Srivilliputhur Andal Divya Desam

The Temple reverberated in Devotion with 300 Adhyapakas presenting Divya Prabhandham in the Adhyayana Utsavam Ghosti

In the not so distant past, 60 kgs Sacred Food was presented to Andal each day and was distributed among the Kainkaryapakas. Today, the daily presentation is in grams!!!

Selling the 'Sacred' Kilis, Stocking provisions in sacred mandapams, Squeezing the Devotee Donor to the maximum, Monetising even the 'Sacred Well' and Offering Varieties of Food as 'Prasadam' is the new way of life at the Avathara Sthalam of two Azhvaars

Vedavalli Nachiyar is one of the very few Vaishnavites to have spent her entire over 7 decades life near the Andal Temple at the historical Divya Desam at Srivilliputhur. 'Nachiyar Maami' as she is fondly called in the temple circles in Srivilliputhur began experiencing the grand Utsavams in Aadi and Margazhi as a young school girl way back in the 1950s and has been part of almost every single Brahmotsavam since then. Her children, now settled in cities, have for many years been persisting with her to move with them to a more ‘comfortable’ life but Nachiyar’s mind stay firmly rooted to Andal at Srivilliputhur.

Her father, Thiruvaazhi Ramanuja Iyengar was a renowned Ramayana Upanyasakar at Srivilliputhur. In the middle of the previous century, his devotional style of presenting Periyazhvaar’s Pillai Tamil verses (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/08/periyazhvar-thirumozhi.html) attracted a big audience that listened to his narration of the nuances with great interest.With the devotional connect that she had with Andal, Nachiyar Maami was clear on two things. One she would not move out of this Divya Desam and two, she would not dispose the historical properties at Srivilliputhur. And she has managed to stick on to both despite the temptations to both move out to a city and to sell away the century old house.

300 member Prabhandham Ghosti - Adhyayana Utsavam

There were 14 traditional agraharams in Srivilliputhur with Archakas, Sthalathars, Thathachars, Saathu Jeers, Thengalayars, Vadakalayars and Poorva Shika Brahmins. Srivilliputhur is one of the only three Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu, where Araiyar Sevai, the art of presenting Nalayira Divya Prabhandham through a song, music and vyakyanam sequence, is continuing to be performed. Rama Sarma Araiyar in Melkote, Karnataka too continues to perform the Araiyar Sevai as does his son Parthasarathy Araiyar (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/melkote-araiyar-sri-rama-sharma.html). Srivilliputhur  is also home to two Azhvaars, the only such among Divya Desams.

In the decades gone by, the entire temple town of Srivilliputhur reverberated to the Prabhandham recital of 300 members. During the Adyayana Utsavam in Margazhi, the ghosti was so packed that Annankaracharya, who had visited Srivilliputhur at that time, remarked that he could not even enter the hall and had to stand outside through the entire presentation of the sacred verses. Despite the lack of big income for the priests and the adyapakars, there was devotional vibrancy in those decades. Focus was on God and not on money. Devotees experienced Bhakti through the committed devotional service of the priests and adyapakars. Katti Saatham in large quantities was presented to the Lord and Goddess each day of the year. Once upon a time in the not so distant past, 60 kgs of Sacred Food was presented daily over the 6 Kaalam Pooja and was distributed among the Kainkaryapakas.

Araiyars' presentation during the 21 days of the Adyayana Utsavam was very popular. Nachiyar Maami would go to the Araiyar's house every morning during the Utsvam to enquire about the day’s Vyakyanam and would read through the pasurams in advance before she made her way into the temple for the Araiyar Sevai so she could experience, better, the  Araiyar Sevai.

Nachiyar Maami remembers the state of the priests in the 1950s “They lived in hut like houses in the agraharam in the Sannidhi Street. They were not salaried personnel of the temple. In those days, there was no concept of Thattu Kaasu. The only focus of the Bhattars was on rendering service to God each day of the year with the greatest of devotion. Performing Thiru Aradhanam as per the traditional practice was their way of life. Rarely would any of them talk about financial returns. Almost everyone seemed contented and happy.”

Months long Chariot Procession

Her husband MSK Thirumalai Iyengar, now 80, too has lived almost his entire life in Srivilliputhur. Life in the city did not interest him much and he served as a school teacher at the century old school in this Divya Desam for over three decades.  Chariot procession took months to complete as it would be stuck on the muddy streets. He remembers a year, decades ago, when the Chariot that started in Aadi reached their home on North Car Street on Avani Avittam day. Devotees would have Vishroopam Sevai of Andal in the Chariot.The family has for the last three decades been taking care of the night Thaligai for Goddess Andal at this temple. 

