From Selling Petrol to Archaka Kainkaryam
For over two decades, this priest hailing from Kandiyur has been performing archaka service for 18 days every month also doubling up as the madapalli cook
It is a quiet Tuesday (July 14) morning at the avathara sthalam of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar in Thiru Mandangudi, 1km west of Pullam Bhoothangudi Divya Desam. Giri Bhattar has been at the temple from 6am and over the first three hours there are hardly any devotees. This is a daily scenario that he has experienced over the last two decades that he has been at the temple. Two Divya Desams – Pullam Bhoothangudi and Thiru Athanur – are nearby almost at walking distance and yet devotees rarely make it to this historic temple town. Half a km to the south is the factory of Thiru Arooran Sugars. Neither the locals nor outstation devotees make it to this temple and for Giri Bhattar it is usually a long wait until a car applies the brake at the entrance of the temple making him sit up gleefully for he sees it as an opportunity to present the greatness of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar and his devotional attachment with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam.
பச்சை மா மலை போல் மேனி
பவளவாய் கமலச் செங்கண்
அச்சுதா அமரர் ஏறே,
ஆயர் தம் கொழுந்தே என்னும்
இச்சுவை தவிர யான் போய்
இந்திர லோகம் ஆளும்
அச்சுவை பெறினும் வேண்டேன்
அரங்க மா நகருளானே
On this Tuesday, there is one family that has made it way to this temple from Bangalore albeit as a mistaken identity. The lady at a fellow in a University in Bangalore is doing research on Araiyar Sevai and wanted to go to Pullam Bhoothangudi but on her way from Athanur she missed the Valvil Ramar Divya Desam and made her way to Thiru Mandangudi.
For over half an hour, Giri Bhattar took them to the Ranganathaswamy Sannidhi, then to Thondaradipodi Azhvaar and finally to Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi presenting the sacred verses of the Azhvaar and explaining them the significance of this historic temple town. There is not much of a thattu kaasu on offer but for Giri Bhattar it is the opportunity to describe the devotional greatness of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar to the devotees that gives him happiness.
The Thirumalai and Thiruppalli Yezhuchi verses have so touched these devotees from Bangalore that they recite alongside him in each of the sannidhis. Suddenly, Giri Bhattar is full of energy mingling with these new set of devotees from another state. He tells them as to why Thondaradipodi Azhvaar is seen with a flower basket much to their delight. Thondaradipodi Azhvaar is seen alongside Lords of two different Divya Desams - Tirupathi Balaji and Thiru Maaliruncholai Soundararajan Perumal and Giri Bhattar also narrates the reasoning behind that. The story goes that both of them had heard of some beautiful early morning songs in praise of Ranganatha and wanted to listen to Thondaradipodi Azhvaar’s Thirupalli Ezhuchi and are believed to have made a trip to Thiru Mandangudito be treated to those sweet ‘wake up’ verses of Thondaradipodi.
His forefathers had been associated with temples in their times but with the slowdown in the 2nd half of the previous century, this family moved away from temples into farming in Kandiyur near the Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal temple.
On this hot July morning, when the Cauvery water has still not reached Kandiyur for their farming operations to start, Giri Bhattar recalls to this writer as to how he made it to this unlikely location in Thiru Mandangudi. The financial scenario had not been great with farming largely dependent on the release of the Cauvery water and this led to the teenaged Giri quitting academics after Class X. His appa got him into retailing of Petrol and Diesel “It was a period when fuel was not available in the Thiruvayaru region and one had to go to Thanjavur to find a fuel station. We retailed petrol and diesel and that made good business. It was the way my life was headed when shortage of priests opened up an unlikely opportunity for me.
As has been the scenario in many remote temples in the state, there was an urgent need for a priest to take over at this avathara sthalam in Thiru Mandangudi. His relative who was the trustee at this temple approached him to join as an archaka and quite reluctantly he made his way to this temple town.
Till then, he had spent almost all his life in Thiru Kandiyur around the Hara Sabha Vimochana Perumal temple but suddenly he was thrown into a space that he had not experienced earlier. There was an opportunity presented to him to perform Kainkaryam in this avathara sthalam on Thondaradipodi Azhvaar. The financial return was just in three digits and that was not luring for him to make the switch but the opportunity of an Azhvaar Sthalam kainkaryam got him interested.
Since then, just over two decades ago, he has performing archaka kainkaryam at this temple for 18 days every month staying alone in this remote location for more than half a month before returning to Kandiyur to be with his family.
Legendary Tale
Born in Thiru Mandangudi, Thondaradipodi Azhvaar (his original name was Vipra Narayanan) was lost in love for Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. Very early in his life, he moved from Thiru Mandangudi to Srirangam and mastered himself in Vedas. His devotion was so enduring that he thought of none but Ranganatha. This devotion meant that he decided to sing praise only of the Lord of Srirangam and of no other Lord. Dedicating his life to the service of Lord Ranganatha, he created a beautiful Nandavanam in Srirangam and with a basket in hand immersed himself in collecting flowers and making beautiful garlands for the Lord every day.
