Nachiyar Koil Kal Garuda Sevai Sripatham

A century of members, strong camaraderie & team work and devotional commitment come to the fore as the Sripatham personnel celebrate yet another edition of the now popular Kal Garuda Sevai

It is one of the two big days in the year at the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam in Thiru Naraiyur. The fourth day of the Brahmotsavam in Panguni marks the evening when Moolavar Kal Garuda makes his way from his abode to the Vahana Mandapam from where he carries Srinivasa Perumal around the four streets through the night. In his Periya Thirumozhi, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as seen in the verse below refers to Thiru Naraiyur as a location of endless festivals. Friday night was definitely one with the procession starting at 6pm and ending with Srinivasa Perumal and Vanjula Valli Nachiyar coming back into the temple well past 3am the next morning.

வாளொன் கண் நல்லார் தாங்கள் மதனன் என்கிறார் தம்மைக் 

கேள்மின்கள் ஈளையோடு ஏங்கு கிழவன் என்னாதமுன் 

வேள்வும் விழவும் வீதியில் என்றும் அறாத ஊர் 

நாளும் நறையூர் நாம் தொழுதும் எழு நெஞ்சமே 

While the margazhi Kal Garuda sevai saw unprecedented devotee crowd unmatched anytime in the past, this one on Friday (March 27) evening was a quieter event coming as it did on the back of the annual exams, early vacation of devotees and the upcoming election.

Like Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s century of verses on Thiru Naraiyur Nambi, the Sripatham Personnel and the Kothanar combo too total a century. It is they who are the heroes on this evening when they carry the large sized and heavy Kal Garuda from his Sannidhi down the steps of this steep Mani Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan Chozha.

அம்பரமும் பெருநிலனும் திசைகள் எட்டும் 

அலைக்கடலும் குலவரையும் உண்டகண்டன் 

கொம்பமரும் வடமரத்தின் இலைமேல் பள்ளி கூடினான் 

திருவடியே கூடாகிற்பீர் 

வம்பவிழும் செண்பகத்தின் வாசம் உண்டு 

மணி வண்டு வகுலத்தின்  மலர் மேல் வைகு 

செம்பியன் கோச் செங்கணன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் 

திருநறையூர் மணிமாடம் சேர்மின்களே

Sharp eyed EO Prabhakaran

It is past 1am and the Olai Chapparam housing Srinivasa Perumal atop Kal Garuda and Vanjula Valli Thayar atop Anna Pakshi Vahana has turned on to the West Street. The EO of the temple, Prabhakaran, an Engineer by educational qualification, is walking alongside the deities ensuring that everything is in order. In the three years he has been at this temple, he has not slept on the night of the Kal Garuda Sevai and not gone back home accompanying the deities through the procession keep a close eye on the procession. And alert as he was, he spotted a scorpion right in the middle of the road on the West Street and directed his personnel to carefully move it to the side asking them not to kill it.

        Nachiyar Koil EO Prabhakaran

Putting together a strong and united Sripatham team

Chief of the Sripatham team 61 year old C. Kannan is the leader of the Sripatham team and he has been carrying the Lord on his shoulders ever since he was a young boy, quitting school after class VI. He recounts his memories from his childhood days of the Kal Garuda Sevai night “You can see Srinivasa Perumal decked with glittering jewellery and huge flower garlands. It was not so back then. The procession was a simple one. There were no street lights and no houses on this West Street. Perumal was led by Theevatti and Petromax light through the procession. Unlike recent times, the procession used to head back to the temple by midnight.”

     Vanjula Valli Thayar

Puliyotharai for their sripatham service 

8 of them carry Kal Garuda from the Moolavar Sannidhi and then as they go down the steep steps towards the entrance of the Ramar Sannidhi, the sripatham personnel double and as they get to the Dwajasthambam at the Eastern Entrance, over 30 of them carry Garuda to the Vahana Mandapa. He says with a twinkle in his eyes in a cheeky way that during the period of his appa and thatha, half the sripatham used to carry Kal Garuda such was their physical strength given their focus on eating healthy food. 

“My appa was paid 50 paise for the sripatham service on each day of the utsavam. We reside in temple land and also have 2 acres each of farming land belonging to the temple. In return for this, we see it as our responsibility to carry the Lord without any fee and consider this twice a year opportunity as a great blessing bestowed on us by Kal Garuda. Those of us in our team who have seen it this way have been prosperous and living a financially healthy life. It has been the experience of most of us in the Sripatham team that sincere prayers to Kal Garuda has never gone unanswered such is his power”, he told this writer even as the procession moved on to the North street.

It has been a tradition for the sripatham personnel to be handed large quantities of Puliyotharai for their service on this Kal Garuda Sevai night. 

Kannan says that in the days of his forefathers, they used to spend almost a week getting the Olai Chapparam ready such was the attention paid to minute details. It is past 2am and the Olai Chapparam has made its way well on to the North Street (the Bazaar Road). As experienced in the Margazhi Brahmotsavam a couple of months ago, the branches of a tree extended on to the road obstructing the Chapparam.

Cutting out protruding branches

EO Prabhakaran is a great lover of the eco system and has been planting 100s of saplings around the temple but the cutting of these branches was a necessary evil as it came in the way of the procession and it would have on the day of the Chariot procession as well. 

Sripatham Chief Kannan directed his team members to cut out the protruding branches with a sickle. Why did the temple authorities not proactively cut out these branches ahead of the utsavam. Kannan says that they did try but it provided shade to the autos and the stand owners prevented the branches from being cut on the previous day. While the branches were being cut, the Sripatham Personnel took this opportunity to have a ‘Tea Break’. 

                                 Sripatham Head Kannan

Past midnight, a couple of devotees from Kumbakonam brought hot coffee/tea from the popular canteen at the railway station and distributed it free to the sripatham personnel in recognition of their devotional service to Nambi.

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

The Kal Garuda Sevai at Nachiyar Koil in Thiru Naraiyur is celebrated twice a year – once four days before Vaikunta Ekadasi in Margazhi and the other on this fourth day of the Panguni Brahmotsavam. It is an evening that brings together thousands of devotees and provides them with a great positive vibration inside the temple as they watch Kal Garuda come down with ease from the Moolavar Sannidhi.

