I am okay to two credible Vadakalai and Thenkalai leaders discussing this issue threadbare and arriving at a fair solution - MA Venkatakrishnan
If there is no solution within the next fortnight or so, devotees will not be able to enjoy the Prabhandham Ghosti and Vedic Recital at Kanchi Varadar Brahmotsavam
Last week this section had featured a story on HR & CE minister PK Sekar Babu where he expressed anguish at the open fight between the Thenkalai and Vadakalai Sects at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Kanchipuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/hr-ce-minister-sekar-babu-on-roll.html). He told this writer that he had tried to mediate between the two at the Secretariat but to no avail.
Thenkalai Prabhandham Ghosti leader MA Venkatakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html) told this writer just ahead of the Chariot procession on Wednesday morning in Thiruvallikeni that since this section has earlier referred to him as a Fanatic Thenkalai, which he says he is neither ashamed of nor embarrassed and is infact proud to protect the fair rights of his Sect, he is even willing and open for an independent and credible Thenkalai (in case the Vadakalai leaders are not okay to him being part of the discussion) and Vadakalai personality to sit and discuss this issue over the next fortnight and arrive at an amicable solution that is fully fair to both sides.
This way, he says, the Prabhandham Ghosti and the Veda Parayanam can take place at the forthcoming Vaikasi Brahmotsavam that starts on May 31.
Thenkalai lead Prabhandham, Vadakalai the Vedic Recital
MAV says that the earlier tradition was for the Thenkalayars to lead the Prabhandham Ghosti and for the Vadakalayars to lead the Veda Parayanam. Each of these will have to be led as per the respective Sampradaya. The Vadakalayars are allowed to follow the Thenkalai Prabhandham members after the first couple of rows and similarly the Thenkalayars are allowed to participate in the Vedic Recital after the first few rows.
1915 Decree favouring the Thenkalayars in Prabhandham Ghosti
MAV points to the Decree, a copy of which is available with this writer, of over a century ago dated 13th January 1915 wherein the court declared that only the Thengalai mantrams of Srisailesa Dayapatram may be recited within the temple during any ceremonial worship or by any ghosti and that the Vadagalayars are only entitled to join the Thengalai Adyapaka Ghosti as worshippers by reciting the same portion of the Prabhandham that is being recited by the Adyapaka mirasidars.
The order of January 1915 also restrained the Vadakalayars their own mantras and prabhandhams during the pooja period and during any ceremonial worship, whether the service of adyapakam is going on or not.
With regard to the procession, the order restrained the Vadakalayars from reciting their own mantrams and prabhandham by forming a separate ghosti in front of the deity or by interposing between the deity and the Vedic Ghosti.
He says that the Prabhandham Ghosti had gone on peacefully for over a 100 years till 2018.
After Pon Jayaraman, the former EO of Ranganathaswamy temple Srirangam(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/06/srirangam-ranganathaswamy-renovation.html), took over as the EO of Kanchi Varadar temple, he told this writer that he too tried a resolution to this dispute but his sincere attempts to bring the two sects together failed at that time. He has since moved to head the Thiruppani committee at the HR & CE.
The High Court then directed the two sects to sort out the differences amongst themselves and get back with the solution for the court to then direct the final order.
Ready for a Credible independent solution
With 20 days to go for the start of the Brahmotsavam, MAV pointed to the fact that most of the Paadal Petra Sthalams (Saivite Saint Poets praised temples) don’t present the Thevaram verses as a Ghosti anymore and it is only in Vaishnavite Divya Desams that this tradition (Prabhandham Ghosti) still continues. He told this writer that both sides should go all out to find an amicable solution so the Prabhandham and Veda Parayanam tradition can take place during this Brahmotsavam at the Varadaraja Perumal temple “The judgements and customs should be followed by all the parties. If it is a fair and amicable solution that offers fair rights to both sects, the Thengalayars will be open to following it" MAV told this writer on Wednesday right in front of Parthasarathy Perumal on the Chariot.
