HRCE tightens archaka attendance in TN temples

New Digital Attendance Machine installed this week at Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam will montior archaka service presence 

It is past 7am on Saturday (June 13) at the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Nachiyar Koil, one where Thiru Mangai Azhvaar sung a century of verses in praise of Thiru Naraiyur Nambi. The three HRCE appointed salary paid priests at this temple have this week been asked by proactive and forward looking EO Prabhakaran to follow a new protocol. On this Saturday, only Prasanna Bhattar is present in the morning and he has digitally recorded his presence (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/01/nachiyar-koil-kal-garuda-sevai-2025.html).

கிடந்த நம்பி குடந்தை மேவி கேழலாய் உலகை இடந்த நம்பி 

எங்கள் நம்பி எறிஞர் அரண் அழியக் 

கடந்த நம்பி கடியார் இலங்கை உலகை ஈர் அடியால் 

நடந்த நம்பி நாமம் சொல்லி நமோ நாராயணா - 6-10-1

A new digital attendance machine has been installed at the eastern entrance of the temple and the archakas have to digitally record their attendance each day of the month. In the century gone by, the priests of historic temples followed in the footsteps of their forefathers performing hereditary service. 

Hereditary priests become HRCE staffers

However, towards the end of the previous century, driven by a slowdown in temples and with many hereditary priests moving away from temple service, next gen priests in many temples opted for a fixed monthly salary. While in the past, the hereditary priests had alternating service every month between Moolavar Sannidhi and Thayar Sannidhi in Perumal temples, this system saw a change when they became paid salary staffers of the HRCE.

Paid salary for entire month

EO Prabhakaran of Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam clarified to this writer that as per his recorded there are no specific 10-15 service days for these priests like they may have had in the past “They are paid a salary for the entire month and hence each of these priests have to be present at the temple throughout the month.”

Implemented and accepted at Rameswaram 

Another proactive JC Sivaram Kumar who is now at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam implemented this digital attendance system when he was at the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram. He told this writer that all the priests of that temple accepted this system and digitally recorded their priest till the time he was at the temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/05/dhanushkodi-rama-temple-shiva-lingam.html).

JC Sivaram Kumar 

At the Nachiyar Koil, long standing priest Gopinathan Bhattar, who has been serving at the temple since the 1990s, has been going for events in other temples in the past. Earlier this month, this section featured a story on Nathan Koil Brahmotsavam Garuda Sevai where he performed the alankaram of Jagannathan Perumal atop Garuda(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/06/nathan-koil-jagannathan-perumal.html).

The popular Gopi Bhattar 

The new digital attendance machine installed at Nachiyar Koil seeks to keep a check on paid salaried priests constantly being away at events at other temples creating a shortage of archaka kainkaryaparas at their home temple especially on crowded days. 

EO Prabhakaran has this week sent a letter to the archakas on the mandatory requirement to digitally record their presence at least once a day. He has said that failure to record the attendance would accordingly reflect in the salary records at the end of the month.

மாண் கொண்ட தோல் மார்வின் மாணியாய் 

மாவலி மண் தான் கொண்டு தாளால் அளந்த பெருமானே 

தேன் கொண்ட சாரல் திருவேங்கடத்தானை  

நான் சென்று நாடி நறையூரில் கண்டேனே

This is a big step initiated at the Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam, a temple now popular for the two Kal Garuda Sevai every year and for the Prarthana Pooja every Thursday for Garuda.

EO Prabhakaran has received informal feedback from devotees on the lack of attention from archakas arising out of absence of the main archakas like it happened on this Saturday when Prasanna Bhattar was the only salary paid archaka at the temple through the entire first half of the day.  He had to manage the devotees both at Garuda Sannidhi as well as Moolavar Sannidhi in addition to also taking caring of the daily Thiru Aradhana and other pooja processes as well as performing Thirumanjanam for Thirumangai Azhvaar on this Karthigai day. Of course he had a couple of outside archakas to support him after 9am.

Nachiyar Koil EO Prabhakaran 

Prabhakaran told this writer on Saturday that the ever increasing crowd especially on Thursdays and during the weekends is necessitating the addition of 1-2 more archakas to take care of the devotee darshan, for even one existing archaka going away puts pressure on the other two.

The EO is hopeful that with the installation of the digital attendance system, there will be an ‘automated’ check on the presence and absence of archakas and this will help the temple authorities to explore the need for adding archakas at the temple, the first Vaishnavite Madam koil built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan after he had built 70 such Saivite temples. 

