Kothankulam Sikkal Kidaram Madhavan Bhattar

From a hand to mouth existence 20 years ago, he has seen a remarkable financial turnaround led by an unflinching belief in Sundararaja Perumal and Manavala Mamunigal

                   Madhavan Bhattar, Kothankulam

Just over two decades ago, Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan roped in his name sake G Madhavan from a temple in Bombay to perform archaka service at a temple in Kothankulam (Sikkal Kidaram), the birth place of Manavala Mamunigal. It was Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan who had restored this historic temple and he was looking to revive the temple to its old glory. Madhavan Bhattar had been struggling in life till that point of time and was facing severe financial challenges arising out of not having a secure job

Legendary temple town

The legend relating to (Kothankulam) Kotravan Kulam (Pandya Kings were referred to as Kotravan) dates back to the 13th and 14th Century AD. While Tiruvoimozhi Pillai, who reigned Madurai for a brief period after being handed over the Kingdom by the Pandya King, was on a procession on the elephant going around the streets of Madurai, Koora Kulothuma Dasa chanted loudly the Thiruvirutham verses of Nam Azhvaar. Stunned by these beautiful verses, Tiruvoimozhi Pillai asked him to provide more insights into these songs. As per the direction of Pillai Lokacharya, Koora Kulothuma Dasa brought Tiruvoimozhi Pillai to Sikkil Kadaram (now Kothan Kulam) to initiate him into Vaishnavism and spread the messages of Vaishnavism.The house of  the great Vaishnavite acharya Tiruvoimozhi Pillai, who learnt the 4000sacred verses here at Sikkil Kadaram, still exists here.

It is also the place where the renowned Vaishnavite Thennacharya Saint Manavala Mamunigal spent his early childhood days before moving to Azhvaar Tirunagari. Kothan Kulam is the home town of Manavala Mamuni’s mother.

Dilapidated Temple

Sikkil Kidaram was as remote as it could get for a temple in TN with very little activity of any kind at the beginning of this century. The fact that it was located in a dry belt in Ramanathapuram district about 30 kms South of Thiru Pullani did not help. The Sundararaja Perumal koil itself was in a dilapidated state as was the Thiruvarasu of Koora Kulothama Dasar, one of the disciples of Ramanuja, next to the temple.

Madhavan Bhattar trusted Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan on his word and moved to Kothankulam. But soon after he arrived here, Madhavan Bhattar found that he could not even make Rs. 10 a day from Thattu Kaasu for there were no devotees at all at the temple. Vanamamalai Mutt presented him with a monthly sambhavanai of Rs. 1000 that was his only source of income in that early phase. He began to perform daily Thiru Aradhanam living in a hut house in front of the temple. 

Unforutnately for him and as ill luck would have it, Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan was struck down with a life threatening injury and lay unconscious in hospital. This meant that he could not render the financial support that Madhavan Bhattar would have expected after his move to this remote village.

He looks back at that phase pointing to the faith one has to have in God “Sundararaja Perumal posed a big test to me and wanted to see if I would stay back in Kothankulam performing the daily Thiru Aradhanam or if I would abandon him and move away for there was no financial returns.”

Though there were severe financial challenges, never did I contemplate leaving the temple after having begun performing the pooja here, says Madhavan Bhattar. It was a very lonely feeling at the temple with absolutely no devotees, two decades ago. It was dark both inside the temple as well as in the Bhattar’s life. His daughter had her early education in a Govt school and his son went to a Patshala, so the educational expenses were minimal. He had to make do with ration food in that initial phase but he was confident that things would turn around for him. 

"I fully trusted Sundararaja Perumal and believed that in the long run he would take good care of me if I continued to perform archaka service there" Madhavan Bhattar told this Bhattar sitting inside the temple that he had opened this morning at 5.30am. That belief and devotional commitment reaped in big rewards for him as time passed by. 

Rs. 50 for a Homam event

He fouud a small light at the end of the tunnel and he hung on to that opportunity.  He was the only Brahmin in that entire region and the villagers reached out to him for house related functions.  He recalls those early days to this writer “I would go for a house warming event and be paid Rs. 50!!! But it was a big amount for me at that time. Those were the opportunities that helped me live on in that phase and helped me run a young family.”

