A Grand Alankaram, Wide Ranging Prasadam, Local Residents' Participation
The new archaka team at this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam named after Nandi is reviving the utsavams to its old grandeur
It is a Divya Desam par excellence as praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi, one where Nandi performed service. 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. He praises this historic temple town as one where the distant beat of the festival drum sounds like monsoon clouds and the peacocks begin to dance in delight in the surrounding groves.
தந்தை மனம் உந்து துயர் நந்த இருள் வந்த விறல்
நந்தன் மதலை
எந்தை இவன் என்று அமரர் கந்த மலர்
கொண்டு தோழ நின்ற நகர் தான்
மந்த முழவோசை மழையாக ஏழுகார்
மயில்கள் ஆடு பொழில் சூழ்
நந்தி பணிசெய்த நகர்
நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே
That was over a 1000 years ago. 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 seems to be around the corner with his positive energy and a devotional determination to bring back devotees to the temple.
The young Raghavan Bhattar, along with his appa
and brother, took charge of the Jagannathan Perumal temple a couple of years ago and has since been trying to revive the utsavams to some form of its old grandeur.
தீதறு நிலத்தொடு ஏரி காலினொடு
நீர் கெழு விசும்பும் அவையாய்
மாசறு மனத்தினொடு உறக்கமொடு இறக்கை
அவையாய பெருமான்
தாய் செற உளைந்து தயிர் உண்டு குடம் ஆடு
தட மார்வர் தகை சேர்
நாதன் உறைகின்ற நகர்
நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே
Alankaram Expert from Nachiyar Koil
It is 3pm on Tuesday (June 2). Raghavan Bhattar has roped in Gopinathan Bhattar from Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam about 10 kms east of Nathan Koil for the alankaram of Jagannathan Perumal atop the Garuda Vahana. Historically, the priests of Nachiyar Koil had been performing archaka service at Nathan Koil but shortage of priests even at Thiru Naraiyar combined with an issue relating to an archaka brought an end to their archaka kainkarayam at Nandipura Vinnagaram a couple of decades ago.
Devotees thrilled at the alankaram
For over two hours, Gopi Bhattar does what he likes best. It is he who has been decorating Srinivasa Perumal atop Kal Garuda ahead of the now popular Kal Garuda Sevai at Thiru Naraiyur where he has been performing archaka service since the early 1990s. And when Raghavan Bhattar offered him the alankaram opportunity to present Jagannathan Perumal in a grand manner, Gopi Bhattar could not say no and he along with his Patshala going son, got down to minute details of the alankaram. After the completion of the alankaram, so satisfied was Gopi Bhattar with the decoration and the grandeur of the colourful silk vastrams on Garuda and Perumal that he could not take his eyes off Jagannathan Perumal but it was time for him to head back to Nachiyar Koil and he bid adieu to Raghavan Bhattar thanking him for this blessed opportunity.
New Lease of life for Nathan Koil
A couple of decades ago, Nathan Koil was in a sad state. Minimal devotees, dearth of kainkaryaparas led to a slowdown in utsavams. Multiple archakas had taken charge after the exit of those from Nachiyar Koil but not many survived the slowdown and frustration led by lack of devotees. But the temple has received a new lease of life under the leadership of Raghavan Bhattar who has been initiating activities that will drive devotees back to the temple.
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
The Brahmotsavam in Vaikasi is one where he was keen for the alankaram to be grand and for wide ranging prasadams to be prepared and presented in large quantities. Past 6pm, devotees began to trickle in to have a first glance of Jagannathan Perumal atop the Garuda Vahana after the screen opened. Devotees were thrilled to see their perumal in such a grand alankaram decade with colourful tall flower garlands and glittering jewellery shining across his chest. To those coming in early, Kathamba rice was presented.
