Parthanpalli Nangur Divya Desam

VS Lakshmana Dikshithar was rewarded with a diamond ring for his 'musical' archanai but he converted that into a Pathakam for the Lord - Such was the commitment of this archakar who performed Selfless Service for 60 years at Parthanpalli Divya Desam

With Seshadri Bhattar and his forefathers, the hereditary trustees of the  Parthasarathy Temple in Parthanpalli for the last 250 years, having moved to service at temples in Kumbakonam, it was the revered Pancharatra agama expert VS Lakshmana Dikshithar (their relative) who performed aradhana at the Parthanpalli Divya Desam for over 60 years till his death earlier this decade at the age of 85. His selfless service for very little financial returns over a long period of time had to be experienced for one to believe that such people existed in the  not too distant past. 

In the days of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, Parthanpalli was home to tall mansions.

கவள யானை கொம்பு ஒசித்த

கண்ணன் என்றும் காமரு சீர்

குவளை மேகம் அன்ன மேனி

கொண்ட கோன் என் ஆனை என்றும்

தவள மாட நீடு நாங்கைத்

தாமரையாள் கேள்வன் என்றும்

பவள வாயாள் என் மடந்தை

பார்த்தன்பள்ளி பாடுவாளே

No Income, No Thattu Kaasu

However, for much of the 60 years of his service, the agraharam had become a thing of the past. There were few devotees who visited Parthanpalli and Thattu Kaasu was almost non existent. The temple was in a dilapidated state with a muddy Prakara and high thorny bushes all around. There were no lighting at the temple in those days. Ghee lit lamp provided the only source of light to the temple complex. It was generally dark all around. As with most other ancient temples, Parthanpalli too had in its possession lands the income from which was not only sufficient to conduct utsavams and pay the sirpanthigals but also to deposit in a bank. But in the 2nd half of the 20th century, the income dwindled and the inflow came to almost nil.

But none of these mattered to Lakshmana Dikshithar for his was a life of devotional connect with the Lord. Lack of income did not alter his approach at the temple. For decades, he woke up early and began the daily aradhana for the Lord each day of the year in the calm of this ancient temple town.A unique feature at the Parthanpalli Divya Desam is the presence of two Utsava Deities- Parthasarathy and Kolavilli Rama, not seen elsewhere in the Thiru Nangur Divya Desam.

The tank, one whose legend dates back to an episode from the Mahabaratha, remained dry and unattended to for several decades was the state of the temple all through that period. Thirsty after a long pilgrimage, Arjuna hoped to quench his thirst at Agastya’s ashram who was undertaking penance here but to his dismay he found that the Sage’s Kamandala too had gone dry. Answering Arjuna’s prayers, Krishna appeared here as Parthasarathy and presented Arjuna with a sword. As instructed by Parthasarathy, Arjuna struck the ground with the sword and to his surprise water poured out of that place helping him quench his thirst.  This location, south of the temple, became the sacred ‘Katka’ Pushkarani.  To mark this event, Arjuna is seen here at this Divya Desam with a sword.

As seen from the Praise of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, Vedic Seers recited the Four Vedas in this ancient location - செஞ்சொலாளர் நீடு நங்கைத் - In line with the praise, Lakshmana Dikshithar, a Pancharatra Agama expert, taught students at the Nangur Patshala. Earlier, he also initiated students in Parthanpalli.

Devotee gifts a diamond ring
He had a unique rendering of the archanai, not seen in any other Divya Desam in Tamil Nadu. His specialty was the Ramayana Archanai based on a Raagamalika tone. Once a devotee was so moved with the experience of listening to his archanai that he instantly, in a moment of devotional happiness removed a diamond ring from his finger and  handed it to Lakshmana Dikshithar as his gift. But Lakshmana Dikshithar would have none of it. He soon converted the personal gift into a pathakam for the Lord and placed it on his chest. Such was his devotional commitment even at the time of extreme financial difficulty.

Watchman for 25 years

53 year old S Govindarajan has been a watchman at the temple for the last 25 years. His wife sweeps the floor and helps in maintenance including cleaning the vessels. 

