trip to Vanamamalai Mutt, a Vibrant Prabhandham Ghoshti and Garuda Sevai mark the 5th day of Periyazhvar's Avathara Utsavam

Periyazhvar created a niche for himself with his Thirumozhi that stands in a class by itself. It occupies the first place in the 4000verses. Periyazhvar is the only one who sung an entire set of benedictory verses - a prayer for the welfare of the Lord himself. Periyazhvaar is unique because he was fully committed to divine living – to live for God and to share his pure love for God.  In his verses, he refers to anecdotes describing the scenario sharply, beautifully and gracefully handling deftly different emotions.

Born on the Swathi day in Aani in Srivilliputhur, Periyazhvaar was a trend setter in Tamil literature.  His Krishna Anubhava is seen from him seeing himself as a mother of a cute unique child, enjoying every action of this child. Through his verses that bring great poetic expression of the growth of a new born, Periyazhvar lures every mother to sing for her child. His poems are studded with pearls of events from Puranas, Itihasa and Vedic lore.

Periyazhvar laments about the mistakes he has made in life. The words that he utters are impure and hence he does not chant the hymns on a daily basis. He claims to blabber (uttering imperfect things), but he cannot restrain himself from singing his praise as he knows nothing else in life. And he fears that. He hopes that the Lord will forgive his foolishly uttered words and will not become angry. He takes some consolation from crow’s cow saying that even a crow’s harsh cowing is seen in a positive way by the noble souls. If that be the case, he says he has hopes that his prayer too will be seen in a positive light by the Lord who rides on Garuda Vehicle.

வாக்குத் தூய்மை இலாமையினாலே

மாதவா உன்னை வாய் கொள்ள மாட்டேன்

நாக்கு நின்னை யல்லாமல் அறியாது

நான் அது அஞ்சுவன் என் வசமன்று

மூர்க்குப் பேசுகின்றான் இவன் என்று

முனிவாயேலும் என் நாவினுக்  ஆற்றேன்

காக்கை வாயிலும் கட்டுரை கொள்வர் 

காரணா கருளக் கொடியானே  

Periyazhvaar composed 473 verses comprising of 5 Cantos with the final one being the shortest. His composition in the first two cantos is seen as a great literary work in Tamil extolling the everlasting enjoyment of experiencing Child Prodigy and reveal his mystic experiences as he takes on the role of Mother Yashodha. It is an unusual parental / motherly attitude of Periyazhvar converting himself into playing the role of Yashoda and enjoying the infant to boyhood stages of Krishna.

Thrilled with the sighting in the air, Periyazhvar ends his Thirumozhi with the Senniyongu verses describing his mystic experience – He says that ever since the Lord on the Garuda mount in the sky ‘adopted me’, the ocean of birth and deaths has dried up and become a sanctified place. It is a great lesson for true devotion in each of our lives when we hear him say that his hunger is not when he is starved of food but of the days when he has not worshipped the Lord with fresh flowers, singing praise of him and reciting vedic scriptures. 

சென்னி ஓங்கு தண் திருவேங்கடமுடையாய் 

உலகு தன்னை வாழ நின்ற நம்பீ 

தாமோதரா சதிரா 

என்னையும் என் உடமையையும் 

உன் சக்கரப் பொறி ஒற்றிக்கொண்டு 

நின் அருளே புரிந்திருந்தேன் 

இனி என் திருகுறிப்பே 

Saturday (June 20) marked the 5th day of his Avathara Utsavam at the Andal Rangamannar temple in Srivilliputhur. It is a special day for Perumal provides Garuda Sevai darshan reminding one of the historic legendary event in Madurai when answering Periyazhvaar’s prayers, he shot down from Vaikuntam on the Garuda Vahana.

Following the procession in the morning, Periya Perumal made his way to the Vanamamalai temple at the eastern entrance of the Andal temple for Thirumanjanam. 

Continuing the Araiyar Service

Natha Muni (Srinivasa Rangan) Araiyar is 36 years old and has found a big financial turnaround in his fortunes after experiencing a challenging phase in his childhood when his now 70+ year old Bala Mukundan Araiyar struggled to make both ends meet despite performing selfless Araiyar Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam carrying on the tradition from his appa Srinivasa Rangan. 

Bala Mukundan Araiyar’s brother had a salaried appointment service with the HRCE but when he retired , Natha Muni Araiyar decided not to take to the HRCE rolls and was keen to perform this service as a hereditary tradition without salary. A couple of years back, he joined Multinational firm E&Y in the automation segment. The firm understanding and being sensitive to his Araiyar Kainkaryam has provided him with a flexible work from home model where he is able to both earn a livelihood to take care of his family as well as perform the daily Araiyar Service at this temple.

On this Saturday, Natha Muni Araiyar arrived at the Vanamamalai Mutt just past 3pm for the start of the Prabhandham Ghoshti. Veda Piran Bhattar Sudarshan, the descendant of Periyazhvaar presented the Veda Vinnappam. At this Divya Desam, it is the Araiyar who have the right of Prabhandham Thodakkam. Following the Deeparathanai for Periya Perumal and Periyazhvar, Natha Muni Araiyar began the presentation of the 30 verses of Thiruppavai. This was followed by the fifth canto of Namazhvar’s Tiruvoimozhi. 