Gopi Bhattar at the forefront of all activities 

A story on Nachiyar Koil would not be complete with a mention of Gopinathan Bhattachar, the long standing priest at this Divya Desam. EO Prabhakaran tells this writer on the night that interestingly this time around the Bhattar called him and asked for approval for the Kal Garuda procession to start just after 6pm. 

                               Gopinathan Bhattachar

With the clock now almost ticking to 3am, he is distributing Sambhavanai to the Kainkaryaparas who have performed service on the night. When a devotee known to him arrives, he calls him in front and provides him with a close darshan of Srinivasa Perumal and Kal Garuda and presents him with flowers and fruits. His son, who is being initiated into the agama at Senkalipuram, is also present on the night accompanying Vanjula Valli Thayar. 

For the Sripatham personnel, it is a great show of strength. It is a night when team work, the camaraderie among the members and the positive spirit with which they manage the procession comes to the fore at Thiru Naraiyur. There are young boys just into their teens out there learning the art of carrying Kal Garuda by watching the elders. There are also seniors in the team who have been integral members of this procession for over two decades. It is a night when devotees and the kainkaryaparas alike forget the negativity in their lives and unite as a group to showcase the greatness of Kal Garuda. Friday night at Thiru Naraiyur marked that celebration of Kal Garuda with him showing his might to the devotee world.

Thiru Indhalur Parimala Ranganthar Malliyam

A long summer's day out for Parimala Ranganathar as he makes a trip to Malliyam on the third morning of the Panguni Brahmotsavam

It is the third morning of the Panguni Brahmotsavam both at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam and here at the Parimala Ranganatha temple in Thiru Indhalur. Contrasted with the hundreds of Kainkaryaparas carrying Namperumal in the villages of Jeeyapuram, Anthanallur and around, the Moolavar Sannidhi at Thiru Indhalur had not yet opened till 6am when the street procession had been scheduled to start at 5am. 

There are just two full time priests at this Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar with two long time priests having been suspended in the past. Standing at the entrance of this temple Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his first verse says that devotees are thronging to having darshan of the Lord waiting to serve him. He asks the Lord to reveal himself and walk a few steps so the devotees could get enlightenment. On this morning, there were just a handful of devotees, most of them regulars at the temple and they waited patiently for the Sannidhi to open. 

நும்மைத் தொழுதோம் நுந்தம் பணிசெய்திருக்கும் நும் அடியோம் 

இம்மைக்கு இன்பம் பெற்றோம்  எந்தாய் இந்தளூரீரே 

எம்மைக் கடிதாக் கருமம் அருளி ஆ வா என்று இறங்கி 

நம்மை ஒருகால் காட்டி நடந்தால் நாங்கள் உய்யோமே

One priest, Sukumaran Dikshithar (who had performed Kainkaryam at Andavan Ashramam administered temples in Bombay, MP, UP and Bihar in the 1990s and has been back here after the suspension of the above priests) performs Vishroopam at the Perumal Sannidhi, while Sridhar Bhattar, who now is the anchor priest and the face to devotees, does so at the Thayar Sannidhi.

A long day in the Sun for the Sripatham

It is a big day for the Sripatham Personnel led by the 65 year Kannan with Sugantha Vana Naathan, the Utsava deity, having to make his way out of Mayiladuthurai to the Village of Malliyam on the Kumbakonam highway.  Kannan is there early in the morning and his team mates are slowly trickling in. Sripatham Kannan recalls the personnel carrying Parimala Ranganthar on their shoulders in the century gone by but with the slowdown in temple activities this long procession on the third morning had come to a halt in the second half of the previous century just under 50 years ago with the original inhabitants having left this temple town.

                        Indhalur Sripatham Head Kannan

The Theerthakar is also there by 6am and the ubayadarar of the day also arrive at the temple. The physical infrastructure of the temple wears a new look following the recent consecration. The ubayadarar takes a look at the kannadi arai where Perumal had taken rest in the night and expresses happiness at the beautifully laid out room with mirror all  around.

Madapalli Cook Kumar who has been here for over a decade tells this writer that he was at the temple at 3am to prepare the sacred food ahead of the procession. Sukumaran Dikshithar hits out at his detractors telling them that he had been at the temple till past midnight following last evening’s Chandira Prabhai vahana street procession (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/02/thiru-indhalur-parimala-ranganathar.html). 

Overload on the kainkaryaparas, shortage of service personnel is taking a toll on utsavams in remote Divya Desams. It’s the just the third day of the Brahmotsavam here but the kainkaryaparas are already having a worn out look on their face.

Selvar goes around the prakara inside the temple (no time for a street visit this morning as the activities are well behind schedule). Well past 6.30am, the Sripatham mount the pallakku atop the Wheeled chapparam and Parimala Ranganathar is ready for the procession around the four streets. At the east end of the Sannidhi street in front of the Hanuman Sannidhi, the prabhandham members have gathered for the thodakkam. At this Divya Desam, Periya Thirumozhi is recited on the mornings of the four street procession and the adyapaka accordingly begins the 9th decad of the first Canto with the verses on Thiru Venkatam.

For the next hour, the procession makes a slow progress around the four streets. Residents come out of their home to have a close look at the alankaram of Parimala Ranganathar presenting coconuts, flower garland and fruits.

It is 8am when back near the Hanuman Sannidhi, the prabhandham members present the Satru Murai with the verses on Thiruvallikeni and they consider it appropriate that the Ubayadarar is a current resident of that Divya Desam. It has been a slow paced recital and the Ghoshti have presented 50 verses of the Periya Thirumozhi on this morning.

The procession is behind by two hours and Sripatham Kannan has a worried look on his face. He has been performing this service for many decades with his teammates hailing from the nearby village of appankulam. The procession has to now make its way to the western outskirts of Mayiladuthurai to the village of Malliyam with the Sun having begun to beat down strongly.

சொல்லாது ஒழியகில்லேன் அறிந்த சொல்லில் 

நும்மடியார் எல்லோரோடும் ஓக்க எண்ணியிருந்தீர் அடியேனை 

நல்லார் அறிவீர் தீயார் அறிவீர் 

நமக்கு இவ்வுலகத்து எல்லாம் அறிவீர் 

ஈதே அறியீர், இந்தளூரீரே 

When the devotional wave began striking the TN temples at the turn of the century, the procession to Malliyam was revived but by this time long processions in most Divya Desams had moved to the ‘Wheeled Tyre’ model from the sripatham previously carrying the Lord on their shoulders.

