Thiru Vellarai Thirumanjanam Hot Water Tradition Revival

7 years after

Srirangam Maniyam Sridharan revived the Thirumanjanam tradition of ‘Hot Water’ upacharam for Pundarikaksha Perumal in 2018 that has continued to this day

R Sridharan, the Maniyakarar of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, faces challenges every day in this coveted  and a highly responsible role but over the last decade or so, he has taken on the challenges head on talking straight to those who raise issues and providing historical references to endorse his views.

Seven years ago this week, he was transferred for a brief period  as the Maniyam of the Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai before coming back to Srirangam at the end of 2018. He has always held the view with this writer that he has accepted every new assignment in his life as a fresh experience and accepted this transfer to Thiru Vellarai too whole heartedly. In the second half of that year, he made daily trips from Srirangam to Thiru Vellarai every day for almost six months starting July 1, 2018.

Hot Water Upacharam done away with

After he took over as Maniyam at Thiru Vellarai, he found on the Ekadasi day that the historical tradition of ‘hot water’ (Venneer) presentation to Pundarikaksha Perumal did not take place during the Thirumanjanam on the Ekadasi day. When he enquired, he received differing views from the Kainkaryaparas at the temple.  There were those that said that this was not a tradition at that temple and there were others who accepted it as a tradition but could not implement it as there was a shortage of service personnel.

It is well past 10pm at the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi at Srirangam. Maniyam Sridharan looks visibly tired after a long evening. This writer brought up the issue of how he had to face every day challenges from different sections of the Kainkaryaparas and complimented him for managing each of those with a smile rarely losing his temper. 

In the past this section had featured a story on how Maniyam Sridharan had revived the Kaisika Ekadasi padippu at the Sundararaja Perumal temple in Anbil. 

This story is about a historical tradition that had been discarded for several years at the Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai and how Sridharan stood firm to revive that tradition in his role as the Maniyam of that temple exactly 7 years ago.

He told this writer that his raising the issue of hot water upacharam did not go well initially with the archakas of Thiru Vellarai but he says he understood their issue of shortage of Kainkaryaparas. On the first occasion, he directed the cook at the Madapalli to provide him with hot water but the archaka of the day refused to accept it on the grounds that it was not a tradition they had followed in the preceding years. 

There is almost tears in Maniyam Sridharan’s eyes as he recounts the event that unfolded that day at Thiru Vellarai seven years ago “I had just taken over the Maniyam at that temple and was not keen on forcing the issue. After the Thirumanjanam, I went to the Moolavar and told him that I had done my duty of getting the hot water and it was then up to the Lord to accept the upacharam.”

Soon after he came down from the Moolavar Sannidhi, the Sthalathars of Thiru Vellarai questioned the Maniyakarar as to why he did not use his power to force the issue on the archaka of the day “I requested them for a month’s time and assured them that this tradition will definitely be revived at the temple. At that moment, they did not seem convinced but took my word for it.”

At the next Thirumanjanam, he once again went to the Madapalli to ask the cook to prepared hot water for the Lord. Much to his shock, the cook refused saying that it was not a tradition for him to boil water ahead of the Thirumanjanam. “This time, I used my discretion as the Maniyam and directed him to follow what he said.”

When Maniyam Sridharan brought the hot water himself from the Madapalli to the location of the Thirumanjanam, he asked once again the archaka of the day if he accepted the hot water upacharam as a tradition at this temple and if he would present it to Pundarikaksha Perumal. The archaka accepted this time much to the delight of the Sthalathars.

Something else happened on this day standing as testimony to Maniam Sridharan’s belief that Perumal will answer your prayers if your devotional conduct was of the highest order. He says that the disciples of Mudaliandan were present on this day and the elderly member of the family educated his grandson as to how Perumal was experiencing the ‘Venneer Upacharam’. 

So happy was the disciple at this revival that he presented a high Sambhavanai to the archaka.

Devotional commitment pays dividend

Maniam Sridharan recalls telling the Sthalathar that not only has the tradition been revived but also it has been done in the presence of the disciples of Mudaliandan and that it was not up to the Sthalathars of Thiru Vellarai to continue this tradition at every Thirumanjanam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html).

He proudly states that seven years after this tradition has continued to this day with the Sthalathars ensuring that the hot water upacharam takes place during the Thirumanjanam at Thiru Vellarai Divay Desam.

Kudos to Maniam Sridharan for yet another revival of a lost tradition.

Srirangam Harish Bhattar

This Mechanical Engineer was the first of the new gen Hereditary Bhattars to return to the temple from the corporate world

His move, in 2015, to quit a high paying banking job at 27 is prompting other hereditary priests to take a similar call at the Ranganathaswamy Temple 

The 1960s-80s had been a challenging phase not just for priests in remote temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/temples-lockdown-1960s-70s.html) but also for those at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, now one of the richest temples in Tamil Nadu. This section has featured many stories on the trend of the next gen priests moving away from hereditary service to jobs in the corporate world (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/bhattars-gurukals-move-away-from-temples.html). It was no different with those at the Srirangam temple as well. In March this year, this section featured a story on Aravindan Bhattar who continues to work in the IT sector with a high pay package (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/03/srirangam-aravinda-bhattar-it-director.html). This story is about a priest who was the first among the next gen at the Ranganathaswamy temple to give up the corporate job and get back to the temple to continue the hereditary service. That decision is paying off well with the temple now in a glorious phase on the back of a devotional wave that has been hitting the TN temples over the last decade or so.

Stars in Academics, Turns an Engineer

Srivathsan Bhattar, popularly known as Harish Bhattar, performed creditably in academics. As seen in many stories in this section, sons of priests have tended to get into patshala education to learn the agamas but with close to 90% marks in class X (including 100 in Maths) , he was encouraged to pursue academics, and moved to a hostel in Thiruchengode taking up the first group (Computer Science) in Plus 2 with the family members and well-wishers feeling he had a bright academic future. Over a 1000 marks in Class XII Boards led him to an Engineering college and he was away for four years at Thiruvannamalai. With an early interest in finance, he then did a MBA from a college in Coimbatore. All these indicated a move into the corporate world and a life away from temples.

