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.