Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal provides darshan atop the Golden Hanumantha Vahana
For Pichumani Bhattar, the hereditary trustee at the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Gunaseelam, Wednesday (Sept 16) marked yet another remarkable achievement. It is ten years since the making of the Golden Hanumantha Vahana. The donor, Sundararajan, who worked for close to four decades at Chemplast Sanmar at their plant in Mettur, was the one who offered to contribute to the conversation of the Hanumantha Vahana from the wooden make it was at that time into a golden one (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/11/jolly-rovers-n-sankar-75.html).
He is present this evening ahead of the procession right in front of the Raja Gopuram that is to be constructed and is all praise for Pichumani Bhattar “Garuda Vahana had turned Gold but the rest of the vahanas were still made of wood. When Pichumani Bhattar asked if I would be interested in the gold plating of the Hanumantha Vahana, I immediately grabbed the opportunity. Following this, he went on to gold plate other Vahanas too. It is a mammoth task to manage all the events at this temple and Pichumani Bhattar does it all alone bringing together devotees from across the world to create a vibrant feel at the temple”, Sundararajan told this writer on Wednesday evening at Gunaseelam.
சோதி ஆகி எல்லா உலகும் தொழும்
ஆதிமூர்த்தி என்றால் அளவு ஆகுமோ
வேதியர் முழு வேதத்து அமுதத்தை
தீது இல் சீர்த் திருவேங்கடத்தானையே
Just past 5pm, Pichumani Bhattar is at the Vahana Mandapam next to the restored Chariot overseeing the alankaram carried out by his team. He tells this writer as to how he has brought together the team for this Brahmotsavam “All through the year, there are 4-5 Kainkaryaparas at the Sannidhi but for the Puratasi Brahmotsavam the entire family members join us in Kainkarayam. Some of them take up Sannidhi Kainkaryam, a few others take to decorating the Perumal atop the Vahana, a couple of them are alongside Perumal during the procession and there are those who take care of the Yaaga Salai and the daily pooja.”
As mentioned in a story on Pichumani Bhattar in June 2024(link below), many of the family members had left this hereditary town in the 1980s when there was a slowdown in temple activities across the state but for the Brahmotsavam they are always here to support those that stayed back. It is remarkable team work by this family to ensure that the biggest festival of the year is celebrated in a grand way.
The Vedic members arrived in good numbers at the inner prakara just after 6pm to recite the Vedas. This place was historically renowned for the recital of the Vedas and during the Brahmotsavam we see a sizeable number of vedic members reciting all the four vedas each day of the festival.
Great Kainkaryam by Srirangam Vethal Sripatham
One of the biggest challenges that every Divya Desam is experiencing recently is the availability of Sripatham Personnel. In most temples, the procession has moved on to wheeled tyres but Pichumani Bhattar delightfully tells this writer that the Sripatham Personnel carry Venkatesa Perumal on their shoulders at every procession and he is grateful to the Vethal Volunteers of Srirangam for this Kainkaryam.
“For over 25 years, they have been coming here in good numbers year after year without fail for both the morning Pallakku procession and the evening Vahana procession. It is a great service on their part to travel around 20 kms each day and many of them go back to work after the morning procession and come back again after their work. Their presence here has taken away a lot of the worries relating to the procession for they are always ahead of time and they push us to start the procession on time” says Pichumani Bhattar.
Ravi (Lakshmi Narasimhan) worked at the Ponmalai Railway Yard for many decades and has been coming to Gunaseelam for the Sripatham Kainkaryam for the last 15 years. He considers it a great blessing to have got this opportunity to carry Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal during the Brahmotsavam and finds this festival well managed. The Sripatham Personnel are well taken care of by Pichumani Bhattar with him providing them breakfast in the morning and dinner in the night in addition to a good Sambhavanai for their service.
