N Kamakodi City Union Bank Tippirajapuram

Blessings of Kumbeswarar for whom his grandfather had started an Anna Abhisekam during World War II brought him back to Kumbakonam to continue his devotional engagement with temples in the Chozha region

Kamakodi has been quietly contributing to the transformation of temples and revival of utsavams around Kumbakonam over the last decade

The 60s and 70s saw a mass exodus of original inhabitants from the hereditary locations that led to a 'dark' couple of decades for temples in Tamil Nadu. Tippirajapuram that is home to two historical temples was also part of this wave of movement into cities. The succeeding decades too saw the continuing of this move of traditionalists away from their hereditary locations into larger towns in search of greener pastures. It was likely that N Kamakodi, current MD of City Union Bank, too would have been part of that wave. Having spent his entire childhood in the agraharam in Tippirajapuram, he had developed a close devotional association with the twin temples as well as those in and around Kumbakonam but like most others, he too made his way out of Tippi. But, Kumbeswarar, to whom his grandfather had begun an anna abhisekam during World War II, had other plans for him. Having been away from Kumbakonam for many years, his appa, V Narayanan, the then Chairman and  CEO of the bank directed him to come back and take charge of the bank. It was clear that Kumbeswarar had nominated  him to continue the noble activities that his forefathers had carried out through the 20th century. In the last 15years, Kamakodi has quietly been creating a transformation in remote temples in the Chozha region restoring many a temple to its historic glory while also ensuring that the century old banking brand is protected and grown. Here is the story.

A Vibrant Agraharam

The agraharam at Tippirajapuram has remained vibrant despite the next gen leaving the temple town in the 1970s/80s. The traditional Thinnai still remains. Many of the retired have returned to Tippi to keep the traditions going and this number is likely to rise in the coming years.

Kamakodi remembers waking up every day to the vedic recital of the students next door where several students graduated out of the well run Patshala. Vedas was always in his ear during his childhood. It created an ever lasting positive impact in the then young boy on the need to protect our traditions and culture. Marudanallur, a nearby village, was home to Naama Sankeerthanam and this led to an early exposure to music and bhajans. During the holidays, for two hours every afternoon, he learned the stotrams. This became a normal way of life for him. 

Restoration of Varadaraja Perumal Temple

It was his grandfather Venkatrama Iyer who rebuilt the Varadaraja Perumal temple at the West end of the North Agraharam in early part of the previous century (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/thippirajapuram-vikrama-choleswarar.html). When Kanchi Periyava created a Mudra Adhikari Scheme appointing a representative of the Mutt to ensure the vibrancy in historic locations, Tippirajapuram became the first of those to be assigned "A system was created to collect Re.1 from each of the residents. It was on the Thinnai of our house that this Sambhavanai was presented by the residents of Tippirajapuram. To this day, this tradition is followed and we go and hand over the Sambhavanai to the Mutt office in Kumbakonam. Rice too was presented for Mantra during Chaturmasya pooja” says Kamakodi.

Kamakodi's grandfather had been the trustee of the temple for a large part of the 20th century and he ensured that all the utsavams were conducted in a grand way, despite the challenges that they had to face during different phases. As the trustee, Venkatrama Iyer anchored three consecrations of the Tippi Perumal temple in the 20th century. While the coming together of the agraharam residents ensured that the two temples had been well managed and protected through the 20th century including during the 2nd half, many other larger temples in and around Kumbakonam did not find survival easy in that phase. Kamakodi has an interesting reason for the survival of the Tippi temples “The entire ecosystem was established in such a way that everyone respected one and another. There was no battle for supremacy. The relationship was cordial with the lessees of the farming land. It is no surprise that all dues from the lessees of the temple lands here have been paid till this year.”

A well knit community

Venkatrama Iyer, who lived till the age of 95, was active right till the end. “He made it a devotional practice to visit both the temples every day of the year. He kept a close watch on the activities at the two temples in Tippirajapuram. He was a stickler for time. He would address any issue immediately” says Kamakodi of the devotionally active life led by his grandfather.