முருகிலங்கு கனிதுவர்வாய் பின்னை கேள்வன் மன்னெல்லாம்  முன்னவியச்சென்று 

வென்றிச் செருக்கழுத்துத் ததிறலழிய செற்ற வேந்தன் சிறந்துணிந்தான் திருவடினும் சென்னிவைப்பீர் 

இருக்கிலங்கு திருமொழி வாய் எண்தோள் ஈசற்கு எழில் மாட எழுபதும் செய்து உலகமாண்ட 

திருகுலத்து வளச்சோழன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் திரு நறையூர் மணி மாட சேர்மின்களே 

Well over a decade ago, at another Nambi Divya Desam, this one in the Pandya region at Thiru Kurungudi, when one of the staffers of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt that administers the temple kept going out of the temple by posting a substitute in his place, the head of the Mutt removed him from service pointing out that if for 90% of the days the existing staffer posts a substitute, the Mutt can as well use the service of the substitute full time at the temple. The sacked staff has not been able to make it back to the temple!!!

For the moment it is a bold initiative on the part of EO Prabhakaran to implement this digital attendance system at this Divya Desam. One will have to wait and watch as to how this impacts the presence of archakas.

While there is action on this front in temples where archakas are paid monthly salary by HRCE, this digital attendance system cannot be implemented in temples where they continue to follow the hereditary non salary model.

This section will track the 'digital attendance' impact at Nachiyar Koil in the coming months.

Nathan Koil Jagannathan Perumal Brahmotsavam Garuda Sevai

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.

                            Gopinathan Bhattar, Nachiyar Koil

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.

An excited Sripatham team

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. 

Thiru Kannapuram Brahmotsavam Shiva Thiru Kolam

Sowri Raja Perumal provides darshan in a Once in a Year 'Shiva Thiru Kolam' this Saturday morning

The 7th day of the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam is a special one at Thiru Kannapuram Divya Desam for Sowri Raja Perumal provides darshan as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in three different processions.

It is 10.30pm on Friday May 29. There are no devotees inside the temple but the entire complex is abuzz with young sripatham boys carrying Sowri Raja Perumal on their shoulder with great excitement around the prakara. Having provided darshan earlier in the evening as Brahma, the Lord with his differentiated Sowri is in his usual Vishnu Thiru Kolam for this second procession of the evening. On the North Tank street, the prabhandham members are ready to start the recital of Periya Thirumozhi with the sacred verses on the Lord of Thiruneermalai. 

Residents of every home on the tank street come out to welcome the Lord. Close to 11pm, he is at the East street where a set of sripatham members await the arrival of Sowri Raja Perumal for them to mount him on to Periya Thiruvachi. A set of devotees have also gathered to pull the rope around the four long streets of Thiru Kannapuram. 

As the procession moved into the West street, the prabhandham members began the recital of the third canto of Periya Thirumozhi. It is a peaceful quiet procession with the resident devotees enjoying darshan of Sowri Raja Perumal in an unhurried darshan. Unlike till a decade ago, the roads have been relaid and it’s a smooth pulling of the rope. 

As the Periya Thiruvachi reached the end of the North street (that then extends itself to Thiru Marugal road), the power went off in Thiru Kannapuram allowing for an old fashioned traditional darshan with the entire street in darkness and the almost full moon right above the Lord lighting up the street along with the Ghee lit Theevatti.

Back near the chariot on the East street, the sripatham unmount Sowri Raja  Perumal from Periya Thiruvachi and carry the Lord on their shoulders.

At the South Tank street, 85 year old Koora Kulothama Dasa is still awake  and presents Thattu in front of his newly rebuilt house that looks like a mansion as described by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in the Periya Thirumozhi.

அரிவரவு முகில் கணத்தால் 

அகில் புகையால் வரையோடும் 

தெரிவு அரிய மணி மாடத்

திருகண்ணபுரத்துறையும் 

வரி அரவின் அணைத் துயின்று 

மழை மதத்த  சிறு தரு கண் 

கரி வெருவ மருப்பு ஒசித்தாற்கு 

இழந்தேன் என் கன வளையே   

Clock has ticked to midnight when Sowri Raja Perumal made his way back through the Eastern Raja Gopuram that is now covered for renovation works. The consecration was slated for Avani but a case filed in the court and a subsequent stay order has meant that this could be postponed. 

Devotionally committed Prabhandham Members

The Prabhandham members comprising of adyapakas from Thiruvallikeni and Kesava Perumal temple in Mylapore present the Satru Murai of Arimeya Vinnagaram verses. It is almost 12.30am when Sowri Raja Perumal is back at the alankara mandapam. The Sripatham personnel are presented with hot puliyotharai for their service and they take this back home for dinner. There are a few more service personnel left for whom rice is being boiled and they get their share of hot and fresh Puliyotharai at 1am.

Following in appa's footsteps

45 year old Murali Bhattar is following in the footsteps of his legendary appa Sowri Raja Bhattar and is all set for the differentiated alankaram of Sowri Raja Perumal as Lord Shiva. Having almost worked non stop for 24 hours, he is visibly tired with red eyes but one could catch a glimpse of happiness at the satisfaction of having decorated his favourite perumal in the Shiva Thiru Kolam at 3.30am on Saturday morning as he takes one final close look at the perfection of the alankaram.