His appa, Murali Bhattar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/01/murali-bhattar-srirangam-temple-chief.html), had been in a Government job at BHEL for several decades and in line with the then trend, was keen for his son to have a secure corporate job. Harish Bhattar told this writer on a day when Namperumal made his way to Amma Mandapam on the Northern Banks of Cauvery for the Aadi Perukku utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/08/aadi-utsavam-in-srirangam.html) that most of his seniors and relatives were for him to continue to work in the corporate set up “The future for priests in TN temples had been uncertain. There had been talks in the air of taking away the Thattu Kaasu from priests. The prospects for those with Hereditary Service in temples did not seem too bright and ‘anyone’ could become a priest was becoming the order of the day. Given all these, everyone around suggested to a life away from temple service. Even the previous generation had been working in educational institutions, banks and in govt service for financial security as the scenario had been bleak in that period.”

Rises to Dy. Manager in the bank

Harish Bhattar worked for a brief period in an engineering firm in Trichy before his Masters in Finance led him into the Banking Sector. He joined a private bank where he was involved in selling Mutual Fund and Insurance Products, among other services. His passionate interest and in-depth knowledge in finance made it easy for him to convince customers in Srirangam and around and there was a rapid increase in the customer base, a performance that saw him quickly rise to the post of Dy. Manager. 

                                                 Appa Murali Bhattar

Quits Corporate life at 27, heads to the temple to continue hereditary service

While he was doing really well in his job and there was a fast paced banking career growth beckoning, he was contemplating quitting the corporate life for the requirements of aggressive pitching of  products was not to his liking. His early interest in the financial services space had led him to make strategic personal investments in Mutual Funds and he had amassed a fair degree of 'profitable investments' that, he was confident, would take care of his future, financially. His appa too was facing health challenges in the middle of the last decade with the doctor advising not to stand for long hours, a pre requisite in archaka service. A combination of  factors led him to quit the banking job soon after his marriage a decision that was not convincing to most around him “My appa told me that he himself did not have the confidence during his time to quit the Government job and get back full time into temple service and asked if I had the confidence to let go of a financially lucrative job where the future was bright and in an uncertain temple environment” Harish Bhattar told this writer looking back at the phase when he took the decision to quit.”

“I was also newly married and my wife was pregnant with our first child. She too was apprehensive at me quitting a bank job at this early stage in life with a young family and moving full time into temple service. And so were many of my seniors and relatives. No one in my generation had quit a high paying corporate job to move back to hereditary service. I was the first one to take such a call and hence there were doubts all around if this was the correct decision. But I had already made good investments with my savings from the previous years and I was confident that the Divine Couple would take care of my future. Right from my childhood, I was keen on spending my life in Srirangam and that made it easy for me to take this call.”

மறம் திகழும் மனமொழித்து வஞ்ச மாற்றி

ஐம்புலன் களடக்கி இடர்ப்பாரத் துன்பம்

துறந்து இரு முப்பொழுதேத்தி எல்லை இல்லாத்

தொன்னெறிக்கண் நிலைநின்ற தொண்டரான

அறம் திகழும் மனத்தவர் தம்கதியைப் பொன்னி

அணியரங்கத் தரவணையில் பள்ளிகொள்ளும்

நிறம் திகழும் மாயோனைக் கண்டு

என் கண்கள் நீர்மல்க என்று கொலோ நிற்கும் நாளே- Kulasekara Azhvaar on Devotion at Srirangam

He donned the role of Raksha Bandhana Bhattar even before he had turned 30 by when he had already quit the Bank job.

Challenges aplenty in such a large temple

Of course, with the huge crowd (it goes up to well over 50000 on big festival days) thronging the Srirangam temple, it is no easy task for any priest to manage the Sannidhi as Harish Bhattar found out at the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi on the eve of the Aadi Perukku utsavam. A visit of a former Chief Minister to the Sannidhi led to mayhem and the huge crowd became restless on Aadi Velli and Harish Bhattar was the one who had to bear the brunt of the crowd's anger.                               

Enjoys performing the Thirumanjanam

This is not a one-off episode. He has stood firm over the way he performs the Thirumanjanam and other pooja kramas. Far too detailed presentation of the poojas consumed lot of time something this writer has seen has not always gone well with others at the temple at a time when patience is at a premium. When the return of Namperumal from a procession overshot the scheduled time resulting in delay in the start of the Thirumanjanam, Harish Bhattar went ahead with his usual complete performance that further delayed the events of the next morning leading to the cancellation of (morning) vahana processions on a few occasions during the Brahmotsavams in recent years. This has led to him getting memos (a common feature these days in HR & CE temples!!!) from the HR & CE. But he is unmindful of these as he believes in performing his service in the way it should be “My Thatha has written and recorded in such depth every activity for a priest at this temple and that is the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) I follow. I gained the entire theoretical knowledge of daily as well as utsava pooja kramas from my thatha and the practical experience watching my appa perform from an early age even as a school boy. My process has been to follow those with unwavering faith.”

At the receiving end of activists

Activists too had been hitting out at him on many of the pooja aspects at the temple. Harish Bhattar is unfazed at such criticisms “If I have done a wrong as an archaka, I should correct myself and not repeat it again and should be thankful to those who help me correct myself. If I have not done any wrong, I need not be worried about any criticism.”

That is a model he has followed in recent years though in the initial phase he did find it challenging at the non stop criticisms that he had to encounter.

Childhood exposure helps

Even as a young teenager, Harish Bhattar had begun supporting his appa in temple Kainkaryam. He says exposure to Kainkaryam at an early age had given him the much needed experience. Also, since he had been at the temple from his time as a student at the Govt Boys School, all  the kainkaryaparas have been known to him for a couple of decades and that too helped when he took charge full time as an archaka “Teenage phase is an age when you are able to learn fast and are also not worried about the ‘shouting’ from others. My performing Thiru Aradhanam at Chakkarathazhvaar Sannidhi and Singar Koil as a teenager holds me in good stead today as it gave me a lot of experience and helped me build a long standing relationship with all the Kainkarayaras at the temple.”

Taking care of cows

For close to two decades, he has also been taking care of cows. Starting with just one in 2006, it grew manifold to 30 at its peak but when he decided to take to full time archaka service he gave away a majority of them to another Go Shala leaving him with just four. But this has once again grown now to 16. “I did not want to create a Trust and seek donations for this. I maintain it myself but it is labour intensive and requires personal attention. The Go-Samrakshanam activity gives a lot of satisfaction and I spend a lot of time with the cows, outside of my temple service” says Harish Bhattar on his devotional love for cows.

