Thiru Ninravur Bhaktavatsala Perumal Kainkaryapakas

Dasa Nambi Veera Raghavan performed Kainkaryam of lighting lamps and carrying Theevatti for over six decades till well into his 80s

Madapalli Srinivasan is carrying his family's tradition of serving at the Madapalli

Octogenarian Veera Raghavan has lived all his in Thiru Ninravur with his entire life revolving around service to Bhaktavatsala Perumal and Unnai Petra Thayar. In the 1960s, life for Kainkaryapakas turned for the worse in temples across TN.  Most original inhabitants began leaving their home town in search of a job in the corporate world. This was the case in Thiru Ninravur too. By the early 1980s, historical theppotsavam came to a halt. Hereditary priests gave up their service at the temple and moved away from this Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

Six+ Decades carrying the Theevatti

Veera Raghavan joined the temple in the late 1950s when there was still vibrancy in the agraharam. His monthly salary in the first decade was Rs. 3/50.  He has seen three Samprokshanams during his time at the temple, the earliest being in 1962. Now aged 84, he stepped aside last year following the Pandemic but continues to visit the temple every day for he has known nothing else in life other than service to the Lord. He looks back at his first decade at the temple “All the four Mada Streets were full of original inhabitants. All the Utsavams were celebrated in a grand way. There was a certain positive vibrancy when one entered the temple.”

As seen earlier in this section in many other Divya Desams in TN, there was a drastic reversal in fortunes starting the late 1960s arising out of the new political climate. He looks back with sadness the fate of this Divya Desam in the 1970s and 80s “Most of the iyengars in this Divya Desam left seeking greener pastures and the streets wore a deserted look. There was no income at the temple till the 1990s. Temple used to close by 7.30pm. The streets were dark and one feared walking around after 7pm. Devotees were very few in numbers and we were always looking for the next set but most times it proved elusive.”

It was a financially challenging life for Veera Raghavan but his devotion to Perumal and Thayar led him to light the lamp in every sannidhi every day over the last 65 years without a break. He also carried the Theevatti during every procession at the temple during these six decades even though his salary did not increase meaningfully even after several decades of service. He recounts the torrid decades of the 70s and 80s “We ate only minimal food through those decades. There was no income and we did not have enough to even buy rice.”

Theppotsavam has come to a halt in the early 1980s and he is saddened that this historical float fest has not taken place for four decades now with the tank turning dilapidated and contaminated water entering the tank.

Despite all the financial challenges, Veera Raghavan feels totally blessed at having had the opportunity to serve Bhaktsavatsala Perumal for over six decades. When he bid adieu last year, his salary after 65 years had increased to Rs.2000!!!!

Continuing Madapalli Service

35 year old P Srinivasan joined the Madapalli at this Divya Desam a dozen years ago to continue the service that his grandfather Krishnamachari had performed for several decades. As with Dasa Nambi Veera Raghavan, Krishnamachari too was unmindful of the low salary (Rs. 60) and performed this as a service to Bhaktavatsala Perumal. After he passed away in the late 1990s, his son Parthasarathy took over at a salary of Rs. 600.

Srinivasan had worked in a private firm for a few years but his mind was with Bhaktavatsala Perumal for he had grown up in this temple having studied in the Government school in Thiru Ninravur. And soon he quit the corporate job and joined the Madapalli in 2010. He is proud to continue in the traditional way of cooking “We still use firewood here and well water for cooking and am happy that I am able to continue the traditional service that my father and grandfather had performed here. We adhere to the six kaala service at the Madapalli.”

The Brahmotsavam attracts huge number of devotees especially for Garuda Sevai and the Chariot day. He says that the ten days of the festival is the period when he is at his busiest "I make 100 dosais and 50 Vadais each day in addition to Pongal for Thirumanjanam Sevai and Sundal.”

On the Garuda Sevai morning (March 12 this year), he is at the temple at 3am to prepare kesari, sundal, dosai and vadai.

He says that being at the madapalli and preparing the sacred food for Perumal and Thayar gives him a blessed feeling. “My parents were keen for to continue the madapalli service at this Divya Desam. I have found great peace in the time I have been here and it has been a devotionally enjoyable experience. My wife too has been encouraging of me to carry out this service.”

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's Praise

When Thiru Mangai Azhvaar chose to give Thiru Ninravur a miss, Ennai Petra Thayar requested Bhaktavatsavala Perumal to get the Azhvaar to sing praise of this place.  Perumal finally located Thiru Mangai Azhvaar at Thiru Kadal Mallai and got him to refer to his visit to Thiru Ninravur:

“நீண்ட வாத கருமுகிலை எம்மான் தன்னை 

நின்றவூர் நித்திலத்தொதார் சோலை 

காண்டவத்தை கனலேறிவாய் பேய்வித்தானை 

கண்டது நான் கடல் மலை தலசயனத்தே ”

When Perumal came back to Thirunanravur with just a single paasuram, Thayar wanted him to get more. And he went back again to track Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. At Thiru Kanna Mangai, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar welcomed him thus:

“ஏற்றினை மைதுலேம் மீசனை 

இமையை மறுமைக்கு மருந்தினை...... 

நின்றவூர் நின்ற நித்திலத்தொத்தினை 

காற்றினை புனலை சென்று 

நாடி கண்ணமங்கையுள் கண்டு கொண்டேன்”

Bhattars - From Hereditary Service to Salaried Appointment 

While Dasa Nambi carried out Theevatti service for over six decades and the madapalli family have been here for three generations, the hereditary bhattars let go their service at the turn of the century for the low salary had taken a toll on them. Initially, the hereditary bhattars gave up their hereditary rights and took a monthly salary. When an overseas opportunity came his way, the then existing bhattar let go his appointment at this Divya Desam. And thus, a completely new set of Bhattars came into this Divya Desam this century

Exclusive Perumal Sannidhi Bhattar

Therazhundur’s Manivannan Bhattar had been working in a construction firm in Nanganallur. His forefathers had been the hereditary priests at the Pallikonda Perumal temple in Therazhundur but given the challenging financial conditions, like so many others in remote temple towns, he chose to move to Chennai and into the corporate world. For the last two decades, he has been the chief priest at the Bhaktavatsala Perumal Sannidhi with a salary that interestingly is multiple times higher than those in remote Divya Desams.

With his experience in construction, he wanted his son too to continue in the real estate space and hence led him into BE-Civil. However, his son has shown interest in the temple space and is inclined to perform service at this temple.

A new Exclusive Bhattar for Thayar Sannidhi

43 year old Balaji Bhattar hailed from Raja Mannargudi. While his grandfather Kannan Dikshithar had performed service at the Rajagopalaswamy temple, his appa moved into corporate life given the same financial challenges that most priests experienced in the second half of the previous century. Balaji Bhattar too began on the corporate path in Madras and did design work at a printing press for a few years but he did not quite enjoy the corporate work and his mind was inclined towards temple service. When Tirumala Periya Jeer who administers the temple (along with HR & CE!!!) offered him a posting at the Thayar Sannidhi, he grabbed it with both hands and moved full time to Thiru Ninravur a dozen years ago.  Now, he is keen for his 17 year old son to join a Patshala so he can continue the temple service.

Renovation after two Decades

It has been a couple of decades since the previous consecration. The Raja Gopuram wears a faded look. Plans are afoot to start a renovation exercise later this year. The exercise is also expected to include refurbishing the temple tank. It is hoped that following the consecration, the Theppotsavam will be revived after a break of four decades.  

The temple is open from 730am-12noon and 430pm-830pm. Contact: Manivanna Bhattar @ 93805 16055 / Balaji Bhattar @ 72000 13191