The overall improvement of the economy combined with the devotional wave contributed to his financial turnaround. Residents of Kothankulam and all the nearby villages began looking to him for all events both at home as well in the local temples there. He started anchoring temple consecrations.

The Sambhavanai for homams that was just Rs. 50 in the initial years shot up to over Rs. 1000. The temple consecration events fetched him a lot of money with the villagers pooling in money to pay him his Sambhavanai.

Revival in his fortunes

Having built a trustworthy relationship with the villagers, he became their single point of contact for all sacred events. And they also began visiting the Sundararaja Perumal temple.  He started Thirumanjanam for Perumal on the Shravanam day every month. There was a three day Pavitrotsavam every year and he even managed to hold a Garuda Sevai procession in Kothankulam. Devotees thronged the temple on the four Saturdays in Puratasi and the Thattu Kaasu increased dramatically. By this time, the Vanamamalai Mutt increased the monthly sambhavanai to Rs. 5000.

                             Manavala Mamunigal

It was a financial turnaround he never visualised would happen. The rewards were so high that he bought both a high end car and a two wheeler. With the consecration of the Sundararaja Perumal temple and the Thiruvarasu of Koora Kulothama Dasar, he also renovated his house in front of the temple.  He also made enough money to send his son to an engineering college and married his daughter to one working in a company in Chennai. 

In 2014, this section had featured a story on this temple in Kothankulam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/04/manavala-mamuni-temple-kothankulam.html). Since then, over the last decade it has been a remarkable one of a kind turnaround for an archaka in a remote village in TN. From a hand to mouth existence at the turn of the century, 55 year old Madhavan Bhattar has moved into an upper middle class lifestyle, remaining committed to performing pooja at this remote temple. He credits the turnaround to his unflinching faith in Sundararaja Perumal and Manavala Mamunigal and says that hard work and perseverance will ultimately yield results in life.

Kothankulam is 40 kms from Ramanathapuram on the Thoothukudi highway. It is about 1kms South of Sikkil Kidaram and about 10kms from Ervadi.

Thiru Pullani Next Gen Anantha Narayana Bhattar

From the Corporate Sector to Archaka Kainkaryam at a Divya Desam

A Decade of fulfillment and Satisfaction for Anantha Narayanan Bhattar at Thiru Pullani

Anantha Narayanan Bhattar is completing ten years at the Aadhi Jagannathan Perumal temple in Thiru Pullani. He was not yet 30 when he decided to quit his high paying corporate job in the Middle East and made his way to this Divya Desam to perform kainkaryam as an archaka. His bosses in the Gas Firm tried their best to convince him to continue in the job where he was growing well but right from his childhood he had had a devotional attachment with Rama and he decided that he would spend the rest of his life performing service at this temple.

This section had featured a story in 2017 as to how the original inhabitants of Thiru Pullani had left this historic Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised temple town making their way to bigger cities in search of greener pastures even as devotee crowd dwindled at this temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/thiru-pullani-divya-desam.html). 

His Uncle initiates him into Agama Education

Anantha Narayanan belonged to a generation that had begun to focus on academics and getting into corporates as a way of life and for their career growth. His uncle, Varadarajan, was a Vaikanasa Agama Bhattar at the Mayakoothan Perumal temple in Perungulam, one of the Nava Tirupathi temples near Tirunelveli(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/11/mayakoothan-thiru-kulanthai.html).  He served as an early motivation to Anantha Narayanan after the sudden passing away of his appa in an accident when the latter was still in his early teens.

தன்னை நைவிக்கிலேன்  வல்வினையேன் தொழுதும் எழு

பொன்னை நைவிக்கும் அப்பூஞ் செருந்தி மண நீழல்வாய்

என்னை நைவித்து எழில் கொண்ட அகன்ற பெருமான் இடம்

புன்னை முத்தம் பொழில் சூழ்ந்து அழகாய புல்லாணியே

It was that drive that led him to quit academics after class X and join the Vaikanasa Agama Patshala in Nanguneri where he guided and mentored by the revered Agama expert Govindan. He also learned the agama from his Grand Father’s brother who was a Vaikanasa Agama vidwan at the Venkatachalapathy temple in Gunaseelam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/06/gunaseelam-pichumani-bhattar-hereditary.html) and at the Thanthorimalai temple in Karur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/08/thanthoni-malai-kalyana-venkatramana.html).