Hereditary Priests are making their way back to the temple

In the second half of the previous century, a generation of priests had moved out of temple service but with the return, in a big way, of the devotional wave in TN temples, the money is back in temples for archakas and that is driving many of them, especially in large temples, back into temple service. It is no more an uncommon sight to find a priest in a TN temple ride the high profile bullet and new gen cars on the streets of historical temple towns. 

As a front runner, Harish Bhattar has served as a successful role model for those priests in Srirangam who had taken to the corporate world over the last couple of decades. Another priest has followed in his footsteps quitting an IT job and taking up the hereditary service while one other priest who has joined a start up IT firm at a huge pay package told this writer that he too will be quitting the corporate job and getting back to full time archaka service that his Thatha had performed in the century gone by. And that is good news for the Ranganathaswamy temple. 

At the turn of the century, Harish Bhattar had spent close to a decade away from Srirangam  and then a few active years amidst the highly competitive financial services sector but had not enjoyed that life for his mind was always to serve at the feet of Ranganatha. 

Almost every day service through the year

He has a whopping over 250 days of service in a year in multiple sannidhis (including at Singar Koil and Uraiyur) and is fully engaged in this Kainkaryam alternating between daily poojas and utsavam duty. In addition, the temple (HR &  CE) has in its fold a few hundred days of service (those handed back by hereditary priests from the earlier generation) and a sizeable portion of that too comes the way of Harish Bhattar. While a two - three decade period during the peak of his appa's service was a dark phase for priests with those in his appa's generation having to work full time outside to make both ends meet, the clock has turned back a full cycle for this family and it is back to glory days as an archaka for this 37 year Bhattar as devotees throng this historical Divya Desam all through the year.

A star studded Necklace for Namperumal

Earlier this year, he had the opportunity to decorate Namperumal with a new diamond studded Kili necklace, one that he had suggested to a devotee who wanted to present an offering to the Lord "What I experienced in the corporate world in those few years after completing my studies and what this service at the feet of Lord Ranganatha has offered over the last decade have been at two extreme ends. Even if I were to have had an opportunity to rise to the level of a CEO of a company, it would have been insignificant compared to this Kainkaryam opportunity that several generations of my family who performed archaka service here have bestowed on me. There is a great deal of satisfaction in this service and the peace of mind is unmatched” says Harish Bhattar as he signs off moving back to Thayar Sannidhi Kainkaryam on a crowded Saturday evening.

Venu Srinivasan Anbil Nambi Temple Restoration

A decade after the massive restoration of the Srirangam temple, Venu Srinivasan is back with another classy restoration - this time at Anbil Divya Desam

Those that had visited the Vadivazhagiya Nambi Divya Desam at Anbil, located 6kms east of Lalgudi, a couple of decades ago would remember and recall the dilapidated state of the temple. Before a battle, Sundara Raja Chozhan, the father of Raja Raja Chozhan, had sought the blessings of Vadivazhagiya Nambi. Emerging victorious, he is said to have come back here and built the temple in its current form. 

A Deserted Temple two decades ago

In the not too distant past, there was a vibrant agraharam in Anbil. A Vedic Patshala was an integral part of the Anbil and a mimaamsa conference too had been held there. Historically, this had been a prosperous temple town, but by the turn of the century, hundreds of original inhabitants had left this Divya Desam seeking greener pastures elsewhere in bigger cities, reducing this ancient temple town to just a few traditional Vaishnavite families.  Things had turned for the worse and there were were very few devotees at the temple. Varadaraja Bhattar, the lone priest of the time, waited endlessly at the entrance for the next devotee to arrive. Many of the historical utsavams too had become a thing of the past. Joint procession of Vadivazhagiya Nambi with Purushottammar of Uthamar Koil to Coloroon on Maasi Magam had been the biggest festival of the year. 

Thiru Mazhisai Azhvaar's praise

It was a real low phase for the temple praised by Thirumazhisai Azhvaar. While referring to Lord Vishnu in his reclining posture, Thirumazhisai Azhvaar talks about Anbil (Sundararaja Perumal) alongside Srirangam Ranganathar, Appaala Ranganathar (Koviladi), Thiru Kudanthai (Sarangapani), Thiru Evvul, Thiru Vekka and Thiru Paarkadal.

நாகத்தனைக்  குடந்தை  வெஃகா  திருஎவ்வுள் 

நாகத்தனை அரங்கம் பேரன்பில் 

நாகத்தனைப்  பாற்கடல் கிடக்கும்

ஆதி நெடுமால் அணைப்பார்  கருத்தன் ஆவான் 

Venu is back in the Srirangam region

After the massive restoration at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html) last decade, TVS’ Venu Srinivasan is back in the region taking up the restoration of the historic Anbil Sundararaja Perumal temple. While the consecration is still sometime away, there is already a positive vibration at the temple. 

Revival of Brahmotsavam and the Chariot Festival

A couple of years earlier, Venu Srinivasan rebuilt the four sacred streets around the temple that too had been in a dilapidated state. This restoration enabled the new Chariot to run during the Vaikasi Brahmotsavam that had been revived after several decades. 

As part of the current restoration exercise, the entire floor both inside the Sannidhi and around the prakaras, has been re-laid with traditional stones. One now finds a beautiful nandavanam similar to the one at Singar Koil, Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/10/srirangam-singar-koil-transformational.html). A new electrical system is being installed dismantling the old wires that were hanging all over.

Restoring the dilapidated Madapalli

There is a full time paricharakar to present daily Thaligai to Perumal but he has had to work under stressful conditions as the madapalli was in a dilapidated state. This too is being restored back to its traditional state. The Gopuram and Vimanams have been painted afresh and will be unveiled during the consecration.

From Uthamar Koil to Kandiyur via Anbil Nambi

To find salvation from Brahmma’s curse, Shiva went on a pilgrimage begging for food, with Brahmma’s skull as the begging vessel. Every time someone filled the vessel with food, Shiva found to his horror that it vanished immediately. At Uthamar Koil (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/12/tri-murthy-utsavam-in-uthamar-koil.html), Goddess Lakshmi filled the vessel with food, thus ending Shiva’s hunger. However, to Shiva’s dismay, Brahmma’s skull still lay fixed on his hand. Shiva is believed to have visited this place from Uthamar Koil before going to Kandiyur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/04/108-divya-desam-kandiyur.html) where he finally got salvation.

