Vidhvath TN Engineer turns International Cricket Scorer

Sastra University Grad and a MNC Researcher on Cancer Treatment Medicines, Mylaporean Vidhvath is now an International Scorer having made his Debut on Wednesday in Utrecht

Last year, this section had predicted that Mylaporean Vidhvath Viswanathan, who is into research on medicines for cancer in a Multi National Firm in Netherlands, could one day become an international cricket scorer. Earlier, this section had featured a story on an international scorer from Chennai who played that role for Radio Australia (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/03/scorer-mani-numbers-man-for-radio.html). This one is about a Mylaporean, now in Holland, who is just starting out on an engagement as an international cricket scorer. 

On Wednesday (June 19) he debuted as a scorer in an international match in the T20 between Netherlands Women and Hongkong Women at Sportpark, Maarschalkerweerd, Utrecht, Netherlands. 

Shortly after making his debut, Vidhvath told this writer from Netherlands on Wednesday night that he enjoyed the new experience of talking with the third umpire over the walkie talkie and engaging with the Match Referee  “The match was also being streamed live with commentary as well and that was particularly exciting. As a scorer, I have to keep a close eye on the two batters and their distinctive features (height, shoe colour, left/right) as these are players I have never seen before."

He is also upgrading himself into doing book scoring and digital scoring simultaneously to be prepared for challenging situations at the higher level. In recent times, he has also equipped himself with the scenarios relating to DLS that will become an integral part of a scorer's job in international matches.

As so often happens with new experiences, the digital app, handled by his co-scorer on Wednesday, failed in the first over of the match and the responsibility was solely on 'Book Scorer' Vidhvath for the official record till the app issues were resolved.

Fruitful experience in local matches 

Over the last two years, he has been scoring in matches within Netherlands at the Women's T10/T20 u19 level. Earlier this year, he was the scorer in a game that involved the Dutch international players in preparation for the T20 World Cup. Leading to this, he had been a back up scorer for the U19 World Cup qualifications, but eventually did not get a chance with many of the games having been rained off. But it did give him the much needed exposure.

Ahead of the preparation for the u19 WC qualifiers, he was also invited for a global scorers' meeting "I learned a lot about setting expectations and the importance of communicating with 3rd umpire/ match referee and also got an opportunity to engage with a couple of experienced scorers from the UK. They spoke about access passes and phones not being allowed in the scorer box", he told this writer looking back at the global scorers meeting.

A late starter in Cricket

Like most Indians, he was crazy about cricket but did not get to play even league cricket in Chennai with his focus during the teenage years, initially being on getting high grades in Class XII and then his Engineering degree at Sastra. It was not until he was well into his 20s did he get to play league cricket, in the Netherlands where he had moved to in the second half of the previous decade.

Coached by DJ Gokulakrishnan

Fast bowler Vidhvath also captained his club Concordia for a couple of years. When he was in Chennai for a holiday last summer, he was coached by TN allrounder from the 1990s DJ Gokulakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/10/gokulakrishnan-dj-passes-away-at-50.html), who passed away in October last year. Following the short coaching on fast bowling, he went on to become one of the highest wicket takers in league cricket last year and bagged the best bowler award for 2023. 

Scoring lends naturally to the introverted personality

While he was thus enjoying playing the game that he had so dearly missed during his teenage years, Vidhvath had begun trying his hand at scoring starting off with local club matches.  He says that being an introverted person, Scoring lent itself naturally to his personality. He would often travel three hours by train from Delft, where he is currently living, to spend a whole day in scoring in matches in different cities in the Netherlands. But it was this early experience that is now taking him to the next level. Earlier this year, Vidhvath undertook a Level 2 scoring course organised by KNCB, the Dutch cricket board, with his club Concordia sponsoring his expenses for the course.

Life in the 30s - Saving Lives and International Cricket Scorer

In addition to working on life saving drugs during the weekdays, playing cricket over the weekends and learning the Vedas, Vidhvath is now moving into an excited phase in his life that of turning into a Professional Scorer in international cricket matches. Soon, he will be scoring in the women's T20 tri series involving Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Scotland. In August, he will be the scorer in a Men's T20 and a ODI, when USA and Canada visit Netherlands. While he continues to help in saving lives through his corporate role, a bright career in international scoring beckons for this 32 year old.

(Vidhvath is the son of the music teacher at Sri Sankara School, Adyar) 

Thiru Meiyam Divya Desam Hereditary Priests

37 year old Narasimha Bhattar has roped in two of his cousins to take forward the Kainkaryam into the next phase at the Sathya Murthy Perumal temple

By the 1980s most of the original inhabitants of Thiru Meiyam had gone away in search of greener pastures. The number of service personnel dwindled from close to a hundred to single digit by the turn of the century. As seen in the story on Krishnamurthy Bhattar, he too left the Divya Desam service to join the corporate world and returned to archaka service only after his retirement. His son too has joined the IT sector and moved to Chennai for a career in the Corporate space.

While Octogenarian Krishnamurthy Bhattar continues his archaka service during the 15 days of his rights every month, the other Bhattar clan who hold the service rights for the balance 15days every month have continued their service with the next gen taking over this century.

Narasimha Bhattar is now 37years old and has been at the temple since the time he was in his mid teens having quit school early. He is now bringing his cousins to join him in the service as there is shortage of personnel at the temple at a time when the devotee crowd has been increasing. While the scenario was challenging in the 1990s, even as he was growing up as a school boy, he received a clear message from his Thatha, Santhanam “He had performed Kainkaryam for several decades and wanted me to continue the service without exploring opportunities outside” Narasimha Bhattar told this writer this week on how the message from his Thatha has remained with him ever since.