Clock has ticked to 7.30pm and Perumal is ready for the start of the procession with the electrician providing the final touches to the lights which has now become an integral part of the evening processions in temples.As the screen opens, the Bhattar of the evening presents a deeparaathanai. Devotees have lined up either side of Perumal to experience the Ubacharams carried out by the Bhattar for the handsome Perumal decked with glittering jewellery. Following this, the screen closes once again and the Sripatham Personnel are called out for and invited into the alankara mandapam to take their position next to the Perumal.
அகலகில்லேன் இரையும் என்று
அலர்மேல் மங்கை உரை மார்பா
நிகரில் புகழாய் உலகம் மூன்று உடையாய்
என்னை ஆள்வானே
நிகரில் அமரர் முனிக்கணங்கள் விரும்பும்
திருவேங்கத்தானே
புகலொன்று இல்லா அடியேன்
உன் அடிக்கீழ் அமர்ந்து புகுந்தேனே
There is rain in the air but the procession goes ahead. It is 8pm when Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal makes his way out of the Vahana Mandapam. The colourful canopies go up above the Lord and the temple musicians begin their Nadaswaram presentation at the East Prakara. It is delightful devotional music and Pichumani Bhattar is all praise for them “They are the daily artistes who present the music during the Pooja time at the temple. Except for the Garuda Sevai, they are the ones who present during the street processions. Historically, this temple was renowned for nadaswaram artistes. If someone says that he has played at Gunaseelam Brahmotsavam, his credibility goes up manifold.”
The golden hanuman vahana is now into its 10th year but is shining gold. Pichumani Bhattar revelas the secret behind that "The vahana is kept inside a glass cabinet and that has helped maintain its shine."
A new horse at the Brahmotsavam
For four decades, Pichumani Bhattar has given his heart and soul to taking care of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal and he is reaping the benefits of that long term devotional commitment. Earlier this year, Deepu Bhattar of Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam gifted a male horse to the Gunaseelam temple. For many of the Bhattars of Srirangam, this temple is the Kula Deivam and they have a soft corner for this perumal. This was a nice surprise gesture from Deepu Bhattar and the horse leads the way in every procession during the Brahmotsavam” says Pichumani Bhattar.
Brahmotsavam expenses mount
Back in the 1980s and 90s, Pichumani Bhattar organised the entire Brahmotsavam at less than Rs. 30000. Today, the scale and the grandeur has increased and improved so much that he spends over Rs. 30 Lakhs on this Brahmotsavam with a sizeable share of the expenses being taken care through the hundi offerings of the devotees. Well over 150 Kainkarayaparas are presented with food through the day for their service.
தெரியேன் பாலகனாய் பல தீமைகள் செய்துமிட்டேன்
பெரியேன் ஆயினபின் பிறர்க்கே உழைத்து ஏழை ஆனேன்
கரி சேர் பூம் பொழில் சூழ் கனமாமலை வேங்கடவா
அறியே வந்தடைந்தேன் அடியேனை ஆட் கொண்டருளே
It is almost 9pm when Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal makes his way back to the alankara mandapam. The clouds had thickened and there was prospect of a heavy rain but it went away handing out just a few drops. While many of the devotees have their hands up clicking a photo shot of Perumal, Pichumani Bhattar is always seen with folded hands in a thanking gesture of helping see through another day and another vahana procession.
The foundation has been laid for the new Raja Gopuram that is coming up. Soon after the Brahmotsavam Periyava will be making it to the temple and Pichumani Bhattar hopes to have the pooja that day for starting the construction of the Raja Gopuram. He is confident that with Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal's blessings, 50% of the work would be completed by the time the next Brahmotsavam is here in Puratasi of 2027.
Over the last few decades, Pichumani Bhattar has anchored the transformation of the temple that can now be seen in the grandeur of the Puratasi Brahmotsvam. In the next few years, with his high devotional commitment, it is likely that this temple will sport a new Raja Gopuram and Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal will sometime in the near future go around the Saptha Prakara in a procession.
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