Nathan Koil Revival Next Gen Raghavan Bhattar

This Next Gen Bhattar is driving the revival at  Nandipura Vinagaram that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised as being beyond compare

Built by the Pallava King Nandivarma, the Jagannathan perumal temple in Nathan koil is in the Shenbakaaranya Kshetram, which runs from here up to Mannargudi and was praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as a location that has no equivalent. But for a long time over the last few decades, this Divya Desam on the southern outskirts of Kumbakonam near Korukkai had remained deserted with very few devotees visiting the temple while most of the other Divya Desams in this region had seen a turnaround. Finally with the arrival of a next gen priest, there seems to be a ray of hope and a revival in fortunes is around the corner.

எண்ணில் நினைவு எய்தி இனி இல்லை

இறை என்று முனி யாளர் திருஆர்

பண்ணில் மலி கீதமொடு பாடி அவர்

ஆடலோடு கூட எழில் ஆர்

மண்ணில் இது போல நகர் இல்லை என

வானவர்கள் தாம் மலர்கள் தூய்

நண்ணி உறைகின்ற நகர் 

நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே

 

Till the turn of the century, the priests of Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam had been the ones who had performed archaka Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam as well. However, when they let go of this temple, there was darkness here with not too many service personnel ready to take up Kainkaryam here given the deserted scenario and the remoteness of the location. There was no public transport to this Divya Desam (there still isn’t) devotees were few in number resulting in minimal thattu kaasu for the service personnel.

The Srinivasa Perumal temple in Thiru Naraiyur praised by a century of verses by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar itself had been in a bad shape till the 1990s. It was then that the priests of the temple thought of an innovative idea to draw devotees to the Divya Desam. A 7week Prarthana pooja for Kal Garuda was introduced and that has driven a massive turnaround at the temple with Kal Garuda now almost becoming the lead idol at Nachiyar Koil!!

Next Gen Bhattar excited at Divya Desam Kainkaryam

Raghavan Bhattar hailed from Nemmili near Nannilam where his forefathers performed at the Lakshmi Narayanan Perumal temple. After class X, he joined the Vaikanasa Agama Patshala in Kudavasal following which he was under the tutelage of Sampath Bhattar at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Konerirajapuram. He participated in many consecrations after the completion of his patshala education. He was in his mid20s a few years ago when he came to Nathan Koil to participate in the Kalyana Utsavam in Vaikasi as a one off event. He had also been here earlier to serve at the Pavitrotsavam and Brahmotsavam. So impressed was Agent Mahalingam with his service that he asked if he could join full time as an archaka.

Vishnupathi punya kaalam!!!

It is the morning of the first day in Maasi and there is a ‘never before seen’ crowd at Nathan Koil. The new wave around Vishnu Pathi Punya Kaalam is driving devotees into Perumal temples and Nathan Koil is also benefitting from this wave. Four times in a year on the occasion of Vishnu Pathi Punya Kaalam, he performs a Maha Shanthi Homam as per Vaikanasa process. It is also a Friday and Raghavan Bhattar has initiated a Sri Suktham Homam for Thayar. With the combination of these two, there are hundreds of devotees on this Friday morning with the temple opening at 6am!!!! Devotees are seen going around the prakara 27 times invoking the blessings of Jagannathan Perumal.

Long Standing Agent Mahalingam (left) and Sriram Bhattar

Accepting Divya Desam against all odds

Sitting in the prakara, Raghavan Bhattar recounts as to how he accepted the offer to perform Kainkaryam at this temple “Till about 3-4 years ago, I was involved in homam and consecration events. When this offer came from Nathan Koil, I was devotionally excited but most of my friends were apprehensive about the low salary and the minimal number of devotees who were visiting the temple at that time.”

“But I saw this offer as a God sent opportunity to perform kainkaryam at a Divya Desam. Not many are blessed to perform service at an Azhvaar praised temple and this came my way on its own and accepted it.”

The Name- Nandipura Vinnagaram

Legend has it that Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva, wanted to meet Lord Vishnu at Vaikuntam and entered without securing the permission of the security guards (Dwarapalakas) of Vishnu. This angered the Dwarapaalakaas who cursed the Nandi.

Nandi looked up to Lord Shiva for solution, who wanted him to undertake penance at the place, which was South of Kumbakonam, North of Mannargudi, West of OppiliAppan (Vinnagar) and East of Srirangam, one where Goddess Lakshmi herself had undertaken penance previously.