Legend has it that the Araiyar Sevai was first performed at the Nambi temple in Thirukurungudi and in recognition of that, Natha Muni Araiyar stood in front of Periya Perumal and presented the first verse of the fourth decad on Thiru Kurungudi before the Prabhandham members continued the recital. 

Once again, on this fifth day of the utsavam when Periya Perumal and Periyazhvar made it to Vanamamalai Mutt, when it was time for the recital of the 7th decad in praise of the Lord of Nanguneri, Natha Muni Araiyar came out of the Ghoshti to stand in front of Periya Perumal to start the decad on Vanamamalai Perumal. As the members presented the sacred verses on Vanamamalai, Kesari was presented to the prabhandham members.

It was Vaishnavite Savant Natha Muni who helped recover the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham that had been lost to the world when he visited the Aravamudhan temple in Thiru Kudanthai. In recognition of that, the Araiyar started the ‘Aaravamuthey’ verse. 

After a 90 minute Ghoshti, the clock had ticked to 5pm when the members presented the Satru Murai verses of the fifth canto of Tiruvoimozhi. It was then time for Periya Perumal and Periyazhvar to head back to the alankaram mandapam at the Andal temple where for well over an hour the team of Bhattars decorated  Periya Perumal atop Garuda Vahana and Periyazhvar atop Anna Pakshi Vahana. By 7pm, a good sized crowd, most of them locals gathered in front of the alankaram mandapam for a first glimpse of Perumal and Periyazhvaar on this Garuda Sevai evening. 

Periyazhvar descendant dons Maniyakarar role

A few years ago, Veda Piran Bhattar Sudarshan Bhattar also took on the HRCE post of Maniyakarar of the Rangamannar temple in addition to donning the role of the descendant of Periyazhvaar. It is his duty to ensure that the procession takes place on time and he was seen pushing the alankaram experts to complete the decoration so the procession could start. 

துப்புடையாரை அடைவது எல்லாம்

சோர்விடத்து துணை ஆவர் என்றே

ஒப்பிளேன் ஆகிலும் நின் அடைந்தேன்

ஆணைக்கு நீ அருள் செய்தமையால்

எய்ப்பு என்னை வந்து நலியும் போது

அங்கு ஏதும் நான் உன்னை நினைக்க மாட்டேன்

அப்போதைக்கு இப்போதே சொல்லிவைத்தேன்

அரங்கத் தரவணைப் பள்ளியானே

Finally, a Smile in his life

Bala Mukundan Araiyar has been performing Araiyar service at this Divya Desam for well over 50 years. On this evening, he joined his son Natha Muni Araiyar for the Thodakkam of Thiruviruttam verses ahead of the procession. For a long time in his life, Bala Mukundan Araiyar had lived in a dilapidated house and was burdened with the financial challenges of educating his three children and also getting his two daughters married but with things turning around for his son with a stable job in a Multinational firm (he was previously the Manager in a Top 5 Bank in India), Bala Mukundan Araiyar sports a happy smile one that was missing in the first phase of his life when there was very little financial support for him. 

It was almost 8pm when Periyazhvar atop the Anna Vahana made his way out of the Andal temple before the big door closed. Devotees lined up in good numbers outside the door for the Deeparathanai of Periya Perumal atop the Golden Garuda Vahana. Following the breaking of several coconuts, Periya Perumal made his out of the temple much to the delight of the devotees providing darshan, first around the four small streets and then around the big streets of Srivilliputhur.

Unmindful of the health challenges that he has been experiencing in recent times, Bala Mukundan Araiyar led the Prabhandham Ghoshti through the procession on this Saturday evening around the streets of Srivilliputhur. 

Periyazhvar had made a significant contribution to the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham presenting over 10% of the verses. This evening was a celebration of his contribution to the devotional world with Periya Perumal providing Garuda Sevai to the residents of Srivilliputhur alongside Periyazhvar in the Anna Pakshi Vahana.

Uraiyur Kamalavalli Nachiyar Vasantha Utsavam Transformation

Rajesh Bhattar and Kishore Bhattar work in tandem to provide a happy experience for devotees 

A delightful restoration by TVS' Venu results in a grand historic revival of the Vasantha Utsavam 

It is just past 4pm on Tuesday (June 16) evening. Devaraja Bhattar (Rajesh Bhattar to those in the temple circles in Srirangam) has made his way from East Adayavalanjan  street in Srirangam where he resides to the Kamalavalli Nachiyar temple in Uraiyur, one where Thiru Mangai Azhvaar has referred to this location alongside the praise of Sundararaja Perumal of Thiru Nagai. He has around 50 days of Kainkaryam annually at this Divya Desam and happily for him, one set of those days has fallen on the occasion of the Vasantha Utsavam.