Overseas Corporate work after his graduation

During this phase of his life, he also graduated in Commerce and picked up a diploma in mechanical engineering. Soon after like many from his generation, he set foot into the corporate set up joining as a steno at a private bank in Karur. In the brief period that he worked there, he also performed the service as an archaka at the Kothandarama temple there. And then, he accepted an overseas engagement in a gas firm that took him to the middle east for around 8 years.

The Transformation at Thiru Pullani

His Vacation in 2016 led him to Thiru Pullani Divya Desam, one that transformed his life and turned him into a path of devotional archaka service at this temple. His Patshala mates Navaneeth and Sowmya

Presented to him the improved scenario at the temple and how his joining the temple would strengthen the archaka team.

He tested out  for ten days and decided immediately to join the temple. His bosses with whom he had built a good relationship were keen for him to return but he had made up his mind to spend the rest of his life in archaka kainkaryam. 

He joined at Rs. 1500 per month a miniscule part of the lakhs that he was earning in his corporate job. But he is unfazed at the financial aspect “My wife said that she would manage the household even if I brought in just Rs. 5000, such was her support”, he told this writer on Wednesday in between serving devotee couples who had come in with prarthana for child birth.

This prarthana for child birth is leading devotees to throng this temple. Even on weekdays there is a sizeable crowd a far cry  from the scenario that existed decades ago as experienced by the priests from the previous generation. 

Most of the senior priests have retired and it is interesting that at this Divya Desam, the priests are all young and in their 20s and 30s, bucking the trend in many perumal temples where the next gen has been looking elsewhere for their livelihood.

Anantha Narayana Bhattar says that he has kainkaryam all days of the month and enjoys sharing the work alongside three other priests between the Jagannatha Perumal, Darbha Sayana Ramar, Pattabhiseka Ramar and Padmasini Thayar sannidhis. 

Unmatched happiness and contentment

He says he has found great peace and satisfaction in performing Thiru Aradhanam at this temple. It is an unmatched happiness that lakhs of rupees every month in the corporate job did not give him. He is living a contented life and enjoying this service alongside his old Patshala friends.

Two years ago, this section had featured a story on another young priest joining this Divya Desam in his 20s. Balaji Neelamegham, son of Jayaraman Bhattar who had served for several decades, has taken over the archaka kainkaryam from his appa and is all excited to be serving alongside priests his age (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/10/thiru-pullani-next-gen-balaji-bhattar.html). His younger brother too, after completing his agama initiation, has begun supporting him at this Divya Desam.

                   Balaji Neelamegham Bhattar

With the devotional wave that is striking TN temples and crowds thronging places of worship, especially parikara and prarthana sthalams, it is hoped that more from the next gen like Anantha Narayana Bhattar will take to temple kainkaryam as there is currently a severe shortage of service personnel in most remote temples in TN. The presence of next gen priests will definitely help serve the devotees better as has been seen at the Aathi Jagannatha Perumal temple in Thiru Pullani.

Srirangam Veda Vyasa Aani Pournami Utsavam

Aani Pournami - A day to remember and celebrate the legendary Saint who gave the world the Vedas, Bhagavatham and the great epic Mahabaratha

It is just past 9am on this Thursday (July 10) morning. Sripatham Chief Chakrapani is busy at the Bhagawan Vyasa Sannidhi. When he is not discharging the duties at the procession of Namperumal, Chakrapani is entrusted with the responsibility of managing the Kothandarama Sannidhi. Also, it is his responsibility to take care of the Veda Vyasa Sannidhi that lay hidden behind the Chandra Pushkarani.

Aani Pournami is the one big day in the year when this Sannidhi comes to life for its time to celebrated the legendary Veda Vyasa and his monumental contribution to this world.

Veda Vyasa, son of Sage Parasara, not only compiled the Vedas and authored the Bhagavatha Purana but also gave this world the great epic Mahabaratha. Invoking the blessings of Brahmma, he sought the services of Ganesha as directed by Brahmma to take down notes of the compilation of the epic that he had registered in his mind. 

He later shared the story of this epic with his son suka who in turn shared it with the Gandharvas and Rakshashas.

