Srivilliputhur Aadi Five Garuda Sevai

Through the night Five Hour Procession around the 8 sacred streets

Devotees thronged the streets around the Andal temple in large numbers on Thursday night at the five Perumal Garuda Sevai Procession

                    Glittering Thiruthangal Appan

It is a sign of the transformational devotional times we are in. Just past 8pm on Thursday (July 24), there are thousands outside the Andal temple in Srivilliputhur waiting to get inside for a first glimpse of the Five Perumals atop the Garuda Vahana but most are not allowed in. This is a far cry from just over a couple of decades ago when there were just the locals on this Garuda Sevai procession and devotees could walk in to the temple at any time on this day to have darshan of the Perumal who had come in from other locations.

Clock has ticked past ten pm and there are hundreds inside the temple complex.  Those that have managed to gain entry have darshan of the five Lords that arrived earlier in the day before they listen to the Prabhandham Thodakkam.

Periyazhvaar leads the procession out of the temple followed by Andal on Anna Pakshi Vahana. A lot of the devotees are glued to Ninra Narayana Perumal from Thiruthangal Divya Desam at the far end of the South Prakara of Andal temple.  Anantha Sayana Bhattar is engaged in conversations with a number of devotees. He recounts to this writer as to how things have transformed at the temple “Over two decades ago when I arrived at the temple, there were no Vastrams for Ninra Narayana Perumal and Thayar. And they would adorn the same vastram for several days. Now, devotees are standing in a queue to present ornaments to the deities.”

Thiruthangal Appan was glittering with gold kreedam and shining necklaces and devotees repeatedly came back for a darshan of this Divya Desam Perumal. It has been a complete transformation at Thiruthangal in recent years.

பட்டி மேய்ந்தோர் காரேறு பலதேவர்க்கு ஓர் கீழ்க்கன்றாய்

இட்டீறிட்டு விளையாடி இங்கே போதக் கண்டீரே

இட்டமான பசுக்களை இனிது மறித்து நீருட்டி

விட்டுக் கொண்டு விளையாட விருந்தாவனத்தே கண்டோமே Rang

amannar, Sundararaja Perumal of Kattazhagiya temple, Srinivasa Perumal of the hill temple at Tiruvannamalai

 (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/07/thiruvannamalai-srinivasa-perumal.html) and finally Thiruthangal appan follow Periyazhvaar and Andal on the procession. There are several hundreds that have lined up outside the temple for that first glimpse of the Father- Daughter azhvaars and the five Perumals.

The entire South street is jam packed and there is no place for the devotees to move even as the volunteers keep shouting asking them to give space for the Lords to move forward. Bhagavathas are present in good numbers and through the night they present devotional songs in groups with each of them coming with their favourite Lords. 

Past 11pm and on the West street and things are no different. There are residents having darshan from the rooftop and from the first floor of their homes. Coconuts and flower garlands are presented in front of every house. 

Araiyar Bala Mukundan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/12/srivilliputhur-araiyar-natha-muni.html) who has spent his entire life in dedication to this Lord is leading the Prabhandham recital along side Periyazhvaar while the Vadakalai Prabhandham Ghoshti are following the Thenkalayars. It is a positive sign that the Thenkalayars and Vadakalayars continue to recite the sacred verses at this Divya Desam.

Veda Piran Bhattar, a descendant of Periyazhvaar is accompanying Andal and receiving the thattu presentations from the devotees (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/07/srivilliputhur-aadi-five-garuda-sevai.html)

With the special interest in the decoration of Thiruthangal Perumal, devotees are thronging the last of the Lords on this procession and he is lagging far behind the six other deities. 

There is a great festive feel around the Andal temple past midnight as the deities make their way in front the towering Raja Gopuram of Vadapatrasayee temple. As is usually the case on such occasions, the economy is thriving with street side vendors making good business and the demand for the Srivilliputhur famous Milk Kova running high. There is a devotional dance and legendary story presentation on a specially set up stage in front of the Andal temple and that has been going on through the evening, though the sound on the loud speakers was far too high for one’s liking. That programme too ended past mid night even as the deities made their way on to the East Chariot street. 

Those that have had darshan around the Andal temple making their way home many trying to catch late night moffusil buses to reach their destination. The Kainkaryaparas and the bhagavathas are the ones that stay back through the procession as the seven deities move on to the big Chariot streets. Past 1am, it has become lot quieter most of the outstation devotees having left the town. There are still those in front of their homes and shops with Thattu presentations. 

While it took almost three hours for the deities making it from inside the Andal temple on to the East Chariot street, it was a fairly fast paced procession around the four Chariot streets with the devotees having left after the darshan at the start of the procession. 

It has turned around finally for Bala Mukundan Araiyar after many decades of financial struggle. Despite health issues in the past, he is energetic through the procession and continues to hold a special place in the hearts of the devotees at this Divya Desam. 

Sundararaja Bhattar of Azhagar Koil Divya Desam and the Priest at Vandiyur Veeraraghava Perumal temple in Madurai too is at the procession lending his on the ground physical support to the priests of Srivilliputhur. Without such external support, it is very difficult to manage such utsavams that are tiring on the body by the sheer physical effort that is required from morning through late in the night on the Garuda Sevai day.

It is a pretty long night for the police personnel too and they do a commendable job managing the crowd and the traffic, especially on the East Chariot street. 

It is past 2pm when the six deities making their way back into the Sannidhi Street and to in front of the Andal temple. Thiruthangal Appan is still enjoying himself on the North Chariot Street with the few devotees making their way out of their homes and in front of the shops to have a final look of the glittering Divya Desam Lord who made an almost 20 km trip earlier in the day from Thiruthangal to Srivilliputhur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/12/thiru-thangal-ninra-narayanan-temple.html). 

There is still devotional energy left in the Bhagavathas as a couple of their groups follow the Thiruthangal Lord continuing to present songs in praise. It is 2.15pm when Thiruthangal Appan joined the other deities in front of the Andal temple and the last remaining devotees bid goodbye for another year at this Five Perumal Garuda Sevai that has gained prominence over the last decade attracting huge number of devotees from across the state and outside.