                                     

A new bus stand has been inaugurated. On a busy Thursday morning, moffusil buses were making their way in and out of Mayiladuthurai and Parimala Ranganathar had to wade through heavy traffic to reach Gandhiji Road where an Iyengar family is waiting to welcome to welcome the Lord into their home. The family serves hot Pongal and coffee to the kainkaryaparas including the Sripatham personnel. On to the next house, Perumal makes another stopover this time to bless a young couple who have just had their second child.

Past 9.30am, the Sripatham gather all their strength to push the chapparam atop the steep railway overbridge near the Mayiladuthurai Railway station. There are short stopovers at Sitharkadu and Moovalur even as the feet of the sripatham personnel are already burning.

The trustee of Purushottamar temple in Thiru Nangur stops by to have darshan of Parimala Ranganthar and presents sambhavanai to the Kainkaryaparas before he moves on towards Oppiliappan Koil.

Welcoming Perumal at Malliyam

It is close to 11am, a full four hours after leaving the temple in Indhalur when Parimala Ranganthar reaches the Government Coconut Farm in Malliyam. The Villagers come in large numbers to welcome the Lord on this hot morning.

And then as Sripatham Kannan predicted it was time for a trip around the streets of Malliyam. He recounts to this writer the sad development over the past few years “Long ago, Perumal would reach Malliyam and head directly to the Asthana Mandapam near the coconut grove. But in the recent past, the villagers have made this trip a collection exercise for them. In the hot sun, the Lord has to go around the streets of Malliyam while the Village Chiefs collect donation from every home and shop providing receipt to them.”

Its well past 1pm and the Sripatham on bare foot have been out in the Sun for over six hours. Finally, the Lord came to a rest at the Asthana Mandapam in Malliyam, where he experienced a Thirumanjanam.

Unfortunately for the Sripatham personnel, much of this collection by the villagers in the name of Parimala Ranganathar does not translate to their kitty in a big way, though this time around late on Thursday evening, they fought for their rights with the Malliyam villagers and secured a reasonable sambhavanai for their service from the donations collected. Sripatham Head Kannan told this writer that the Ubayadarar of the day too took good care of the Sripatham Personnel recognising their commitment ferrying the Lord from Indhalur to Malliyam in the hot sun. njanam with the Prabhandham Ghoshti presenting Iyarpa and Tiruvoimozhi verses at Malliyam.

Back in Srirangam too, Namperumal made his way from Jeeyapuram  having spent the whole day there on the Southern Banks of Cauvery. With the Prabhandham Ghoshti presenting Moonraam Thiruvanthathi from the North Chitra street and a whole host of Kainkaryaparas cheering each other through the return procession and with the devotees staying back in good numbers late on Thursday evening, Namperumal made his way back into the South entrance well past 10pm (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/03/srirangam-namperumal-jeeyapuram-utsavam.html). 

Shortage of Kainkaryaparas

At Thiru Indhalur, the shortage of service personnel is impacting utsavams with a few people having to manage the entire workload. All those centuries ago, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his praise says that for generations the devotees have been serving him  and are yearning for his darshan. Contrasted with that, Perumal takes the trouble now to provide darshan through the day in the hot sun but the original inhabitants have long gone from remote temple towns as these.

எந்தை தந்தை தம்மான் என்றென்று 

எமரேழ்  ஏழளவும் 

வந்து நின்ற தொண்டரோர்க்கே வாசிவல்லீரால் 

சிந்தை தன்னுள் முந்தி நிற்றீர் 

சிறிதும் திருமேனி 

இந்த வண்ணம் என்று காட்டீர் இந்தளூரீரே- Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

Madapalli cook Kumar made it to the Iyengar's house in the morning to serve Pongal to the Kainkaryaparas. A physically challenged Kainkaryapara cycled all the way to Malliyam along with Perumal. An original inhabitant from the century gone by who now resides in Chennai having moved on to the corporate space made his way to the procession this morning to assist Sridhar Bhattar. It is with the help of these select Kainkaryaparas that Sridhar Bhattar is now managing processions during the Brahmotsavam.

It was late in the evening when Maruviniya Mainthar began his procession back from Malliyam to reach Thiru Indhalur at 10pm. Kudos to Sridhar Bhattar, who having remained unnoticed for several years, for taking responsibility for the conduct of these utsavams including this Brahmotsavam. The shortage of personnel does not make it easy for him and there are big challenges along the way but with patience, he engages with all the kainkaryaparas and devotees trying his best to make them happy. It was a big achievement for him to ensure that Perumal made it all the way to Malliyam on this hot day and the villagers who gathered in large numbers there were happy that they could have darshan of the Divya Desam Lord at their doorstep.

Thiru Kurungudi New Towering Raja Gopuram

13 Tier over 125 feet Raja Gopuram on the anvil

After a Grand Consecration today, Kurungudi Mutt Jeer and Venu Srinivasan will come together again for the construction of a towering Raja Gopuram atop the existing Mottai Gopuram

  

It is the biggest day in the last several decades at the Azhagiya Nambi Divya Desam in Thiru Kurungudi, for a full-fledged consecration has taken place this morning (March 25) after a gap of over 110 years. The previous large-scale renovation works and consecration had taken place in 1912 (consecration of the Shiva Sannidhi a year earlier in 1911). This section had featured a story earlier this month on the extensive restoration exercise and the upcoming consecration (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/03/thiru-kurungudi-nambi-temple.html).

Two decades ago, when the priests were sitting at the entrance waiting for the next devotee to arrive, they would not have visualised a day when several thousands would gather on a single morning at this Divya Desam. The transformational change at Thiru Kurungudi has been made possible through the joint efforts of the Head of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt, Ramanuja Perarula Jeer and Industrialist TVS’ Venu Srinivasan, who has contributed in a big way to the restoration over the last decade. There were 25 family members from TVS who attended the consecration this morning. Later in the evening, Nambi provided darshan atop the Garuda Vahana.