A twin saree alankaram

For an hour, he decorates Kamalavalli Nachiyar, interestingly with two silk sarees- one provided by the devotee donor of the day and the other brought by himself. The contrasting colours look beautiful and catches the eye of the devotees when they have darshan at the Vasantha Mandapam later in the evening.

Like with many Divya Desams in TN, the 1970s and 80s saw a slowdown at Srirangam as well and many in the next gen looked to go the corporate world for their career path while their appa continued the hereditary service at the Ranganathaswamy temple as well as its sub temples nearby. While he had his Deekshai early in his life, Rajesh Bhattar worked in multiple companies in the Paper industry for close to two decades before taking up the hereditary Kainkaryam at the Ranganathaswamy temple a decade ago. 

For this evening, he has roped in his close friend Sundararaja Bhattar (Kishore Bhattar to those in the temple circles) for support. The two of them work closely and support each other in temple events as Kishore Bhattar tells this writer shortly after Kamalavalli Nachiyar arrives at beautiful looking Vasantha Mandapam surrounded by colourful Vritchi flowers in the Nandavanam. “It is Rajesh Bhattar’s service day today at this temple and he called me in for support to be at the Vasantha Mandapam after the 5pm procession. Similarly, when it is my service temple in any of the temples, I rope him in for support. We understand each other well and enjoy working together” Kishore Bhattar narrates to this writer on why he is present at Uraiyur this evening.

Chozha's Capital

Located on the banks of Cauvery south of Srirangam, Uraiyur was the first capital of the Chozhas. The Chozha king Nanda Chozhan had been childless. Pleased with his prayers, Lord Ranganatha asked Goddess Lakshmi to be born as the King’s daughter at Uraiyur. Being born out of the Lotus, the Goddess here is called Kamalavalli Nachiyar [Kamala means Lotus]. As years went by, Kamalavalli grew into a beautiful young girl. One day while she was out with her friends, her eyes fell on a handsome young man and instantly she fell in love with him. The man was none other than Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam.

King Nanda Chozhan was in a fix as his daughter had fallen in love with the man, who had blessed the king with the child. Once again, the Lord accepted the king’s prayers and accepted her as his bride. Delighted at this, Nanda Chozhan built a temple at Uraiyur to celebrate the (home) coming of Lord Ranganatha to Uraiyur to take the hand of his daughter.

Panguni visit of Lord Ranganatha

Every year in the month of Panguni, a significant event takes place at the Uraiyur temple. Lord Ranganatha, in all his splendour, leaves the Srirangam temple at 4am to take long trip across the Cauvery in a golden palanquin to meet his beloved Kamalavalli Naachiyar for the ‘Kalyana Utsavam’(marriage festivities). On this auspicious day in the month of Panguni, the entire marriage formalities between Lord Ranganatha and Kamalavalli Nachiyar is enacted at the Uraiyur Temple. Lord Ranganatha takes the trip back to Srirangam across the Cauvery that same night.

A transformational restoration by Venu Srinivasan

The Vasantha Mandapam and its surroundings was in a dilapidated state till a decade ago with a lack of attention and with devotees focusing all their attention on the Divine Couple at Srirangam. TVS’ Venu Srinivasan who was the architect of large scale restoration exercise at the Srirangam temple just over a decade ago was invited to restore the Uraiyur Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html). 

He was shocked to see the state of the temple infrastructure but as he has in so many other temples especially in the erstwhile Pandya region, he went about providing his magic touch to restoring this temple too in a traditional way with the help of his team of engineers and those well versed in temple restoration. And in a matter of six months, the Vasantha Mandapam had been completely transformed. 

This writer had featured a story in this section in 2019 on the state of the temple and how the Vasantha Mandapam had been converted to an anna dhanam koodam. It was through Venu’s efforts that the anna dhanam koodam was removed and the Vasantha Mandapam was restored to its historic elegance that devotees experienced this evening (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/uraiyur-kamalavalli-nachiyar.html).

Venu Srinivasan had told this writer that he was in 'Service to God' as a devotee and that the restoration exercise in Uraiyur was in line with that thought.

      Vasantha Mandapam area - A decade ago

Sacred food from the madapalli

The restoration of the damaged madapalli and a full time cook has been great news for the kainkaryaparas for they get to eat tasty sacred food in between their service during this fourth evening of the utsavam. The devotees too get a feel of the traditional temple dosai as that is handed out to them late in the evening before the return procession. And each of them seemed to have enjoyed that as much as they enjoyed the presence of Kamalavalli Nachiyar at the Vasantha Mandapam.

A devotionally committed Koil Mahajanam Seenu

Koil Mahajanam Srinivasan (Seenu) has had a 8 hour duty as Sannidhi Vaasal through the first half of the day at the Moolavar Ranganathaswamy Sannidhi in Srirangam. After a short rest, he has driven 10 kms on his two wheeler from Srirangam to Uraiyur to perform the role of the Koil Mahajanam at the Vasantha Utsavam while his junior colleague ‘Pineapple’ Sudarshan donned that role at the Vasantha Utsavam for Ranganayaki Thayar in Srirangam. Interestingly, this year, both the Poochatru Utsavam and the Vasantha Utsavam fell on the same dates for Ranganayaki Thayar and Kamalavalli Nachiyar. Seenu was just into his early years of service as Koil Mahajanam when he experienced the Vasantha Utsavam well over a decade ago at the Uraiyur temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/10/srirangam-koil-mahajanam-srinivasan.html). 