There are many credible leaders in both sects and they can sit and sort out the differences as Prabhandham and Vedic recital are integral part of the processions, he said.
On the seventh morning of the Brahmotsavam at Thiruvallikeni, the mada streets reverberated with the loud recital of the sacred verses with around a fifty Prabhandham members led by MAV presenting the first canto of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi even as Parthasarathy Perumal made his way around the four streets on the 90 minute chariot procession.
Over the last many decades, MAV has anchored and led the Prabhandham Ghosti at Thiruvallikeni and ensured that the team stays strong and united in the recital(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/07/thiruvallikeni-prabhandham-ghosti.html). An example of his leadership quality was seen at the recently concluded Ramanujam Utsavam when in a fraction of a few seconds he silenced two fighting members of his team at the end of a procession.
This morning on the auspicious occasion of the Chariot Procession he has openly declared that he is up for an amicable solution between the Thengalayars and the Vadakalayars of Kanchipuram that is fair to both sides.
Will the Vadakalayars including the Mutt Head and the Thennacharya Mutt Head be open to a discussion within the next fortnight to find an amicable solution so the devotees at Kanchipuram can enjoy both the Prabhandham as well as the Vedic Recital over the ten days of the festival. Will someone like a Venu Srinivasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html) who has seen many a Union issue in his four decades at the TVS Group, take the lead on this and come forward to the discussion table to find a workable solution that both sides are happy with.
It is not an impossible task and with willingness from both sides, it is an issue that can easily find a solution. Thenkalai Prabhandham leader MAV has expressed intent from his sect to seek a fair solution and to make both Prabhandham and Vedic Recital a reality at the forthcoming Brahmotsavam. It is hoped that Vadakalayars will reach out and make yet another serious attempt to find a solution to this longstanding issue between the two Vaishnavite Sects.
If ego gets the better of the Vaishnavites at this point of time, it will be a matter of time before others enter this domain. And that will not be pleasing to the Vaishnavite ears!!!( A majority of the Azhvaars were anyway non Vadakalai or Thenkalai!!)
I sincerely pray that a compromise emerges for the sake of the splendid Utsavam 🙏🙏
ReplyDeleteWish a consensus is reached and sets in a good example, devotees get to witness the splendour of Utsavams
ReplyDeleteThis is big 10 days festival; in the past they purposefully not recite 4000 pasurams. Most of the time they recite 1st and 3rd line and do insult to azhwar and Perumal. This person belongs to Karnataka; try to dominate and interfere in other temples. This is just a drama. Will he allow VadGalai to recite prabandham in triplicane.
ReplyDeleteWhether 7 kanda parayanam happening at veda parayanam? And how come they are doing veda sathumurai at the end of ustvam? And more over our elders have asked for 6 hours time for thiruvaimozhi during 10th day ustvam? Will you be able to speak with your leaders and get that done?
DeleteAs there is frequent fighting and disruptions in front of devotees which is unpleasant, it's better to have 2 seperate goshtis , first being thenkalai goshti starting with their thaniyan srisailesa dayapatram and then Vadagalai forming a seperate goshti with their thaniyan ramanuja dayapatram. Similarly during sattrumurai also Thangalai goshti can complete, followed by vadagalai goshti. This in way can avoid fighting / quaralling in the streets and will amicably enjoying the rights also.
ReplyDeleteBetter Give all the rights both sec.
DeleteWhy you people are not allowing thenkalaiyar, to stand on vedhaparaynam as well as Mandhrapudhpam even though last line.
Whether can we follow same procedure for veda and sthothra pada gosti?
DeleteAll internecine fights are sad. For all of the spiritual exposure, ultimately no one is able to rise above petty concerns.
