This ever smiling and friendly Pandari will represent Thayar tom in her 'Panguni Uthiram' heated argument with Namperumal
It is just 24 hours to go for the vehement argument between Ranganayaki Thayar and Namperumal at the Thayar Sannidhi in Srirangam on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram. 53 year old Pandari K Muthukrishnan (popularly known as Pandari Sriram in the temple circles) is devotionally excited at the prospect of representing Thayar for the third time in his Kainkaryam that now spans two decades.
It is a quiet morning at the Thayar Sannidhi on Tuesday with Namperumal having started out early at 6.30am on a trip to Ellaikarai Mandapam on the eastern outskirts of Srirangam on the Southern Banks of Kollidam on this 8th day of the Panguni Brahmotsavam. There are not too many devotees at the Thayar Sannidhi and Pandari Sriram takes time out to recount to this writer his experience the first time he represented Thayar on the morning of Panguni Uthiram way back in 2012 “I had seen the Panguni Uthiram episode being enacted from my childhood and it was always my dream to one day represent Ranganayaki Thayar in the argument against Namperumal. But when the great opportunity came to me in 2012, just 5 years after I had become a Pandari, I was quite tense for there was a big crowd inside the Thayar Sannidhi with all the eyes on me and with them listening to every single word I was uttering to get Thayar to win the arugment. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly.”
In 2017, when he represented Ranganayaki Thayar a second time, he says he was a lot more relaxed having had an experience earlier and also having watched his Pandari colleagues in the previous four years.
On April 1, he will be representing Ranganayaki Thayar at the heated conversation with Namperumal. He says he has been refreshing over the past 10 days the five conversations that will take place tomorrow morning and in the next 24 hours ‘I will refresh once again later today and tomorrow morning as well ahead of the conversation’, Pandari Sriram told this writer even as a suddenly cheerful Harish Bhattar, son of Chief Priest Murali Bhattar, comes in to have a chat with him. He has just received approval for the presentation on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram of a new Thirumanjanam Vethikai replacing a previous damaged one. Two years ago, on this same occasion, Harish Bhattar had organised a glittering diamond necklace to be worn during the Serthi Sevai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-panguni-uthiram-2024.html)
The Legendary Panguni Uthiram Serthi Story
The story goes that Ranganayaki Thayar of Srirangam had learnt, through her friends, about Namperumal’s (the Utsavar deity of Lord Ranganatha) trip, a few days ago, to Uraiyur to meet his beloved Kamalavalli Naachiyar and the presentation of his ring to her. This angered Ranganayaki Thayar and she was waiting for a opportunity to express her unhappiness to the Lord.
(On Sunday 29th March, Namperumal left Srirangam on a 6 km - 7 hour trip across River Cauvery to meet Kamalavalli Nachiyar for ‘Kalyana Utsavam’ festivities at Uraiyur Divya Desam)
A few days after his return from Uraiyur, on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram, having heard about her anger, Namperumal plans a visit to meet the Ranganayaki Thayar at her Sannidhi at the Northern entrance of Srirangam temple.
Namperumal being denied entry into Thaayar Sannidhi
When Namperumal reaches the Thaayar Sannidhi, much to his shock, Ranganayaki Thayar shuts the door on him and refuses to allow him entry into the Sannidhi. The faster he tries to enter the Sannidhi, the quicker the door shuts on him and with greater intensity each time. Adding insult to injury, the Lord is also pelted with butter by the Thayar's side.
Pandari as the mediator representing Thayar
The Araiyars of Srirangam act as mediators in the war of words that extends to five rounds between Namperumal and Ranganayaki Thayar represented by Pandari. The Araiyars take the message from Namperumal (waiting outside at the entrance of the Thaayar Sannidhi) and present it to the Pandari and then take back Thaayar’s replies through the Pandari back to Namperumal.
The Araiyar begins round one by putting forth Perumal's defence that he has been out for well over three hours that morning in the hot Panguni sun, listening to the Vedic and Divya Prabhandham recitals and providing darshan to the devotees across the four Chitra and Uthira streets. He pleaded that this was the reason for the delay and that it was only fair that she accepted his garland and allowed him to enter her Sannidhi.