In centuries gone by, devotees used to walk across the Coloroon from Koviladi Divya Desam, a distance of 2 kms.

The Name

Legend has it that Sage Durvasa cursed Mandaka Rishi for making him wait at his ashrama and turned him into a frog. Wanting to get back his human form, Mandaka Rishi underwent penance at this place and his prayers were finally answered, with Vishnu appearing before the Rishi and liberating him from Durvasa’s curse. Hence, this place is called Mandaka (Frog) Puri.

Varadarajan Bhattar was extraordinarily committed to this Divya Desam even though there was not much income during the time he served at the temple.  Unfortunately, he died young leaving the teenaged son to take over from him. He would have been happy at the current transformation at the temple, the pooja kramam and utsavam revival by his son Aravamudhan and the physical infrastructure to its traditional form by Venu Srinivasan.

                                           Aravamudhan Bhattar

The Maniyakaarar of Ranganathaswamy temple R Sridhar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html) revived the padippu on the occasion of Kaisika Ekadasi at this temple a couple of years ago. While this Divya Desam is in a remote location, there is already a sizeable increase in the devotee turnout as the devotional feel is back at the temple. Following the consecration, it is likely this number will only go up and the temple will be back to its glorious past with more historical utsavams being revived.

The temple is open from 7am-1230pm and 4pm-8pm. Contact : Aravamudhan Bhattar @ 90034 69591

Thiru Vellarai New Raja Gopuram by end 2025

7 Tier 125 Feet Raja Gopuram to come up in Thiru Vellarai Divya Desam by 2025 end 

Coimbatore Devotee Jayapal will spend close to Rs. 8 crores on the construction as the sole donor

This complete 'Lime Mortar' Raja Gopuram will rank amongst the tallest Divya Desam Towers

The final hurdle has been overcome. The foundation stone for the Northern Raja Gopuram at Pundareekakshan Divya Desam in Thiru Vellarai, the birth place of Uyyakondan and Engal Azhvaan, was laid this week by HRCE minister PK Sekar Babu and work began this weekend. This section had earlier featured a couple of stories, one in 2017 and another last year, on the hurdles facing the construction of the Raja Gopuram 

The Towers at the main entry point of two prominent and ancient Divya Desams near Trichy had been left as Mottai Gopuram and remained as such till the 1980s when a decision was taken to construct a world beating Raja Gopuram at the Southern entrance to the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam that now stands tall at 236 feet.

The other one, the Pundarikakshan temple at Thiruvellarai Divya Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2016/10/thiru-vellarai-divya-desam.html) dates back to a period when 3700 Vaishnavite families lived in the town. For reasons, unrecorded, the Raja Gopuram at the Northern entrance remained unfinished.

Periyazhvaar describes Vellarai as a prosperous town

It is Thiruvellarai that Periyazhvaar praised as his first full decad on a temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/krishna-kaapidal.html). Periyazhvaar describes Thiru Vellarai as a place with lofty mansions that were so high that they seemed to touch the moon.Through this description one can well imaging the prosperity of Thiru Vellarai in the centuries gone by. 

He praises this as a place where Indra, Brahmma, Shiva and other Celestial Lords brought flowers for the Lord from heaven. To this day, as a symbolic gesture of this episode, one can see the sculptures of the Indra, Brahmma and Shiva on the western side of the complex housing the Lord. 

இந்திரனோடு பிரமன் ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்

மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு

மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்

சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும் சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளரை நின்றாய்

அந்தியம் போது இது ஆகும்

அழகனே காபிட வாராய் - Periyaazhvaar's Kaapidal

Big Hurdles along with the way

Some ground work had started at Thiru Vellarai in 2016 but the Madras High Court order restraining renovation in temples meant the work came to a grinding halt. The hereditary priests of the temple had told this writer in 2017 that they were all excited that their temple too would get a Raja Gopuram similar to the one at Srirangam but with the objections against the construction of the Raja Gopuram on the Northern side, the steps inside the then battered 2tiered Gopuram was abound with bats and there was disappointment all around. One of the priests had wished then to this writer pointing to the towering Raja Gopuram at Srirangam with the Rock Fort temple in its background that one day Thiruvellarai too would have a towering temple tower that the residents would be proud of.

S Mariappan, JC, Sekar Babu HRCE Minister along with the Coimbatore Donor 

Subsequently, with the High Court directing the appointment of a Panel to decide on the merits of renovation in temples, Thiru Vellarai seemed to get a life line with the Panel issuing an order to strengthen the existing structure at the Northern Entrance based on the technical reports. After the strengthening works of the existing structure, the donors, brothers Veeramani and Jayapal from Coimbatore (Unfortunately Veeramani, one of the brothers passed away) applied to the renovation committee that was satisfied with the strengthen of the base and gave the nod for the construction of the Raja Gopuram.

வென்றி மா மழுவேந்தி முன்மண்மிசை மன்னரை 

மூவேழுகால் கொன்ற தேவ 

நின் குரைகழல் தொழுவதோர் வகை, எனக்கருள் புரியே 

மன்றில் மாம் பொழில் நுழை தந்து, மல்லிகை மௌவலின் போதலர்த்தி 

தென்றல் மா மனம் கமழ் தரவரு, திருவெள்ளறை நின்றானே - Thiru Magai Azhvaar

Minister Sekar Babu directs a fast push

Earlier this year, this section had featured a story on the intention of HRCE Minister  Sekar Babu (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/hr-ce-minister-sekar-babu-on-roll.html) to speed up restorations in temples. Two Divya Desams in the Chozha region saw rapid renovation exercises this year and recently consecration took place at Nachiyar Koil and Thiru Kannamangai. 

This week Sekar Babu, who this writer has seen in multiple temples as a sincere and quiet devotee, laid the foundation for the construction of the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai. Late on Saturday night, he told this writer in a conversation that the construction will go on at a rapid pace. He said that while there will be a lot of strenuous work involved as this is a huge construction, he is determined to see the seven tier Raja Gopuram come up as quickly as possible.

An exclusive Donor from Coimbatore

Sekar Babu confirmed to this writer that Jayapal from Coimbatore will be the exclusive donor for this exercise and that he will take up entire expenses of the Raja Gopuram that is estimated at close to Rs. 8crores.

