It is under 12 hours to go for the Aadi Chariot Festival at the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Azhagar Koil praised as Thiru Maliruncholai by the Azhvaars. Three years ago, Hariharan had taken over as a stand in EO just ahead of the Panguni Utsavam, the biggest of the year at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore following the death of the then JC Kaveri. It was a great challenge for him and he handled the festival as professionally as any had at that temple. He was then subsequently transferred to Vadapalani Murugan temple after the appointment of a full time JC.
He has recently moved into Azhagar Koil on a promotion as a JC and is in the thick of things on this Tuesday evening orchestrating the arrangements ahead of the Chariot festival. There are HRCE staffers, volunteers and Kainkaryaparas listening to his instructions. Right from Appan Tirupathi, located a few kms South of Azhagar Koil, there are streams of devotees making their bare foot from the neighbouring villages. The main gate at the South Entrance is shut for incoming vehicles and even two wheelers are not allowed inside.
JC Hariharan tells this writer that he is doing his best to make this an enjoyable experience for the devotees on Wednesday on which several thousands are expected to attend the Chariot Procession.
Back inside the temple, Sundararaja Perumal is atop the Golden Horse Vahana for the procession on the 8th evening of the Aadi Utsavam. Shortly after 8pm, Kallazhagar has made his way out of the Alankara mandapam to provide darshan to the hundreds of devotees waiting for the first glimpse of the Lord atop the Golden Horse.
Gypsies play the catapult
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his praise of Thiru Maliruncholai refers to the mountain streams (Nupura Gangai) washing Sandalwood and gems in the fragrant groves. He says that the bees collect honey from the mountain flowers. There is honey flowing everywhere. It is a temple surrounded by Vengai trees that give an indication of the season of the year.
பிணிவளர் ஆக்கை நீங்க நின்று ஏத்த
பெருநிலம் அருளின் முன் அருளி
அணிவளர்குறள் ஆய் அகம் இடம் முழுதும்
அளந்த எம் அடிகள் தம் கோயில்
கணி வளர் வேங்கை நெடு நிலம் அதனில்
குறவர் தம் கவணிடைத் துறந்த
மணி வளர் சாரல் மாலிருஞ்சோலை
வணங்குதும் வா மடநெஞ்சே
Interestingly, he refers to gypsies hurling gem stones from their catapult, a game that was played in the villages of TN even as late as the previous century, though one does not find that anymore.
Dark monsoon clouds rise from the ocean and roar in the sky. Lions mistaking the roar for the elephant strike back in anger!!! Amid the sandalwood groves, the women of Thiru Maliruncholai go for cover under low canopies and chant the sacred verses every day.
Balaji Bhattar, one of the two hereditary priests at the temple, is at the procession, with Ambi Bhattar taking over the next morning for the Chariot Procession. Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan, the Adyayana Bhattar, is leading the Prabhandham Ghoshti who have just begun the recital of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi.
Thiru Koshtiyur Madhavan in the middle
Aadi Street inside the temple complex
After a couple of mandagapadis inside the temple, Sundararaja Perumal makes his way to the house of Ambi Bhattar on the South Prakara before heading to the Aadi Utsavam Prakara. Perumal makes his way around this beautiful prakara filled with trees during the Aadi Utsavam. It is big 24 hours in the year for the Zamindar who is clad is a majestic suit and a turban. He is the man with the rights of the Aadi Chariot Festival and only after he flags off does the procession start. He too comes around the Aadi Utsavam Prakara named as 'Aadi Street' along with the Lord carried by a sizeable number of Sripatham Personnel.
Zamindar who will flag off the Chariot on Wed morning
The crowd is increasing all the time late on this Tuesday evening. There is not an inch of space inside the temple.
Sundararaja Bhattar of Vandiyur Veera Raghava Perumal temple has been performing Paricharaka Kainkaryam here at Azhagar Koil for three decades and he is presenting Theertham patiently to all the devotees, a very rare scenario these days in Divya Desams. His Uncle, Nambi, is presenting Shatari to the devotees alongside Sundararaja Bhattar. Near the Uriyadi Mandapam, the Prabhandham Ghoshti are presented with Shatari and Theertham following which they stay back inside the temple and continue the recital of the Periya Thirumozhi verses at the Ramanuja Sannidhi (.
A most important landmark at this temple is the 18th Padi karuppanswamy Sannidhi at the Eastern Raja Gopuram. There is a huge crowd waiting for darshan of Sundararaja Perumal and there is the first argument of the evening between a Policeman and the Sripatham Personnel on the entry into the 18 Padi Sannidhi. It spoils the festive mood for a moment with attention shifting to the vocal argument between the two sides.