A special medical gesture

In those early decades, when transport facilities to Kumbakonam were not readily available, Venkatrama Iyer would prepare a list of all the basic tablets medicines and keep stock at home. “When anyone in the agraharam fell ill, they would walk into our house to check the relevant medicine for that particular health issue. All the residents cared for each other in the agraharam” recalls Kamakoti

World War II and the association with Kumbeswarar

As early as the 1940s, when there was shortage of rice at the Kumbeswarar temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/02/kumbeswarar-temple-maha-magam.html) arising out of World War II, it was Venkatrama Iyer who committed to the annual Anna Abhisekam at the temple. “We have continued that tradition for almost eight decades” recounts Kamakodi of the devotional engagement with Kumbeswarar temple.

Neglected State of temples

In the 1970s and 80s, the now popular Thiru Nageswaram, Oppiliappan and Sarangapani temples saw a devotional decline arising out of the exodus of traditionalists of these historical temple locations. Kamokadi remembers the pitiful state at Thiru Nageswaram(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/02/thiru-nageswaram-naganathaswamy-temple.html) that he witnessed as a school boy “When we went to the Thiru Nageswara temple (it was a period when it not yet marketed as a Rahu Sthalam), we had missed taking the Thiri along with the Oil that we usually carried. The scenario was so bad that there was no Thiri at the temple and the priest actually tore a part of his veshti and converted it into a Thiri.”

It would be difficult for those in the current generation to visualize that a temple where devotees now throng in several thousands everyday was in a neglected state in the not too distant past. 

Appa's Temple association

Narayanan, who took over as the Chairman and CEO of City Union Bank in 1980, carried forward the deep temple association of Venkatrama Iyer (his appa). He played an active part in the consecration of these historical temples in the 1980s/90s. In most cases, it was the first big restoration for decades that also marked the revival of these temples. For those in and around Kumbakonam, Narayanan had become the focal point of contact on temple related issues. He brought together like minded people in the society, and through public involvement restored temples in the region, ones where consecration had not taken place for decades.

The annual vacation at Mudikondan

Throughout his schooling days, the annual vacation was spent at his grandfather’s (amma’s appa) place at Mudikondan, famous for the Kothandaramar temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/12/mudikondan-jawahar-bhattar.html). Kamakodi remembers the vibrancy at the temple that has been sorely missing in recent decades “Devotees congregated in good numbers for the Rama Navami and Navarathri utsavams. It was a delight to see scores of cows in each house in the agraharam.”

Even as a young school boy, Kamakodi had a great experience of being blessed by the Periyava after he went to Kurnool (AP) for Chaturmasya. When he was 13, he went to Kanchipuram to seek Periyava's blessings (his grandfather’s uncle had taken Sanyasa after receiving blessings from Periyava). 

Temple Trips - an ongoing feature during the growing up phase

As part of the devotional upbringing, the family went on regular trips to temple destinations with his appa educating school boy Kamakodi on the historical aspects of the Paadal Petra Sthalams and Divya Desams. “Alangudi and Thiru Karugavur were two temples that I visited regularly throughout my childhood.  We would take Kozhakattai on Aadi Friday and present it to Pillayar at the Alangudi temple. However, what struck me in those times was that there very few devotees in any of these temples and most remained deserted in that phase.”

           Thiruvayaru Pancha Natheeswarar Temple

Protecting our heritage and culture

While the Thyagaraja Utsavam in Thiruvayaru (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/11/thiruvaiyaru-pancha-natheeswarar-temple.html) has become hugely popular in recent decades, it was not so in the century gone by. It was Narayanan who was keen to protect this annual festival and contributed significantly to help keep the tradition going. So too the Maha Maham festival in Kumbakonam that now attracts lakhs of devotees. When the times were challenging, Narayanan contributed his might to protect the historical festivals.

Destiny leads Kamakodi back to Kumbakonam

After graduating in Chemical Engineering from REC Trichy, Kamakodi did his Masters in Hongkong, one where he received a prized scholarship. At that time, a reunion with Vikrama Choleswarar and Sarangapani temple seemed way off the radar for him and it was unlikely for him to head back to his hereditary location anytime in the near future. However, God carved a different path for him and a highly devotional one at that. 