“God created us for this kainkaryam. Accept this as his blessing. Do not desire for things and go searching in the outside world.Simply perform Kainkaryam with the fullest devotion” Santhanam Bhattar told his grandson Narasimha Bhattar just before his passing away.

His Thatha passed away in 2003 and he took over the Kainkaryam and has been at the temple over the last two decades. While he has had no formal training in the agamas, Narasimha Bhattar has learned to perform Thirumanjanam, present Thaligai and decorate the Lord from his appa. 

The 1970s Famine leaves a lasting impact

The famine in the 1970s sounded death knell for most of the service personnel at the temple but his appa continued the kainkaryam “On most days, we did not have money to cook our own food and the Koil Thaligai was the one that served as our daily lunch. Despite the challenges, my appa and thatha did not give away the Kainkaryam and served the Lord with devotion.”

Kainkaryam for over four decades

During that phase, the cook at the madapalli too left the temple and that service too fell on this family. Even into this century, his appa was paid a salary of just Rs. 400. His Chithappa Kalyana Raman is 62 years old and has been performing service at this Divya Desam for over four decades. “After the famine when most of the personnel left the temple, the then Maniyakaarar Soundararajan asked me to perform Paricharaka service and that’s how I joined the temple when I was just 18 years old”, Kalyana Raman told this writer.

He joined at a salary of Rs. 30 and this has gone up to Rs. 1800 after 45 years!!! He continues to serve both at the Madapalli and the Sannidhi.

Kannan returns from Singapore, joins Kainkaryam

36 year old Karthik Kannan is Narasimha Bhattar’s cousin. He worked for a decade in Singapore before the early lockdown because of the Pandemic led him to return to Oonaiyur, his native village about 5 kms from Thiru Meiyam. He recounts as to how the Lockdown in 2020 served as a great blessing and kindled his devotional interest “I spent a lot of time inside the temple in that phase. Only a select few service personnel were allowed to be present and I sat here contemplating my future. Performing service in a peaceful and quiet environment inspired me to continue this Kainkaryam after the Lockdown.”

“I have continued to receive calls from my former employer and friends in Singapore to get back to corporate work but I have made up my mind to continue the service here.”

He has spent four years at the temple and while the income at the end of the month is not even one tenth of what he received in Singapore, he says the satisfaction he gets from Perumal Kainkaryam is unmatched “When I was at school, an Iyengar devotee bought me a cycle. A Chettiar pitched with the School HM to give me free note books. Uniforms and bags too were given free to me”, says Karthik Kannan recalling the support from the devotees and how his decision to stay back at the temple has provided him with an opportunity to serve the devotees. 

His appa Seshadri (Ranganathan to those in the temple circles) is now 72 years old. He had come from Peralam after his marriage and joined temple service almost 50 years ago. He too continues to perform service at the temple support Narasimha Bhattar.

New Gen Kainkaryapaka- Parthasarathy joins in his teens

R Parthasarathy is the youngest of the lot at 26. Given the financial challenges, he quit school after Class IV and joined a Patshala in Srirangam, where he learned the Agamas.  He joined the temple just under a decade ago and was part of the procession on that fateful night in 2015 when a lorry knocked down the service personnel during the return trip from the Chitra Pournami event. Like his uncle Kalyana Raman, he too survived and has continued the Kainkaryam over the last decade.  “Right from my childhood, my mind was on temple service and have not had any thoughts on working outside. Serving the Lord along with my cousins and uncles has been a great experience sharing the load between the Sannidhi, Madapalli and processional work. We perform this kainkaryam together as a close knit family and help each other in every way possible to give the best experience of Perumal and Ujjevani Thayar to the devotees.”

He says that he is in this for the long haul and while the salary is not big, he has no plans to go outside this Divya Desam and sees Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam as his future and his way of life.

Bhagavatha takes care of the Nandavanam

An interesting addition to Thiru Meiyam Divya Desam in recent years has been Narayana Raman Dasan, a Bhagavatha hailing from Devakottai and who was assigned by Dhanusa Dasa Ramanuja Jeer to take care of the Nandavanam. His daughter is doing her MBA in Coimbatore while he is here full time at this Divya Desam “When I first came here, the Nandavanam was in a dilapidated state. Ever since I have taken care of the daily maintenance. Since I learned knotting flower garlands at a young age, I knot different varieties of flowers and present it to the Lord every day” he told this writer at the joy this kainkaryam has provided to him in the last few years. He has been provided accommodation and  Rs. 7000 for his service( initially he denied any monthly payment being made to him and had indicated that he was doing this free) . Unfortunately, there are also complaints about him presenting just one garland a day and him collecting money from devotees. 

Revival of Festivals

Referred to as Sathiya Giri and Sathiya Kshetram, Thiru Meiyam Divya Desam is surrounded by a huge fort. The rock cut cave temple temple dates back to the 7th Century AD. On the wall just above the deity, one finds images of Brahmma and several Devas. The story goes that when the Asuras tried to kidnap the Lord, Adiseshan let open poisonous air to kill the asuras. As a reference to this incident, one can see Adiseshan being depicted in the same form here - letting out poisonous air- a unique feature at this Divya Desam.

In the last couple of years, the Brahmotsavam, starting from the Pushyam day, has been revived in its full form with Vahana processions after new Vahanas were built recently. Previously, the annual utsavam had been conducted only with palanquin processions.

Chitra Pournami is the biggest festival of the year with Perumal making his way on a 30 km procession to Kadai Kudi where Rama provides Ethir Sevai. Following this, the Gajendra Moksham episode is enacted on the evening of Pournami.

Navarathi Utsavam too has been revived over the last decade. Oonjal for Perumal on Thai 1 and for Thaayar on Thai 2 are other celebratory occasions at the temple.