Shortly after Kamalavalli Nachiyar entered the Vasantha Mandapam, he recalled his memories from those early years of his service “The entire location around the Vasantha Mandapam was filled with debris with the processional path in a dilapidated state with stones poking the feet of the Sripatham personnel. It has been a dramatic transformation in the last few years with the Vasantha Mandapam wearing a new look much to the delight of the devotees.”

Thirumangai Azhvaar's reference to Kozhiyur

There’s a belief that an Elephant of a Chozha king, which entered this place, was beaten back by a valiant Hen and had to retreat. Hence, this place is also called Kozhiyoor (Kozhi means Hen in Tamil). 

கோழியும் கடலும் கோயில் கொண்ட 

கோவலரே யொப்பர் குன்றமன்ன

பாழியும் டோழுமொரே நான் குடையார்

பண்டிவர் தம்மயம் கண்டறியோம்

வாழிய ரோவிவர் வண்ண மென்னில்

மாகடல் போன்றுளர் கையில் வெய்ய

அழியோன் றேந்தியோர் சங்கு பற்றி

அச்சோ ஒருவர் அழகியவா

Selfless Service by Sripatham

G. Krishnamurthy (GK) was at the purapadu Thodakkam at 5pm playing the role of Maniyakarar while Sridharan Maniam took care of the Ranganayaki Thayar Vasantha Utsavam at Srirangam. After mariyathai at Ramanuja Sannidhi (it was Thiruvathirai and monthly birthday of Ramanuja) and Thirupaan Azhvaar Sannidhi (the birth place of the Saint Poet who sang ten verses of praise of Lord Ranganatha after invoking the blessings from the banks of the Cauvery) in the presence of the Jeer of Azhvaar Tirunagari, Kamalavalli Nachiyar made her way through the colourful lights to the Vasantha Mandapam. There are four HRCE appointed Sripatham at this temple and the rest of the personnel were from the Vethal service, those that perform selfless service during processions. For the next 2 ½ hours, she provided darshan at the Vasantha Mandapam to devotees who trickled in small numbers through the evening. 

As the clock ticked almost to 7pm, Rajesh Bhattar began the Thiru Aradhanam process fanning Kamalavalli Nachiyar on what had earlier been a hot day. The Araiyar from Srirangam too had made it to Uraiyur and he presented the Pallandu verse.

It has been a completed transformation of the Vasantha Mandapam and the Vasantha Utsavam has been revived to its historical beauty, with the plants around the mandapam providing a cool breeze for Kamalavalli Nachiyar to enjoy. 

From Indian Railways to Temple Kainkaryam

While Rajesh Bhattar went away for a while after the Thiru Aradhanam, Kishore Bhattar took over the role of the Vasantha Mandapam archaka aiding devotees with the darshan. Like Rajesh Bhattar, Kishore Bhattar too had been away while his appa continued the temple service. For 25 years, he worked in the railways before quitting the job and taking up the hereditary temple kainkaryam after the passing away of his appa and uncle. 

At the Uraiyur temple, Kamalavalli Nachiyar is seen in a grand sitting posture, all set to get married. Being the handsome man in wedding attire, Lord Ranganatha here is called ‘Azhagiya Mana Vaalan’. A speciality of this temple is that this is the only Divya Desam where the Goddess is facing the Northern direction, in this case in the direction of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple.

It is past 8pm and following the Veda Vinnappam and Theertha Ghoshti, Kamalavalli Nachiyar is all set to make her way back to her abode on this 4th day of the Vasantha Utsavam. Koil Mahajanam Seenu and Maniyakarar GK lead the Sripatham personnel to the Vasantha Mandapam. Rajesh Bhattar is back at the mandapam for the return procession while Kishore Bhattar makes his way to the Madapalli that too has been restored beyond recognition. 

There are just a handful of devotees and each of them enjoy the procession in the quiet and serene prakara. In front of the Ramanuja Sannidhi, Rajesh Bhattar presents the Deeparathanai that is followed by the presentation of Vada Paruppu before Kamalavalli Nachiyar makes her back to her Sannidhi sharp at 8.30pm.

A Revival to Savour

It has been enjoyable evening for both Rajesh Bhattar and Kishore Bhattar working in tandem and they make their way back to Srirangam. For Koil Mahajanam Srinivasan, he dashes back to the Ranganathaswamy temple for the culmination pooja event there. For those that had been witness to the Vasantha Utsavam at the Kamalavalli Nachiyar Divya Desam in Uraiyur just over a decade ago, this has been a delightful transformation and for that the credit goes to TVS’ Venu Srinivasan.