Accordingly, Nandi undertook penance here to seek atonement for insulting the Dwarapaalakaas. Pleased with the prayers, Vishnu appeared before him. Nandi requested Lord Vishnu that this place be named after him and as can be seen from the verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, this place came to be known as Nandipura Vinnagaram. An image of Nandi can be seen on the south wall inside the Sanctum just next to the Moolavar.

எண்ணில் நினைவு எய்தி இனி இல்லை

இறை என்று முனி யாளர் திருஆர்

பண்ணில் மலி கீதமொடு பாடி அவர்

ஆடலோடு கூட எழில் ஆர்

மண்ணில் இது போல நகர் இல்லை என

வானவர்கள் தாம் மலர்கள் தூய்

நண்ணி உறைகின்ற நகர் நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே

Kothandaraman Bhattar - Kainkaryam when none came forward

Raghavan Bhattar joined the now 70year old Kothandaraman Bhattar who had been serving at the temple over the previous two decades with the understanding that the latter would take care of the Thayar Sannidhi.

Kothandaraman Bhattar had no formal agama initiation and did not have any prior temple experience when Agent Mahalingam roped him to this Divya Desam. His forefathers had performed pooja at a remote village temple in Vishnupuram on the Nachiyar Koil Poonthottam route. He lost his appa when he was just 7 years and the resulting financial challenges led him to discontinue studies when he was not yet 15.

He worked in multiple organisations before this temple opportunity came out of the blue. It was when he visited Nachiyar Koil that his temple interest was rekindled by the priests there. “They asked me as to why I was not continuing the archaka kainkaryam that my forefathers had performed.”

Kothandaraman Bhattar

Three were no priests at Nathan Koil just over 15 years ago and there was an opportunity for Kothandaraman Bhattar to join there as an archaka. “I had no agama learning but I was keen to get into temple service following in the footsteps of my forefathers and joined the Jagannatha Perumal temple at a monthly salary of Rs. 1500.”

Kannan, the long standing madapalli paricharakar who had been the smiling face to devotees in that phase, passed away a few years after he joined. There have been other priests who have come and gone for the income is not enough to run a family. After almost two decades, his monthly salary has risen to just Rs. 5000 but with the arrival of the more qualified next gen priest, activity has gone up with some innovations. 

Ashtami Homam

Goddess Lakshmi wanted to reside in the heart of Lord Vishnu and undertook a penance at this place facing East. It is said that the Lord appeared before her (facing west) on the 8th day of Aippasi and accepted her wishes. There is now a homam every Valarpirai Ashtami, when 25kgs of Thaligai is presented with over 250 devotees participating.

There is also a homam and thirumanjanam every Friday with a inside prakara procession of Thayar. Now there are five Thirumanjanam for Perumal annually. This is driving up the Sambhavanai for the Kothandaraman Bhattar as well.

Earlier this month, on the occasion of Thai Amavasai, there was a Udaya Garuda Sevai with Jagannatha Perumal providing darshan around the streets of Nathan Koil. Pavitrotsavam and Adyayana Utsavam have been revived albeit on a small scale with two day events. On the occasion of Chitra Pournami, Perumal goes to Theradi to see the ‘Full Moon’.

The Consecration in 1992 after 150+ years

Srinivasan has been at the temple for over four decades as the Maniyakarar. He has seen the temple at its low point in the 1980s. He too was keen to get into the corporate space and had joined the telephones in the late 70s but his amma directed him to continue the hereditary service that his forefathers had performed at this Divya Desam. His grandfather and father had received paddy for their services but given the deteriorating state of the temple, Maniyam Srinivasan did not receive a salary during the first decade of his service when the physical infrastructure too went down and the temple was in a dilapidated state with consecration not having taken place for over 150 years.

Thick big bushes had grown around the temple complex with the Raja Gopuram itself in a bad shape. With Jayalalitha taking over as the CM, the temple received an unexpected gift when she allocated a whopping Rs. 5lakhs for the repair works and restoration of the temple. Maniyam Srinivasan recalls a devotee from Coimbatore contributing Rs. 3lakhs that saw the Raja Gopuram regain its lost glory.

It was after the consecration in 1992 that he was paid a monthly salary of Rs. 250. He says that the temple has over 100 acres of land and collection of proper rent would make the temple self sustaining. 

Ramayana and Mahabharata reference to the Lord 

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to the Ramayana and Mahabaratha legends in his verses of praise.