New Flag Post, Consecration in Aippasi

This week, on Monday, the foundation was laid for the new flag post at this Divya Desam. The renovation and repair works will take place in the coming months with the consecration being planned for Aippasi. Narasimha Bhattar is hoping for a revival of the street procession on the Pushyam day every month as was the historical practice.  Perumal also went on a Garuda Vahana procession on Thai and Aadi Amavasya and he is looking to revive these processions as well after the consecration.

Improved Scenario but Salary still inadequate

The salary to these archakas and paricharakas has not topped 3000 and with the thattu kaasu and with the 2-3 marriages they conduct inside the temple, each of them is able to make about Rs. 15000. While they have to manage their families and the monthly expenses within this income, the greatest satisfaction for each of these kainkaryapakas is the delightful feeling of serving at the feet of Perumal. To narrate the Sthala Puranam to the devotees gives them great peace of mind and they are able to sleep well every night.

Krishnamurthy Bhattar has been the senior Bhattar at this temple and had been carrying out his service almost all alone during his 15 days Kainkaryam every month but he is now well into his 80s and with his son firmly entrenched in the IT sectory, it is left to the young and energetic Narasimha Bhattar to carry forward the Kainkaryam at this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam. 

On his part, Narasimha Bhattar, with the help of his two cousins, is committed to and confident of continuing and carrying on this Kainkaryam into the foreseeable future. And that is good news for the Sathya Murthy Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Meiyam.

How to reach

Thiru Meiyam is located just under 20kms from Pudukottai off the Karaikudi highway.  Train from Trichy starts at 7am and reaches Thiru Meiyam at 8.20am. A train at 10.05am from Thiru Meiyam takes one back to Trichy at 11.25am.

Madurai/Tirupattur bound buses ply every 10-15mins from Pudukottai

The temple is open from 8am –12noon and 330pm-8pm. Contact Narasimha Bhattar @ 7639431930

Neelakantan Sastrigal Pazhur Patshala Glorious Revival

In six years since he took charge, Neelakanta Sastrigal has revived the dilapidated Patshala and created a certain positive vibrancy in Pazhur that is now seeing a return of the traditionalists to the agraharam 

This section had featured a story way back in 2018 on the decision of the then 30 year old R Neelakantan Sastrigal to let go a life in Chennai and to return to a remote town to resurrect a Patshala whose infrastructure was in a dilapidated state and with not too many students. He had a lucrative career in the offing in Chennai but he and his wife took a call to return to the roots and moved to Pazhur Village, located about 10kms west of Thiruvanaikaval to revive the century old Patshala, run by Sankara Mutt.

A Glorious Revival in 6years

Six years later, Neelakantan Sastrigal has made remarkable progress with the Patshala. When he took over as the Acharya (this writer spent a long time going around every room in the Patshala in 2018 to take a look at the infrastructure), the roofs were on the verge of falling off, the walls were in broken state and students were hesitant to come. In 2024, he has just completed a complete renovation of the Patshala with the support of well wishers and devotees who, impressed with his devotional commitment to keep the Vedic tradition going, have been willing to come forward to participate in the infra restoration. The entire Patshala in the Pazhur Agraharam opposite the Perumal temple now wears a fresh new look and bears no resemblance to the scenario that existed in the second half of the previous decade. 

Students graduate, get married!!!

A set of students have graduated from the Patshala and have settled down in many different traditional locations in Tamil Nadu including in the historical temple town of Thiruvidai Maruthur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/12/thiruvidaimaruthur-mahalingam-temple.html). Their high fluency in the Vedas and the in-depth knowledge instilled in them by Neelakantan Sastrigal and the confident demeanor and the strong communication skills has meant that the families of prospective brides too have been forthcoming to have a discussion and this has translated into marriage for a few of these boys into their early 20s, much against the current trend!!!

New Students now interested to join this Patshala

Another new set of boys have joined the Patshala and the strength of the Patshala topped 20 at its peak. While there was apprehension in the 2nd half of the previous decade, with positive feedback from outgoing students, many parents are now wanting to hand over their sons to the watchful care of Neelakantan Sastrigal. 

Family support

His wife, Ganga, has been a pillar of strength playing the role of a mother to all these kids over the last six years taking personal care of them through their Vedic learning phase at this patshala. 

"While I also focus on the administrative aspects including spending time on the restoration exercise, my brother Vyakarana Rathna Brahmashri Manikantha Ganapadigal has been a great source of strength in this phase donning the role of a Vedic teacher and initiating the knowledge in these students" Neelakantan Sastrigal told thos writer. 

Without the support of  his brother, it would have been even more challenging for him to undertake the restoration of the Patshala. 

A record breaking 300 day Danda Krama Parayanam initiative

Neelakantan Sastrigal is currently undertaking a mega initiative of getting his students to present a 300 day ‘Sampoorna Rig Veda Danda Krama’ Parayanam. Almost a year - long every day parayanam has not been conducted this century and that is a significant and bold step taken by him, one that is giving great confidence to his wards. 

When this writer visited the Patshala this month, it was the 142nd day of non stop Parayanam without a break. It is a parayanam initiative that Neelakanta Sastrigal started on the day of the consecration of the Rama temple in Ayodhya in January this year. Since that day, this has been going on without a break with each Parayanam running up 1.5 hours every evening. He is also delighted with the fact that this one of its kind parayanam by students has been blessed by Periyava. 

June 2024 - The Vedic Students with their Acharya

Recognition by Periyava

Previously, Neelakantan Sastrigal had initiated a long 200day Rig Veda Gana Parayanam in 2020-21 during the Pandemic phase. Following the successful completion of that Parayanam, Periyava anointed the 8 students with the title of ‘Jata Vallabha’ at an event in Kanchipuram. For completion of Lakshanam under the tutorship of Neelakantan Sastrigal, Periyava presented bracelets to those students as a mark of recognition of their successful completion of their learning. Some of the students who graduate at the Sankara Mutt Patshala in Thiruvanaikaval come to Neelakantan Sastrigal for higher education at Pazhur.