Protecting and Promoting the Sampradayam - Veda Piran Bhattar

Veda Piran clan belonged to the Poorva Shika Brahmins. Sudarshan ‘Veda Piran Bhattar’, a descendant of Periyazhvaar, is one of the few exceptions to have stayed back in Srivilliputhur to continue to offer service at this Divya Desam. He completed the MBA earlier this decade but working in the corporate world was not something that interested him. 

His grandfather V Govindaraja Iyengar was one of the revered Divya Prabhandham Scholars and Yajur Vedam Experts in the Pandya region in the 20^th Century. The TVS family was so moved by his devotional commitment and his presentations that they invited him for Thiruppavai Kalakshepam at their home in Madurai. For 30 years, he presented this at the TVS home (Ambujam) and at the Thallakulam temple in Madurai. 

When the TVS family offered to rebuild their once historical home on the Sannidhi Street opposite the Andal Sannidhi Street in Srivilliputhur, Govindarajan Iyengar refused as he saw the presentation of Andal’s verses and describing the inner meanings to a top corporate family as a gift by itself. He was Kainkaryam personified and financial benefits did not interest him. He saw it as his duty to spread the greatness of this sampradayam and everything he did was on these lines.

Being a representative of Periyazhvaar, Sudarshan Veda Piran Bhattar sees it as his duty to continue to perform all the services that Periyazhvaar had historically done at this Divya Desam. Outside of Archakas and Sthalathars, Veda Piran Bhattar is the only one to have the right to enter the Kulasekara Padi at this temple.

Araiyar Sevai - A Fading Art

Earlier this year during the Brahmotsavam at the Nambi Temple in Thiru Kurungudi, 67 year old Bala Mukundan Araiyar swooned and fell down unconscious soon after presentation of Araiyar Sevai (it was again the TVS family - Venu Srinivasan - that offered immediate on the ground support). He has been performing Araiyar Sevai for over 50 years without a salary and from a dilapidated traditional home near the Andal Sannidhi. His father Srinivasa Rangachariar (who passed away a few years ago) had performed the service at the temple for over 70 years including presenting Araiyar Sevai once in the Himalayas in shivering cold (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/araiyar-srinivasachariyar-srivilliputhur.html). Despite challenging health conditions, Bala Mukundan Araiyar continues to perform at the Andal Rangamannar Divya Desam.

The Downturn

HR & CE’s gaining power coincided with the new political regime in the state and the combination sounded death knell for the traditional practices at this Divya Desam. Srivilliputhur was one of the earliest temples in Tamil Nadu taken over by the HR & CE. The traditionalists in Srivilliputhur found it difficult to find jobs even in the local schools and the Taluk Office, where their previous generation had served. Income from the lands that they held began to dwindle. Suddenly, financial situation worsened.

Come the 1970s, the original inhabitants of this ancient Divya Desam had to prepare themselves for a new life. With no income from lands, no salary from the temple, reducing ‘Katti Saatham’ that was once an integral part of their daily life, the ever increasing cost of living and a new generation that was coming up that found it difficult to put up , life turned upside down for the original inhabitants of Srivilliputhur. By the 1980s, one saw a big exodus of these traditionalists into cities. From almost the entire Sannidhi Street, the four Mada Streets and the four Chariot Streets being inhabited by traditional residents, very few remain now. Over 200 families from Srivilliputhur are current residing in Madras, having moved to the State Capital since the 1970s. There are many who have gone overseas into something completely unconnected with what their forefathers had done.

Monetising the Andal Kinaru
Even the historical and sacred ‘Andal Kinaru’ just outside the sanctum has not been spared and too  has been monetized by the HR & CE.  Legend has it that Andal developed the habit of wearing the garland that her father Periyazhvaar knotted for Lord Vadapatrasayee. With garland around her neck, she would admire her own beauty in the ‘mirror’ well visualizing the Lord as her husband. To this day, the unique tradition is followed at the Srivilliputhur Divya Desam with Lord Vadapatrasayee adorning every morning the garland worn the previous evening by Andal.

While this ancient tradition is followed, it is shocking to find that the HR & CE has converted the sacred mirror well just outside the sanctum of the Andal Sannidhi into a donation hundial. The well is one of the ‘sacred’ Theerthams at the temple. However, atop the well, the glass enclosure has been used as a ‘revenue’ generating opportunity by the HR &CE luring the devotees with this ancient garland story to get them to deposit money into this.

Long time residents and devotees of Srivilliputhur who have always connected this mirror well with the legendary episode are aghast that the authorities haven’t let go off even the sacred well and have converted this into another money making opportunity to bolster their coffer. It is hoped that the authorities would stop this practice and restore the sanctity of the place by removing the ‘artificial hundial’ and allowing the ‘Kannadi Kinaru’ (Mirror Well) to be the sacred zone that it once was.