A priest at the temple told this writer that the Raja Gopuram was likely to come up in two years. He was not sure if the Northern entrance would be shut completely once the work starts in a full fledged way. When the strengthening work of the base of the Gopuram took place, the Northern Entrance had been shut and devotees had to enter the temple through the Eastern Entrance.

Pundarikakshan gives the Green Signal

Varadaraja Acharya, a descendent of Engal Azhvaan and a resident of Thiru Vellarai for several decades had told this writer a few years back that he was nonplussed at the delay as Lord Pundarikakshan will decide what is good for the devotees and that if he willed, the towering Raja Gopuram will come up someday. It looks like the Lord of Thiru Vellarai has finally given the green signal and devotees in all the nearby villages are all excited at the prospect of their temple sporting a towering Raja Gopuram sometime in the near future.

It has been a long time coming at Thiru Vellarai and the approval process has seen several hurdles over the last decade since the plan was first made. With Sekar Babu at the helm, temples in TN are seeing massive renovation exercises and the numbers (of temple renovations) are surging by the day. With the foundation stone laid this week, it looks like finally the new Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai will be on its way. When complete, the 125 feet high Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai will rank amongst the top five tallest towers on the Divya Desam list and thus in a matter of three and a half decades, Mottai Gopurams in two ancient temple towns near Trichy would have seen towering Raja Gopurams!!!

And when the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai does sport a new look, the hereditary priest would have seen his lifetime wish fulfilled…that of seeing a towering Raja Gopuram similar to the one at Srirangam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html).

Hopefully sometime in the near future, Thiru Vellarai will be back to its Golden Days as described by Periyazhvaar and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.

Thiru Vellarai Pundarikaksha Perumal Kollidam

The Divine Couple make a long almost 12 hour trip to provide Serthi Sevai on a scorching Sunday at Kollidam

The unfolding of events on the Kollidam river bank North of the Ranganathaswamy temple on a hot Sunday afternoon served as an indication of what’s in store at historical Divya Desams in TN. Just over a fortnight ago, one of the chief priests at Thiru Vellarai Divya Desam told this writer that the JC had clearly mandated restriction of mandagapadis on the annual trip of Pundarikaksha Perumal and Shenbagavalli Thayar from Thiru Vellarai to Kollidam. He had also directed reaching Kollidam on time as per schedule (10am). Long time devotees who waited at the Kollidam banks on Sunday morning narrated stories from the century gone by of Thiruvellarai Perumal reaching here by 8am.

A night long trip from Vellarai

It is past 5am and the Sri Patham personnel have already had a long night on the Thuraiyur highway but the procession had only reached the outskirts of Manachanallur. Over the next couple of hours, the mandagapadi in Manachanallur is mind boggling with stops at several of the rice mills. Devotees presented fruits and flower garlands at every stop. As is the case in remote locations, food was distributed in large quantities to devotees at each of these stopovers.

Clearly there were far more stopovers and mandagapadis than was expected (directed).

 இந்திரனோடு பிரமன் ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்
மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு
மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்

சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும் சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளரை நின்றாய்
அந்தியம் போது இது ஆகும்
அழகனே காபிட வாராய் - Periyaazhvaar's Kaapidal

The scene at Kollidam

A sizeable crowd had gathered at a completely dry Kollidam by 10am but there were no signs of Thiruvellarai Perumal and Thayar. Even more Mandagapadis all along the way meant the divine couple were past Nochiyam after 11am and on to the North end of the Kollidam banks. It required an extraordinary effort and highly devotional commitment on the part of the Sripatham to carry Perumal and Thayar from the North end to the South in the sand on this scorching Sunday. Rolling of a long mat across the river bed may have been a good idea but the mats came well after the Perumal and Thayar had reached the South end where a Pandal had been laid out. Soon after they placed the divine couple, many of the Sri Patham were short on breath after almost a 12 hour over 10kms trip from Thiru Vellarai to Kollidam.

Arguments Galore

Much against the run of play, a mini battlefield opened up. It started with the archakas of Thiru Vellarai refusing Shatari to the Sri Patham. This unexpected announcement angered the already tired Sri Patham personnel that were short on numbers for this trip with just around 40 of them having carried Perumal and Thayar on separate Pallakkus through the entire trip (many of these service personnel would have to get back to college and office on Monday morning and that would make the return trip on Sunday night even more challenging though there would not be those big numbered Mandagapadis).

Sacred boxes arrive late, Vadaparuppu forgotten

The boxes containing the alankaram items had not arrived though the tractor had left Nochiyam before the divine couple entered Kollidam. To complicate things further, the archakas found that Vadaparuppu had not been sent from Thiru Vellarai. The series of events put off the Sripatham personnel and a few of them walked away for lunch while a few other angry members continued to express their angst to the archakas. 

By now, the service personnel from Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam arrived with the Mariyathai and they too had to wait it out for the arrival of the boxes.  Sridhar, the maniyakarar of the Srirangam temple too reached the venue (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html). It was his assurance that the Shatari would be presented to the Sri Patham that cooled the carriers of the Thiru Vellarai Perumal.

Sridhar told this writer late on Sunday night that shortage of personnel was making it a nightmare to manage utsavams across the Divya Desams in and around Srirangam. In this case, he said if he had been alerted on Sunday morning, he could have organised the vadaparuppu from the Srirangam Madapalli. An overdose of mandagapadis leads to a delay in the processional schedule. Earlier in the day, he narrated as to how just ahead of the mega Samprokshanam in Srirangam, he had carried the Lord on this trip with minimal service personnel in the 1980s. But now communication channels were far better and issues such as those faced today could be handled easily through better communication.

It was well after noon when the screen came down for the alankaram but over the next hour there was bitter argument between multiple service personnel that could be heard outside amongst the devotees who were eagerly waiting for a darshan of the Serthi Sevai.

Food Plates scattered on the Kollidam bank

And as is the case on such big occasions, food was served by devotees (Ubayadarars) to those present. While the Perumal and Thayar were being decorated, it was time for devotees to have their lunch. Very soon the entire sacred Kollidam banks was dirtied with food plates thrown around outside the Pandal. 