He tells this writer  as to how the round chandanam on the forehead, the long white flower garland and white vastram are special features of this alankaram. His 15 year old son is learning the agama and pooja krama from Sowri Raja Bhattar while also focusing on academics.

Early morning Shiva Thiru Kolam Darshan

By 4am Kainkaryaparas and devotees start trickling in. Each of the Kainkaryaparas take up one instrument as they present devotional music with the beating of the drums and the big dumb bells  creating a positive vibration inside the temple at this early hour in the morning. As the clock ticks to 5am, the big door opens and the devotees have a first glimpse of Sowri Raja Perumal in the Shiva Thiru Kolam as the Sripatham make their way out of the Sannidhi presenting the Voyali that is so popular at the Kapaleeswarar temple during the Panguni Utsavam. 

Love filled devotees of Kannapuram

இணை மலி மருது இற  எருதினோடு  இகல் செய்து 

துணை மலி முலையவள் மணம் மிகு கலவியில் 

மணமலி விழவினொடு அடியவர் அளவிய 

கணமலி கணபுரம் அடிகள் தம் இடமே  

The 50 odd devotees who have gathered at the temple at this early hour enjoy both the voyali and the beating of the drums. In front of the Vibheeshana Sannidhi, the prabhandham members present Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Siriya Thiru Madal while the devotees have a close look at this once in a year Thiru Kolam of Sowri Raja Perumal and chat amongst themselves on the special features of the alankaram.

After 20 minutes of providing darshan in the Shiva Thiru Kolam, Sowri Raja Perumal made his way back to the alankara mandapam with the devotees expressing a blessed feeling at having had the opportunity to have darshan of their Perumal in this Thiru Kolam.

Unmindful of his recent ill health, 76 year old Sowri Raja Bhattar who has been performing archaka service for over six decades at this Divya Desam has stayed awake through the night supporting his son Murali Bhattar and overseeing the alankaram. He had been the one decorating his favourite Sowri Raja Perumal for many decades with this Shiva Thiru Kolam and is delighted and sports a smile on seeing his son take  the mantle of the alankaram expert (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/11/thiru-kannapuram-sowri-rajan-bhattar.html).

Thiru Koodalur Jagathrakshagan Vaikasi Brahmotsavam Revival

Kasturi Rangan Bhattar performs a solo act in reviving and organising the annual Brahmotsavam bringing together local boys and getting them to perform the Sripatham Service for the Vahana Processions

It is over 25years since Kasturi Rangan Bhattar began his Kainkaryam at the Jagathrakshagan perumal temple in Thiru Koodalur, one praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. For much of this phase, he has been all alone performing archaka kainkaryam having initially begun his service as a teenager supporting his ‘blind’ appa Muthu Krishnan Bhattar (who had lost his eyesight in an accident) and then officially taking over in 2007. He was inspired by the story of his grandfather Srinivasa Raghavan who had performed Thiru Aradhanam at the temple for several decades till 1980 at a salary of just Rs. 13!!! With the exodus of the original inhabitants and shortage of Kainkaryaparas combined with the slowdown in the devotional movement, most of the utsavams had come to a halt in the second half of the previous century.

He had tried to revive the Brahmotsavam in the decades gone by but the vahanas were big sized and heavy. Jagatharakshagan Perumal had provided darshan around the four streets atop different vahanas in the glory days of the temple as part of the Brahmotsavam but with the shortage of Sripatham personnel, these could not be used anymore. Kasturi Rangan Bhattar saw the renovation works as a good opportunity to build new smaller vahanas so the Brahmotsavam with vahana processions could be revived. 

The consecration of the temple that took place a few years ago was a good time to kick start the Brahmotsavam with vahana processions once again. He pooled together young school going boys and inspired them to take to this service. He motivated and trained them in this process. Surprisingly, the young ones, some of them not yet into their mid teens took to this with great delight seeing this as an opportunity to spend quality time with their friends during the summer vacation. 

தாம் தம் பெருமை அறியார்

தூது வேந்தர் காய வேந்தர் ஊர் போல்

காந்தன் விரல் மென் கலை நன் மடவார்

கூந்தல் கமழும் கூடலூரே -Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

Legendary story

Legend has it that the Devas came together at Thiru Koodalur invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu requesting him to kill Asura Hiranyaksha. As all of them came together at this place invoked the blessings of the Lord requesting for protection, this place has come to be called Koodalur (where people come together). The Lord who protected the village from the Asura has come to called Jagath Rakshagan - One who protects the World and the moolavar as Vaiyam Kaatha Perumal.

Through the year, Kasturi Rangan Bhattar also doubles up as the cook but for the Brahmotsavam he has roped in two Kainkaryaparas to perform madapalli service over the ten days of the utsavam. A team from Chennai has taken turns to present the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham during the festival.  He also brought in a couple of his relatives to support him in archaka service. 