எங்கனேயோ அன்னைமீர்காள் என்னை முனிவது நீர் 

நங்கள் கோலத் திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பியை நான் கண்டபின் 

சங்கினோடும் நேமியோடும் தாமரைக் கண்களோடும் 

செங்கனி வாய் ஒன்றினோடும் 

செல்கின்றது என் நெஞ்சமே 

Following today's consecration, the two will come together again on another mega project at the temple that is set to take off soon. 

This section had earlier featured stories on two historical temples in the Chozha region seeing the construction of a new tall Raja Gopuram. Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai and Venkatesa Perumal temple in Gunaseelam will both see the consecration of new Raja Gopurams in the next 2-3 years (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/06/gunaseelam-pichumani-bhattar-hereditary.html).

In the erstwhile Pandya region, at the Kula Deivam temple of Venu Srinivasan, a new Raja Gopuram will come up atop the current Mottai Gopuram at the Eastern entrance. Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer has assigned this engagement to the industrialist, who following the completion of the restoration works, will now take up the task of the construction of a 13 tier Raja Gopuram that will measure over 125 feet.

The construction of the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Kurungudi is expected to take at least a couple of years. 

Two New Initiatives

The Head of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt told this writer that the large scale Thiruppani works including the restoration of the Shiva Sannidhi and consecration has brought back the devotee crowd into the temple. Today's huge crowd at this Divya Desam stood testimony to that. In the coming period, he will focus on two significant exercises. He believes that the consecration and its positive vibration will lead to a 100% recovery initiative of the dues to the temple from the tenants residing at the temple lands. And the second, the starting of the construction of the towering Raja Gopuram that the Jeer is devotionally excited about. 

It may be recalled from a story in this section earlier that at Thiru Vellarai there was a call to first strengthen the foundation before commencing construction of the new Raja Gopuram on the Northern side (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/thiru-vellarai-new-raja-gopuram-by-end.html). Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer said that the current foundation of 50 feet is quite strong and that will facilitate the start of the construction of a Raja Gopuram atop the mottai gopuram.

நீங்க நில்லா கண்ணா நீர்கள் என்று 

அன்னையரும் முனிதிர் 

தேன் கொள் சோலைத் திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பியை 

நான் கண்டா பின் 

பூந் தன் மாலைத் தன் துழாயும் 

பொன் முடியும் வடிவும் 

பங்கு தோன்றும் பட்டும் நானும் பாவியேன் பக்கத்தவே 

In the past, Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer has been known to be a stickler to schedule. It is likely that with his devotional commitment to transform this Divya Desam completely and take it to a phase that will truly reflect the praise as seen in the verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Nam Azhvaar, he will drive the construction under his watchful eyes from a few hundred yards away. 

And Industrialist Venu Srinivasan is a hard task master and a disciplinarian who undertook and completed a massive restoration exercise at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam in just 15months over a decade ago. He also has wide ranging experience in temple restoration exericises. Given that these two will be driving this new project, it is likely that the devotees of Nambi will sooner than later be welcomed into the temple by a towering Raja Gopuram at the Eastern Entrance. And that's good news for the overall community in this historic temple town.

Pullam Bhoothangudi Panguni Garuda Sevai 2026

The solo bhattar of the last two decades, Gopalan Bhattar, showcases his favourite Valvil Ramar in great light with a delightful alankaram atop the Garuda Vahana on Sunday evening

55year old Gopalan Bhattar is all alone as the anchor Bhattar on the Garuda Sevai day at the Valvil Rama temple in Pullam Bhoothangudi, 10kms west of Kumbakonam, a Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in ten verses in the Periya Thirumozhi, where Moolavar Rama is seen with conch and chakra in a Bala Sayanam Posture. He has been at the temple for over two decades following in the footsteps of his appa Krishnamurthy (Kannan) Bhattachar, who had served here for several decades and who was face of the temple during the most challenging times in the second half of the previous century.

அறிவதரியான் அனைத்துலகும் உடையான் 

என்னைஆள் உடையான் 

குறிய மாணி உரு ஆய  கூத்தன் மன்னி 

அமரும் இடம் 

நறிய மலர் மேல் சுரும்பார்க்க 

எழிலார் மஞ்சை நடமாட 

பொறி கொள் சிறை வண்டிசை பாடும் 

புள்ளம பூதங்குடி தானே

A Bhattar formerly at Thiru Kovilur and now residing in Melattur was to support Gopalan Bhattar through this utsavam but on the fourth morning of the utsavam he left Pullam Bhoothangudi after encountering a difference of opinion. Being a lone Bhattar to manage two processions each day, pallakku in the morning and vahana in the evening, is a physically tiring exercise, in addition to the Yaaga Saalai pooja and the daily thiru aradhanam at the Perumal and Thayar sannidhis. 

Being alone over the last two decades has also taken a toll on his health in recent times but unmindful of this, he is at the temple till 2pm for the morning procession and then for the Uchchi Kaala pooja. His wife is worried at home in the way he gets stressed out physically and mentally. The hall at his house on Sannidhi street is full of medicines but he does not have the time for health care during this utsavam. After a quick meal, he is back at the temple. 

On days through the year, Mei Kavalar Saravanan is his sole companion. Like Gopalan Bhattar, Saravanan too has followed in the footsteps of his appa. On this big utsavam day too, he is active welcoming devotees and informing them on the likely schedule and directing them to the moolavar sannidhi or towards the vahana Mandapam.

By 6.30pm, the prabhandham ghoshti are in the final verses of completing their fourth day recital of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham.  Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Pullam Bhoothangudi as a location where Vedic seers of ever-lasting fame were reciting the Vedas. There are  not Vedic scholars in large numbers anymore at Pullam Bhoothangudi with the original inhabitants having long quit this historic location in search of greener pastures in cities but there are a couple of members presenting the vedic verses with great commitment in front of the Valvil Ramar Sannidhi ahead of the Garuda Vahana procession.