மன்றில் மாம் பொழில் நுழைதந்து
மல்லிகை மௌவளின் போது அலர்த்தி
தென்றல் மா மணம் கமழ் தர வரு
 திரு வெள்ளறை நின்றானே

உயர்கொள் மாதவிப் போதொடு உலாவிய 
மாருதம் வீதியின்வாய்
திசை எல்லாம் கமழும் பொழில் சூழ் 
திரு வெள்ளறை நின்றானே- Periya Thirumozhi- Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

It was 1.30pm when the screen finally opened for the devotees to have darshan of the divine couple.

Former correspondent of PTI and a kainkaryapaka at  the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple Singan points to the the unique term Vazhi Nadai Ubayams and the several stipulations laid by Poorvacharya for this. 'The main one is that the deviation should not exceed 10ft. But mysteriously the number is increasing beyond limits, affecting the schedule and shortening pooja procedures. The objective is  to give rest to the deity as per agamic principles. And, definitely not to treat the deity as a toy."

This Sunday morning was to be a devotional morning at Kollidam but it was overshadowed by the series of events that took place in full public view.

While the HR & CE administers the temple, no senior officials were present to ensure that the event took place as per schedule. With the devotional wave across TN temples, the mandagapadis are increasing in number but there is shortage of service personnel across Divya Desams. The madapalli is short staffed leading to challenges there. Attention to detail is missing- in this case, there was no responsibility taken to ensure that the sacred boxes arrived on time and that the vada paruppu was in order to present to the adyapaka, araiyar, theerthakarar and service personnel. Added to this was the emotional outbursts after a long trip in the hot sun.

In some of the historical temples such as Srirangam and Thiru Vellarai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/10/thiru-vellarai-divya-desam.html), the Lord is still carried by the traditional Sripatham on their shoulders even on long trips to Jeeyapuram, Uraiyar and this one from Vellarai to Kollidam. It is important to take care of them. This section had a few years ago featured a story on how the Sripatham bore the brunt of a stony path all night trip from Srirangam to Jeeyapuram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/03/srirangam-namperumal-jeeyapuram-utsavam.html). Today, it was yet another tiring trip including a final long burst from one end of Kollidam to the other. On the Jeeyapuram trip, this section had asked as to the presence of senior HR & CE officials on that night long trip. Here too the JC / his senior members were missing. 

If such traditional endeavours are to continue in the future like it has for centuries, coordinated and concerted efforts will be required amongst the multiple stake holders to make such trips lot more devotionally engaging.

Barathwajan Araiyar Srirangam GoAir Airbus 320 Pilot

Making Childhood Dream a Reality

After over a decade of persistent hard work, Srirangam's Barathwajan Araiyar will finally be debuting in March as an Airbus 320 Pilot  

Only last month this section had featured a story on the young Natha Muni Araiyar of Srivilliputhur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/12/srivilliputhur-araiyar-natha-muni.html) quitting a banking job to continue the Araiyar Sevai that has been handed to him by his forefather. This one is a story of a 41 year old Araiyar from Srirangam who will be moving away from full-fledged Araiyar Sevai to pursue his childhood dream after having just bagged a financially lucrative offer from a leading airline in the country.

This section had in February 2016 featured a story on Srirangam’s Barathwajan Araiyar and his passion for driving starting from cars even as a young teenager. His childhood dream had always been to become a pilot. While he had been trying hard for several years to secure a job in one of the top airlines, it proved elusive. Finally, after over a decade of unfailing effort, he has managed to land a job as a Pilot at GoAir and has just undergone training. Very soon, he will be flying Airbus 320 for which he had undergone a Type rating exam. It was after clearing this exam that Go Air called for applications for Pilots with this rating. He went through a stringent process and finally got through last year.

He told this writer on Tuesday evening soon after presenting the sacred verses on Thiru Kannapuram on the 9th day of the Era Pathu utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam that he will soon be relocating to Bangalore with his wife and young son. His appa had struggled financially in his early days with limited facilities and wanted his son to enjoy life. Hence he tried to present everything that his son was interested in and did not stop him from pursuing his other interests. “My appa and uncles have supported me in making this childhood dream a reality. Even when after many years of exploring opportunities in this space I did not get the breakthrough, they backed me and provided the confidence that I would get it one day. They are now very happy that I have been able to achieve my goal. There are four others in our family to continue the Araiyar Sevai for the foreseeable future.”

He has also already started training his four year old son in Araiyar Sevai and he too has been presenting at the Era Pathu utsavam this year. “I brought him this year to remove the stage fear and to build his confidence. Later in life, I would like him to serve in the Indian Army.” 

Barathwajan Araiyar has been part of Araiyar Sevai at Srirangam for the last three decades. He played the role of Prahalada when he was still not into his teens on the 7th day of Era Pathu Utsavam when the Araiyars present the entire episode of Hiranya Vatham. In 1993, as a 12 year old he presented Araiyar Sevai, of the ‘Thodakka Paasurams’ of the Tiruvoimozhi verses.

In this same phase in the 1990s, his interest for driving different vehicles increased. Every Sunday he would go to a mechanic shop in Thiruvanaikaval and help out in the repair of two wheelers and cars. When vehicles broke down in Srirangam at odd hours, people reached out to him. It was during this period that his interest expanded to aircrafts. 

A couple of years after graduating in Computer Science from National College he joined an Aviation course. He had been a pilot with a Chartered Airline and straddled between his role as a Pilot and Araiyar Sevai at the temple.

It will be the biggest moment of his life when he debuts with Airbus 320 in March this year. It is likely he will be flying 40 hours a month. He is hoping that he will be able to accumulate leave and be present for the next Adyayana Utasavam that starts in the second week of December this year. 

His has been a story of how it is possible to get over repeated rejections through persistent hard work and effort. It has not been an easy path for him over the last decade. Its taken a while to get this offer from a private airline. But at 41, Barathwajan Araiyar has finally converted his childhood dream into a reality.

This section wishes him the best as a Pilot.

Thiru Vellarai 7 Tier Raja Gopuram Construction

Joy for Pundarikakshan Devotees

Renovation Committee has given the approval for the Construction of the New Raja Gopuram

Construction likely to start soon , expected to take two years

The Towers at the main entry point of two prominent and ancient Divya Desams near Trichy had been left as Mottai Gopuram and remained as such till the 1980s when a decision was taken to construct a Raja Gopuram at the Southern entrance to the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, that now stands tall at 236 feet. The other one, the Pundarikakshan temple at Thiruvellarai Divya Desam (Vellarai Divya Desam), the birth place of Uyyakondan and Engal Azhvaan, dates back to a period when 3700 Vaishnavite families lived in the town. The Raja Gopuram at the Northern entrance thereto had remained unfinished. 