While the physical infrastructure in the Patshala has been completely transformed and does not bear any resemblance to the dilapidated state that existed six years ago, Neelakantan Sastrigal has also undertaken a few other initiatives at the Patshala. As part of his Go Samrakshanam initiative, he is taking care of a few cows at the rear of the Patshala. The infrastructure for this Go Shala too has been upgraded. 

Solar System to save Power Costs

Interestingly, Neelakantan Sastrigal is high on technology and has been digitising a lot of the Vedic Scriptures. Given the huge electricity costs that has been running up at the Patshala, he has this year implemented a solar power system through a devotee and this will result in huge savings in power costs. 

Anchoring almost all by himself, Neelakantan Sastrigal has fashioned a complete restoration of the Sankara Mutt run Patshala building – the costs of over Rs. 50lakhs have all been borne by like minded devotees whose interest has been in protection of the Vedic tradition. He is all excited about taking this second batch of students to the next level in Vedic Learning.

   2018 - Patshala and the students

Committed to the Vedic Cause

Way back in 2018, a young Neelakantan Sastrigal, ably supported and backed by his wife, took that bold step to quit the city life and come to Pazhur to revive this Patshala. He can now proudly look back at phase one of his life here at the Pazhur Patshala with great satisfaction for he has restored the physical infrastructure to a level where there is great positive vibration for anyone entering the patshala even as the Agraharam reverberates to the non-stop presentation of the Vedic verses by these young students.  

He is also encouraging his wards to raise the bar and trying to get them to achieve the seemingly impossible. While the 200day parayanam was a great start a few years back during the Pandemic phase, the current one of the 300 day Danda Krama Parayanam by a dozen students without a break is something that has not been achieved in the first two decades of this century by any patshala students. And that is a significant push by Neelakantan Sastrigal to get the students to the next higher level of devotion as they render the sacred verses each day for over an hour as a group for almost a year.

Revival not just of the Patshala but the Agraharam as well

The infrastructure restoration of the dilapidated Patshala and the big student interest in Vedic learning has given a great bit of satisfaction and happiness to this 36 year old Vedic Acharya. Interestingly, after the revival of the Patshala and the positive vibration that it has brought, the Agraharam itself has seen a revival with traditionalists coming back to this town in good numbers over the last year or so. And many more are looking to return to their ancestral location. A good bit of credit for this too goes to Neelakantan Sastrigal for his unwavering devotional commitment to create the next generation of Vedic Students with a high degree of expertise and knowledge.

Phaneesh Murthy India Pak T20 World Cup New York

A Celebrity dinner with Cricket Legends Zaheer Abbas and Sunil Gavaskar on the eve of the Indo-Pak T20 match

Using his big network in the US, former marketing IT Wizkid Phaneesh Murthy raised $300000 that will help save the lives of 150 children with heart ailments in India

Leveraging the huge interest ahead of the India – Pakistan T20 encounter in New York (that India won late on Sunday night IST), Phaneesh Murthy, the former blue eyed boy of Infosys and CEO of iGATE, organised a celebrity dinner to raise funds for surgeries for children born with heart ailments in India.

Phaneesh, who turned 60 last year (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/phaneesh-murthy60.html), is looking to focus on social causes especially in the health space in his new avatar. He told this writer earlier this month that his key focus in this phase of his life will be help children who are suffering from heart ailments, in India. 

As one of the steps in this direction, he organised a celebrity dinner in New York on Saturday night with legendary batsmen from the 1970s and 80s, Zaheer Abbas and Sunil Gavaskar as the Chief Guests.

In his hey days at Infosys in the 1990s, he was known for signing large deals after a game of golf in the US, such was his networking ability. He is now using the huge network he had built in the US over his two decades in the IT space to raise funds for charitable causes.

A cricket fan himself, Phaneesh told this writer shortly after he watched India win a close encounter that he is starting to do such events for various social causes mostly in the health space "This was with Sunny for heart to heart foundation which does surgeries for babies born with defective hearts. There is a 99% chance of survival with the surgery being so really good."

He said that with the funds raised, the lives of 150 children with heart ailments will be saved through these surgeries. All these heart surgeries will be done at the Sai Hospital in Muddenahalli, in the outskirts of Bangalore. In January this year, he had played in a celebrity cricket match at the ground near the Sai Hospital, one where cricket legends such as Gavaskar, Muralidharan and Jayasuriya took part and for whom Phaneesh consults. 

In addition to mentoring business entrepreneurs, Phaneesh's aim this decade is to do as much as possible for children with heart diseases in India and he is committed to working just as hard as he had during his golden days in the IT sector to help save the lives of children.

Thiru Velliyankudi Next Gen Sundararajan Bhattar

This 26 year old Bhattar has committed to a lifetime Kainkaryam at the feet of Kola Villi Ramar

While a good number of the next generation priests in remote temples in Tamil Nadu have been moving away, over the last decade, from the temple space into academics and subsequently the corporate world, there are a few who are bucking the trend and committing to a lifetime service in temples. The Kola Villi Ramar temple in Thiru Velliyankudi, a Divya Desam praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, that had been in a deserted state in the 1980s and 90s, is seeing the next gen Bhattar taking over responsibilities from his appa and that augurs well for this temple.

Original inhabitants of this historical temple town had made their way to larger cities in the second half of the previous century. With the passing away of long standing priest, Veeraraghava Bhattar, most of the utsavams too had come to a halt. It was Krishnapremi Anna (he passed away last year), who roped in Ramamoorthy Bhattar in the late 1990s as the Chief Priest at this Divya Desam as well as for the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Senganoor(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/09/periya-vachan-pillai-senganoor.html), a couple of kms from here.