Silk vastrams for the procession

It is Tuesday (May 27) evening and the fifth day of the Brahmotsavam in Vaikasi. Proactively particiapting in the revival, once India’s fastest bowler and the architect of the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, TA Sekar along with his wife offered to present vastrams as early as February of this year and later organised silk vastrams for the street processions on hearing of the revival of the Brahmotsavam. Pleased with the arrival of these new vastrams ahead of the Brahmotsavam, Kasturi Rangan Bhattar  got down to draping Hanuman and then Jagathrakshagan early in the evening. By 5.15pm, he had done with the alankaram with Perumal looking bright decked with shining jewellery. 

Taking care of education costs

Like this former India cricketer, a founder of a Mylapore, Chennai headquartered IT company, who was also a class mate of Sekar, is supporting the education of the priest's school going daughter that acts as a great financial security to him for the HRCE pays him a lowly salary that has remained stagnant during the decades of his service. The paddy that was historically paid to priests at this temple has also been due for two decades and that amounts to a few lakhs. 

In his praise, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar says that the Lord resides at Thiru Koodalur where bees drink the fragrant nectar and sing the Kurunji songs.

செரும் திண் திமில் ஏறு உடைய பின்னை

பெரும் தண் கோலம் பெற்றார் ஊர் போல்

நறும் தண் தீம் தேன் உண்டு வந்து

குறிஞ்சி பாடும் கூடலூரே

The outstation devotees are unfortunately absent at the Brahmotsavam. Even the ubayadarar on this fifth day has not been able to make it for he is in Australia. Kasturi Rangan Bhattar says that he keeps informing devotees ahead of time but most of them don't make it even to this annual utsavam that has been revived with the historic Vahana processions around the streets of Aduthurai Perumal Koil.

Solo Recital of Tiruvoimozhi

Sridharan, the sole prabhandham member has made it from Chrompet, Chennai and he begins the recital of the fifth canto of Tiruvoimozhi sitting in front of the grand looking Jagathrakashagan even as the two madapalli cooks start the preparation of the prasadam for the evening. There is buzz inside the temple complex as around 25 of the Sripatham boys arrive just after 6.30pm. Kasturi Rangan Bhattar has all of them under his mentorship and they are eager to learn.

After the evening pooja, he directs the sripatham boys to get ready for the start of the procession. About 10 of them carry Jagathrakshagan from the alankara mandapam to the wheeled vehicle. A couple of the sripatham boys go to the corner of the temple to light up the fire crackers to signal the start of the procession so the residents of Aduthurai Perumal Koil, the name by which this location is referred to can get ready to welcome the Lord into their homes. 

Jagathrakshagan in a shiny pink silk vastram atop Hanuman in a green silk vastram make their way through the eastern raja gopuram where the solo prabhandham members begins the recital of Namazhvaar’s Tiruviruttam verses.  The lights go up in front of the Lord making him look even brighter.

In another of his ten verses on Thiru Koodalur, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar found raw mangos falling from the trees ripen in the (Cauvery) river.

தக்கன் வேள்வி தகர்த்த தலைவன்

துக்கம் துடைத்த துணைவர் ஊர் போல்

எக்கலிடு நுண்மணல் மேல்

எங்கும் கொக்கின் பழம்வீழ் கூடலூரே

When he was here  as part of his devotional journey, he saw the sapling of Mullai creepers climbing over the tall Kurundu tree and coconut branches hanging low on trees over the leaves of the betel creepers that were surrounding it. 

Another story relating to this historic temple goes that Raja Ambarishi was so pious that he even let go his kingdom to continue his penance. Sage Durvasa, renowned for anger, once visited Ambarishi. With the king in deep penance, Durvasa, in his typical style, lost patience and cursed Ambarishi to lose the power of his penance. The staunch devotee that Ambarishi was, he continued to be lost in thoughts of the Lord. Coming to the aid of his devotee, Vishnu threw his Chakra at Sage Durvasa, who immediately begged the Lord for forgiveness. Hence, one can find the Utsavar at this temple-JagathRakshagan- with the Chakra in his hand.

Pleased with Ambarishi’s penance, it is here that Vishnu gave him Darshan in his full Divine form. Delighted at having seen the Lord in his divine form, Ambarishi built this temple. It is believed that this temple was washed away later with floods in the Cauvery. The temple that exists now in its current form was built later by Rani Mangammal of Madurai.

Sridharan, Prabhandham Member (l) with Sudarshan, Sarangapani Koil Maniam

On to the South street, there is a surprise visitor to the utsavam. Sudarshan, the Maniyakarar of Sarangapani Koil, welcomes Jagathrakshagan to his home presenting flowers and has darshan of the Lord along with his parents. The Maniyakarar hails from Thiru Koodalur with his forefathers having resided on this South Street. 

The residents of Thiru Koodalur are delighted with the revival of the Brahmotsavam and each one of them come out of their homes along with the family members to present Thattu. There are happy faces all around for they see this revival as a positive sign for this historic temple town praised over a thousand years ago by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. 