It was Vaisampayana, the chief disciple of Vyasa, who shared the story of the Mahabaratha with the world at large narrating this legend at the sacrificial event organised by Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit. Suta who heard this story then shared it with a set of rishis that was then passed on to posterity (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/mahabaratha-origin-of-rofl.html). 

Grand Celebration at Vyasar Sannidhi

By 10am, a few vedic members had arrived at the Vyasar Sannidhi to recite the Vedas during the Thirumanjanam. Unfortunately not too many even in Srirangam were aware of this once in a year event  and hence there were just a handful of devotees that had turned up for the celebration of this great sage. For these few, it was a morning to savour for it was time for them to recall the monumental contribution of Bhagawan Vyasa teaching us the dharmic way of life through the epic Mahabaratha.

Referring to a sanskrit verse of Veda Vyasa, Murari Bhattar, a priest at the Ranganathaswamy temple told this writer that it was Vyasar who foresaw the emergence of vaishnavite saint poets on the banks of Tamaraibarani, Cauvery and Palar (.https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/05/srirangam-murari-bhattar.html).

Devotees who visited the South facing Kothandarama Sannidhi came to the Veda Vyasa unaware of what was happening here but they said that they felt blessed to witness the Thirumanjanam of Vyasa Bhagawan. Those visiting for the first time also went behind the Vyasar Sannidhi to have darshan of Radhey Krishna and Venugopalan at the Sannidhi behind the Chandra Pushkarani. 

Puliyotharai, Sundal and Dhadhyonam in celebration of Veda Vyasa

Chakrapani told this writer that he had organised for a large quantity of Thaligai including Puliyodharai and Dhadhyonam ahead of this event (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/srirangam-sripatham-chakrapani.html). 

He said he wanted to celebrate this event in as grand a way as possible and organised for the full range of Thirumanjanam ingredients including a number of coconuts, honey, curd, milk and sandal. For well over half hour, devotees witnessed the Thirumanjanam with Bhagawan Vyasa being annointed with the sacred bath. 

Maniam of the Srirangam temple R Sridharan made a flying visit to the Sannidhi, passed on instructions to the service personnel and moved on for his other kainkaryam at the temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html). 

Following the Thirumanjanam, the priest of the day decorated Vyasar with a grand vastram and draped him in colourful flower garland.

It was almost 11am when the small set of devotees had a first glimpse of the beautifully decorated Vyasar. A Kainkaryapara, who has been performing service here for many decades from the time he was in his teens, was delighted with the alankaram and said that he felt Vyasa Bhagawan provided darshan like Yoga Narasimhar, such was the grandness of the alankaram. 

After the recital of the Vedic Verses and the Thiruppavai Satrumurai, Theertham and Shatari was presented to the devotees following which Puliyotharai and Sundal was distributed. The devotee donor of the day for whom an archana was performed felt happy at the Thirumanjanam and one could see delight in her eyes watching the beautiful decoration of Vyasar.  

Chakrapani sported a big smile at the end of the event and told this writer that he felt blessed with the opportunity to be the one organising the annual event to celebrate the great Vyasa Bhagawan. When he was working in a manufacturing firm just over a decade ago, he could not have visualised being an organiser one day of the Veda Vyasa Aani Pournami utsavam. It is a reward he has been bestowed with by Namperumal for his extraordinary commitment to Sripatham service. 

Usually there is a mad rush of devotees at the round the year utsavams at the Srirangam temple. This was one morning when a select set of devotees could enjoy the celebration of Veda Vyasa in quietness behind the Chandra Pushkaranai. The few devotees that stayed back till the end felt blessed that they were part of this exclusive once in a year event to remember and celebrate the legend of Veda Vyasa.

In the evening, devotees presented sahasranama parayanam in front of the Vyasar sannidhi.

Nellaiappar Aani Rishabham

Celebrating Rishabham and Arubathimoovar 

Devotees turn out in large numbers to watch the Rishabha Vahana and Arubathimoovar procession around the four Chariot streets in Tirunelveli as part of Aani Maha Utsavam

It is 8pm on Thursday (July 3). A sea of devotees gathered at the South Prakara leading to the Ambal Sannidhi. It looks like the entire Tirunelveli town has congregated at the Nellaiappar temple this evening ahead of the Rishabha Vahana procession on the fourth day of the Aani Maha Utsavam.

