A once
in a Century Sapthaavaranam coinciding with Chandra Grahanam creates huge ‘agama
process’ controversy at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam
In a commendable
move, JC Pon Jayaraman takes a bold and an unprecedented decision of revising the entire schedule of
events at the last minute in an effort to do the ‘right’ thing
Thursday
January 31, 2018 marked a once in over a century event at the Ranganathaswamy
temple in Srirangam. On this day, Chandra Grahanam coincided with the Sapthaavaranam
of the Bhoopathi Thirunaal Utsavam in Thai.
The
events as it unfolded over the week of this grand Thai Utsavam also showcased
the difficulties in managing such a large and ancient temple with many
different and conflicting views having to be considered before finalizing upon
the sequence of events on the day. Many different factions, each with their own
opinion does not make it easy for the authorities to take decisions, and yet
one had to commend the JC of the temple, Pon Jayaraman, for a brave decision he took on this
day dismissing the officially printed programme schedule that had been in
circulation for over three quarters.
The annual calendar
For many years, the Srirangam temple has been bringing out an annual calendar that provides complete details on the days of the utsavams in the year as well as the timings of procession and other highlights of pooja on these days. This calendar of events is also posted on the website of the temple.
For this year, 2017-18, the calendar book had been launched in Panguni of 2017 i.e nine months ahead of this Bhoopathi Thirunaal utsavam.
The page relating to January 31, 2018 clearly indicated that it was the day of the Chandira Grihanam and provides the timings of Moolavar Darshan as well as the specific timing of the Thirumanjanam, the special Sapthaavaranam Procession, one where Lord Namperumal goes around the Uthira streets listening to Ramanuja Nootranthaathi chanting without the beating of the drums.
As
per this schedule, the Grahanam Thirumanjanam was to take place between 5 pm and
730 pm. And then Lord Namperumal was to leave for the Uthira Veethi Sapthaavaranam
procession at 10 pm. And the flag was to be brought down at 0.30 am (Feb 1) after ‘Padippu’
thanking the Lord for the safe and successful conduct of the Utsavam.
Till the middle of this Utsavam, this had remained the schedule, until a sudden realization happened with Murali Bhattar,
raising the need to have two Thirumanjanams on the day one prior to the Purapadu
for Sapthaavaranam (Thirunaal ending Thirumanjanam) and then one after the flag
was brought down for the Chandra Grahanam.
Murali
Bhattar, well versed in the agamas and who has been here at the temple for
several decades told this writer that this annual calendar (handed out to the
devotees at a pre fixed price) is usually run through the Araiyars, the Uthama
Nambi clan and the Bhattars before it is finalized ahead of the Tamil New Year.
When asked as to why this was not pointed out earlier, either before it went to print or during the course of the year, he conveyed his apologies to the authorities for overlooking the error in the
calendar but requested the authorities to take corrective action as he had noticed it ahead of the day and to stick
to what was right as per the agamas.
A
revision in schedule had many other officials, bhattars and kainkaryapakas raising their eyebrows.
Japta
Sampath, known for his loud and vocal voicing of opinions, registered a strong
protest against the conduct of two Thirumanjanams and bringing forward the 10pm
procession to 1.30pm. Several decades
experienced Raman Bhattar of Therazhundur, a man well versed in the agamas
agreed with Murali Bhattar that it was appropriate to have two Thirumanjanams
on the day.
The
temple had to make a choice between the two options. A programme taking into
account the Chandra Grahanam, had been chalked out three quarters earlier with a clear description of the events of the day and the schedule had been officially printed by the temple.
Do they choose to stick to the popular and safe decision of the programme detailed in the calendar at the beginning of the year after the Bhattar had brought the error to their notice or do they take corrective action and go ahead with the right process for the day and acknowledge the error in the official schedule.
Do they choose to stick to the popular and safe decision of the programme detailed in the calendar at the beginning of the year after the Bhattar had brought the error to their notice or do they take corrective action and go ahead with the right process for the day and acknowledge the error in the official schedule.
It
was not an easy decision to take, for it seemed that on the day leading up to
the Chandra Grahanam a majority wanted to stick to the
schedule and were not in favour of two Thirumanjanams and a revision of
procession timing.
A Commendable Decision
by the JC
The
man in the hot seat JC Pon Jayaraman took quite a bold and brave decision and quite an unprecedented one at that. He stuck his neck out to go with what was stated in the agamas for such a unique occurrence
of a Sapthaavaranam day falling on a Chandra Grahanam.Through the day one
could hear murmurs of angst against the rescheduling of the entire set of
events on this day.
The
9th day Thirumanjanam after the Chariot festival ended only around
mid night and the Kainkaryapakas had to be back at the temple in the morning
for this additional Thirumanjanam in the morning on the 10th day of
the Utsavam.
This new schedule posted on the notice board
outside the Ariya Bhattal Vaasal on the
morning of the 10th day showed the first Thirumanjanam in the
morning at 9 am, the procession at 1.30 pm, the flag to be brought down at 4 pm and the
second ‘Grahanam’ Thirumanjanam after 5 pm with the Lord going back to the
Moolavar Sannidhi at 9.15 pm.
Sitting in front of the notice board, Japta
Sampath also questioned the plan to bring down of the flag at 4 pm as it was not
to be done before Sunset.
As
luck would have it, one that saved the day for the JC and the authorities, the
first Thirumanjanam and the formalities following that were so delayed that the
procession took off only at 3.45pm which meant the Lord was back at the temple
only around 5pm.
Being
this special 10th day of the Utsavam, the Lord made his way to the Thayar
Sannidhi for Thiruvanthikaapu and then through the now open route alongside the
1000 Pillared Mandapam to the Ramanuja Sannidhi where he was greeted with
Coconut Water.
And
when the Ramanuja Nootranthathi Satrumurai was completed near the Garudan
Sannidhi, it was close to 6pm. Following
the ‘Padippu’, the flag was brought down well after 6.30 pm (after Sunset), even
though this had been planned for 4 pm as per the revised schedule saving the
blushes for the authorities.
Lord
Namperumal made his way out for the 2nd procession of the day after
730pm and following the 2nd Thirumanjanam, he made his way to his
sanctum from the Santanu Mandapam after 11 pm bringing to end a long and
controversial day at the temple.
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