HRCE tightens archaka attendance in TN temples

New Digital Attendance Machine installed this week at Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam will montior archaka service presence 

It is past 7am on Saturday (June 13) at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Nachiyar Koil, one where Thiru Mangai Azhvaar sung a century of verses in praise of Thiru Naraiyur Nambi. The three HRCE appointed salary paid priests at this temple have this week been asked by proactive and forward looking EO Prabhakaran to follow a new protocol. On this Saturday, only Prasanna Bhattar is present in the morning and he has digitally recorded his presence (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/01/nachiyar-koil-kal-garuda-sevai-2025.html).

கிடந்த நம்பி குடந்தை மேவி கேழலாய் உலகை இடந்த நம்பி 

எங்கள் நம்பி எறிஞர் அரண் அழியக் 

கடந்த நம்பி கடியார் இலங்கை உலகை ஈர் அடியால் 

நடந்த நம்பி நாமம் சொல்லி நமோ நாராயணா - 6-10-1

A new digital attendance machine has been installed at the eastern entrance of the temple and the archakas have to digitally record their attendance each day of the month. In the century gone by, the priests of historic temples followed in the footsteps of their forefathers performing hereditary service. 

Hereditary priests become HRCE staffers

However, towards the end of the previous century, driven by a slowdown in temples and with many hereditary priests moving away from temple service, next gen priests in many temples opted for a fixed monthly salary. While in the past, the hereditary priests had alternating service every month between Moolavar Sannidhi and Thayar Sannidhi in Perumal temples, this system saw a change when they became paid salary staffers of the HRCE.

Paid salary for entire month

EO Prabhakaran of Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam clarified to this writer that as per his recorded there are no specific 10-15 service days for these priests like they may have had in the past “They are paid a salary for the entire month and hence each of these priests have to be present at the temple throughout the month.”

Implemented and accepted at Rameswaram 

Another proactive JC Sivaram Kumar who is now at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam implemented this digital attendance system when he was at the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram. He told this writer that all the priests of that temple accepted this system and digitally recorded their priest till the time he was at the temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/dhanushkodi-rama-temple-shiva-lingam.html).

JC Sivaram Kumar 

At the Nachiyar Koil, long standing priest Gopinathan Bhattar, who has been serving at the temple since the 1990s, has been going for events in other temples in the past. Earlier this month, this section featured a story on Nathan Koil Brahmotsavam Garuda Sevai where he performed the alankaram of Jagannathan Perumal atop Garuda(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/06/nathan-koil-jagannathan-perumal.html).

The popular Gopi Bhattar 

The new digital attendance machine installed at Nachiyar Koil seeks to keep a check on paid salaried priests constantly being away at events at other temples creating a shortage of archaka kainkaryaparas at their home temple especially on crowded days. 

EO Prabhakaran has this week sent a letter to the archakas on the mandatory requirement to digitally record their presence at least once a day. He has said that failure to record the attendance would accordingly reflect in the salary records at the end of the month.

மாண் கொண்ட தோல் மார்வின் மாணியாய் 

மாவலி மண் தான் கொண்டு தாளால் அளந்த பெருமானே 

தேன் கொண்ட சாரல் திருவேங்கடத்தானை  

நான் சென்று நாடி நறையூரில் கண்டேனே

This is a big step initiated at the Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam, a temple now popular for the two Kal Garuda Sevai every year and for the Prarthana Pooja every Thursday for Garuda.

EO Prabhakaran has received informal feedback from devotees on the lack of attention from archakas arising out of absence of the main archakas like it happened on this Saturday when Prasanna Bhattar was the only salary paid archaka at the temple through the entire first half of the day.  He had to manage the devotees both at Garuda Sannidhi as well as Moolavar Sannidhi in addition to also taking caring of the daily Thiru Aradhana and other pooja processes as well as performing Thirumanjanam for Thirumangai Azhvaar on this Karthigai day. Of course he had a couple of outside archakas to support him after 9am.

Nachiyar Koil EO Prabhakaran 

Prabhakaran told this writer on Saturday that the ever increasing crowd especially on Thursdays and during the weekends is necessitating the addition of 1-2 more archakas to take care of the devotee darshan, for even one existing archaka going away puts pressure on the other two.

The EO is hopeful that with the installation of the digital attendance system, there will be an ‘automated’ check on the presence and absence of archakas and this will help the temple authorities to explore the need for adding archakas at the temple, the first Vaishnavite Madam koil built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan after he had built 70 such Saivite temples. 

முருகிலங்கு கனிதுவர்வாய் பின்னை கேள்வன் மன்னெல்லாம்  முன்னவியச்சென்று 

வென்றிச் செருக்கழுத்துத் ததிறலழிய செற்ற வேந்தன் சிறந்துணிந்தான் திருவடினும் சென்னிவைப்பீர் 

இருக்கிலங்கு திருமொழி வாய் எண்தோள் ஈசற்கு எழில் மாட எழுபதும் செய்து உலகமாண்ட 

திருகுலத்து வளச்சோழன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் திரு நறையூர் மணி மாட சேர்மின்களே 

Well over a decade ago, at another Nambi Divya Desam, this one in the Pandya region at Thiru Kurungudi, when one of the staffers of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt that administers the temple kept going out of the temple by posting a substitute in his place, the head of the Mutt removed him from service pointing out that if for 90% of the days the existing staffer posts a substitute, the Mutt can as well use the service of the substitute full time at the temple. The sacked staff has not been able to make it back to the temple!!!