The all night Rishabham as part of the Panguni utsavam is a very popular procession at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore with a huge devotee crowd eagerly awaiting the Gopura Vaasal Deeparaathanai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html). This one at the Nellaiappar temple was special for its  grandeur - alankaram with huge flower garlands, the beating of the Udal, Thevaram recital by Othuvar and the devotees, Kolattam by young kids and the huge devotee turnout. 

A Grand Alankaram atop the Rishabham

Radha Karthik Bhattar has been at the temple for over 15 years having taking over this hereditary archaka service after completing agama education at the Patshala in Pillayarpatti. He has a total of six days service every month - 3 each at Swami and Ambal sannidhis. On this fourth day, he was at the procession both in the morning and evening. He arrived at the temple at 4.30pm for the grand 3 hour alankaram. Joining him was the senior priest Moorthy Gurukal. Thursday evening is usually not a crowded day at the Nellaiappar temple but this day was special and devotees thronged the temple as early as 6pm to have darshan of the Moolavar deities of Nellaiappar and Gandhimathi.

And soon the entire outer prakara of Nellaiappar Sannidhi was jam packed with devotees sitting on the floor in a very disciplined manner even as the priests were decorating Swami and Ambal atop the Rishabha Vahana. As the clock ticked past 7pm, there was no more place to sit and devotees stood in every corner of the South Prakara ahead of the Deepaarathanai.

For half an hour, the traditional upacharam is performed for Swami and Ambal with Othuvar presenting the sacred verses and the vedic members presenting the Vedas. By this time, a young udal contingent of around 15 members had arrived at the temple. So had young kids who were to present Kolattam through the procession around the four Chariot streets. While there was action on this South Prakara, several hundreds had gathered at the Eastern Raja Gopuram and on the East Chariot Street. 

The Chairman Board of Trustees, who runs a transport firm, of the Nellaiappar temple was present on the occasion and soon after he arrived, Swami and Ambal made their way to the East Prakara. After the Yaaga Saalai pooja, sacred flowers were brought and presented to the divine couple making way for the start of the street procession.

Nellaiappar first made his way out of the Raja Gopuram to the loud beating of the Udal with devotees enjoying the Deeparathanai at the Eastern entrance of the temple. Soon, Gandhimathi too made her way out on to the East Chariot Street. 

Arubathimoovar Procession

A special feature of this fourth day procession at the Nellaiappar temple is that the Rishabha Vahana procession of the divine couple is led by the 63 Nayanmars. While there is a separate procession of the arubathimoovar at the Kapaleeswarar temple, here at this temple, they lead the procession on the fourth evening of the Aani Utsavam.

For the next three hours, the Othuvar present the sacred verses standing in front of Nandeeswarar, Appar, Thiru Gnana Sambandarar and Sundarar around the four Chariot streets. There is a festive atmosphere all around with residents including shop owners presenting rose water, flower garlands. It is past 10pm when Nellaiappar and Gandhimathi turn on to the South Rathi Veethi that is now full of shops.

Adyayana Bhattar for 5decades

65 year old Kannan Sastrigal makes his way on to the West Street with the clock ticking past 11pm. He is one of couple of Adyayana Bhattars that still perform Kainkaryam – archanai, kaala sandhi pooja, jabam and any parikaram poojas at this temple. He learned Rudram and Suktas from Theneerkulam Patshala and began performing Kainkaryam at this temple from the 1970s that has continued for five decades. He is greeted with respect by those that see him. He recalls to this writer the life at the temple and around the four Chariot streets back then “There were around 600 traditional families around the temple during my early schooling days that has reduced to just 15 in the entire town now. We were given rice every day for our Kainkaryam and had a share of the Neivedyam Kattigal on special festive occasions. We also received Bakshanams during the Pavitrotsavam for our Kainkaryam. Neivedyam too has reduced on quantity from what was done in those days fifty plus years ago.”

“On the occasion of Thai Amavasai, over a 100 vedic members used to recite Rudram inside the temple for it was considered the annual parikaram day and they used to be presented with prasadam all through the day for their recital.”

“Just in the East Chariot Street, there were 20 families. The archakas performed service in large numbers in those days but that has shrunk now and there is a shortage of service personnel now. Swami gave us everything and for that reason I continue to live in the traditional house on East Street, one where my forefathers spent their entire lives. I consider it a great blessing to be living each day of my life right opposite this legendary temple and receiving the divine couple into my home during each of the street processions.”