When he joined in 1993 there was no other person willing to come and work at this Divya Desam "When I joined, this was a brick temple. Soon, the Raja Gopuram, which too was a brick construction, developed cracks. Most parts of the outer wall  were in a broken condition. Madapalli was a small old structure with a low roof and many took a hit while entering. But the finances were so poor that there was no money to do even basic repair works, let alone major renovation."

The Name Parthan Palli
It was here that Arjuna was initiated with ‘Knowledge Education’ by Lord Parthasarathy to make Arjuna understand who he really was and what his real powers were. Since Arjuna had this Knowledge initiation here and played the role of a student, this temple came to be known after him as ‘Parthan Palli’.

Poigai Azhvaar’s praise
Poigai Azhvaar in his Thiruvanthathi verse refers to the moolavar deity Thaamarai Aal Kelvan:
பெயருங் கருங் கடலே நோக்கும் ஆறு ஒண் பூ
உயரும் கதிரவனே நோக்கும் உயிரும்
தருமனையே நோக்கும் ஒண் தாமரையால் கேள்வன்
ஒருவனையே நோக்கும் உணர்வு


Hereditary Trustee returns

After the death of Lakshmana Dikshithar just over 5 years ago, the now 80 year old Seshadri Bhattar has returned to his hereditary temple at Parthanpalli. With  a devotee network built through his service at the temples in Kumbakonam, he collected the funds to renovate the temple and conducted Samprokshanam a few years ago. The temple has no indication of the days from the century gone by. A cement flooring around the prakara, mosaic in a few places within the complex, new outer walls and a colourful Raja Gopuram. The tank too is being refurbished with walls built on all the four sides. But devotees remain elusive on weekdays.

It is a Thursday morning in Puratasi. There are no devotees at the temple. It  has been a quiet morning as is the case on most week days. As with Lakshmana Dikshithar, the lack of devotee crowd does not matter to Seshadri Bhattar. For almost close to two hours, he is seen performing aradhana for the Lord in a most traditional way that takes one to the good old days of archakas spending devotional one on one time with the Lord. He then presents Thaligai to the Lord and Thayar. Just around noon, there is a family from Hyderabad that has made a long trip to this Divya Desam. They are treated to a sumptuous curd rice. 

But the scenario changes over the weekend, Devotees in good numbers visit Parthanpalli as part of their Thiru Nangur Divya Desam trip on Saturday and Sunday. The devotional wave that has struck Tamil Nadu temples in the last decade or so has helped Parthanpalli as well with weekend devotee crowd resulting in an increase in Thattu Kaasu. 

In a way, Seshadri Bhattar is now in the right place but not so Lakshmana Dikshithar who faced through the toughest of times  in the 2nd half of the 20th century with the greatest of devotion. Finally, the fruits of his devotional commitment that lasted over six decades is now bearing fruits with the temple wearing a refreshing look, infrastructure wise, and the Bhattar now energised with the ever increasing devotee crowd. 

Festivals
In the early part of the previous century, Brahmotsavam was the period when villagers congregated at the temple in good numbers. A certain community also took it upon themselves to carry the Lord on their shoulders during the Vahana processions.

The No Moon Day in Aadi was another big occasion at the temple for Lord Parthasarathy made a long trip to the Poompuhar Sea Shore for the Annual Theerthavari Utsavam. 

On the No Moon Day in Thai, Thirumangai Azhvaar visits this temple followed by the trip to Thiru Nangur for the annual Garuda Sevai that has now become a popular.

The temple is open from 8am-1230pm and 5pm-830pm. Contact Seshadri Bhattar @ 99948 37326

How to reach
From Sirkazhi, take Poompuhar bound bus (buses every half hour) via Thiruvali / Mangai Madam and get down at Thiruvenkadu. From here, Parthanpalli is about 2kms (auto will cost Rs. 50). From Mayiladuthurai, take Poompuhar bound bus (every hour) to Thiruvenkadu (20kms). Also, local buses (Numbers 4A, 12, 28 and 34) ply from Mayiladuthurai to Thiruvenkadu.

Auto from Thiruvenkadu will cost Rs. 50/-. Contact auto natarajan@ 9095313304