Last decade, the then CM of Tamil Nadu (Late J. Jayalalitha) had announced in the assembly plans to construct a Raja Gopuram at Thiruvellarai.  Some of the ground work had started at the Divya Desam but the Madras High Court order restraining renovation in temples meant the work came to a grinding halt over 5 years ago. Subsequently, with the High Court directing the appointment of a Panel to decide on the merits of renovation in temples, the Raja Gopuram work in Thiru Vellarai praised by Periyazhvaar and Thirumangai Azhvaar seemed to get a life line with the Panel issuing an order to strengthen the existing structure at the Northern Entrance based on the technical reports.

இந்திரனோடு பிரமன் ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்

மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு

மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்

சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும் சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளரை நின்றாய்

அந்தியம் போது இது ஆகும்

அழகனே காபிட வாராய் - Periyaazhvaar's Kaapidal

Northern Entrance shut, Eastern Entrance Opened

The Northern entrance which has for long been the preferred entrance to the temple has been long closed and the eastern side of the temple had been completely revamped and the entrance there reopened after several decades. 

After the strengthening works of the existing structure, the donors from Coimbatore applied to the renovation committee and have just got the approval to go ahead with the construction of the Raja Gopuram. The construction of the 'Lime Mortar' Raja Gopuram is expected to commence soon and the plan is to complete the 7 Tier, 125 feet plus towering structure in around two years.

It has been a long time coming at Thiru Vellarai and the approval process has seen several hurdles in the last 6-7 years. With the approval this month, it looks like finally the Raja Gopuram will be on its way. When complete, the Raja Gopuram will rank amongst the top five tallest towers in the Divya Desam list and thus in a matter of three decades Mottai Gopurams in two ancient temple towns near Trichy would have seen towering Raja Gopurams!!!

வென்றி மா மழுவேந்தி முன்மண்மிசை மன்னரை 

மூவேழுகால் கொன்ற தேவ 

நின் குரைகழல் தொழுவதோர் வகை, எனக்கருள் புரியே 

மன்றில் மாம் பொழில் நுழை தந்து, மல்லிகை மௌவலின் போதலர்த்தி 

தென்றல் மா மனம் கமழ் தரவரு, திருவெள்ளறை நின்றானே - Thiru Magai Azhvaar

Every year on the third day of the Panguni Utsavam the Lord makes a trip to Kollidam.

The temple is open from 730am-1pm and 3.30pm- 7.30pm  Contact: Achuthan Bhattar @ 95978 57231 /Vinodh Bhattar @ 98941 42111

Auto from Srirangam: 97917 56869/ 92624 05704.

Renovation Exercise in Anbil Divya Desam

About 25kms East of Thiru Vellarai, TVS' Venu Srinivasan, who had restored the Ranganathasawmy temple in Srirangam(https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html), is undertaking a renovation exercise at Anbil Vadivazhagiya Nambi Divya Desam on the Northern banks of Kollidam.

Srirangam Moksha Sthalam Jayashree Srinivasan

Moved by Muralidhara Swamy’s presentation on Srirangam and in line with Kulasekara Azhavaar's praise, Jayashree, mother of Wheels India’s ex CFO, who turned 93 this week, moved to Bhoologa Vaikuntam 8 years ago to spend the rest of her life seeking Moksham at the feet of Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayaki 

So moved was Kulasekara Azhvaar with the devotion of the residents of Srirangam that when he visited the temple town after relinquishing his kingdom, he considered just meeting them as a great blessing. He says in his praise in the Perumal Thirumozhi that they sang and danced in devotion completely forgetting themselves, constantly uttering HIS names. “When our eyes come in contact with such people we become possessed with such sublime devotion gripped with good thoughts that we are likely to be stuck in their midst like a glue. Just one look at them is enough for our eyes to have served the purpose of this life such is their purity.”

தேட்டருந்திறல் தேனினைத், தென்னரங்கனை

திருமாதுவாழ் வாட்டமில் வனமாலை மார்வனை

வாழ்த்தி மால்கொள் சிந்தையராய்

Just anointing and bathing ourselves with the dust from the feet of such pious devotees is enough to fulfil one’s long cherished dreams of wanting to bathe in the Ganges – Such is the purity of the people of Srirangam. 

ஆட்ட மேவியலந்தழைத்து 

அயர் வெய்தும் மெய்யடியார்கள்

தம் ஈட்டம் கண்டிடக் கூடுமேல் 

அது காணும் பயனாவதே

The devotees of Srirangam have printed the Lord in their thoughts as they display such irrefutable devotion. When they pray with folded hands before the Lord with tears rolling down their eyes like flood in times of heavy rains, one knows that they are truly experiencing the Lord. One cannot but adore such truly sincere devotees and their way of devotion will forever remain in our minds. 

காண்ணீர் களால் வார நிற்பவர்

தாளிணைக்கு ஒரு வாரமாகும் என் நெஞ்சமே

Octogenarian Lady moves to Srirangam

In line with Kulasekara Azhvaar’s description of the devotees of Srirangam in his Perumal Thirumozhi, an Octogenarian made her way to this historic Divya Desam eight years ago aged 85!!! Historically, those that visited Srirangam or stayed back in this ancient Divya Desam were ones who sought Moksham as their only goal in life. They invoked the blessings of Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayaki Thayar solely to provide them Moksham and with no other wants in life. 

Jayashree celebrated her 93rd birthday at the feet of Ranganayaki Thaayar this week on the first day of Navarathri in quite a devotional way. Her husband Srinivasan, an IT Commissioner by Profession, was a Sanskrit Scholar who recited the Sampoorna Ramayanam 36 times in his life. With his passing away almost 25years ago, Jayashree (Patti to everyone in the Srirangam circles) spent 15years with her sons and daughters.

Her elder son S Srivathsan, (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/srivathsan-cricket-to-tvs-cfo.html) a cricketer in his early days, played the PR Thevar Trophy in the 1970s and retired a few years ago as the CFO of Wheels India Ltd after almost three decades in the TVS Group firm, while her younger son, Sudarshan, is an ardent sishya of the Ahobilam Mutt. 