As with most remote Divya Desams in TN, the traditionalists, who formed an integral part of the Agraharam bringing vibrancy to the temple, have remained away for a large part with only a handful of devotees visiting their ancestral location even now. Ramamoorthy Bhattar has been the one who also doubles up as the cook at the madapalli through most of the year, except during the three big utsavams for as seen in many other temples full time cook has been hard to find in these times. Against this backdrop, the decision of Sundararajan Bhattar to take on the mantle from his appa Ramamoorthy Bhattar is commendable.

    Appa Ramamoorthy Bhattar

No second thoughts

Right from a young age, he was keen on a life around the two temples. As a 7 year old, he performed Kainkaryam at the Pandurangan Sannidhi in Senganoor on directions from Krishnapremi Anna. Given the trend of the time, his family asked him to focus on academics but he was keen on letting go of the school education and moving to a Patshala at the earliest. And that he did after he completed his Class VI in the school at Thirupanandal. 

For eight years, he learned the Krishna Yajur Veda at the centuries old Raja Veda Patshala in Kumbakonam even as he watched with great happiness his appa managing the Divya Desam all alone all through the year. That he says was a big inspiration for him to continue this Kainkaryam at this temple.

காய்த்த நீள் கமுகும் கதலியும் தெங்கும்

எங்கும் ஆம் பொழில்களின் நடுவே

வாய்த்த நீர் பாயும் மண்ணியின் தென்பால்

திருவெள்ளியங்குடி அதுவே

Around the completion of his Vedic Education, he presented Veda Parayanam at sacred events and went on Vaideeham activities for a year. He later learned the Vaikanasa Agama Kramas from Sampath Bhattar of Konerirajapuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/05/konerirajapuram-varadaraja-perumal.html) and trained under him. He received the Vaikanasa Rathnakara certificate from Raja Bhattar, Madurai. 

Brief Stint Overseas

Soon after the morning street procession on the fourth day of the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, 26 year old Sundararajan Bhattar told this writer that for a brief period, he performed archaka service at the Rama temple in Singapore but did not like the overseas stint and hence returned (Ramamoorthy Bhattar too had had an archaka engagement in the US for a few years) “I continue to get lucrative offers for archaka service from the UK, Australia and Singapore but am not keen on a long term engagement with overseas temples as my heart is with Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam where my life has centred all through right from my childhood.”

At Senganoor and Thiru Velliyankudi, he has been the ‘Raksha Bandhana’ Bhattar during the Brahmotsavam this and he sees that as a great responsibility and honour. He says he is proud of his appa’s efforts to revive three big utsavams at this Divya Desam – Pavitrotsavam, Adyayana Utsavam and the Brahmotsavam “From the time when most utsavams had stopped in the not so distant past, this is a great revival for this temple. It will be a big moment for us when the Chariot runs again around the four streets in a couple of years.”

While the Brahmotsavam was revived last year after over half a century, Sundararajan Bhattar is particularly pleased with the devotee participation this year "While we sourced a lot of the vahanas last year from Senganoor, we now have our own Vahanas. And that is another big development. The happiness on the faces of the devotees during the vahana processions and the Voyali serves as a great motivation for us to continue our Kainkaryam at the feet of Kola Villi Ramar."

கொங் கணை துரந்த கோல வில் இராமன் தன் கோயில்

ஊற்றிடை நின்ற வாழையின் கனிகள்

ஊழ்த்து வீழ்ந்தன உண்டு மண்டி

சேற்றிடைக் கயல்கள் உகள் திகழ் வயல் சூழ் 

Unlike the early years when his appa took over the archaka service here, things have improved financially at this temple. "The financial challenges are behind us and devotees are coming back to temples in good numbers. This being a Sukra Sthalam, we are seeing a steady stream of devotees coming in for Parikaram, adding to the devotee crowd. We have been taken care of well and that has helped us focus on our kainkaryam without having to worry about managing the family like it was a few decades ago in remote temples."

As presented in Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's verse, devotees came in good numbers during the Brahmotsavam to seek the blessings of the Lord of Velliyankudi

அள்ளி அம் பொழில்வாய் இருந்து வாழ் குயில்கள்

அரி அரி என்று அவை அழைப்ப

வெள்ளியார் வணங்க  விரைந்து  அருள் செய்வான்

In addition to performing service at Thiru Velliyankudi and Senganoor, Sundararajan Bhattar has also participated in consecrations at other Divya Desams such as Thiru Kannamangai and Nachiyar Koil over the last 12 months.

His commitment to a lifetime Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam is a positive development. At a time, when many remote temples are short on archakas, this appa-son duo's presence at Thiru Velliyankudi is likely to help get this historical temple to its good old days of grand utsavam celebrations.

Mannargudi Lakshmana Babu Dikshithar

This Octogenarian Priest is still active with his Kainkaryam and was recently at the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam at the Devathirajan Sannidhi in Therazhundur

Lakshmana Dikshithar, popularly known as Babu Dikshithar, is well into his 80s but unmindful of his age, he made a trip recently from his home town of Mannargudi to Therazhundur on the invitation of his son in law, Vasan Bhattar for the Vaikashi Brahmotsavam. While his two grandsons support their appa Vasan Bhattar at the Brahmotsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/09/therazhundur-vasan-bhattar.html), Babu Diskhithar is the one who was at the Devathirajan Sannidhi helping out devotees with the darshan of the Moolavar. He has seen Therazhundur from a very young age and recalls Chimney lamps burning all over this historical temple town in those years in the 1950s and 60s.

