Alarming signal for the future
Beautiful colourful flower garlands, glittering jewellery but devotees missing on the big Garuda Sevai evening at Thiru Mogur
It is the 5th day of the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam at the Kaalamegha Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Mogur. The evening’s events at this temple are an indication of the current state of remote temples in Tamil Nadu. Historically, this place was identified as being 1 Yojana from Thiru Maalirincholai and South of the Elephant rock (Astha Giri).
It is past 5pm on Thursday (June 5). Thiru Mogur Aapthan, the utsava deity of the temple is in front of the Ranganathaswamy Sannidhi at the Eastern entrance with Nam Azhvaar alongside him. At this sannidhi, one finds the Lord in a sayana kolam and quite a unique one at that. This posture of the Lord is called ‘Prarthana Sayanam’, where Sridevi and Bhoodevi are seen praying, at the feet of the sleeping Lord. In the Madal, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to the sleeping posture - பள்ளிகொண்ட பாம்பணை திருமோகூர்.
There are two outsourced Prabhandham members presenting the fifth of Nam Azhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi. There are devotees trickling into the moolavar Sannidhi but most of them do not have a clue that it is a Garuda Sevai evening.
தாள தாமரை தட மணி வயல் திருமோகூர்
நாளும் மேவி நன்கமர்ந்து நின்று அசுரரைத் தகர்க்கும்
தோளும் நான்குடை சுரிகுழல் கமலக்கண் கனிவாய்
கால மேகத்தை ஒன்றி மற்றொன்றிலம் கதியே
As seen in recent times at most Divya Desams, Bhagavathas are the ones who are present in good numbers at the festivals and it was no different here. If the small crowd on such a big occasion was not enough, there was a squabble between the archaka and one bhagavatha on a minor point with each hitting out loudly at the other. The HR & CE officials, whose office is just next to the Sannidhi were silent spectators as they did not know as to who to support. The fight ended with the archaka cursing the bhagavatha- such is the scenario in temples these days!!!!
Govindan Bhattar is manning the moolavar Sannidhi and there is a steady flow of devotees through the evening. After donning the role of ‘Ekaanki’ at the Tirumala Divya Desam for over 15years in the 1970s and 80s, he was roped here by the hereditary priest of Thiru Mogur to support him in archaka service as the Kainkaryaparas were dwindling at this Divya Desam. It was around that point when the Kainkaryam at Tirupathi was turning into a ‘assigned duty’ role for him, something he was not comfortable with.
He told this writer on Thursday evening that though he hailed from Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam, he has been destined to performed archaka service at Thiru Mogur Divya Desam, one that he has been carrying out for over 35 years now. He recounts the challenging phase when he joined this temple “There were no devotees on most days with limited transport service and minimal communication modes. It was a financially challenging period for even at homams and consecrations, the sambhavanai was minimal. We lived a contented life and that is how we survived that phase.”
While there was a revival in fortunes at the turn of the century, things have turned bleak again as was seen on this Garuda Sevai evening.
The Chakkarath Azhvaar at Thiru Mogur temple is seen with 16 hands and arms. There is an inscription containing 154 letters signifying Hiranya Samhaaram as well as 48 images of different Lords. This is the only Divya Desam with such sacred letters and images inscribed on Chakkarath Azhvaar.
He says that ‘Chakkarathazhvaar’ has emerged in most temples and the devotee crowd has spread across temples leading to a reduction in the number of devotees at this temple. 70 year old Ramakrishnan Bhattar has been the one managing this Sannidhi but he too is missing on the evening for he has made it to his home town of Azhvaar Tirunagari for the Nam Azhvaar utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/07/thiru-mogur-kalamegha-perumal.html.
தொண்டீர் வம்மின் நம்சுடரொளி ஒருதனி முதல்வன்
ஆண்ட மூவுலகு அளந்தவன் அணி திருமோகூர்
என் திசையும் ஈன்கரும்பொடு பெறுந்செந்நெல் விளைய
கொண்ட கோயிலை வலஞ்செய்து இங்கு ஆடும் கூத்தே - Nam Azhvaar
It is past 6.30pm and Govindan Bhattar is called in to bring the new vastram for Garuda. For the next hour, he is involved in decorating the Garuda Vahana along with his team members. Kudamaadu Koothan too has made his way along with Nam Azhvaar to be mounted on the respective vahanas.
An hour past the scheduled procession start time of 7pm, the screen opens for devotees to have a first glimpse of Perumal on the Garuda Vahana and Nam Azhvaar atop the Hamsa Vahana.
After Nam Azhvaar has made his way out of the temple, the big door closed and shortly after the doors opened for devotees to have a full view of the Lord atop the Garuda Vahana. A few Prabhandham members present the first verse of Thiruviruttam before Thiru Mogur Aapthan made his way into the first mandagapadi opposite the temple tower. And shortly after, he made his way to the Tirupathi Jeer Mandapam on the South Mada street.
For the next hour, he provided darshan around the four Chariot streets on the wheeled tyres with the Sripatham personnel having mounted him atop the tyred vehicle, which has become the trend in most remote temples in the state. Nam Azhvaar was carried on the shoulders by the Sripatham through the eight streets procession. Devotees on the East and South streets welcomed him to their homes with Thattu but it was a quickish procession around the West and North streets that was bereft of devotees. It was 10pm when he made his to the South Mada street.
While devotees came out of their homes to have darshan, there were hardly any devotees through the procession with the Bhagavathas being the only ones to be present through the three hours of the Garuda Sevai.
Bleak Future
Govindan Bhattar himself wears a tired look on the evening with health issues striking him. He bemoans the scenario at the temple “The youngest priest at the temple is past 40!!! The next gen have made their way elsewhere. There is a shortage of service personnel. And the small crowd on this Garuda Sevai evening is a reminder to all of us as to what the future holds for remote temples including Divya Desams as these.”
With the emergence of parikara and prathana sthalams, devotees are heading towards such temples and hence there is limited crowd at temples as Thiru Mogur even on festive occasions. Sripatham Karthik has been part of the procession for over five years and he is hopeful that there will be a bigger crowd on the horse vahana evening, the 8th day of the Brahmotsavam. It was a quiet end to the Garuda Sevai at 11pm with most of the devotees having left for the day and the Sripatham personnel being the only ones in good numbers.
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