கறையார் நெடுவேல் மறமன்னர் வீய 

விசயன் தேர் கடவி 

இறையான் கையில் நிறையாத 

முண்டம் நிறைத்த எந்தை இடம் 

மறையால் முத்தீ அவை வளர்க்கும் 

மண்ணு புகழால் வன்மையால் 

பொறையால் மிக்க அந்தணர் வாழ் 

புள்ளம் பூதங்குடி தானே

Devotees are slowly trickling ahead of the Garuda Sevai procession. The Prabhandham and Vedic members arrive in front of Valvil Ramar atop the Garuda Vahana for Satru Murai.

Sripatham Personnel - The residents of three villages

At Pullam Bhoothangudi temple, administered by the Ahobila Mutt, the tradition has been for the residents of three villages – Pullam Bhoothangudi, Narasimmapuram and Athanur, the Andalakkum Aiyyan Divya Desam to don the role of Sripatham. 

33year old Ramkumar resides in the Agraharam opposite the Raja Gopuram and he has been carrying the Lord during the Brahmotsavam as well as during the Pancha Parva Utsavam each month right from the time he was a young boy. He recalls the time from his teenage years “I have had great regard for the Bhattachar for they (father earlier and now son) have performed the Kainkaryam all alone for so many decades. I considered it a great blessing to be residing the Agraharam and to have carried the Lord for so many years. My appa and I are also the ones to carry the Kudai during the morning Pallakku procession and to station the canopy atop the vahana in the evening morning.”

He also tells this writer that in the past a devotee in Chennai had motivated the Sripatham to start the Pancha Parva procession well before 6pm offering a Sambhavanai to them for these processions every month.

The sripatham are not paid money for their service. Instead over generations, they have been presented with large quantities of food after each procession. The sripatham personnel numbering over 50 arrive after 8.30pm and the Prabhandham members begin the presentation of Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi in front of the Vedantha Desikar Sannidhi. 

         Prabhandham Ghoshti reciting Naangaam Thiruvanthaathi

Gopalan Bhattar’s nephew 24 year old Ambarish, who along with his appa performs kainkaryam at the Perumal temple in Innambur, one managed by The Hindu family, has taken the place of the ‘angered’ Bhattar and is the one who accompanies Valvil Ramar at the Garuda Vahana procession. The streets are dotted with white pulli kolam and the residents invoke the blessings of the Lord presenting Thattu in front of their homes (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/ezhuthurai-nathar-temple-innambur.html). 

Residents continue to live in Thatched Hut

66 year old R Nagarajan is a painter and has seen the Garuda Sevai for over six decades having been a resident of Pullam Bhoothangudi all his life. He and his wife  still live in a hut house on the North street and he recalls the poverty-stricken temple town from the second half of the previous century “There was only one big house in the entire North street till a few decades ago. There was nothing grand about the procession as we see now. Everything was simple. There was not much the residents could offer to the Lord in a poverty-stricken scenario. Kannan Bhattar was the known face to all of us. He would pray for all of us and instil confidence in us that with Valvil Ramar's blessings, our fortunes would turnaround for the better, one day.”

          Long time resident painter Nagarajan living under a thatched roof

வெற்பால் மாறி பழுதாக்கி 

விறல் வாள் அரக்கர் தலைவன் தன் 

வற்பாற் திரள் தோள் ஐந்நான்கும் 

துணித்த வல்வில் ராமனிடம் 

கற்பார் புரிசை செய் குன்றம் 

கவினார் கூடம் மாளிகைகள் 

பொற்பார் மாடம் எழிலாரும் 

புள்ளம் பூதங்குடி தானே

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to mountain like mansions and homes in Pullam Bhoothangudi during his times. Unfortunately, this temple town has seen little infra development in the decades gone by. Even public transport is infrequent making it challenging for devotees to visit this Divya Desam. While there is currently an overall economic development in the country, this historic temple town still has people living in hut houses around the temple. 

Theevatti Kainkaryaparas

There were no street lights till a few decades ago and Perumal was led by the Theevatti that threw light amid the darkness all around. Arumugam has been carrying the Theevatti during the procession over the last few decades and he recalls the dark days from the past “We would be paid 50 paise for our Theevatti service during this Brahmotsavam procession. We live on daily wages during the day for survival but we turn up in the night without fail to light up the procession with our ghee lit Theevatti.”

The streets are still dark with no bright lights and it is the Theevatti Kainkaryaparas whose service helps with the smooth procession. Even so, the canopy gets stuck in a couple of locations with the overhead wires.

Legendary Episode

Legend has it that Rama, who had not been able to perform the last rites for his father as he was away in the forest, derived some consolation by performing Jatayu's obsequies and giving moksham to the Bird. In the Ramayana, this episode is referred to as the death of the second father. It is believed that those who failed to perform last rites for their father (parents) will get liberation from their ‘parental curse’ (Pithru Saabham Nivarthi) if they visit this temple.

While performing the last rites, Raama felt the absence of Sita. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi came out of the Golden Lotus temple tank to stand by his side while he performed the last rites for the bird. Hence, Thaayar at this temple is called Potraamaraiyaal.

கற்றா மறித்துக் காளியன் தன் 

சென்னி நடுங்க நடம்பயின்ற

பொற்றாமரையாள் தன் கேள்வன் 

புள்ளம் பூதங்குடி தன்மேல் 

கற்றார் பரவும் மங்கையர் கோன் 

காரார் புயற்க்கை கலிகன்றி 

சொல் தான் ஈரைந்து இவை பாட 

சோர நில்லா துயர் தாமே 

The Hanumantha Vahana is still 24 hours away but young kids are already in that mood visualising Hanuman carrying Valvil Ramar on Monday evening and they move from house to house in a signature monkey mask alerting the residents of the upcoming Hanumantha Vahana procession. On this Garuda Sevai procession, there are scores of young children accompanying the Lord and enjoying the festive mood. 

Past 10pm, Valvil Ramar is back at the temple after the Deeparathanai and the Satru Murai verses at the Raja Gopuram. The sripatham personnel await the presentation of Puliyotharai and Dhadhyonam that they can take back home for dinner. During the utsavam, huge quantity of Thaligai is prepared that Kainkaryaparas can have as well as to be handed out to the Sripatham.