Pandari retorts that this was poor reasoning and put him on the defensive by questioning if providing darshan to devotees was indeed the real reason or if there was some hidden agenda (indirectly pointing to the fact that he was actually out there through the morning collecting money from the devotees to try and buy a ring to replace the one that he had presented to Kamalavalli Nachiyar at Uraiyur)
Thayar expresses surprise finding his eyes red, the hair disturbed, Thiruman not in the way it usually is and even nail marks on his body. Thayar insists on status quo being maintained – No one inside the Sannidhi should go out and those that are outside should not enter her Sannidhi, she orders through the Pandari.
Did you go to Uraiyur
As part of the second round of the debate, Araiyars defend Perumal stating that he had spent sleepless nights protecting his devotees and that was the reason for the red eyes. He had to go to the forest to fight the wild animals to protect his devotees and the nail marks was a result of that fight. He had lost his ring when Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, posing as a thief, attacked him in the middle of the night and that he was still searching for it and was confident of finding it back.
An unconvinced Ranganayaki Thayar fires a fiery question at him sending shock waves to the other side – ‘Did you go to Uraiyur.’
Where is Uraiyur:)
The next round begins with Ranganatha in all his innocence saying that he had neither heard of nor seen that place. He contests that she was purposely trying to insult him in front of everyone by naming some place that he had never even heard of. This infuriates Thayar even further and she retorted that the Lord was trying to create an illusion by hiding everything and that she had gathered all the truth about his trip from her sources.
Lofty Promises
Pushed back further in every round and completely exasperated with the negative response, Lord Ranganatha decides that it was now time to resort to promises in an effort to convince her. His representatives tell her that He was ready to promise on the Ocean, the Fire and that he was even ready to put his hand inside the snake pit to prove his innocence.
Ranganayaki Thayar scoffs at these seemingly lofty promises saying that she is not the one to be outdone by these. Making promises was a well accepted practice to a truce when there was a fight between two parties and Thayar expresses surprise at the kind of promises he has made.
Does he expect the Serpant King on whom he resides all the time to bite him, she extolls!!! She refuses to allow him entry at the end of the fourth round as well saying that he is trying to lure her back with such simple promises.
Climax
Araiyars come back a fifth time with an emotional appeal from the Lord standing at the entrance of the Thayar Sannidhi. ‘With the whole world watching him being thus insulted, it is a matter of time before they scoff at her and that all the blame for this public embarrassment of the Lord will have to be taken up by her. He is trying his best to convince her in every possible way but she is remaining adamant and is refusing to accept even the flowers he is presenting her with love and affection.’
Thayar stands firm – ‘The Lord had done everything wrong but it now looks like he is passing on the blame game and trying to make me feel guilty’ she argues.
This heated debate between Perumal and Thayar showcases to the world the beautiful relationship between a husband and a wife, the differences of opinion, the fights and the adjustments one has to make in a relationship for it to succeed. This event also showcases the regard one must have for elders and the role they play in our lives. This can be seen from the fact that despite being angry and upset at Lord Ranganatha’s behaviour, Ranganayaki Thayar listens to the words of Nam Azhvaar and forgives the Lord and accepts him once again. This event is a great lesson for one to follow in this fast paced world where ego seems to play a part in relationships among family members and friends.
With the arrival of the settlement, Namperumal then finally enters the Thaayar Sannidhi provides Serthi Sevai for the only time in the year with Ranganaayaki Thaayar.
Pandari Sriram considers it a great blessing
Pandari Sriram has been performing Kainkaryam right from his teenage years carrying Kudam from Kollidam to different sannidhis as well as performing Vethal service carrying Namperumal on his shoulders on long processions. He has over 3 ½ months of Kainkaryam at the Thayar Sannidhi annually and during his free time, he participates in consecration events to keep himself going.
Pandari Sriram considers this a great blessing that he is being bestowed with a third opportunity in his lifetime to represent Ranganayaki Thayar on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram. Following the enactment of the episode, Pandari Sriram will be taken for a special darshan of Namperumal and be presented with Mariyathai. Also, the temple representatives will see him off at his home on North Chitra Street as a recognition of having represented Ranganayaki Thayaar on this auspicious Panguni Uthiram morning when Namperumal and Ranganayaki Thayar will provide Serthi Sevai following the enactment of the reconciliation episode.
Pandari Sriram is one of the most friendliest Kainkaryaparas at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam and has built a great network of devotees over the last two decades. 200 of them will be there at the Thayar Sannidhi tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to be a source of strength to Pandari Sriram and to boost his confidence in the argument against the representatives of Namperumal. Later in the afternoon, he will be hosting lunch to his large network of ‘supporters’ who have been a pillar of strength in his 2 decades Kainkaryam at the Thayar Sannidhi.
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