தம்பியொடு தாம் ஒருவர் தம் துணைவி காதல்

துணையாக முன நாள்

வெம்பி எரி கானகம் உலாவும் அவர்

தாம் இனிது மேவும் நகர் தான்

கொம்பு குதி கொண்டு குயில் கூவ மயில் ஆலும்

எழில் ஆர் புறவு சேர்

நம்பி உறைகின்ற நகர் நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே

Raghavan Bhattar has been joined at this Divya Desam by his brother Sriram and his appa and the three of them are together paid a monthly salary of Rs. 15000.  To draw devotees into the temple, he has started a parikara pooja every Revathi star in the month with a Sahasranama archanai for Perumal. On the four Saturdays of Puratasi last year, Perumal was seen in four different alankarams with the temple being open from 4.30am to 9pm with anna dhanam presented to all visiting devotees. 

Darshan of Lord's feet

On the occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi, he organised for the ‘feet’ darshan of Moolavar Srinivasa Perumal, seen in a majestic seated posture, for the only time in the year much like Thadalan Divya Desam in Sirkazhi. This drew devotees in several thousands that day driving up the Sambhavanai for the service personnel. 200 kgs of Upma was presented on the occasion, an indication of the size of the devotee presence.

Revival of Utsavams

In Vaikasi this year, Raghavan Bhattar is hoping to revive the Vasantha utsavam with Santhana Kaappu and Vetti Ver Alankaram, Thirumanjanam and a procession. 

Just over a fortnight from now, he is planning to revive the Maasi Magam utsavam. His vision is to kick off the Theppotsavam on that day but with the time being short and if devotee donors are not forthcoming, he also wants to organise a street procession for Jagannatha Perumal on that day.

A devotee couple's quiet selfless service

This section has featured many stories on devotees heading to remote locations after having spent a fair deal of their lives in big cities to perform Kainkaryam in historic Divya desams and Purana temples. Another interesting positive development in this phase has been the arrival of an elderly couple to perform selfless service at this Divya Desam. A former Agro Scientist Ramani and his wife, a former Vice Principal in a college in Bangalore, have moved based to Korukkai a few kms from Nathan Koil in an endeavour to perform daily Kainkaryam at this temple. 

After securing the blessings of the Jeer of Vaanamaamalai Mutt, that administers this temple, he has been donning the role of a Prabhandham member presenting the sacred verses both in the morning and evening. His wife has played the role of keeping the temple clean sweeping the prakara as and when required. She also ensures that the vastrams are neatly pressed and kept at the Divya Desam where peacocks, cuckoos and bees sang and danced on tall mango trees over a thousand years ago, as praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

 

பிறையின் ஒளி எயிறு இலக முறுகி எதிர் பொருதும் 

என வந்த அசுரர் 

இறைகள் அவை நெரு நெரு என வெறிய அவர் வயிறு அழல 

நின்ற பெருமான் 

சிறை கொள் மயில் குயில் பயில மலர்கள் உக அலி முரல 

அடிகொள் நெடு மா 

நறைசெய் பொழில் மழை தவழும் 

நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே 

High Devotional Energy

Another developmental initiative Raghavan Bhattar has started is the setting up of a Kannadi Palliyarai where perumal can be placed during the big utsavams. This is likely to be ready in the next couple of months. His big idea for this temple is to have utsavams every month of the year. He has now started the six kaala pooja at the temple. The temple wears a fresh look with the consecration having taken place a couple of years back.

While there were apprehensions all around about his joining a remote temple that had very minimal devotees and many dissuaded him from this decision, the 31 year old Raghavan Bhattar has showcased that with high devotional energy and proactive initiatives, the fortunes of a temple can be turned around quite quickly, especially at a time like this when there is a big devotional wave striking TN temples. Against the current trend, his wife, an IT professional, is standing strong by him and supporting his developmental initiatives at this Divya Desam. By the same time next year, it is likely that he would have revived all the historical utsavams that had once been celebrated in this legendary temple and that the vibrancy can be experienced like it once was during the time of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

Nathan Koil is located under 10 kms South of Kumbakonam off the Korukkai- Patteeswaram road. An auto from Kumbakonam station will cost Rs. 200.

The temple is open from 730am to noon and from 4.30pm -8pm. 

Those interested to contribute to the revival of the utsavams including the Maasi Magam later this month can contact Raghavan Bhattar @ 76398 49242