As the clock ticks to 11pm, Gopalan Bhattar is back at the Vahana Mandapam to first remove the alankaram of the evening and then to decorate Valvil Ramar for the 8am procession on the 5th day.  Right from a young age, he has taken great pride in showcasing his ‘Ramar’ in great light and had always wanted to see a resplendent Rama decked with glittering jewels and huge flower garlands. Two decades ago, things were not rosy at the temple with a deserted look most of the time and the Raja Gopuram too had a worn out look. But the devotional wave, especially the belief in Narasimha, has been bringing devotees to this temple and Gopalan Bhattar's childhood dream of seeing Valvil Ramar in shining silk vastrams has finally been fulfilled. Sunday evening was one such occasion when this Bhattar who has spent all his life with this Lord, devoted a great deal of time to decorating his favourite Lord.

           Uncle Gopalan Bhattar and Nephew Ambarish 

It was well past midnight when Gopalan Bhattar and his nephew Ambarish went back home in the quietness of the night for a well earned rest with most of Pullam Bhoothangudi having already gone to sleep. 

A story on Kannan Bhattar and Gopalan Bhattar in 2017: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/05/pullam-bhoothangudi-divya-desam.html

Mannargudi Rajagopalaswamy Panguni Garuda Sevai 2026

A month after the grand consecration, the six hour Garuda Sevai showcases how vote bank politics influences remote temple utsavams

It is the week the assembly election dates were announced. Soon after, on the 10th day of the 18day Panguni Brahmotsavam, the EO of the Rajagopalaswamy temple in Raja Mannargudi sends out direction to the Kainkaryaparas on the need to have an early evening start to the procession and an early return back to the Sannidhi. There was a logic to this direction with the police personnel in this historic temple town being assigned to other cities ahead of election management work, there was not enough police protection that would be available for the rest of the utsavams. Typically, Perumal would start on the Garuda Sevai procession after 8pm and return well past 2am. The direction this week was to start the procession after 630pm and for Perumal to return to the temple before 11pm.

Perumal atop Garuda Vahana ready at 6.30pm

In line with this direction, Sthaneegam Dr. Prasanna Venkatesa Dikshithar got on to decorating Raja Gopalaswamy atop the Golden Garuda Vahana early in the evening. In the decades leading to the end of the previous century, the temple utsavams across the state had seen a slowdown and even the Brahmotsavams were a toned down version of what it once was.  But the emergence of a new devotional wave has seen a big revival in utsavams at this temple.

Grand Renovation and Consecration

The repair works leading to the Consecration last month was an indication of how the fortunes of the temple had seen a turnaround. The temple that not too long ago had worn a deserted look has seen the biggest renovation works in several decades. The HRCE itself had allocated over a crore and with the priests securing a few crores through their devotee network, the expenses relating to the Thiruppani and the subsequent consecration event had reached a level not seen before at this temple.

The entire temple complex now sports a new, clean look. A new flooring has been laid around the entire outer prakara. For the first time in decades, the dark black spots on the walls and pillars of the madapalli have been removed and there is a breath of fresh air inside the large madapalli where on the day of the consecration several hundred kgs of sacred food was prepared and distributed to the devotees from early morning. Vedic Pandits from across the country participated in the consecration event with the Kainkaryaparas alone touching the 300 mark on that morning. The towering Raja Gopuram is among the tallest in TN Perumal temples at over 150 feet.

Similar to the grand consecration event, the grandeur of the Garuda Sevai too has seen a revival taking one back to old time. The glittering crown, the shining jewellary on Raja Gopala Swamy’s chest and the huge flower garlands, the silk vastram on Garuda and Perumal are all indications of this grand revival at this temple. 

Devotees had a first glimpse of the majestic Raja Gopala Swamy just after 6.30pm when the screen opened at the Vahana Mandapam with the Nadaswaram artistes presenting devotional tunes. On such days, the priests are at the mercy of many others. One such on this evening was a sudden sharp shower. It is a newly consecrated temple. Just a month after, pools of water was stagnant in the path to madapalli.

The EO directs a process but who is in charge of the procession

The direction for an early start was well intentioned but the sripatham personnel were not to be seen and the procession did not start till the clock had ticked to almost 8pm. By this time, a huge devotee crowd had gathered inside the temple for the Gopuram Vaasal darshan. As is the current trend, the phones went up high through the procession from the Vahana Mandapam to the Raja Gopuram with devotees clicking their first shots of the handsome looking Raja Gopala Swamy carried by the Golden Garuda.

Rettai Kudai Darshan

A bigger crowd had already positioned themselves near the Chariot for the mounting of the ‘Rettai Kudai’ atop Raja Gopala Swamy, an event that devotees specifically come to have darshan of. It was 8.45pm when both the white Canopies were fixed atop Perumal. While most of the devotees dispersed after darshan of Perumal in front of the Raja Gopuram, the Lord made his way through the busy traffic filled Bazaar Street to the Garuda Mandapa at the east end. 

This was once a traditional mandapam where Raja Gopala Swamy would halt for a brief while before being mounted on the Chapparam. With the economic development, this mandapa is now a mobile showroom. It was from here that one experienced the full extent of the vote bank politics and its impact on this procession.

Sirupuliyur Bhattar makes it to the Garuda Mandapam

Perumal had made his to the Garuda Mandapam aka the mobile showroom well before 10pm. Scores of devotees on the eastern side of Mannargudi came in to have darshan at this location. The one legged Srikanthan Bhattar, who recently received a Kainkarya Saagaram award for his selfless service and who mentored under Dr. Prasanna Dikshithar at utsavams in various temples including at the Iskcon temple in Ahmedabad makes it to the Garuda Mandapam along with his brother who had performed kainkaryam at Banaswadi temple in Bombay (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/03/sirupuliyur-srikanthan-bhattar.html). 

The clock had ticked to 11pm but the Chapparam did not arrive. The sripatham had had a rest of well over an hour by now. A car had been parked in front of the Chapparam and that seemingly delayed its arrival to near the Garuda mandapam. The wait seemed endless. Most of the devotees had left the mandapam and there were just a few left.

It was 11.30pm, a full 3 ½ hours after the start from inside the temple when Raja Gopala Swamy finally began the Chapparam procession from the Bazaar street. The traditional four streets procession takes place with Perumal inside the Chapparam. In front of the Eastern Raja Gopuram, on the east car street, a few Prabhandham members were waiting for Perumal to arrive.