The New Devotional Wave and its negative impact

As devotees pour in money into this Divya Desam, no stone has remained untouched. 50 years ago, as one entered the Andal Sannidhi from the North, one found beautiful devotional sculptures on the pillars that created a feeling of devotion even before one entered the Sannidhi. The scenario that exists today is that of a mega exhibition. There are big sized banners that call out for funds. Shops have sprung up everywhere around the temple complex. The HR & CE executives shout out for archanai tickets, special entrance tickets and other donations even as a devotee steps into the temple. 

Shenbagam Garden - Cut Short
The Shenbagam Thoppu was a historical nandavanam and Andal adorned beautiful garlands from the flowers brought from this thoppu. Periyazhvaar in his verses refers to Shenbagam as a favourite of the Lord.
ஆனிரை மேய்க்க நீ போதி அரு மருந்து ஆவதறியாய்…………………
பானையில் பாலைப் பருகி பற்றாதார் எல்லாம் சிரிப்ப
செண்பக பூச்சூட்ட வாராய் 

Even as one passed by near this zone, one could feel the sacred fragrance. In the decades that followed that taking over by HR & CE, this too has been cut out. And now it’s a tale of devotee donors supplying garlands at Divya Desams.

Selling the sacred 'Parrot'

Money is overflowing into the temple but devotion is not the same as before. The famous Kizhi of Andal that Saathaatha Vaishnavas (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/saathaatha-vaishnavas-saathaanis.html) make each day and present to the Goddess was traditionally handed to a descendant of an Acharya or Azhvaar, such was the sacredness of the Parrot that was placed on her in the morning. Today, Kilis are made in big quantities and ‘sold’ as ‘Andal Kili’ to devotees who visit the Divya Desam. For the Thirumanjanam, historically one Kudam milk was all that was used. Today, the HR & CE collects money in large quantities that far exceeds the historical practice.

Financially Lucrative for the Priests
The Bhattars, one of the historical service personnel who went through a financially challenging phase for many decades, are having a field day cashing in on the devotional wave that has struck this Divya Desam. While the bhattars in the 1950s and 60s did not have a single outstation visitor on a non utsavam day, it is now a big challenge for them to manage the crowd. The  Thattu Kaasu pours in even on a normal weekday. The Bhattars and the HR & CE are fully cashing in on the frenetic wave of the devotees who are looking for Parikarams to fulfil their wishes.

Renovation becomes big business
There has been a big financial boost in the name of renovation. Such exercises in recent decades have also caused damaged to historical structures. All open spaces from the past have now been filled with new structures. The historical Ekadasi Mandapam is now almost a store house stocking the newly anna dhanam provisions. While the sacred presentation to the Lord has drastically reduced to less than 1 kg a day (from the close to 100 kgs), food in different varieties are now prepared and sold as ‘Prasadam’.

The next gen of Araiyar lost to the the Corporate World
When they came to Srivilliputhur from Thiru Kurungudi, the Araiyars were given huge tracts of land  by the Dharma Karthas of the temple so they could focus on performing the Araiyar Sevai without worrying about their financial sustenance. While they performed service with little financial returns in the decades gone by, the external environment changed drastically. With things turning for the worse, they had to sell off these lands at a very low price to meet the family expenses. With the ever increasing cost of living, the next gen has moved into the corporate world. While he learnt the art of Araiyar Sevai from his father and grandfather, the young Natha Muni Araiyar, an Engineer, has been in the corporate world now for almost a decade, much like the Araiyar in Srirangam who is keen to pursue a career in the Aviation industry(http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/02/bharathwajan-araiyar-srirangam.html). With a full fledged corporate job, that has its own every day pressure, the mind of the next gen is slowly moving away from full time Kainkaryam to part time service during big utsavams.

Today, it is more businesslike at the temple. Everything is about glamorous decorations through donor funding. Even during the big utsavams including during the 5 Garuda Sevai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/07/srivilliputhur-five-garuda-seva-utsavam.html), the procession ended by 9 pm till a few decades ago. But with HR & CE’s increasing focus on financial returns, the procession these days do not even commence till 9 pm. And on many days (nights), the Lord is back only after midnight making it a vicious cycle.

While the Bhattars are seeing a financial upsurge and have built modern houses bring the biggest beneficiaries among the traditional service personnel, the devotional way of life that one experienced in the previous century in this legendary Divya Desam is now gone.  Unfortunately, financial focus has come to be at the core of every activity at the temple, now. The Adyapakas have reduced to a single digit from the 100s that existed not so long ago. Even during the the biggest of the Utsavams, Lord Vadabadrasayee, Goddess Andal and Periyazhvaar go around on street processions on wheeled tyres. Many of the Kainkaryapakas of the Srivilliputhur Divya Desam like Natha Muni Araiyar have moved away from temple service in the last few decades. Losing such Kainkaryapakas to the Corporate World could be the  biggest fall out caused by the entry of the HR & CE, in the long term.