For the moment it is a bold initiative on the part of EO Prabhakaran to implement this digital attendance system at this Divya Desam. One will have to wait and watch as to how this impacts the presence of archakas.

While there is action on this front in temples where archakas are paid monthly salary by HRCE, this digital attendance system cannot be implemented in temples where they continue to follow the hereditary non salary model.

This section will track the 'digital attendance' impact at Nachiyar Koil in the coming months.

Azhagar Koil Ambi Bhattar

An Engineering Dream shattered but a devotional transformation beckoned

This 58 year old Alankara Bhattar has gone on to become the Most Popular priest of Madurai

This section has featured many stories on how the scenario in TN temples had turned for the worse in the 1970s. It was no different at the Sundararaja Perumal Kallazhagar temple in Thiru Maliruncholai, one praised by multiple Azhvaars. While this family of priests had been carrying on the hereditary service for generations, this young boy just into his teens in the early 1980s was completely dejected with the way things had deteriorated in the temple space and how the devotees saw the priests of Azhagar Koil. This led him to focus on academics and he was keen to become an Engineer but his appa’s advise in the summer of 1985 transformed his outlook to life and he has for the last 35 years been performing the role of ‘Alankara Bhattar’ at this Divya Desam praised in exaggeration by Periyazhvaar as everything in 1000s - 1000s of lakes, streams and flower groves, Lord with a 1000 arms, 1000 shining crowns and One residing on a snake with 1000s of hoods. Here’s the story of Ambi Bhattar.

 

ஆயிரம் தோல் பரப்பி முடி ஆயிரம் மின்னிலக

ஆயிரம் பைந்தலைய அனந்தசயனன் ஆளும் மலை

 ஆயிர  மாருகளும் கணைகள் பல வாயிரமும்

ஆயிரம் பூம் பொழிலுமுடை மாலிருஞ் சோலையதே

Early Sporting interest

Sundara Narayana Bhattar popularly known as ‘Ambi’ Bhattar in temple circles in Madurai had his schooling at American College HSS. He was proficient in his academics and was also the leader of the Scouts. In those early years, he was also interested in football. His appa Paramaswami Bhattar was into the 26th generation of the hereditary archaka service at the Sundararaja Perumal Kallazhagar temple in Thiru Maliruncholai, on the Northern outskirts of Madurai.

His forefathers also performed archaka service at Adhi Jagannathan Perumal temple in Thiru Pullani, the Veera Azhagar Perumal temple in Manamadurai, the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Sivaganga and the Thallakulam temple in Madurai. The bleak scenario at TN temples led him to let go off the archaka service at Thiru Pullani, Manamadurai and Sivaganga. In the centuries gone by, his forefathers had been bestowed with huge tracts of land towards performing this Kainkaryam and thus they led a financially stable life. Paramaswamy Bhattar too was academically inclined and when his appa tried to keep him away from academics trying to lead him into temple service, he went to far away Gwalior for his graduation. Later he had a double MA and LLB degrees. 

Paramaswamy Bhattar was a renowned priest of the time and so graciously would he give away sambhavanai to those around him that he came to be called ‘Minor’ Bhattar. 

Challenging Phase growing up in the 1970s

Ambi grew up in challenging times for the temples in TN. As he moved into his teens and began absorbing more closely the happenings at Azhagar Koil, he was devastated by what he saw. 

On a Tuesday (June 9) morning when he handed over the Moolavar Sannidhi service to the other priest of the temple after having served over the previous 10 days, he recounted to this writer on what happened during his teenage years that put him away from temples for a brief period of time “My appa would bring back the Thaligai from the temple in the afternoon after his Kainkaryam. Much to my shock, I saw devotees passing sarcastic remarks about his tummy and how he was taking back the sacred food. The devotees would come to the temple to invoke the blessings of the Lord and my appa would perform archanai praying for their wellbeing. And yet, he would have to hear such remarks from passers-by. It was a phase when archakas in TN temples were disrespected on the back of the anti bhakthi movement.”

Comments such as these left strong early scars in the mind of the the teenaged Ambi. And that led him even more into the academic path.

The Transformational year - Summer of 1985

The year was 1985. Ambi had taken to the first group and completed his Class XII Boards that summer. The scars of people’s remarks about the Kainkaryam lay strongly entrenched in his mind and he was keen on becoming an Engineer and expressed this wish to his appa. An engineering seat was assured but before he took a final call, his appa made an appeal to him.

Expressing his grievances to his appa

His appa, Paramaswamy 'Minor' Bhattar was known to be vocal and strict but he also asked for the views of others including his children and would listen with intent. Frustrated at the way the life of this archaka’s son had gone in the schooling years, Ambi expressed himself vehemently on one such occasion. 

A most popular priest now, Ambi Bhattar recalls that conversation with his appa well over four decades ago even as scores of devotees wish him on this Tuesday morning on their way to the temple for darshan, an indication of the huge network he has built during his service at this temple. 