Past 8pm, Jagathrakshagan is in the final stretch having reached the Eastern end of Aduthurai Perumal Koil. Provision shop owners and tiffen centers too come out to present flowers and have darshan of Perumal atop Hanuman.

A third story relating to the temple has it that River Cauvery, now completely dry a few hundred yards South,  displayed her grief to the Lord that all the impurity/sins was being washed at the river and that she was feeling that the river here was becoming impure and unclean. Answering her prayers, it is believed that Cauvery regained all her glory at this place.

Voyali right at the end

The Sripatham boys are enjoying this experience engaging with the devotee residents at every stop. The sole prabhandham member recites Namazhvaar’s Tiruviruttam verses through the street procession. Close to 9pm, Vaiyam Kaatha Perumal is back at the temple through the recently consecrated Eastern Raja Gopuram. The Sripatham personnel carry the Lord on their shoulders back to the alankara mandapam from where they had started just after 7pm. And they perform Voyali much to the delight of the 50 odd local residents who have gathered at the temple for the closing events of this fifth day. Kasturi Rangan Bhattar performs the Deeparathanai and shortly after prasadam is distributed in good quantities to each of them. 

Kasturi Rangan Bhattar (l) with his two team members

Devotional commitment to revive utsavams

It takes a great devotional commitment to stay back at a remote temple as this and perform daily Thiru Aradhana all alone for two decades. It is even more challenging to revive and organise a ten Brahmotsavam with processions both in the morning and evening without any physical support on the ground.  But the 43 year old Kasturi Rangan Bhattar who has been here from his teenage years has built a great relationship with the locals and the sripatham boys provide him with great strength and cheer. They listen to his directions and follow his instructions understanding each step in the process. For them, it is a great way to spend the summer vacation and this experience will hold them in good stead into the future. For the Bhattar, he is looking forward to participation from more Kainkaryaparas at this Vaikasi Brahmotsavam and also for them to support the utsavam financially so it can return to its old grandeur.

Also, it is hoped that the new HRCE minister Ramesh will look into the issue of low salary and initiate action to both increase the priest's salary as well as close out the dues, that have been pending for decades.

Nachiyar Koil Srinivasa Perumal Thoppu Restoration

The huge 4.5 acre Perumal Thoppu at Nachiyar Koil has been restored to its ancient glory

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Thiru Naraiyur as one with Banana Plantations and Jack Fruit groves where Peacocks danced with joy - EO Prabhakaran is trying to evoke memories of those verses with the restoration of this Thoppu 

Into the second half of the previous century, things began to deteriorate at Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam in Thiru Naraiyur. While Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised this temple as one having utsavams round the year, many of the historical festivals came to a halt even as original inhabitants began to leave their home to larger cities in search of jobs following the anti devotional movement that hit the state. The Nandavanam inside the temple lay into a dilapidated state and the Vasantha Utsavam when Srinivasa Perumal makes a trip to the Vasantha Mandapam at the Western entrance around the Nandavanam too had come to a halt.

ஆளும் பணியும் அடியேனைக் கொண்டான்

விண்ட நிசாசரனைத் 

தோலும் தலையும் துணிவெய்தச் 

சுடு வெம் சிலைவாய்ச் சரம் துறந்தான் 

வேலும் சேயும் அனையாரும் 

வேல் கணாரும் பயில் வீதி 

நாளும் விழவின் ஒலிஒவா 

நறையூர் நின்ற நம்பியே 

It was in the 1990s that a 7week Prarthana pooja for Kal Garuda was initiated that signified the first signs of some sort of revival in the fortunes of the temple. Following the devotional wave that has been striking TN temples over the last decade or so, a number of utsavams have been revived with the twice a year Kal Garuda Sevai becoming popular with devotees thronging the temple on that evening. The grand consecration that followed a major multi crore restoration exercise a few years back saw a new look physical infrastructure inside the temple complex but the huge Thoppu South of the temple remained deserted and in a dilapidated condition. 

It is in light of this background that the contribution of Executive Office Prabhakaran assumes significance. He is completing 4 years at this temple usually a period when HRCE EOs get transferred to another temple. As he walks around the Thoppu on a pretty hot day in April, the 36 year old Prabhakaran told this writer as to how he was keen to restore the Thoppu to its old glory before the end of his term at this temple.

Right from his early teenage years at his home town in Thiruthuraipoondi, he had developed a great interest in tree plantation and during his late schooling and college years, planted a number of saplings in his house that became the cynosure of all eyes in that town as in the years that went by, these small saplings had grown into tall trees. His early interest in nature and protection of greenery also led this Engineer to do a Masters in Social Work. 

In the period he has been the EO in temples in the Chozha region, he has gone about planting saplings in and around the temple.

Till about a few years ago, the Thoppu at Nachiyar Koil was unknown to most with even the Kainkaryaparas at the temple not visiting the place for it was deserted and wore a ‘forest’ like look. EO Prabhakaran who has been studying the temple records right from the time he took charge spotted the presence of a Thoppu for Srinivasa Perumal. Curious to know its current state, he walked to the Thoppu only to find it in a deplorable state. Thankfully, there were no encroachments that had taken place in the previous years and that gave him confidence to initiate steps towards its restoration.

