Nanguneri Divya Desam Vasantha Utsavam

Deivanayakan and Vara Mangai Thayar provide Poochatru Sevai at the Thoppu  as part of the Vasantha Utsavam

Deivanayakan, the utsava deity a the Thothadri Nathan divya desam in Nanguneri, one of the eight sacred Swayam Vyaktha Vishnu Sthalams, was out in the hot summer sun for ten days during the Brahmotsavam the previous month in Chitrai. As a cooling exercise and as part of the Vasantha Utsavam, he made his way to the Thoppu, on the southern side, abound with trees this Vaikasi  for ten days, enjoying the evening breeze and the early monsoon drizzle. 

It is close to 5pm on Tuesday June 4 evening and the priest calls out for Sripatham. There is no full fledged sripatham personnel on this evening and the kainkaryaparas including the madapalli cooks double up as the carriers of the Lord. 

புள்ளின் வாய் பிளந்தாய்

மருது இடை போயினாய்

எருது ஏழ் அடர்த்த என் கள்ள மாயவனே

கருமாணிக்கச் சுடரே

தெள்ளியார் திரு நான்மறைகள் வல்லார்

மலி தண்  சிரீவர மங்கை

உள் இருந்த எந்தாய், அருளாய்  உய்யுமாறு எனக்கே - Tiruvoimozhi (5-7)

The entire Thoppu is decorated with beautiful kolams to welcome Deivanayakan and Srivara Mangai Nachiyar. Shortly after, the Pontiff of the Vaanamaamalai Mutt arrives at the Thoppu for the Thodakkam of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Siriya Thiru Madal.

The flower garlands too have reached the Vasantha Utsavam mandapam and Nambi (Ambi) Bhattar drapes Perumal and Thayar with these garlands even as the Madal is played out the Prabhandham members. 

Following the Poochatru Sevai and the Madal presentation, Puliyotharai Thaligai and Dhadhyonam is distributed to the devotees who have gathered around the Thoppu in good numbers on this evening.

ஆராயில்  தானே  அறம் , பொருள் , இன்பம்  என்று

ஆர்  ஆர்  இவற்றினிடை  அதனை  எய்துவார்

The clock has ticked to 6pm and its time for Perumal and Thayar to go around the Thoppu on a Paththi Ulaathal trip even as a young girl presents a wide ranging set of devotional songs during the procession with Mutt Srikaryam Srikanth anchoring the Sripatham team.

கார் ஆர் குழல் கொண்டாய் கட்டுவிச்சி கட்டேறி

சீர் ஆர் சுளகில் சில நெல் பிடித்து

ஏரியா வேறா விதிர்விதிரா

மெய் சிலிரா கை மோவா

பேர் ஆயிரம் உடையான் என்றால் 

பெயர்த்தேயும் கார் ஆர் திருமேனி காட்டினாள் - Siriya Thiru Madal

It’s an early monsoon phase and the nearby Nambi Divya Desam in Thirukurungudi has received a sumptuous amount of rainfall. The huge Eri on the North side of the temple in Nanguneri is brimming  to the full (as the huge lake around the temple was split into 4 canals, this place was referred to as ‘Nangu’ ‘Eri’) and as the Sun goes down in the West, its time for the decorative lights to take over at the Thoppu.

                        

After the Deepaarathanai, the prabhandham members led by the Pontiff present the ninth canto of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi. About 25kms east at the Aathi Nathan Divya Desam in Azhvaar Tirunagari, the procession around the Mada streets has started on this fourth evening of the Azhvaar utsavam with the service personnel at Nanguneri having already received the photos of the procession. The priest discusses the minute details of the decorative garlands at Azhvaar Tirunagari with a Bhagavatha and takes one look at Deivanayakan and expresses happiness at the beautiful looking Perumal after the Poochatru here.

A devotee presents flowers late into the Prabhandham recital and the priest patiently drapes it much to her delight

As the clock ticks to 8pm, Namazhvaar’s verse on Vaanamaamalai is played out the automated hourly announcement while the Prabhandham members present the Satru Murai verses on Thiru Kannapuram. Following another round of Thaligai distribution, the devotees take one final look at Perumal and Thayar before they head back home chatting amongst themselves on the evening’s alankaram and looking forward to the final day of the utsavam.

மானைநோக்கி மடப்பின்னை தன் கேள்வனை 

தேனை வாடா மலர் இட்டு நீ இறைஞ்சுமின் 

வானை உந்து மதில் சூழ் திருக்கண்ணபுரம் 

தான் நயந்த பெருமான் சரணாகுமே - 9-10-4 - Tiruvoimozhi

The Kainkaryaparas, led by Srikaryam Srikanth, once again double up as Sripatham on the Divine Couple’s return procession to the Moolavar Sannidhi bringing to end the proceedings on this penultimate evening of the ten day Vasantha Utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/03/nanguneri-vanamamalai-divya-desam.html).

The Bhagavathas stay back for the Sayana Sevai and are presented with a tasty Vadai following the final Deepaarathanai of the day. 

IT professional turning Madapalli cook Thothadri Srinvasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/05/vaanamaamalai-thothadri-srinivasan.html) returns home after 9pm having donned multiple roles on the day – Cook, Sripatham, Prabhandham member and Prabhandham acharya. Even as he heads back home for a well earned rest, he credits the Srikaryam of the Mutt, Srikanth, who is still sitting at the entrance of the temple, for bringing together the Kainkaryaparas  at this Divya Desam to keep the tradition at the historical utsavams going.

Thothadri Nathan temple in Nanguneri is located about 30kms South of Tirunelveli, off the Nagercoil Highway and about 10kms from Thiru Kurungudi Divya Desam