Trained under Shona Dikshithar

He quit school after class IV and pursued Patshala education at Singam Iyengar’s patshala in Srirangam where he learnt Kaavyam. He then learned the agama from Shona Dikshithar for a decade. With only 16 days Archaka Kainkaryam at the Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannargudi and 22 days in the Ramar temple in Vaduvur, Babu Dikshithar also performed Sripatham Kainkaryam, Sannidhi Paricharakar and Madapalli service in Mannargudi, in the decades gone by to keep his engagement with the temple right through the year.

A contented life 

He is philosophical about the way this life has gone for him. He told this writer at the Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannargudi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/03/mannargudi-rajagopalaswamy-panguni.html) in September 2021 about the contentment he has had in life "Whatever is required to lead a peaceful and happy life, God has given me. Rs. 10/- to Rs. 15/- was big money in those days and we were happy with that.. We depended on Thattu Kaasu but we led a contended life performing service to the Lord accepting whatever Rajagopalaswamy and Shenbagavalli Thaayar gave us. I never asked a single devotee to place any money in the Thattu. I learned early on in life that God will make the decision for you and will present to you what you require in life.”

Will be at Ahobilam for Jeer's Birthday Celebrations next month!!!

His commitment and devotional service came in for special praise from the Jeers of Ahobila Mutt and successive heads of this Mutt have had great regard for him. A month from now he will be at Ahobilam on the special invitation of Azhagiya Singar for the latter’s birthday celebrations in the ancient Divya Desam. He is not sure if son in law Vasan Bhattar would like his travelling all the way to Ahobilam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2010/10/singavel-kundram-ahobilam.html) at this age but he says he has to respect the personal invitation of the Jeer and make it to the Mutt headquarters in the second week of July.

During the Brahmotsavam at Therazhundur, there were scores of devotees visiting the Moolavar Sannidhi through the morning and evening. Babu Dikshithar displayed great patience to serve each of these devotees presenting the Sthala Puranam of this Divya Desam, describing each of the idols inside the Sannidhi and answering their queries with great patience, much to their delight.

His grandsons come to the Sannidhi at the turn of the hour to check if all was well with their Thatha only to be sent away asking them to focus on the utsavam. He inspired confidence in them that he would take good care of the devotees at the Sannidhi. 

His has been a tale of unflinching devotion despite financially challenging times for several decades in the previous century. He believes that Shengamala Thayar resides in him and she gives him the strength and confidence to perform this devotional service even at this age. Truly Babu Dikshithar is an inspiration to all the young Bhattars on keeping one’s Kainkaryam going through an entire lifetime. 

Thiru Velliyankudi Brahmotsavam Revival Garuda Sevai 2024

Ramamoorthy Bhattachar and two devotees play a big role in the revival of Brahmotsavam after over half a century

The Garuda Sevai alankaram turns out to be a big hit as Kola Villi Ramar strode out majestically on to the four big streets with glittering jewellery and huge flower garlands on Tuesday evening

In September 2021, shortly after the second wave of the Pandemic, this section had featured a story on the possible revival of the Brahmotsavam at the Kola Villi Ramar temple in Thiru Velliyankudi, one praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi verses.  On Tuesday evening, the Garuda Seva procession around the four big streets provided a glimpse of what the revival of the Brahmotsavam meant for the local residents. Two devotees, Uppili and Sriram, whose ancestors lived in this historical Divya Desam along with the Chief Priest Ramamoorthy Bhattar have played a big role in the revival of this annual utsavam in Vaikasi and to helping this temple return to its old glory.

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar begins his praise of Thiru Velliyankudi describing its location as being south of the Manni River (Cauvery) with one hearing the loud noise of the river flowing through in full force.

காய்த்த நீள் கமுகும் கதலியும் தெங்கும்

எங்கும் ஆம் பொழில்களின் நடுவே

வாய்த்த நீர் பாயும் மண்ணியின் தென்பால்

திருவெள்ளியங்குடி அதுவே

Two Devotees and Chief Priest anchor the Revival

Just under a decade ago, this writer had featured a story in The Hindu Friday Review on the restoration exercise at Thiru Velliyankudi and the temple wearing a fresh look. Sriram, a resident of West Mambalam and now a staffer at the IT division of StanChart, played an important role in that restoration closely monitoring the repair works and also identifying the donors for the renovation works.

                Devotee Sriram

Way back in September 2017, this section had featured a story wondering if like minded devotees would come together to revive the traditional utsavams including the Brahmotsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/09/velliyankudi-sukra-sthalam.html). And it has been through the devotees and the priest that the utsavams are being revived now. 

Similar to his role in the physical infrastructure restoration exercise last decade, Sriram has once again played a role in the revival of the Brahmotsavam along with another devotee, Uppili, both of whose roots belong to Thiru Velliyankudi. While the Brahmotsavam was revived last year after well over half a century, the vahanas were sourced from the perumal temple in Senganoor, the birth place of Vaishnavite Acharya Periya Vachan Pillai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/09/periya-vachan-pillai-senganoor.html). 

Over the last 12 months, the two have worked together to get new vahanas organised for this Divya Desam and thus this week the processions are taking place in vahanas belonging to this temple. Sriram told this writer on Tuesday that only the Garuda and Hanumantha Vahana were in good shape in the temple previously “All other vahanas have been newly done over the last 12 months. We are happy that we now have all the vahanas of our own for the annual Brahmotsavam processions.”

He also told this writer that Andavan Ashram has bought 5 pieces of lands East of the temple and construction could begin sometime in the future.

Uppili had been caught up in corporate work around the previous consecration in the middle of the previous decade and hence Sriram had taken the lead role in the renovation work. But with Uppili now residing in Kumbakonam, he has been instrumental in engaging closely with the requirements of the temple and getting the vahanas ready ahead of this utsavam. He has been involved in the process of organising the Prabhandham Ghosti members, the Thathiyaradhanai and taking care of other minute details relating to the Brahmotsavam as he is now located within 15kms of the temple.