As he set foot for the first time into the forest like 4.5 acres, he needed an ally who would assist him in the restoration. And he found one in Rajasekar, a HRCE staffer at the temple who also doubles up as Sripatham during the processions. Prabhakaran says that Rajasekar has been the man on the ground who has been responsible for carrying out the restoration as directed by him. 

Over the last couple of years, a wide-ranging set of trees have planted including Semmaram, Veppam, Neermaruppu and Naaval. Interestingly, a 100 Ilaippu trees too have grown into a good size.

Buoyed by the successful restoration of this Thoppu, EO Prabhakaran has now identified another 5 acres temple land for planting more trees in this region. Aggressive on recovery of temple lands, he has just helped secure back a Rs. 12crore worth land belonging to the Ramanathaswamy temple in Thiru Naraiyur.

It is now a decade since he began maintain proper records of his tree plantation activities and says that he on his own has planted over 2 lakh saplings since his teenage years. During his time, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar found Thiru Naraiyur to be abound with banana plantations and jackfruit groves where honey dripped down from the trees. In his own way, Prabhakaran is trying to get back those trees into this Thoppu as praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

சுளை கொண்ட பலன்கனிகள் தேன் பாய 

கதலிகளின் திளை கொண்ட பழம் கெழுமித்

திகழ் சோலை திருநறையூர் 

வளை கொண்ட வண்ணத்தன் 

பின் தோன்றல் மூவுலகோடு 

அளை வெண்ணை உண்டான் தன் 

அடி இணையே அடை நெஞ்சே 

So impressed was the Forest officer headquartered in Kumbakonam with the initiative of EO Prabhakaran that he directed his team to send him a 1000 saplings to be planted by him in this Thoppu as part of their support. It is from this Thoppu that rose garland knotted by Thoppu Kaaval Rajasekar goes to Perumal. Wide ranging fruits too have begun to spring up and these too are presented to Perumal. 

Being with nature in the midst of peacocks and chirping birds is a big stress buster for Prabhakaran. It sets him with positive thoughts and heads back to the temple with renewed energy. He says that living with nature helps one find inner peace and understand life better. In the time he has been at Nachiyar Koil, he has taken revolutionary steps something that previous EOs had refrained from. 

EO Prabhakaran with Thoppu Kaaval Rajasekar

Bold step to stop theppotsavam

He directed the stopping of the Theppotsavam after he found contaminated water from the residential areas coming into the sacred temple tank. Despite pressure from multiple sources, he refused to allow Perumal to step into the tank that had polluted water. Even the politicians or the collector could not get him to revise his decision.  He told this writer that there are many processions inside the temple and on the streets but the Theppotsavam is very special. He is inside the temple tank one day in a year to provide darshan to devotees. His view is that the sanctity of such an utsavam cannot be undermined. It is something that Srinivasa Perumal enjoys but as an EO ‘I cannot permit Perumal to enter contaminated and polluted water’.”

This issue has now gone to court and he is hopeful that sometime in the near future, there will be a solution found to redirect the drainage water away from the sacred tank into another outlet.

A Model thoppu

Many EOs from temples in the Chozha region have visited the Nachiyar Koil Perumal Thoppu and this now serves as a model for other EOs to implement in the Nandavanam and Thoppu in their respective temples. Veppam and Puli Trees have grown tall and present a beautiful picture against the setting sun on this Wednesday evening. Orange, Lemon and Citron (Narthangai) trees too have come up well that EO Prabhakaran believes the next gen of Kainkaryaparas at Nachiyar Koil now popular for Kal Garuda Sevai will reap.

உறியார் வெண்ணையுண்டு உரலோடும் கட்டுண்டு 

வெறியார் கூந்தல் பின்னை பொருட்டு ஆன் வென்றான் ஊர் 

பொறியார் மஞ்சை பூம் பொழில்தோறும் நடமாட 

நறு நாண்மலர்மேல் வண்டிசை பாடும் நறையூரே

Reminding one of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's verses

Thiru Naraiyur is one of the only two temples that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar had showered with over a century of verses. In his praise, he refers to Peacocks dancing to the tunes of the bees in the fragrant groves. It has been another energy sapping summer's hot day with temperature nearly touching 40 degrees at Thiru Naraiyur but EO Prabhakaran is full of positive energy and bullish on the prospects of the future of this Thoppu and the presence of a few peacocks making sweet noises in the evening and dancing around the Thoppu fluttering their wings enthralls him further.  

Revival of Utsavams, Recovery of Temple Lands and Restoration of Nandavanam and Thoppu runs on the top of his mind all the time. The Vasantha Utsavam was revived a few years ago with Srinivasa Perumal going through the Nandavanam to the Vasantha Mandapam in Vaikasi. 