Kannangudi Bhattar has Garuda Sevai darshan

Prabhakara (Prabhu) Bhattar is all alone at the Damodara Narayana Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Kannangudi. After the Saayi Raksha pooja, he makes his way just before midnight for a darshan of Raja Gopala Swamy at the Garuda Vahana procession. He walks along with Perumal till the East street before returning to Thiru Kannagudi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/thiru-kannangudi-prabhu-bhattar.html). 

Prabhandham Thodakkam after midnight

Past midnight, the Prabhandham members began the Thodakkam of Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi. After the first verse, they proceeded towards the South street and had hoped that Perumal would follow them as is the norm but alas Perumal was to lay stationed in front of the Raja Gopuram with the young Vidyasagar Dikshithar sitting inside. The sripatham personnel, who had well over an hour of rest after the halt at Garuda Mandapam went for a tea break. 

Helpless Dikshithars

Another young Dikshithar arrived to accompany Vidyasagar at the procession but there were no signs of the restart of the procession for the Sripatham continued to enjoy their tea. There were a couple of police people who watched in silence. The priests would have no say in such things. The Prabhandham members had long moved into the South street with the recital of the Naanamugan Thiruvanthathi. The traditionalists at the South street had decorated the entire street with large sized white pulli kolam and had been waiting for Perumal to arrive in front of their homes but the wait turned out to be long on the night.

Finally, after 12.30am, Perumal made his way on to the South street where a number of the Dikshithars reside. While there were devotees waiting with thattu, the procession did not stop in front of each of the homes, leaving the residents helpless as they walked along to present the thattu to the Dikshithar even as the Chapparam was moving. 

By 1am, the procession turned on to the West street. And here, the left side of the Chapparam slid away from the newly laid tar road!!! A Bhagavatha is all alone singing praise of Krishna and his greatness through the whole night at the procession and while the nadaswaram artistes are not to be seen anywhere on the four streets, two drum beaters carry out their duty with great commitment. 

Energetic Ekkalam Duo

Raman is well past 60 and he has been presenting the traditional Ekkalam from his childhood during the entire Panguni Brahmotsavam. His son too has joined him at this utsavam and through the evening right from 8pm, they have been energetically playing the Ekkalam at this procession. Raman considers it a great blessing to have played this instrument for almost five decades at this temple. 

On to the North street, residents have stayed awake late into the night for a darshan of Raja Gopala Swamy atop the Garuda Vahana and they present Thattu even as the Chapparam keeps moving. It is exactly 2am, six hours after Raja Gopala Swamy had made his way out of the vahana mandapam, when the priest presents Deeparathanai with the Chapparam having come to a final halt in front of the Chariot. 

As was seen after the Horse Vahana procession at the Chakrapani temple in Kumbakonam a fortnight ago, there was confusion as to whether the shatari mariyathai should be presented in front of the Chapparam or if it should at the vahana mandapam inside the temple. Krishna Kumar Bhattar was vocal that the mariyathai is to be inside the temple as had been performed by his forefathers and the Sripatham personnel nodded to his direction.

Here there was a young priest and the sripatham insisted on the mariyathai taking place near the Chapparam and so it was carried out. By now, Krishna Kumar Bhattar’s son in law, Baradwaj Diskhithar who has a fortnight’s Murai every month at this temple as well as ten days in Vaduvur, was alerted about the return of the procession and he made his way to the Raja Gopuram for the Deeparathanai and Satru Murai. 

In front of the Vanamaamalai and Ahobila Mutt, Deeparathanai was presented by Chellappa Bhattar. It was past 2.30am when the Prabhandham members made their way to the entrance of the Ramanuja Sannidhi for the Satru Murai verses of Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi. 

Prasanna Dikshithar arrives at 2.30am for Ubayadarar Mariyathai

By this time, Dr. Prasanna Dikshithar too had arrived to carry out the ubayadarar mariyathai at the Vahana Mandapam. He may have secured a Doctorate in Agama and Utsavam Processes at the Raja Gopalaswamy temple and touching 50, he too has to be at the mercy of others!!! While the Sripatham Personnel made their way out of the temple as did the ubayadarars, there was more work for the priests. Perumal had to be unmounted from the Garuda Vahana and the necklaces to be kept back in safe custody inside the Sannidhi. 

And then it was time for Raja Gopala Swamy to be decorated in the Kalinga Narthana Thiru Kolam for the next morning’s procession. It was past 5am on Friday morning when the priests could sit peacefully and look back at the long night at the temple.

For much of the procession, the Dikshithars have to be silent spectators caught between the temple authorities on one side, whose directions they anyway follow and the Sripatham Personnel on the other at whose mercy they are through the entire 18 day utsavam.  There are multiple communities that manage the different utsavams and there are votes to be secured from them. The politics right at the top has a message to not rub them on the wrong side and to allow the procession to progress as per their process.

Bearing in Silence 

If the procession does not start till 8pm though the HRCE instruction was to start early, if Perumal remains halted at the Bazaar street for 90 minutes and if the prabhandham members have long moved after the Thodakkam in front of the Raja Gopuram but Perumal remains there for half hour for a ‘Tea Break’, there is very little that the Dikshithars can do other than bear in silence. The Dikshithars of Mannargudi decorate the Lord on time, they are with the Perumal from start to finish during the street processions, they spend time late in the night to remove the alankaram and get Perumal ready with the alankaram for the next procession and yet very little happens as per schedule and they have to bear the variable external factors with patience at the Raja Gopala Swami at Raja Mannargudi. 

The Revered Dikshithars of Raja Mannargudi

Once upon a time in the not too distant past, the Dikshithars of Mannargudi anchored utsavams at many temples in this region. Baradwaj Dikshithar, now in his 30s, recalls his grandfather staying put for ten days during Brahmotsavam in other temples and being sent back with great respect on a bullock cart with a bag full of Paddy, such was the regard for the Dikshathars of Mannargudi in the times gone by for they revered for their deepo agama knowledge as well as the traditional way they carried out their work during the Big Utsavamsw. For the moment, the Dikshithar is not the Raja at the processions here for he is constantly at the mercy of others at this temple.

