He has always been a 'stickler' for tradition in performing aradhana
One finds Lord Rama in a Unique three bend posture at this temple whose legend dates back to his return trip after defeating Lankan King Ravana
56 year old Kannan Srinivasan Bhattar (Jawahar Bhattar), a
Pancharatra Agama Archakar who once served in Divya Desams such as
Thenthiruperai, Srivaikuntam and Koviladi Appakudathan has joined the over
1000 years old Kothandarama Temple in Mudikondan, near Sirupuliyur Divya Desam
as the Lead Priest. He will also double up as the ‘Cook’ at the Madapalli. He has also been given a traditional accommodation in the Agraharam in the West Street of Mudikondan by an original inhabitant Shri Sundararajan, who also is in charge of the activities at the temple.
The temple had been without a full time priest for a while.
It was through the efforts of the well networked and much liked Vasan Bhattar of Therazhundur
Divya Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/10/therazhundur-divya-desam.html) that Kannan Srinivasan Bhattar has been roped in
as the full time Bhattar just ahead of the Karthigai Festival.
Vasan Bhattar, Therazhundur
With Jawahar Bhattar at the helm, it is hoped that some of the historical festivals at the temple including the Pagal Pathu Utsavam in Margazhi and the 10 day Rama Navami Festival will be revived to its historical past at the temple.
Vasan Bhattar, Therazhundur
With Jawahar Bhattar at the helm, it is hoped that some of the historical festivals at the temple including the Pagal Pathu Utsavam in Margazhi and the 10 day Rama Navami Festival will be revived to its historical past at the temple.
Jawahar Bhattar, who belongs to the Varam Tharum Periya
Perumal Bhattar clan that performed service at the Kanchipuram Varadaraja Perumal Temple, began his temple association as a young boy in the 1980s at the Srinivasa Perumal
Temple in Veeravanallur near Athalanallur (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/athalanallur-gajendra-varadaraja-perumal.html) supporting his grand father at the
temple.
It was during that period that the young Jawahar Bhattar was initiated into Pancharatra Agama
by the revered Mahara Bhooshana Bhattar at Veeravanallur (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/veeravanallur-sundararaja-perumal-temple.html). recognised across the Pancharatra temples as one of the best scholars in Shri Pancharatra Agama, one who was the Archakar at Thenthiruperai as well as at Srinivasa Temple in Kilakkulam, Veeravanallur.
Decades later, he further strengthened his knowledge in Pancharatra Agama by tutoring under Periya Thiruvadi Bhattar, the heredity Archakar of both Kallarpiran temple, Srivaikuntam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/05/srivaikuntam-vaikunta-nathan-divya.html) and Adhi Nathar Temple, Azhvaar Thirunagari and another great Pancharatra Scholar, who was conferred the title of 'Pancharatra Agama Rathnagaram'.
Decades later, he further strengthened his knowledge in Pancharatra Agama by tutoring under Periya Thiruvadi Bhattar, the heredity Archakar of both Kallarpiran temple, Srivaikuntam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/05/srivaikuntam-vaikunta-nathan-divya.html) and Adhi Nathar Temple, Azhvaar Thirunagari and another great Pancharatra Scholar, who was conferred the title of 'Pancharatra Agama Rathnagaram'.
In the late 1990s, he performed archaka service at Makara
Nedun Kuzhai Kathan temple at Thenthiruperai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/thenthiruperai-divya-desam.html) and at the Kallarpiran Temple at Sri Vaikuntam Divya
Desam. It was a period when Venu Srinivasan had just begun restoring the then
dilapidated Nava Tirupathi temples (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html).
He has always been a stickler for the traditional way of performing aradhana at the temple, not for him the hurry. This lack of 'adjustment' to the devotees' hurried needs at temples has made him incur the wrath of devotees and authorities alike, for these days one is expected to 'toe' the current trend. Jawahar Bhattar is not one such.
He has always been a stickler for the traditional way of performing aradhana at the temple, not for him the hurry. This lack of 'adjustment' to the devotees' hurried needs at temples has made him incur the wrath of devotees and authorities alike, for these days one is expected to 'toe' the current trend. Jawahar Bhattar is not one such.
In the early part of the last decade, he
had moved on to the Appakudathan Divya Desam in Koviladi. His years there were a devotional treat for the devotees who visited the temple in that period. His devotional rendering of the verses relating to Thiruper Nagar, his explanation of the temple legend and of course the 'appam' every evening kept one devotionally connected to that Divya Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/11/thirupper-nagar-koviladi-divya-desam.html).
He then performed service at the Rama Temple in Thenthiruperai and subsequently at the popular Lodhi Road Rama Temple in Delhi, where he was also involved in the installation of an idol of Kulasekara Azhvaar.
He then performed service at the Rama Temple in Thenthiruperai and subsequently at the popular Lodhi Road Rama Temple in Delhi, where he was also involved in the installation of an idol of Kulasekara Azhvaar.
A rare 3 Bend Posture at Mudikondan
At Mudikondan, Lord Rama is seen in a rare posture with three bends in his body- the face is seen in one direction, the hip in another and the leg in a third bend. This posture is referred to as ‘Uthama Lakshana’.
Mudikondan - Tale from the Ramayana
The legend of Mudikondan is said to date back to the return
trip of Lord Rama after defeating the Lankan King Ravana. Earlier while on his search for Sita, Bharadwaja Rishi had requested Rama to stay with him and have
food at his Ashram at Mudikondan. However, eager to pursue his search, Rama could not accede to the request but promised to return along with Sita.
Having
defeated the Lankan King Ravana, Rama landed here as promised in his Pushpak
Vimana. Excited to play host to Rama, Bharadwaja Rishi requested Rama to
provide darshan with his crown (Mudi). As Rama displayed his crown here, this place came to be called
Mudikondan (the one with the crown).
With this stopover at Mudikondan, Rama
asked Hanuman to make a quick trip to Nandigram to inform brother Bharatha that he would soon be back in Ayodhya. However, by the time
Hanuman returned, Rama had adorned the crown and finished his meals. Saddened
by the fact that his Lord did not wait for his return and did not leave a plantain
leaf for him, Hanuman decided to stand outside. Hence, at Mudikondan, one finds
the Hanuman Sannidhi outside the temple complex. Historically, the belief has been that Plantain does not grow here in Mudikondan.
While Samprokshanam was done earlier this decade in 2013,
there is a thick growth of shrubs on the Moolavar Vimanam that could lead to
damaging the structure. It is hoped that the authorities will remove these at
the earliest to prevent damage.
The temple is open from 8am-12noon and
4pm-7pm. Contact Jawahar Bhattar @ 96006 38095.
(Jawahar Bhattar quit the temple within a year and moved to Thiru Vekka, where too he has since quit)
How to Reach
Mudikondan is located about 10kms South of Sirupuliyur Divya
Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/08/sirupuliyur-divya-desam.html) and 10kms West of Thiru Kannapuram (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/11/thiru-kannapuram-divya-desam.html). Therazhundur Divya Desam is about 20kms North West from Mudikondan.
Buses ply every half - hour from Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur and stop
right front opposite the temple. By Train, one can take the Chennai- Karaikal night express and
get down at Peralam Railway Station. Mudikondan is just over 5kms from Peralam.
Passenger Trains stop at Nannilam Railway Station from where Mudikondan is a couple of
kms West. Auto costs Rs. 100.
2 comments:
Interesting to read how dedicated are people.
Very Happy my father hailed from this village
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