“In those decades, new dresses were bought only on select occasions and only one dress at that. On Deepavali day and on my birthday, my appa never saw me wear the new dress for he went away to the temple before I could wear and by the time he came home tired after half a day of temple service, I was back into my old dress”, says Ambi Bhattar with a tinge of sadness on how he missed his appa during the big moments in his life.

The Chitrai Utsavam has grown into such popularity now that several lakhs visit Madurai during this festival. It was one of the biggest fests even at that time when he was a school boy and his family had three mandagapadis. “While the entire city was enjoying the utsavam, I was not a witness to all the different days of the fest including the Horse Vahana entry into the Vaigai, the Vandiyur trip following that and the Dasavatharam darshan, for my appa was on duty on those days and as a young boy, I could not be taken care of during those high profile days", I told my appa as a teenager, says Ambi Bhattar on the grievances he raised.

There was minimal thattu kaasu, embarrassing abuses from devotees about priests, no home functions with appa’s presence for he was always at temple kainkaryam. All these left him aggrieved and was vocal about becoming an Engineer and not wanting to take to ‘alankara’ Bhattar kainkaryam that his forefathers had performed for so many centuries.

Multiple Azhvaars praised Temple

Azhagar Koil is a Divya Desam praised by several Azhvaars in all its glory 1000s of years ago. In a much earlier praise in the Paripatal belonging to the Sangam period, Thiru Malirun Kunram finds a detailed praise (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2015/11/paripatal-maliruncholai-balarama.html). The most fascinating description of Thiru Maliruncholai in the Paripatal is of Balarama and the extent of worship dedicated to him in this region, the reference to his chest ornaments and the beautiful single ear pendent. The devotees who throng the roads to the hill are advised to worship the hill itself as it is seen as the seat of the God who removes all worries and destroys the sins of devotees.

Koodal Iyizhaittal – A historical game at Thiru Maliruncholai

Andal, in the Nachiyar Thirumozhi, provides insights into the astrological predictions referred to as Koodal Iyizhaithal. She presents to us a historical system that was in vogue during her time. In  Koodal Iyizhaithal, one looks at the set of lines to decide the fate of the lovers. She addresses the angel and asks if the omens are good for her to unite with her beloved.

அழகனார் அணியாச்சியர் சிந்தையுள் 

குழகனார் வரில்

கூடிட கூடலே

Historically shells were used in a game through one of the two processes – either by putting them together in small groups or by drawing a number of concentric circles and seeing them in twos. If the final result ended in even number, it was seen as a Good Omen and the wishes of the lover was said to be fulfilled. Koodal Iyizhaittal was a historical game played by young girls who were looking to be united with their beloved. By the end of the game based on the result, they get an indication on whether they would unite with their lover. This is a game of dots and lines drawn to see if the final formation ends in a good omen.

Andal invokes the blessings of the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai to ensure that the lines drawn will form the right concentric circles so it ends up in a good omen.

Answering the son's grievances

After having listened to all of his teenaged son’s grievances, appa Paramaswamy Bhattar patiently answered him one by one.

"There are crores of people in the state. Only a few are born as Vaishnavites. Among them, even fewer are Vaikanasa agama archakas. Unfortunately, the two born before you (sisters) cannot crossed the Kulasekara Padi. So, you are bestowed with the unique opportunity to be the one carrying our hereditary service into the future. I give you one day’s time for you to think through this. If you decide on becoming an Engineer and taking to that as your way of life, I would accept that but touching Sundararaja Perumal through your lifetime is a blessing that very few have", Paramaswamy Bhattar told his 17 year old son Ambi Sundara Narayanan in very polite and kind words.

Sundara Narayanan becomes 'Ambi' Bhattar

Within 24 hours, Ambi, the young teenager was transformed. From his much cherished dream of becoming an engineer, he had decided to turn into ‘Ambi Bhattar’. When he came back to his appa the next day to convey his decision on giving up the engineering seat that had come his way and to take to Bhattar Kainkaryam, little did he realise that decades later, he would become one of the most popular bhattars of this historic city and one who is identified as the Golden Horse Chitrai Utsavam Bhattar of Madurai.

He joined BA and began learning the Vaikanasa Agama from his Amma’s appa Ramaswamy Bhattar who performed Kainkaryam at Thuraiyur. Ambi Bhattar joined his appa in temple kainkaryam in 1991 after he married the daughter of the Dikshithar of Tirupathi.

1995 at Tirupathi - Vajra Kreedam

Exactly a decade after the decision to skip Engineering, he went to Tirupathi and anointed the Lord with Vajra Kreedam along with his Father in Law, who was the Chief Priest of the temple. He says that it was on that day that he realised the value of his appa’s advise in 1985 “The then President of the country Sankar Dayal Sharma visited the temple for Garuda Sevai and there I was placing the Kreedam on the Lord’s head before providing darshan to the President. Even the PM and the Prez of the country can only stand a few yards away whereas the archakas are blessed with the rights to touch and decorate the Divya Desam Lord.”

