Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is back at the Sundara Perumal Koil after several decades but like he was in London, he has become a Museum artefact with the HRCE locking him inside the temple and taking away the keys with them
Will the HRCE Minister direct his staff to unlock Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and also hand back the Perumal Utsava Idol to the Sannidhi where he belongs
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is back at the Sundara Perumal Koil after several decades but soon after his return, the Vaishnavite Saint Poet who sung over a 1000 verses of praise finds himself inside the locker room without a pooja and a week old flower garland. Just 10kms east, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar had dedicated an entire Prabhandham to the Lord of Thiru Kudanthai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/06/thiru-ezhu-kootrirukkai_22.html).
The newly appointed HRCE minister Ramesh made a big noise about securing the idol of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar that had been taken away to the overseas market long ago but a week after the idol made its way back to the temple with much fanfare and a procession around the streets of Sundara Perumal Koil, it lay idle inside the locker room at the temple with the keys taken away by the HRCE.
Surely this cannot be the way the HRCE minister wants to treat an Azhvaar who went around temples of Tamil Nadu and outside to sing praise of Perumal in over 80 temples. During this week, the lone priest Aravamudhan has not been able to perform any pooja for the new entrant at the temple and he has not even been able to place a garland around the Azhvaar after the initial hype by the HRCE.
The huge posters in front of the temple make it seem that the new Government was instrumental in securing the idol back from London. Such credits they may take to showcase themselves in positive light but the HRCE minister should also ensure that proper treatment is meted out to the Azhvaar and at least a Thirumanjanam and Thaligai is performed every Karthigai on his monthly birthdays.
Perumal Utsavar too locked away in Kumbakonam
Interestingly, the utsava idol of Soundararaja Perumal too has been lying in safe custody in the lockers in a temple in Kumbakonam, over 10kms away from Sundara Perumal temple for the last many years with the young and enthusiastic priest invoking the blessings of the Moolavar Lord to secure the utsava idol too back into the temple so monthly utsavams can be organised at the temple. This will also help devotees come back to the temple in larger numbers.
Just under two decades ago, this section had featured a story on the dilapidated state of the temple with the utsavams having long stopped and the consecration having been last performed in the first half of the previous century. The long standing priest who had served all alone passed away and the temple had been without a priest for a while. Way back in 2009, when this writer wrote the story on the temple, the photo records the presence of the utsavar but in the time that has passed by and post the consecration, the utsava idol has been taken to safe custody in Kumbakonam.
The story goes that cursed by a rishi, Indra was struck with an illness. To relieve himself from the curse, he came here and undertook penance under the Vanni Tree in Sundara Perumal Koil. He was to donate pumpkins to Brahmins but when he could not find a Brahmin, it is believed that Lord Vishnu disguised himself as a Brahmin and appeared here before Indra.
Later, Lord Vishnu provided darshan to Indra as Soundara Raja Perumal and relieved him of his curse. In a thanking gesture, Indra installed the idol of Soundara Rajan and built this temple. Sundara Raja Perumal is believed to be the Abhimana Lord for Pulla Bhoothangkudi Rama, Lord of Azhagar Koil and Oppiliappan.
Now the young Aravamudhan Bhattar, who received Samasrayanam from Periya Nambi Acharya of Srirangam, has displayed great interest in reviving the utsavams that had once been integral to the temple activities but without the utsava idol his hands have been tied. With the return of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, it had been hoped that there would be some action around the Azhvaar’s monthly birthday but by locking him up in a room the HRCE is sending out a message that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar has only moved from a museum (in London) to another in the temple where he originally belonged.
It would be nice if the HRCE minister sends a direction to his staffers to unlock Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and to organise poojas for him every month on his birthday on Karthigai. The minister should also direct his staff to hand back the utsava idol of Perumal to the temple so the priest can revive the utsavams at the temple. The electrical systems too are in a bad shape inside the temple and the HRCE should take a look at this aspect as well.
This section will track if the new HRCE minister takes positive action on this front.
Sundara perumal koil is 10kms West of Kumbakonam and 5kms East of Papanasam
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