Having heard of the Lord accepting Thirumazhisai Azhvaar’s request to come out of the kingdom in Thiruvekka near Kanchipuram and provide a special Maaru Sayanam posture there on his return, and another special posture in Kumbakonam with his Uththana Sayanam as Aaravamuthan, Thondaradipodi was keen that he too be given a special darshan from his favourite Lord Ranganatha.
Ranganatha promised him to provide such a darshan but asked him to go to his birth place at Thiru Mandangudi. Unwillingly, he left Srirangam and reached Thiru Mandangudi. To his surprise, he saw Lord Rangantha waiting for him in a special and rare standing posture to provide darshan along with Sri and Bhoo devi.
As Lord Ranganatha surprised Thondaradi Podi Azhvaar with this special standing darshan at his very own birth place, he is referred to as ‘ Varam Tharum’ Perumal and is believed to accede to and grant the sincere prayers of the devotees who visit this temple at Thiru Mandangudi.
மனத்தில் ஓர் தூய்மை இல்லை
வாயில் ஓர் இன்சொல் இல்லை
சினத்தினால் செற்றம் நோக்கி
தீவிளி விளிவன் வாளா
புனத்துழாய் மாலையானே
பொன்னி சூழ் திருவரங்கா
எனக்கு இனிக் கதி என் சொல்லாய்
என்னை ஆளுடைய கோவே
20+ years later and with Giri Bhattar now into his 50s, the monthly salary remains abysmally low at Rs. 2000. This temple does not attract devotees like those in the heart of Kumbakonam and hence thattu kaasu is not in line with what priests get in temples in bigger towns. That’s not something Giri Bhattar has taken to heart for every time a new devotee enters the temple his eyes light up as he gets into the groove of presenting the sacred verses to them narrating the tale of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar and creating a devotional bonding for them with this Azhvaar.
Every morning and evening, in addition to the Thiru Aradhanam and taking care of devotee darshan, Giri Bhattar also doubles up as the cook in the madapalli preparing and presenting the sacred food.
The consecration event took place in late 2024 and the temple complex now wears a colourful fresh look, so different and bearing no resemblance to what it was 15 years ago when this writer featured a story on the temple. The Kettai day in Margazhi marking the birthday of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar is celebrated in a grand way with a Garuda Vahana procession around the streets of Thiru Mandangudi on that morning. Pavitrotsavam is another utsavam that is celebrated at this temple.
It is almost close to noon and Giri Bhattar is back sitting in front of the sannidhi waiting to see if another devotee will arrive at the temple before the temple closes for the first half. He is just left in the company of the trustee who are present at the temple on this hot day to oversee some of the repair activities. Giri Bhattar also performs Thiru Aradhanam at their house following which he distributes the daily Thaligai to anyone present at the temple.
கதிரவன் குணதிசைச் சிகரம் வந்து அணைந்தான்
கனை இருள் அகன்றது காலை அம் பொழுதாய்
மது விரிந்து ஒழுகின மா மலர் எல்லாம்
வானவர் அரசர்கள் வந்து வந்து ஈண்டி
எதிர்திசை நிறைந்தனர் இவரொடும் புகுந்த
இருங் களிற்று ஈட்டமும் பிடியொடு முரசும்
அதிர்தலில் அலைகடல் போன்றுளது எங்கும்
அரங்கத்தம்மா பள்ளி எழுந்தருளாயே
Like this verse of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar in Thirupalliezhuchi, he is hopeful that one day his financial darkness too would be dispelled. But till then, unmindful of the low salary, Giri Bhattar is looking to continue to enjoy this experience of donning the role of an archaka at this birth place of Thondaradipodi Azhvaar and being the one presenting the legendary tale of this Azhvaar to the devotees who make it to the temple every now and then. The presence of devotees revitalises his energy and he has narrated this devotional tale so many times over and over again to those who have made it to the temple. And the one to the devotee family from Bangalore this morning was another occasion that brought cheer to him as he saw it as yet another opportunity to narrate this temple's story and to get devotees excited towards Thondaradipodi Azhvaar.
While the low salary is a worry, Giri Bhattar has another way back in Kandiyur. The cauvery water has not yet been opened into the second week of July, a time when his family should have begun harvesting for the new season. That source of income too hangs in the balance!!
Tailpiece: All those who for years have been hitting out at the HRCE on low salaries to priests should visit this temple Nd see the plight of the archaka, a temple where the private hereditary trustee pays the priest Rs. 2000 after almost 25 years of archaka service.
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