At Thirukurungudi Divya Desam, following the restoration exercise (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/05/thiru-kurungudi-nambi-nandavanam.html), Nambi makes a trip to the Thoppu during the Vaikasi Vasantha utsavam. Having restored this 4.5 acre Thoppu, Prabhakaran is hopeful that one day into the future, Nambi of Nachiyar Koil too will make an annual trip to His Thoppu like he once used to on the Kanu day, for the chirping birds to have the sacred food.

Nathan Koil Revival Next Gen Raghavan Bhattar

This Next Gen Bhattar is driving the revival at  Nandipura Vinagaram that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised as being beyond compare

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. 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 is around the corner.

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

 

Till the turn of the century, the priests of Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam had been the ones who had performed archaka Kainkaryam at this Divya Desam as well. However, when they let go of this temple, there was darkness here with not too many service personnel ready to take up Kainkaryam here given the deserted scenario and the remoteness of the location. There was no public transport to this Divya Desam (there still isn’t) devotees were few in number resulting in minimal thattu kaasu for the service personnel.

The Srinivasa Perumal temple in Thiru Naraiyur praised by a century of verses by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar itself had been in a bad shape till the 1990s. It was then that the priests of the temple thought of an innovative idea to draw devotees to the Divya Desam. A 7week Prarthana pooja for Kal Garuda was introduced and that has driven a massive turnaround at the temple with Kal Garuda now almost becoming the lead idol at Nachiyar Koil!!

Next Gen Bhattar excited at Divya Desam Kainkaryam

Raghavan Bhattar hailed from Nemmili near Nannilam where his forefathers performed at the Lakshmi Narayanan Perumal temple. After class X, he joined the Vaikanasa Agama Patshala in Kudavasal following which he was under the tutelage of Sampath Bhattar at the Varadaraja Perumal temple in Konerirajapuram. He participated in many consecrations after the completion of his patshala education. He was in his mid20s a few years ago when he came to Nathan Koil to participate in the Kalyana Utsavam in Vaikasi as a one off event. He had also been here earlier to serve at the Pavitrotsavam and Brahmotsavam. So impressed was Agent Mahalingam with his service that he asked if he could join full time as an archaka.

Vishnupathi punya kaalam!!!

It is the morning of the first day in Maasi and there is a ‘never before seen’ crowd at Nathan Koil. The new wave around Vishnu Pathi Punya Kaalam is driving devotees into Perumal temples and Nathan Koil is also benefitting from this wave. Four times in a year on the occasion of Vishnu Pathi Punya Kaalam, he performs a Maha Shanthi Homam as per Vaikanasa process. It is also a Friday and Raghavan Bhattar has initiated a Sri Suktham Homam for Thayar. With the combination of these two, there are hundreds of devotees on this Friday morning with the temple opening at 6am!!!! Devotees are seen going around the prakara 27 times invoking the blessings of Jagannathan Perumal.

Long Standing Agent Mahalingam (left) and Sriram Bhattar

Accepting Divya Desam against all odds

Sitting in the prakara, Raghavan Bhattar recounts as to how he accepted the offer to perform Kainkaryam at this temple “Till about 3-4 years ago, I was involved in homam and consecration events. When this offer came from Nathan Koil, I was devotionally excited but most of my friends were apprehensive about the low salary and the minimal number of devotees who were visiting the temple at that time.”

“But I saw this offer as a God sent opportunity to perform kainkaryam at a Divya Desam. Not many are blessed to perform service at an Azhvaar praised temple and this came my way on its own and accepted it.”

The Name- Nandipura Vinnagaram

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.

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

Kothandaraman Bhattar - Kainkaryam when none came forward

Raghavan Bhattar joined the now 70year old Kothandaraman Bhattar who had been serving at the temple over the previous two decades with the understanding that the latter would take care of the Thayar Sannidhi.

Kothandaraman Bhattar had no formal agama initiation and did not have any prior temple experience when Agent Mahalingam roped him to this Divya Desam. His forefathers had performed pooja at a remote village temple in Vishnupuram on the Nachiyar Koil Poonthottam route. He lost his appa when he was just 7 years and the resulting financial challenges led him to discontinue studies when he was not yet 15.

He worked in multiple organisations before this temple opportunity came out of the blue. It was when he visited Nachiyar Koil that his temple interest was rekindled by the priests there. “They asked me as to why I was not continuing the archaka kainkaryam that my forefathers had performed.”

Kothandaraman Bhattar

Three were no priests at Nathan Koil just over 15 years ago and there was an opportunity for Kothandaraman Bhattar to join there as an archaka. “I had no agama learning but I was keen to get into temple service following in the footsteps of my forefathers and joined the Jagannatha Perumal temple at a monthly salary of Rs. 1500.”

Kannan, the long standing madapalli paricharakar who had been the smiling face to devotees in that phase, passed away a few years after he joined. There have been other priests who have come and gone for the income is not enough to run a family. After almost two decades, his monthly salary has risen to just Rs. 5000 but with the arrival of the more qualified next gen priest, activity has gone up with some innovations. 

