Veera Bhadrar Temple Mylapore Bala Gurukal

Three Decades of unflinching service at the Mylapore Temple

His liking for decorating the Lord in different Thiru Kolams has led him to create the next gen of alankaram specialists in Mylapore

In the 1990s, he picked up names of Veera Bhadrar from the tele directory and sent postal letters to them in the hope that this temple would be the Kula Deivam for some of them

Throughout his schooling days at PS Sec School, Bala Gurukal would sit alongside Kumar Gurukal and watch his alankaram. By the time he completed class X, his mind was away from academics and into temple service.  He joined Kumar Gurukal at the Veera Bhadrar temple in the early 1990s. There were no utsavams at the time, no money to light lamps, very minimal thattu kaasu and no salary. Kumar Gurukal performed pooja in 17 temples in Mylapore and Bala Gurukal joined him in support in all these temples.

Early attachment with the temple

He lived right opposite the temple and became very devotionally attached to the Veera Bhadrar “There were no big garlands in those days, three decades ago. If a devotee presented a simple flower, I would cut it into many pieces and adorn each Lord in the temple with at least one small piece of a flower.”

Having apprenticed under Kumar Gurukal, he had learned the nuances of alankaram and over time became an expert in Alankarams. “Kumar Gurukal’s alankaram of Kola Villi Amman was special. For a sitting amman, he would present a ‘standing posture’ alankaram.”

Turns to the tele directory in search of devotees

In the 1990s, he took to the BSNL telephone directory and picked up all the names with Veera Bhadrar and sent postal letters to them “I had hoped that for at least some of them this would be Kula Deivam and that they would visit the temple.”

Much to his surprise, many turned up at the temple and have become lifetime devotees of Veera Bhadrar. There was no salary at the temple and hence he made both ends meet through the alankarams he presented in the Mylapore temples. 

Panguni Brahmotsavam

At the turn of the century, he started the Panguni Brahmotsavam after renovation of the temple. For the Brahmotsavam he built new vahanas “I would got and sit with the sculptor for 1 ½ months without food and sleep to get right even the minute details of the vahana. It was a financially challenging phase and my spending all the time in temple work did not go down well with the family.”

During the Pandemic, he was instrumental in the new Velli Rishabham and Velli Adikara Nandi, both of which were seen at the Brahmotsavam last year. On the third day of the Panguni Utsavam, Veera Bhadrar provides darshan in a Daksha Vahanam. 

Creating the Next Gen Alankaram specialists

With an intention to not keep the decorative work all to himself, he created the next gen of alankaram specialists in Mylapore temples, one of whom interestingly is the son of the owner of the popular Maamis Mess and they have now taken over from him.

While Veera Bhadrar is usually seen in a raging aghora Kolam, here at the Mylapore temple he provides darshan in a Kalyana kolam. He is believed to have provided darshan to Dakshan in a Kalyana Kolam on Panguni Uthiram day.  Abhaya Ambal is seen with a bow, arrow and knife. 

Vishnu and Shiva Joint procession

On the two Pradosham days in Puratasi, Vishnu on a Garuda Vahanam and Veera Bhadrar in Rishabam provide joint darshan.

Veera Bhadrar in Aghora Kolam, Ambal as Kaali

On the Maattu Pongal day every year, Veera Bhadrar is seen in a Aghora Kolam with a Moustache with Ambal adorning the Kaali Alankaram.

Maangani Vizha- Aani Pournami

On the occasion of Aani Pournami (July 13), Veera Bhadrar will be anointed with a three fruit decoration - Mangoes, Jack Fruit and Bananas. The Moolavar deity will be decorated with Beetal leaves – Vettrilai Alankaram.  It is the day when Lord Shiva disguised himself as Bikshandar and asked for food at Karaikkal Ammayar’s house. She handed him one of the two mangoes that her husband given her that day. When the husband after consuming one mango asked for the other, she invoked the blessings of Bikshandar who in a magical moment presented her with the second mango as well. 

Devotees will be able to have darshan of Veera Bhadrar in Bikshandar Kolam in the three fruit alankaram between 6pm and 8pm that evening.

Bala Gurukal has also revived the Vasantha Utsavam with a one day celebration on the Pournami day in Chitrai. Manickavachakar Utsavam is celebrated in a grand way with vahana processions.

A Devotionally fulfilling three decades

At 46, Bala Gurukal has had three devotionally enjoyable decades at the Veera Bhadrar temple almost single handedly anchoring the revival of the temple and the utsavams. He has had an official appointment as Paricharakar at a salary of Rs. 375 but those like him are unmindful of the financial returns. Even as a teenager his mind had become devotionally attached to Veera Bhadrar. For over two decades, Bala Gurukal has been the go to man for alankaram in all Saivite temples in Mylapore except Kapali and Velleeswarar.  In addition to creating the next generation of alankaram specialists, he is also initiating his teenage son into alankarams. But given the financially challenges he has had to face in the decades gone by, he is not sure if his son would join temple service. For now, Bala Gurukal is happy to have created a devotional interest in Veera Bhadrar in a large number of devotees who have now become regulars at the temple. With his devotional interest, he has also earned a name for himself in the Mylapore temples as the alankaram specialist. And he takes a lot of satisfaction out of that.

The several centuries old Veera Bhadrar Swamy Temple is located just in Thyagarajapuram, Mylapore just next to Madhava Perumal temple. The temple is open from 7am to 11am and 4.30pm to 8pm. Contact Bala Gurukal @ 74011 40355.