                   S Srivathsan, ex CFO, Wheels India Ltd.,

Impact of Muralidhara Swamy's Srirangam Upanyasam

During this phase, her daily routine included listening to Muralidhara Swamy’s Upanyasam. She recounts as to how his presentation had a transformational impact on her life “Muralidhara Swamy’s description of every facet of the Srirangam temple, the mandapams, the sculptures and the features of Ranganathaswamy and his many different processions led me to the call to spend the rest of my life in Srirangam. Through my life, I had visited almost all the Divya Desams and wondered if I was blessed enough to have darshan of Ranganathaswamy and all his Utsavams at Srirangam.”

Her husband had been in a transferrable job and through the early stages in her life she had visited several hundreds of temples around Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Chozha region and the rest of TN. After his death in 1997, beginning at Aathi  Jagannatha Perumal Divya Desam in Thiru Pullani (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/thiru-pullani-divya-desam.html), she went up to Kathmandu visiting one Divya Desam and Purana Sthalam after another for a decade. During this phase, she stayed with her two sons and three daughters. 

As she turned 80, following the impact of Muralidharan Swamy’s upanyasam, she wanted to move to Srirangam but her sons and daughters would not have any of it. She bided her time for a few years staying in Madras in the first floor of her daughter’s house. Finally, she raised the question with her sons and daughters if fulfilling their amma’s wishes was not their duty!!! She was 85 and had become too devotionally attached to Ranganathaswamy. They finally relented.

To her shock, though, she found that the residents of Srirangam were unwilling to let a house on rent to an Octogenarian wanting to stay all alone in a house. Her second son Sudarshan was an active committee member of the Ahobila Mutt and he found a ground floor flat for her in North Adayavalanjan Street in Srirangam. And she moved to the Moksha Sthalam in Chitrai of 2013 to watch the grand Garuda Sevai of Namperumal (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/04/srirangam-chitrai-garuda-sevai.html).

                          Bhoopathi Thirunaal Garuda Sevai

For 7years, she watched every single utsavam in Srirangam without a break with the Garuda Sevai during the four Brahmotsavams being her favourite alongside the Vasantha Utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/06/vasanthotsavam-srirangam-june-2009.html), which she says provides a very devotional feel in the evenings.

A devotionally mindboggling daily routine

During this period, she has followed a devotional routine that is mindboggling. She wakes up at 5.30am every morning and does not enter the kitchen without a bath. Her first processes every day includes lighting the lamp at the Sannidhi and presenting fruits to the Lord. She then recites Thiruppavai and Thondaradi Podi Azhvaar's Thirupalli Yezhuchi (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/02/thiru-mandangudi-thondaradipodi-azhvaar.html) followed by Desikar Stotram and Desikar Prabhandham. And then she moves into a Dhyanam mode for half an hour.

In the evenings, she starts for the temple at 4pm and stays there for as long as she can visiting Ranganatha, Ranganayaki and Desikar Sannidhis.

Bhagavad Gita and Tiruvoimozhi recital - A Daily Ritual

Four decades ago, Jayashree Patti, who hails from Vaduvur, renowned for the handsome Kothandaramar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/vaduvur-rama-navami-utsavam.html), was initiated into Bhagavad Gita Parayanam by Lakshmi Narasimhan Swamy of Vaduvur at the Ahobilam Mutt in Tiruvallikeni. Soon after, she was initiated into Nammazhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi at the Vedantha Desikar Srinivasa Perumal temple in Mylapore. She recites one chapter from the Bhagavad Gita every day and five Cantos of the Tiruvoimozhi and this has become an ongoing cycle for her in Srirangam.

With the striking of the Pandemic, she moved back briefly to Madras. But she could not stay back for long and sought to return to Srirangam.  Her children were worried about leaving their amma, now into her 90s, all alone in Srirangam but she wanted them to fulfill her wishes – that of seeking Moksham at Srirangam invoking the blessings of the Lord and Thayar.

One of her long standing philosophies has been to remain silent inside the temple “I do not use the cell phone inside the temple. I do not talk with anyone as our mind should be in conversation with the Lord and the chanting of his name should be our only action.”

Thayar Thiruvadi Sevai - 7th Day Navarathri

Her one other favourite at the Srirangam temple is the Thiruvadi Sevai of Ranganayaki Thayar on the 7th day of the Navarathri Utsavam. She finds it challenging to walk these days but is hoping to have another darshan of Thayar’s feet on Tuesday (Oct 12) and invoke her blessings yet another time to provide Moksham.

She says that while she had visited Srirangam during her earlier years in life, she never visualized a phase of spending such a long period at the Moksham Sthalam. When people ask her as to how she manages to stay all alone at this age in her life, she has the same answer to each one of them “I tell everyone who asks me this question that I am not alone and stay at the feet of Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayaki Thayar and that it is my greatest blessing to be with them seeking Moksham in Srirangam. I have never had the lonely feel during my stay at Srirangam.”

During the last eight years, Jayashree Patti has made significant contributions to the Ranganathaswamy Temple, the Kattu Azhagiya Singar Temple and the Go Shalas. “We came into this world without anything, earned because of HIM and it is our duty to contribute.”

Much to his surprise, Kulasekaara Azhvaar finds the residents of Srirangam revelling in such devotional delight and enjoying the process day in day out. And when one sees people with such devotion, e says that one is instantly elevated. Standing in their midst we too sense a feeling of a never before experienced devotion. He finds it astonishing that the residents of Srirangam have so firmly held Lord Ranganatha in their thoughts. What amazes him even more is the ability and strength of their devotion to pull others instantly towards them. These devotees serve as a guiding light to others. For them the only thoughts are of complete surrender to Lord.

ஆடிபாடி அரங்கவோ என்றழைக்கும் தொண்டரடிப்பொடி

ஆட நாம் பெறில் கங்கை நீர்

குடைந்தாடும் வேட்கை என்னாவதே

For 93year old Jayashree too, as described by Kulasekara Azhvaar, the last eight years have been one of the most peaceful and enjoyable phases in her life. The joy of being with Ranganatha and Ranganayki Thayar cannot be expressed and has to be experienced, she says. Her only thought during her eight year stay in Srirangam has been to surrender at the feet of Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayki Thayar and seek Moksham. Jayashree Patti is confident that those that have the fullest faith in the Divine Couple will be blessed with Moksham.