Ashtami Homam

Goddess Lakshmi wanted to reside in the heart of Lord Vishnu and undertook a penance at this place facing East. It is said that the Lord appeared before her (facing west) on the 8th day of Aippasi and accepted her wishes. There is now a homam every Valarpirai Ashtami, when 25kgs of Thaligai is presented with over 250 devotees participating.

There is also a homam and thirumanjanam every Friday with a inside prakara procession of Thayar. Now there are five Thirumanjanam for Perumal annually. This is driving up the Sambhavanai for the Kothandaraman Bhattar as well.

Earlier this month, on the occasion of Thai Amavasai, there was a Udaya Garuda Sevai with Jagannatha Perumal providing darshan around the streets of Nathan Koil. Pavitrotsavam and Adyayana Utsavam have been revived albeit on a small scale with two day events. On the occasion of Chitra Pournami, Perumal goes to Theradi to see the ‘Full Moon’.

The Consecration in 1992 after 150+ years

Srinivasan has been at the temple for over four decades as the Maniyakarar. He has seen the temple at its low point in the 1980s. He too was keen to get into the corporate space and had joined the telephones in the late 70s but his amma directed him to continue the hereditary service that his forefathers had performed at this Divya Desam. His grandfather and father had received paddy for their services but given the deteriorating state of the temple, Maniyam Srinivasan did not receive a salary during the first decade of his service when the physical infrastructure too went down and the temple was in a dilapidated state with consecration not having taken place for over 150 years.

Thick big bushes had grown around the temple complex with the Raja Gopuram itself in a bad shape. With Jayalalitha taking over as the CM, the temple received an unexpected gift when she allocated a whopping Rs. 5lakhs for the repair works and restoration of the temple. Maniyam Srinivasan recalls a devotee from Coimbatore contributing Rs. 3lakhs that saw the Raja Gopuram regain its lost glory.

It was after the consecration in 1992 that he was paid a monthly salary of Rs. 250. He says that the temple has over 100 acres of land and collection of proper rent would make the temple self sustaining. 

Ramayana and Mahabharata reference to the Lord 

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to the Ramayana and Mahabaratha legends in his verses of praise.

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

Raghavan Bhattar has been joined at this Divya Desam by his brother Sriram and his appa and the three of them are together paid a monthly salary of Rs. 15000.  To draw devotees into the temple, he has started a parikara pooja every Revathi star in the month with a Sahasranama archanai for Perumal. On the four Saturdays of Puratasi last year, Perumal was seen in four different alankarams with the temple being open from 4.30am to 9pm with anna dhanam presented to all visiting devotees. 

Darshan of Lord's feet

On the occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi, he organised for the ‘feet’ darshan of Moolavar Srinivasa Perumal, seen in a majestic seated posture, for the only time in the year much like Thadalan Divya Desam in Sirkazhi. This drew devotees in several thousands that day driving up the Sambhavanai for the service personnel. 200 kgs of Upma was presented on the occasion, an indication of the size of the devotee presence.

Revival of Utsavams

In Vaikasi this year, Raghavan Bhattar is hoping to revive the Vasantha utsavam with Santhana Kaappu and Vetti Ver Alankaram, Thirumanjanam and a procession. 

Just over a fortnight from now, he is planning to revive the Maasi Magam utsavam. His vision is to kick off the Theppotsavam on that day but with the time being short and if devotee donors are not forthcoming, he also wants to organise a street procession for Jagannatha Perumal on that day.

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 

High Devotional Energy

Another developmental initiative Raghavan Bhattar has started is the setting up of a Kannadi Palliyarai where perumal can be placed during the big utsavams. This is likely to be ready in the next couple of months. His big idea for this temple is to have utsavams every month of the year. He has now started the six kaala pooja at the temple. The temple wears a fresh look with the consecration having taken place a couple of years back.

While there were apprehensions all around about his joining a remote temple that had very minimal devotees and many dissuaded him from this decision, the 31 year old Raghavan Bhattar has showcased that with high devotional energy and proactive initiatives, the fortunes of a temple can be turned around quite quickly, especially at a time like this when there is a big devotional wave striking TN temples. Against the current trend, his wife, an IT professional, is standing strong by him and supporting his developmental initiatives at this Divya Desam. By the same time next year, it is likely that he would have revived all the historical utsavams that had once been celebrated in this legendary temple and that the vibrancy can be experienced like it once was during the time of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

Nathan Koil is located under 10 kms South of Kumbakonam off the Korukkai- Patteeswaram road. An auto from Kumbakonam station will cost Rs. 200.

The temple is open from 730am to noon and from 4.30pm -8pm. For auto, ravichandran @ 9443324659

Those interested to contribute to the revival of the utsavams including the Maasi Magam later this month can contact Raghavan Bhattar @ 76398 49242