He recalls over 50 children following the Divine Couple reciting the Thevaram verses. Interestingly, on this night, there were an equal number of devotees, though not youngsters, presenting the Thevaram songs right through the procession walking behind Swami and Ambal.

Torch Bearer at Rishabham

Another devotee has come all the way from Papanasam on this special fourth day procession and carries the Thee Pandham all through the procession much like Ramkumar, the former World Bank and PMO consultant, did at the processions of Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html). Muthuvel says that he carries the Thee Pandham at street processions at different Paadal Petra Sthalams and is hoping that God will enlighten and bless him with good thoughts.

The owners of the jewellary shops on the West Streets stay back well past 11pm to present Thattu. The Rose Water that the devotees have been continuously presenting through this long procession sends sweet fragrance all around. The Tar on the West Street has been dug up for rebuilding of the road ahead of the Chariot Festival next week. It is a challenging walk for the Kainkaryaparas as the sharp stones strike their feet.

A long day for the Chief Priest 

Moorthy Gurukal sports a long smile at every stop receiving the Thattu from the devotees and presenting them with flowers.  There are a few young Kainkaryaparas at this procession alongside this senior Gurukal. 24 year old Raghavan Gurukal is manning the Gandhimathi Ambal Sannidhi on this day. He has a year to go at the agamic initiation he is undergoing at the Pillayarpatti Patshala and is hoping to get into full time archaka service to continue the hereditary Kainkaryam that his forefathers have performed here (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/nellaiappar-koil-tirunelveli.html).

Both Moorthy Gurukal and Radha Karthik Bhattar had been at the morning procession as well when Nellaiappar atop vahana and Gandhimathi atop Kamadhenu vahana provided darshan around the four streets starting 1030am!!! Devotees come up with interesting questions to Radha Karthik Bhattar on this utsavam and he answers them patiently providing them with great insights on Manonmani Ambal and how she provides exclusive darshan during the Thiruvathirai utsavam in Margazhi.

A disturbing fact and probably a likely trend for the future of the morning procession was the fact that the official nadaswaram vidwans presented their recital wearing chappals at the entire street procession.

Othuvar feels blessed at Nellaiappar temple

Othuvar who has been at this temple for close to a decade tells this writer that though there are a great many temples in the Chozha region and he could have opted for one of them after completing his initiation of the sacred verses at the Dharmapura Atheenam Patshala in Mayiladuthurai, he finds it a great blessing to be an Othuvar at this historical temple house on a 14 acre complex with festivals every month of the year. 

Even as he walks with the Swami and Ambal during the procession, Kannan Sastrigal remembers the fourth evening of this utsavam when thousands visited the temple from all the villages around Tirunel veli for a darshan of Rishabham. Most traditionalists may have left this temple town seeking greener pastures in bigger cities but on this evening, a few vedic members recited the Vedas ahead of the procession. Devotees from all walks of life turned up in large numbers and there was devotional reverberation inside the temple as well as around the four Chariot streets. 

It is midnight when the owner of the decades long Rajalakshmi stores on North Chariot street presents Thattu in front of his shop. Shortly after Swami and Ambal made their way back to the East Street opposite the Raja Gopuram, devotees that stayed back late into the night were provided with Puliyodharai and Chakkarai Pongal.

It had a very long day for the service personnel at the Nellaippar temple with the Horse and Kamadhenu Vahana procession in the hot sun in the morning and the highly popular Rishabham late in the evening. The devotees that thronged the temple seemed to have enjoyed darshan of Rishabham and Arubathimoovar with a few senior citizens recalling this evening from the decades gone by to their grandchildren. 

Kannan Sastrigal has the last word on this. There may be talks of the non believers trying to cut Bhakthi but as could be seen on this night, devotees are now thronging the temples and experiencing the utsavams in very large numbers though for most the lifting of the phones and taking photos and videos of the Divine Couple may be the first action these days. Nevertheless, it looks like one cannot keep devotees away from temples and festive occasions such as this Rishabha Vahana procession.