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
While Raghavan Bhattar was overseeing the alankaram and the Yaaga Salai pooja, his 68 year old appa Lakshmi Narasimhan was delighting devotees at the Moolavar Sannidhi with his loud and clear archanai explaining to them the special features of the presence of Nandi inside the Moolavar Perumal Sannidhi as a differentiator at this Divya Desam.
Legendary Tale of Nandi's service
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.
Committed Prabhandham members
It
was a very hot day in Kumbakonam and as a relief to the Kainkaryaparas there
were thick clouds above but it also left Raghavan Bhattar a bit worried about
the possibility of the rain that could potentially play spoilsport to the much
awaited Garuda Vahana procession.The Kainkaryaparas presented Kattiyam and the Prabhandham members who had begun the fourth canto to Namazhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi earlier in the evening presented the satru murai verses on the Lord of Thiru Kurugur.
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
The Agent of the Vanamamalai Mutt that administers the trust arrived as did the Ubayadarars of the day. Following the mariyathai and sundal and puliyotharai prasadam distribution, it was time for the procession to start.
Archaka Kainkaryam at 70!!
70 year old Kothandaraman Bhattar takes care of the Thayar Sannidhi at the temple and he is the one accompanying Perumal on the Garuda Vahana Procession presenting Deeparathanai at every stop and handing back flowers with blessings to every resident of Nathan Koil.
The sripatham are all local residents including many young boys. As seen at the Jagarathrakshagan Perumal temple in Thiru Koodalur last week, they are all excited to be the ones accompanying Jagannathan Perumal on this Garuda Vahana procession. . There is a buzz around the streets of Nathan Koil that is otherwise missing all through the year. The Prabhandham Members beginning the recital of the sixth canto of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi praising the Lord of Thiru Vinnagar. Being senior citizen members, they stay back at the temple to continue the recital while Perumal made his way on to the West street.
உய்யும் வகை உண்டு சொன செய்யில்
உலகு ஏழும் ஒழியாமை முன நாள்
மெய்யின் அளவே அமுது செய்யவல
ஐயன் அவன் மேவும் நகர் தான்
மைய வரி வண்டு மது உண்டு
கிளையோடு மலர் கிண்டி அதன்மேல்
நைவளம் நவிற்று பொழில்
நந்திபுர விண்ணகரம் நண்ணு மனமே
White Pulli Kolam filled streets
All the streets are dotted with beautifully laid out white pulli kolam and residents of every home come out with flowers, fruits and coconuts seeking the blessings of the Lord for the year ahead. On the North Sannidhi street, the residents are still financially backward and continue to live in hut houses while those in East and South streets bear resemblance to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s praise of mansions that seemed to touch the Moon. The clouds had scattered and the moon, two days after Pournami was shining bright.
Raghavan Bhattar
A satisfying evening for Raghavan Bhattar
Clock had almost ticked to 10pm when Perumal made his way back to the temple where the prabhandham members presented the ‘Om Namo Narayana’ satru murai verses on Nachiyar Koil, on an evening when Thiru Naraiyur’s Bhattar delighted the devotees with his alankaram. The sripatham boys have a satisfied look on their faces having performed this service while Raghavan Bhattar and his team are pleased to have got a bit of the grandeur back to the Brahmotsavam though the original inhabitants of Nandipura Vinnagaram are still missing. In remote Divya Desams such as these, the outstation devotees continue to give these utsavams a miss and it is through the individual efforts of Bhattars like Raghavan that the local residents get a flavour of historical utsavams as these. For these local residents around the four sacred streets, the Garuda Sevai during the Brahmotsavam is an important day in the year for they see a darshan of Perumal atop the Garuda Vahana as a great blessing to them that gives them the hope that the financial challenges will be overcome in the year ahead.
Late into the night after unmounting Jagannathan Perumal from the Garuda Vahana, Raghavan Bhattar heads back home with his appa and brother satisfied at the efforts of the evening having brought smiles in the faces of the devotees of Nandipura Vinnagaram.
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