Golden Words - The Bhattar with the Golden Horse Vahana at the Chitrai Utsavam

And then back at Azhagar Koil, over the last couple of decades he has been the priest seen with Kallazhagar during the now globally renowned Chitrai Utsavam. Every time Ambi Bhattar is atop the Lord during the entry of the Golden Horse into the Vaigai, he remembers those Golden Words of his appa from 1985 “I had gone and complained to my appa as a school boy that I had not been able to have darshan even of our own Mandagapadis. Having taken to ‘alankara bhattar’ kainkaryam following his advise, I am now carried by 20 Sripatham Thangis and hold Sundararaja Perumal tightly every time they present a fast run. From the grievance of not having had darshan to being the one to touch and hold on to the Lord through the most popular festival of the year, it has been a blessed feeling and I have realised the value of those golden words of my appa only after experiencing the utsavam as the Bhattar of the Golden Horse Vahana procession.”

A Life Lesson - Handling devotees at crowded events

His appa’s public pulling him up three decades ago has remained entrenched in his memory every time he handles devotees. “During Kallazhagar’s trip to Vandiyur decades ago when I was still very young, I asked sambhavanai from a devotee who asked for flowers. My appa was a disciplinarian and was not lost on words when he saw his son go down the wrong path. He almost kicked me in front of everyone and gave me a stern warning on my conduct. He asked me if I paid and bought the flowers and that I should not transact with the flowers that were actually presented by the devotees themselves. That day, I promised to myself that it is my Bhattar duty to offer flowers to devotees irrespective of the sambhavanai they present. It was yet another great life lesson passed on by my appa to me and it has stood with me ever since over the last three decades.”

 

Ambi Bhattar's fav Utsavam - Noopura Gangai Thailakkappu

While the Chitrai Utsavam and Kallazhagar entering the Vaigai is seen as the most popular utsavam of Azhagar Koil, Ambi Bhattar’s favourite is the Thailakkappu utsavam in Aippasi when the Lord makes his way atop Thiru Maliruncholai to Noopura Gangai where the Bhattar anoints him with a sacred oil bath (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/11/azhagar-koil-noopura-ganga-aippasi.html). “It is a great feeling to be providing Perumal with this oil bath from the sacred waters flowing down at Noopura Gangai.”

Artha Jaama Pooja provides peace

He also finds great peace in performing the Kainkaryam during the Artha Jaama Poooja “It is the time of the day late in the evening when I invoke the blessing of the Lord asking for forgiveness for any wrongs done by him during the day. It is a quiet time and the Ekantham with Sundarara Raja Perumal provides me with great happiness and leads me to a peaceful sleep in the night.”

Ambi Bhattar has for long been the face of Azhagar Koil having built a great network with the devotees of Madurai. It is no wonder then that every devotee walking in to the temple wishes him and enquires about his wellbeing. Once again, he recalls the words of his appa from that early phase in his kainkaryam. “The devotees come for a one minute darshan carrying all their sadness with them. We will know their difficulty only if we stand in hours in the queue and then have a few seconds darshan in front of the moolavar Lord. Hence, always be kind and polite with them and help them have a good darshan” Ambi Bhattar told this writer on how he tries to conduct himself as an archaka.

Interestingly, and coincidentally at the time of writing of this story, Ambi Bhattar’s son, who has a MBA degree, has taken a big call to quit the corporate world where he was working in the IT sector. At 29, he too has decided to join his appa in Kainkaryam at Azhagar Koil much to Ambi Bhattar’s delight.

The Victory Hill - Kallazhagar answers devotee's prayers

Ambi Sundara Narayana Bhattar could have easily lost his Kainkaryam to the Engineering World had his appa not reasoned out to him the greatness of this Divya Desam service. From the time he was 17, he has not looked back once on the decision to skip his dream of becoming an Engineer for he has now realised all these years later as to how the feeling of being the ‘Alankara Bhattar’ at this Divya Desam praised by Periyazhvaar as the ‘Victory Hill’ is unmatched. Tears roll down Ambi Bhattar’s cheeks when he recounts yet again the blessed feeling of being the one holding on to Kallazhagar every time he enters the Vaigai with lakhs of devotees shouting out the name of the Lord and creating a great positive vibration. 

அலை வலைமை தவிர்த்த

அழகன் அலங்காரன் மலை

குல மலை கோல மலை

குளிர் மா மலை கொற்ற மலை

நில மலை நீண்ட மலை

திரு மாலிருஞ் சோலை யதே

At 58, after having performed the Kainkaryam at Azhagar Koil for three and a half decades, Ambi Bhattar has quite a physical issues born out of standing long including during the street processions but he continues to remain devotionally passionate about his favourite Sundararaja Perumal and says that just standing in front of the Lord takes one to a different world, one of unending bliss where he loses himself completely to the Lord of Thiru Maliruncholai. Till the final moments of his life, he hopes to continue this hereditary Kainkaryam that his forefathers had been performing for over 25 generations. His son joining him in Kainkaryam is a big boost to Ambi Bhattar and he believes he will be able to continue to perform this Kainkaryam with renewed vigour.