                     Devotee Uppili

A Grand Garuda Sevai Alankaram

It is just past 3pm on Tuesday and Gopinathan Bhattachar from Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam in Thiru Naraiyur(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html), who has just finished a big Moolavar Thirumanjanam for Srinivasa Perumal,  arrives in Thiru Velliyankudi in his car. He has been roped in by Ramamoorthy Bhattachar for the Garuda Sevai alankaram. He told this writer on Tuesday evening that Nachiyar Koil is now renowned for the Kal Garuda Sevai and hence he thought it fit that with his experience of Garuda Vahana alankaram, Gopi Bhattar would do a good job and delight the devotees. Indeed he did with support from a few young Kainkaryapakas including a Student at Tirupathi and one from Nandipura Vinnagaram Divya Desam.

   Ramamoorthy Bhattar- The Priest behind the Revival

Devotees delighted with Brahmotsavam revival

Well past 8pm, a devotee lady who walked along with Kola Villi Ramar through the entire procession asked as to who decorated the Perumal as she was delighted with the minute attention paid to alankaram. On getting to hear as to who had performed the decoration, she pointed out that the left leg of Perumal was on top of the Garuda while the right leg was placed near the right ear of Garuda and said that it was no surprise then that Perumal looked so beautiful atop the Garuda Vahana. The jewels were glittering, the colourful silk vastrams caught the fancy of the devotees and they simply could not take their eyes away from the Lord. 

Thirumangai Azhvaar refers to the huge mansions at Thiru Velliyankudi. The pillars were studded with glittering gems so much so that it was even difficult to make out if it was day or night!!!

படியிடை மாடத்து அடியிடைத் தூணில்

பதித்த பன் மணிகளின் ஒளியால்

விடி பகல் இரவு என்று  அறிவு அரிது ஆய

திருவெள்ளியங்குடி அதுவே

Another local resident and a devotee who was present last year at the Garuda Sevai found some thing different this year. The Bhattar, of Senganoor Perumal temple, who is here through the utsavam told him that it was the size and quantity of the garland “This year, Perumal has been decked with 11 huge flower garlands and that is what has made him look even more attractive.”

Fire crackers and rockets were burst through the entire stretch of the procession that went past 9pm. Residents of Thiru Velliyankudi decked the streets with beautiful white pulli kolam and presented coconuts and flowers to Perumal as he made his way around the four streets. 

The Prabhandham Ghosti, that had presented the sacred verses of Andal in the pallakku procession on Tuesday morning, now presented Naanmugan Thiruvanthathi leading the Lord in the front. CUB staffer Madhavan, who resides near the Oppilliappan Koil and a cousin of Ghoshti member Sundar Raman of Desikar Temple, Mylapore (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/vedantha-desikar-srinivasa-perumal.html) too joined in for both the morning and evening recitals. 

Vedic Presentation

Following the Lord was Varadarajan of Madurantakam Eri Kaatha Ramar Koil and elder brother of Rangarajan Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/11/villiyambakkam-rangarajan-bhattar.html) formerly the priest of the Madurantakam and the Desikar temple in Mylapore reciting the Vedic verses.He told this writer that while he had served at the Madurantakam temple and later at the Papanayakkam Palayam Perumal temple in Coimbatore in the past, he was now dedicating his life to rendering the Vedic Verses at remote Divya Desam utsavams. He was present at the Therazhundur Brahmotsavam as well last week. On his TVS 50, he travels 60 kms from Kumbakonam and back for these two street processions each day of this utsavam. During the morning and evening processions on Tuesday, he was joined in by a Vedic student and his acharya from the patshala in Senganoor. 

A Sea of Yellow at Thiru Velliyankudi

A special feature of this Brahmotsavam is the fact that the entire Sripatham team have been provided with a uniform that includes a yellow veshti for each of them. It was indeed a positive move by Ramamoorthy Bhattachar to get them to wear the traditional attire. It was a sea of yellow at Thiruvelliyankudi on Tuesday as all the priests too sported the yellow veshti. 

Sumptuous food at the Madapalli

A cook has been sourced from Kumbakonam for the entire utsavam and he presented Dhadhyonam and Chutney to all the Kainkaryapakas in the morning following the street procession. For over an hour, the Prabhandham Ghosti members sat in front of the Perumal and presented the third and fourth cantos of Periya Thirumozhi ending with the local Paasuram on Thiru Velliyakudi. They also presented the Neerattam verses of Periyazhvaar while the Thirumanjanam was being performed following the procession in the morning. 

Later in the evening, they return to present the fourth canto of Tiruvoimozhi as well as the verses from the Desikar Prabhandham even as Kola Villi Ramar was being decked up for the Garuda Vahana procession. Over a 1000 years ago, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar found devotees in huge numbers offering worship to the Lord seen reclining on a serpent and holding a discus in hand. 

குடி குடி ஆகக் கூடி நின்று

அமரர் குணங்களே பிதற்றி நின்று ஏத்த

அடியவர்க்கு அருளி அரவு  அனைத்துயின்ற

ஆழியான் அமர்ந்து உறை கோயில்

A delightful Voyali by Sripatham 

The biggest cheer of the day came at 9pm after the Garuda Vahana Street procession. Testimony to the revival of this Divya Desam to its golden days was the fact that several hundreds of devotees including young kids gathered inside the temple even as Perumal made his way back in front of the Maragada Valli Thayar Sannidhi to watch the special Voyali presentation. The Sripatham delighted them to a presentation of Voyali as Kola Villi Ramar danced to the nagaswaram tunes of Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram. It was a fitting finale to a long day at Thiru Velliyankudi Divya Desam.