One day in 2002, his appa called on him and asked him to take charge of the bank, a call that took him by surprise. A nod would have meant a move to the headquarters on TSR Big Street in Kumbakonam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/tsr-co-legendary-enterpreneur_19.html). He had married just a year earlier. In line with the trend of the time, it was unlikely that a move back to Kumbakonam would have been acceptable for an overseas Masters Grad but many things worked towards the move. “My wife too was from Kumbakonam.  The bond with this historical temple town was too strong for both of us. That made for an easy call. In any case, we were brought up in a way to respect our parents’ words and I could not have said 'No' to my appa.”

Not yet 30, he back to Kumbakonam to lead CUB

And thus Kamakodi returned to Kumbakonam to join City Union Bank in 2003, something that he had not visualized anytime during his growing up years. His grandfather, with whom he had been very close right from his childhood, died in that phase. And his appa too passed soon after in 2004. It was a double setback for Kamakodi who had not yet turned 30. But he has faced life bravely ever since and in the last decade and a half expanded the bank’s presence. In 2011, he took charge as the MD of the bank. Despite its strong performance over the last decade, he is not too buoyed by this constant talk of ‘aggressive growth’. “A century old bank was handed to me. It had enjoyed a great reputation among the depositors and customers. My task was to protect the brand that my appa had built in the previous decades. While it is fanciful to talk about fast paced aggressive growth, it may not always be the right thing to do for a bank that should see itself as a custodian of customer’s hard earned money.”

He is happy that the bank, that had been set up in 1904 as part of the Swadeshi Movement to fight the British Banks, has been in the top bracket on many of the key metrics over the last decade but his feet are grounded and he considers it a blessing to be handed the reigns of the bank that has seen sustained growth over the 100 years.

Renews the Temple Engagement

While he has been anchoring the growth of the bank over the last decade, returning to Kumbakonam also gave him an opportunity to participate in activities that have been closer to his heart right from his childhood. “When we grew up, devotion and temples were a way of life. Whenever my grandfather and appa found a requirement at a temple, they organised it without a buzz. They saw it as a blessing to be able to be associated with temples through their lifetime. I am grateful that God has also given me an opportunity to participate in such temple activities.”

               Parthanpalli Divya Desam - A decade ago

Restoration of Dilapidated Temples

Just under a decade ago, this writer had written a story in The Hindu Friday Review on the dilapidated state of Parthanpalli Divya Desam in Thiru Nangur (https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/shrine-dedicated-to-arjuna/article4558178.ece) and the deplorable condition of the huge tank south of the temple. It was Kamakodi who single handedly restored the tank that has now led to the revival of the historical theppotsavam at the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Praised temple.

கண்ணன் என்றும், வானவர்கள்
காதலித்து மலர்கள் தூவும்
எண்ணன் என்றும், இன்பன் என்றும்
ஏழ் உலகுக்கு ஆதி என்றும், 

தின்ன மாடம் நீடு நாங்கைத்
தேவ தேவன் என்று என்று ஓதி
பண்ணின் அன்ன மென் மொழியாள்
பார்த்தன்பள்ளி பாடுவாளே 

Water Management System in Temples

He has also been closely involved in the restoration of the water management system at Vaitheeswaran Koil, Thiru Kadayur and Chidambaram. The Viraja Theertham at the Narayana Perumal temple in Thiru Nangur too was restored by him. Just under two decades ago, he also took over as the Trustee of the Tippi Perumal temple and has since ensured that all the historical utsavams continue to see the same grandeur as from the past.

Devotees who have been to the Paadal Petra Sthalams or the Divya Desams in the Chozha region in recent years would easily relate to the silent contribution made by Kamakodi.

His elder N Sriraman, Head of Diesel Finance at Sundaram Finance, has been his guiding force on all his temple endeavours.

A renaissance in temples around Kumbakonam

While TVS' Venu Srinivasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html) has restored several temples South of Pandya Capital over the last 25years, Kamakodi and his forefathers have played a stellar role in the transformation of remote temples in the Chozha region. Kamakodi considers it a blessing to have grown up in a thriving agraharam in Tippirajapuram that instilled in him the importance of protecting our rich heritage and culture. That early initiation has stuck with him right through and he seems to have made a lifetime commitment to restoring historical temples and helping in revival of utsavams.