ReplyDeleteAs someone pointed above let Two Prabanda Ghosthis be there instead of no ghosthi held due to the fight between both the parties involved. Lord Sri Varadaraja is said to be Arulicheyal Pithan and it is very sad that he is not hearing Arulicheyal for an year due to the unwanted ego of thenkalaiyars.. The Court judgement given earlier was really a win win situation for both sects as Thenkalaiyars will start with their taniyan and end with their vazhi thirunamam.. Similarly Vadakalaiyars starting their taniyan and ending with their Vazhi Thirunamam..let us Pray Sri Perundevi Nayika Sametha Sri Varadaraja Perumal to give a smooth solution to this ghosthi problem and give justice to Vadakalaiyars...
ReplyDeleteIt's not the ego of tenkaliars. They are having all rights and orders in their favour . Inspite of that Vadakalaiyars are only creating rusks always with the help of temple authorities.
DeleteIn the given following part,
ReplyDeleteego gets the better of the Vaishnavites at this point of time, it will be a matter of time before others enter this domain. And that will not be pleasing to the Vaishnavite ears!!!( A majority of the Azhvaars were anyway non Vadakalai or Thenkalai!!)
Who is OTHERS, this others represent who
If ego gets the better of the Vaishnavites at this point of time, it will be a matter of time before others enter this domain. And that will not be pleasing to the Vaishnavite ears!!!( A majority of the Azhvaars were anyway non Vadakalai or Thenkalai!!)
ReplyDeleteIn the above paragraph, others means who???
Good initiative. Fondly hope Divya Dampathigal will guide BOTH the groups to shed the ego and find amicable solutions. Let us not become laughing stock before other communities. Let us hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteThank u for bringing this article at the right time.
Again hope this year Vaikashi Bramhotsavam will pass off peacefully.
On my recent visits to India, I had the opportunity to listen to the Mylapore based Ghoshti during the December utsavam and also to the Triplicane based Ghoshti. It was my first experience of listening to the Divya Prabhandham over the 20 days. Being my first time live, it was an unusual feeling to realize how ancient traditions were still being followed where both ghoshtis had members over a broad age range which added to the listening experience (young boys in their high-pitched voice in contrast to the base voice of the adult members) but also a reminder that the future members were being trained. In addition, as a listening member, to be seated amongst a number of other listeners who were either following in their books, or listening with their eyes closed, I felt being in the midst of devotional fervor.
ReplyDeleteLater, I also had the opportunity to visit Kanchi Varadar temple, where the queue to enter the temple had multiplied in a matter of minutes and had multiplied even more as I left. Also recently, I experienced the Triplicane Ghoshti in big numbers (led by MAV) in the ongoing Brahmotsavam during the procession. I also took the opportunity to listen to the veda chanting at the back end of the procession, again a reminder of such traditions being followed. Also as an onlooker, I noticed many devotees were falling in front of the revered Prabhandham/veda parayanam members seeking their blessings.
Reading the incident from the 2019 utsavam, it will be a pity if the devotees miss out on the opportunity to listen to the Prabhandham Ghoshti and veda parayanam in the upcoming utsavam, each with its own traditional value. Reading this story hopefully a solution can be arrived at, as these traditions not only have a devotional flavor to listeners, but also powerful enough to create interest to a few others and maybe even initiate a few others into recital/chanting ensuring continuity.
Apart from this compromises and his desire of wellness towards kanchi temple, i request him to come and do service in this temple for min 10 days. He even shown his presence to Varadharaja swamy temple after Feb 2020
ReplyDeleteLet us pray for the best 👌
ReplyDeleteOn the whole, both the sides have completely forgotten the main person; Sri Varadaraja perumal.
ReplyDeleteRightly said, the Brahmins need no enemies from outside; they will kill even if they see their own image in a mirror.
The Govt is waiting to intervene and take the issue away from the Brahmins!
At a time when there is a crying need to rise above these petty differences, we are only seeking to widen the gap between ourselves. We will be sitting ducks before a non believer Govt!!!