Clearly the residents are quite happy with the revival of the Brahmotsavam and they are once again able to have darshan of Perumal atop different vahanas something that this generation and the earlier one had not witnessed. It is a new experience for all of them and there is a new found vibrancy in this historical Divya Desam.

Chariot Procession - The next big task? 

One has to be grateful to Ramamoorthy Bhattachar, who has been for over 25 years (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/09/thiru-velliyankudi-ramamoorthy-bhattar.html) and to Uppili and Sriram for bringing back memories from the past. And in the next few years, it would not be surprising to see a new Chariot move around the streets of Thiru Velliyankudi.

How to reach

From Kumbakonam, one can get down at Sholapuram (on the Madras Highway) and take an auto 6 kms East (Rs. 150). From Aduthurai, take a Sholapuram bound mini bus to get down at Thiru Velliyankudi. From Thirupananthal, auto costs Rs. 150 to the temple. Call auto Shanmughanandam @ 9843345436/6380268005

Therazhundur Aamaruviappan Madapalli Raghu

Thittai Raghu has been a dependable cook at the Devathirajan Divya Desam in Therazhundur for over two decades and has committed himself to a lifetime service at this temple                                

This is a phase in TN temples where madapalli paricharakars are hard to find and those that do come act pricey. In many remote temples including Divya Desams, the priests double up as the madapalli cook as well. The Aamaruviappan temple in Therazhundur is an exception. Srinivasan Bhattar, who has played a major role of the revival of this Divya Desam over the last 15 years, has been blessed to have a dependable and traditional cook for well over two decades.

A relative of TS Rajagopalan Iyengar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/tsr-co-legendary-enterpreneur_19.html), the founder of TSR & Co, Thittai Aravamudhan Srinivasan completed his graduation at the National College Trichy having schooled at the Boys High School, Srirangam. As a water proof technician, he went across the country including to Bombay and Orissa carrying out this professional work for a decade till the late 1990s.

His appa had been in the military and participated in the second world war and later worked in the Railways. Even as a child, Madapalli Raghu, as he is now popularly known in the temple circles, was interested in cooking.

A threatening injury arising out of a fall led him to quitting the job and he decided to spend the rest of his life performing service to a Divya Desam Lord. His aunt resided in Therazhundur and he moved here. 

For over two decades, his service at the madapalli has been of immense value to Vasan Bhattar for he has been to focus on archaka service and Thiru Aradhana instead of doubling up as a cook like the priests in many other Divya Desams. 

Venkatesh Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/thiru-cherai-venkatesh-bhattar-next-gen.html) who performs archaka service at Saranatha Perumal temple in Thiru Cherai has been experiencing challenges at the madapalli there over the last decade. He told this writer during the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam at Therazhundur that for a long time the priests at the Divya Desam in Thiru Cherai had to double up as the cook at the madapalli leading to extended hours of service. It is only recently that the cook who has been appointed by Venu Srinivasan of TVS (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/venu-srinivasan-historical-temples.html) to perform service at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Kudavasal has agreed to make the sacred food early in the morning and evening at Thiru Cherai ahead of his daily duty at the Kudavasal temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/12/kudavasal-srinivasa-perumal.html).

58 year old Raghu is bubbling with energy and the big utsavams like the ten day Brahmotsavam excite him no end. Ahead of the Chariot Festival, he was at the madapalli at 1am this Wednesday to make Chakkarai Pongal Thaligai for the early morning Vishroopam followed by the 5am procession to the Chariot. During Margazhi, he is at the madapalli every morning at 2am through each day of the month. Through the year, he makes food specific to the occasion like for example Upma on Ekadasi. Every evening, he makes Dosai, Vadai and Sundal much to the delight of the devotees who are happy that regular prasadam is being presented to Perumal every day of the year at this remote location.

Lifetime commitment to Aamaruviappan

Given the tough working conditions, his relatives have been pitching with him to quit this service as he also does not take a salary from the HR&CE and performs this purely as a Kainkaryam. He manages to run his life based on the Thaligai Sambhavanai he gets from the devotees for making the sacred food and he is more than happy with that. And he has kept his relatives at bay.

“While I worked hard and earned a lot of money as a technician in the corporate world, the joy of preparing food for a Divya Desam Perumal is unmatched. The love and care of Vasan Bhattar as well as the happiness I find on the faces of the devotees when they taste the prasadam has kept me going here. This is where I intend to spend the rest of my life serving at the feet of Devathirajan and under the care of Vasan Bhattar and now his son Hari Sundar”, says Raghu, with a big smile.

Vasan Bhattar - in the hot sun on the Chariot day this week

Vasan Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/09/therazhundur-vasan-bhattar.html) is delighted with the service that Raghu has rendered over the last two decades “My madapalli has been in safe hands for Raghu is very dependable and gets the sacred food ready ahead of time at all utsavams. This has taken away a lot of the anxiety relating to Thaligai away from my thoughts and I have been able to focus on my Kainkaryam.”

Those who perform kainkaryam with commitment and devotion will be forever blessed is what Kannan Bhattar told Vasan Bhattar in the 1980s when his son took charge of archaka service. It is that sincerity of service that has handed Raghu as that dependable cook to this historical Divya Desam, praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. 

Not in too many remote Divya Desams do you hear of a madapalli paricharakar who has been in service for over two decades. The Aamaruviappan temple in Therazhundur is an exception on many fronts and the Madapalli Kainkaryam is another service at this Divya Desam that has bucked the recent trend of archakas frantically searching for that elusive cook.

Raghu has been a great asset to this temple and his commitment to perform lifelong service gives great confidence to Vasan Bhattar that one important daily Kainkaryam is in safe and responsible hands.

Kudos to Madapalli Raghu for this  Kainkaryam.