Periyazhvaar in his Thirumozhi refers to celestial women coming to take a bath at Nupura Ganga. The sacred verse of Pallandu reverberates all over Thiru Maliruncholai. Nectar from Kalpaka flowers flow down the hills of Maliruncholai as Nupura Ganga. It was here that Pandya king of Kudal Nagar Nedumaran celebrated his victory. Bumble bees wake up early in the morning and chant the Lord’s 1000 names. He finds Konrai, Punnai, Serundi, Vengai and Kongu trees in large numbers in the hills of Thiru Maliruncholai.
Periyazhvaar refers to Thiru Maliruncholai as the beautiful hill, the cool hill, the victory hill, the firm hill and the tall hill.
Clock has ticked past 9.30pm when Sundararaja Perumal made his way to the Maangulam Villagers Mandapam near the Hiranyan Fort gate. After the mariyathai at this mandapam, the Sripatham mount Sundararaja Perumal on to the Wheeled Vehicle that carries straight through the Middle street!!! On this entire Middle Street, there are street vendors who have laid out their wares for sale with devotees already buy items of their interest but the best of the sales will take place on Wednesday morning when Kallazhagar is out on the Chariot. The Zamindar who accompanies the Lord now retires to his bungalow on the middle street with Perumal heading on the Azhagar Koil highway and to the Melur Road for Mandagapadis. There are six such mandagapadis on the highway before he makes his way back through the Southern Mottai Gopuram.
Sundararaja Perumal now goes through the eastern street and returns via the middle street to near the colourfully decorated chariot. There is a play going on at the west end watched by several hundreds of devotees who will stay back through the night to be ready for the Chariot procession the next morning. The Sripatham present a Voyali in front of the Chariot before Deeparathanai is presented to Perumal from atop the Chariot wishing him well for Wednesdays’ procession. An astro devotee has made his way all the way from Anna Nagar on the eastern side of Madurai. He is 56 and has seen the Aadi Ther from his childhood.
Moopanar Community pitches for the 'Cow Mariyathai' at 18 padi
He recalls the mud and stone filled street back in those decades when the Chariot would get stuck. There were occasions when the Chariot returned after three days. He says that these are happy days now with tar roads built in recent decades and Sundararaja Perumal makes his way on the same day, a far cry from what he experienced in his youth!!!
Clock is ticking to 11pm and Sundararaja Perumal has made his way back to 18Padi but lo, it is not what you think it is …in big utsavams in small towns, however historic the town may be and a Divya Desam!!! The Moopanar community have gathered in huge numbers in front of the Karuppana Swamy Sannidhi and would not allow Sundararaja Perumal into the Sannidhi unless their claim of giving their cow the historic Shatari Mariyathai is adhered to.
விடம் கலந்து அமர்ந்த அரவணைத் துயின்று
விளங்கனிக்கு இளங் கன்று விசிறி
குடம் கலந்து ஆடி குரவை முன் கோத்த
கூத்த எம் அடிகள் தம் கோயில்
தடங் கடல் முகுந்து விசும்பிடைப் பிளிறத்
தடவரைத் களிறு என்று முனிந்து
மடங்கள் நின்று அதிரும் மாலிருஞ்சோலை
வணங்குதும் வா மடநெஞ்சே
Repeated attempts requesting them to move off to give way to Perumal to make his way back to the temple failed as each time their angry roar increased much like Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s reference to the Lion mistaking the dark clouds for the elephant, referred in the verse above.
Aadi Ther on Pournami
Periyazhvaar refers to the Lord as one with 1000 arms, 1000 crowns reclining on a snake with a 1000 hoods. The Cobra raises its hood and licks the cool full moon with its red tongue!!!
கஞ்சனும் காளியனும் களிறும் மறுதும் எருதும்
வஞ்சனையில் மடிய வளர்ந்த மணிவண்ணன் மலை
நஞ்சுமிழ் நாகம் எழுந்து அணவி நளிர் மா மதியை
செஞ்சுடர் நா வளைக்கும் திரு மாலிருஞ்சோலையதே
He says that the whole world comes in a pilgrimage to take a holy dip. Repeatedly, he refers to Silambaru Nupura Ganga rushing down the slopes throwing precious jewellery at the Lord’s feet.
Ambi Bhattar with his son in the background
The Bull Fight ends
Well over half an hour later, they were finally pacified with the Kainkaryaparas educating them that this was not a historic centuries old traditional practice and may have taken place for a few years in the past on an adhoc basis. The Prabhandham Ghoshti members at the Ramanuja Sannidhi have moved on to the 6th Canto of Periya Thirumozhi in the three hours of the procession. It was close to midnight when Sundararaja Perumal finally made his way back to his abode with Ambi Bhattar waiting there to take over charge for the big action on the Aadi Pournami on Wednesday. Such is the respect he has earned over the last four decades that hundreds of devotees fall at his feet seeking his blessings and prayers!!!
Azhagar Koil Ambi Bhattar: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/06/azhagar-koil-ambi-bhattar.html
Vandiyur Sundararaja Bhattar: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/06/vandiyur-veera-raghava-perumal.html
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