Thiru Vellarai Thirumanjanam Hot Water Tradition Revival

7 years after

Srirangam Maniyam Sridharan revived the Thirumanjanam tradition of ‘Hot Water’ upacharam for Pundarikaksha Perumal in 2018 that has continued to this day

R Sridharan, the Maniyakarar of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, faces challenges every day in this coveted  and a highly responsible role but over the last decade or so, he has taken on the challenges head on talking straight to those who raise issues and providing historical references to endorse his views.

Seven years ago this week, he was transferred for a brief period  as the Maniyam of the Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai before coming back to Srirangam at the end of 2018. He has always held the view with this writer that he has accepted every new assignment in his life as a fresh experience and accepted this transfer to Thiru Vellarai too whole heartedly. In the second half of that year, he made daily trips from Srirangam to Thiru Vellarai every day for almost six months starting July 1, 2018.

Hot Water Upacharam done away with

After he took over as Maniyam at Thiru Vellarai, he found on the Ekadasi day that the historical tradition of ‘hot water’ (Venneer) presentation to Pundarikaksha Perumal did not take place during the Thirumanjanam on the Ekadasi day. When he enquired, he received differing views from the Kainkaryaparas at the temple.  There were those that said that this was not a tradition at that temple and there were others who accepted it as a tradition but could not implement it as there was a shortage of service personnel.

It is well past 10pm at the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi at Srirangam. Maniyam Sridharan looks visibly tired after a long evening. This writer brought up the issue of how he had to face every day challenges from different sections of the Kainkaryaparas and complimented him for managing each of those with a smile rarely losing his temper. 

In the past this section had featured a story on how Maniyam Sridharan had revived the Kaisika Ekadasi padippu at the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Anbil. 

This story is about a historical tradition that had been discarded for several years at the Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai and how Sridharan stood firm to revive that tradition in his role as the Maniyam of that temple exactly 7 years ago.

He told this writer that his raising the issue of hot water upacharam did not go well initially with the archakas of Thiru Vellarai but he says he understood their issue of shortage of Kainkaryaparas. On the first occasion, he directed the cook at the Madapalli to provide him with hot water but the archaka of the day refused to accept it on the grounds that it was not a tradition they had followed in the preceding years. 

There is almost tears in Maniyam Sridharan’s eyes as he recounts the event that unfolded that day at Thiru Vellarai seven years ago “I had just taken over the Maniyam at that temple and was not keen on forcing the issue. After the Thirumanjanam, I went to the Moolavar and told him that I had done my duty of getting the hot water and it was then up to the Lord to accept the upacharam.”

Soon after he came down from the Moolavar Sannidhi, the Sthalathars of Thiru Vellarai questioned the Maniyakarar as to why he did not use his power to force the issue on the archaka of the day “I requested them for a month’s time and assured them that this tradition will definitely be revived at the temple. At that moment, they did not seem convinced but took my word for it.”

At the next Thirumanjanam, he once again went to the Madapalli to ask the cook to prepared hot water for the Lord. Much to his shock, the cook refused saying that it was not a tradition for him to boil water ahead of the Thirumanjanam. “This time, I used my discretion as the Maniyam and directed him to follow what he said.”

When Maniyam Sridharan brought the hot water himself from the Madapalli to the location of the Thirumanjanam, he asked once again the archaka of the day if he accepted the hot water upacharam as a tradition at this temple and if he would present it to Pundarikaksha Perumal. The archaka accepted this time much to the delight of the Sthalathars.

Something else happened on this day standing as testimony to Maniam Sridharan’s belief that Perumal will answer your prayers if your devotional conduct was of the highest order. He says that the disciples of Mudaliandan were present on this day and the elderly member of the family educated his grandson as to how Perumal was experiencing the ‘Venneer Upacharam’. 

So happy was the disciple at this revival that he presented a high Sambhavanai to the archaka.

Devotional commitment pays dividend

Maniam Sridharan recalls telling the Sthalathar that not only has the tradition been revived but also it has been done in the presence of the disciples of Mudaliandan and that it was not up to the Sthalathars of Thiru Vellarai to continue this tradition at every Thirumanjanam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html).

He proudly states that seven years after this tradition has continued to this day with the Sthalathars ensuring that the hot water upacharam takes place during the Thirumanjanam at Thiru Vellarai Divay Desam.

Kudos to Maniam Sridharan for yet another revival of a lost tradition.