Mannargudi Prasanna Dikshithar Doctorate

A Bhattar Doctor

Into his late 40s, this hereditary Sthaneegam secures a Doctorate with an almost 200 page document providing great insights into the historical importance, relevance and uniqueness of utsavams at the Rajagopalaswamy temple

The 1970s and 80s saw a sever downturn in the fortunes of the Kainkaryaparas at the Raja Gopalaswamy temple in Mannargudi. This led Prasanna Dikshithar to focus on academics.Till class XII, he did not have much of a connection with the temple for there were no devotees and most of the utsavams had toned down in grandeur.

It was after his wedding in 2002 that he experience a strong resurgence towards Vaishnavism. Having graduated in the 1990s in Chemistry during which time he also learned the agamas, he took to a second degree at the turn of the century and then went on to pick up a Masters degree as well in Vaishnavism.  Prasanna Dikshithar has always liked to write and has been maintaining a note of various utsavams and its processes.

Having secured the Masters degree, he wanted to make his dream a reality – that of recording the reasoning and the relevance behind the utsavams at the Rajagopalaswamy temple for posterity.  It was MA Venkatakrishnan, the former HOD of Vaishnavism at the Madras University and the head of the Prabhandham Ghoshti at Thiruvallikeni who seeded the thought in him to explore a doctorate at the Sastra University. 

On the Garuda Sevai evening soon after decorating Rajagopalaswamy in a grand alankaram atop the Golden Garuda Vahana, he told this writer that this temple had some unique utsavams that had been going on for several centuries- the current ’18 day’ Brahmotsavam in Panguni being an illustration of that.

Following the Pandemic, he met with Dr. N. Kannan, Head of Oriental studies at the Sastra University and under his guidance as well as that of his co-guide Dr. Thyagarajan took to researching the Pancharatra Agama and its relevance and application in the utsavams at the Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannargudi. He has gone into details of daily utsavams, the monthly Pancha Parva Utsavams and round the year utsavams at this temple such as Vasantha Utsavam, Kodai Utsavam, Panguni Uthira Utsavam, Chitrai Utsavam, Theppotsavam and Pavitrotsavam among others, describing as to how each of these should be performed and the historical agama relevance and the importance of paying attention to minute detail in every process of these utsavams.

The thought process behind every activity during utsavams

Interesting Agamic aspects in these include the time for the performance of Angooraarpanam, the points to be followed on this, the sacred items required for this and the like. He has also provide great insights into the relevance of Raksha Bandanam and the process to be followed there.  One may have seen the Photo of Garuda alongside the Flag Post during the Brahmotsavam. He has described the historical significance of this as to why and how this should be done. During this 18 day Brahmotsavam in Panguni, Perumal starts for the street procession from the 'Elephant' mandapam on 10days. Dr. Prasanna Dikshithar provides insights into the significance of starting out from the Yaanai mandapam. For Thayar, he has insights on the importance of Friday and utsavams take place for her on this day. 

Uniqueness of Rajagopalaswamy temple utsavams

During the Navarathri Utsavam, there is a Raksha Bandanam for the Horse Vahana. Dr. Prasanna Dikshithar provides the historical significance of this.For the next gen archakas, he has recorded the relevance and importance of village deities utsavams as well in his findings. Yet another unique feature at the Rajagopalaswamy temple is celebration of the Kolattam utsavam. Prasanna Dikshithar has insights on why this is celebrated in his almost 200page research document. He has dug deep into ancient scripts that has passed on from generations and referred to over 40 historical books.

In the century gone by, there had been an overflowing number of Dikshithars who performed archaka service at this temple. The large number of archakas meant that each of them had only a minimal number of days each year with Prasanna Dikshithar himself having 75 days annually at this temple split equally between Perumal and Thayar Sannidhis. 

Over the last dozen years, on the insistence of Muralidhara Swami, he has also been initiating the next gen students into Agama at the Patshala in Nangur. One of his students has just joined the Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal at Thiru Vekka temple in Kanchipuram as an archaka while another student is currently serving as a priest at the Vijayaraghava Divya Desam in Thiruputkuzhi.  There have been over 50 students who have been initiated into the agamas by Prasanna Dikshithar in addition to him also mentoring next gen Bhattars with practical experience during utsavams. 

Every year, he also anchors Pavitrotsavam in many nearby temples around Mannargudi including the Varadararja Perumal temple in Rayanallur as well as those in Coimbatore, Mettupalayam, Banaswadi (Bombay) and the Iskcon temple in Ahmedabad. Leading to the consecration that took place last month, Prasanna Dikshithar single handedly organised a few crores towards the repairs works through the network he has built over the last two decades.

In the past many hereditary bhattars cut short their academics to learn agamas so they could follow in the footsteps of their forefathers. Also, there had been no Masters degree in Sanskrit or Vaishnavism through the correspondence route till recently and there were not too many priests who explored this option.

But Prasanna Dikshithar is different. He has an inquisitive mind, one that wants to learn all the time as well as share his learnings with others. When the Vaishnavism grad and masters degree was introduced through correspondence route, he latched on to that and took great interest in completing those. The Masters degree paved the way for him to explore the possibility of a P. Hd. Straddling between his kainkaryam at the Rajagopalaswamy temple and the agama teaching at the  Nangur Patshala, he worked hard for three years to prepare and present a 200 page document on Pancharatra Agama and the utsavams at the Mannargudi temple. For future generations, this thoroughly researched document will serve as a ready reckoner for all utsavams at this temple. 

On this Thursday, he is back at the temple at 2.30am to present the Mariyathai to the Ubayadarars on the Garuda Sevai night and stays there till well past 3am. That’s Prasanna Dikshithar for you. He had seen the temple in financial turmoil during his childhood and knows the importance of a donor devotee in the conduct of these utsavams. At the same time, being the one initiating young students into the agamas, he knows the dire need for the next gen bhattars to understand indepth the relevance of the utsavams at this temple and the thought process behind every activity at each of these utsavams. Dr. S Prasanna Venkatesan Dikshithar is the first archaka in this region to secure a doctorate on a temple utsavam subject and that’s no mean achievement for one in his late 40s.  

A story on Prasanna Dikshithar in 2023: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/03/mannargudi-prasanna-dikshithar.html