Gunaseelam Puratasi Brahmotsavam

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal provides darshan atop the Golden Hanumantha Vahana

For Pichumani Bhattar, the hereditary trustee at the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Gunaseelam, Wednesday (Sept 16) marked yet another remarkable achievement. It is ten years since the making of the Golden Hanumantha Vahana. The donor, Sundararajan, who worked for close to four decades at Chemplast Sanmar at their plant in Mettur, was the one who offered to contribute to the conversation of the Hanumantha Vahana from the wooden make it was at that time into a golden one (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/11/jolly-rovers-n-sankar-75.html). 

He is present this evening ahead of the procession  right in front of the Raja Gopuram that is to be constructed and is all praise for Pichumani Bhattar “Garuda Vahana had turned Gold but the rest of the vahanas were still made of wood. When Pichumani Bhattar asked if I would be interested in the gold plating of the Hanumantha Vahana, I immediately grabbed the opportunity. Following this, he went on to gold plate other Vahanas too. It is a mammoth task to manage all the events at this temple and Pichumani Bhattar does it all alone bringing together devotees from across the world to create a vibrant feel at the temple”, Sundararajan told this writer on Wednesday evening at Gunaseelam.

சோதி ஆகி எல்லா உலகும் தொழும் 

ஆதிமூர்த்தி என்றால் அளவு ஆகுமோ 

வேதியர் முழு வேதத்து அமுதத்தை 

தீது இல் சீர்த் திருவேங்கடத்தானையே 

Just past 5pm, Pichumani Bhattar is at the Vahana Mandapam next to the restored Chariot overseeing the alankaram carried out by his team. He tells this writer as to how he has brought together the team for this Brahmotsavam “All through the year, there are 4-5 Kainkaryaparas at the Sannidhi but for the Puratasi Brahmotsavam the entire family members join us in Kainkarayam. Some of them take up Sannidhi Kainkaryam, a few others take to decorating the Perumal atop the Vahana, a couple of them are alongside Perumal during the procession and there are those who take care of the Yaaga Salai and the daily pooja.”

As mentioned in a story on Pichumani Bhattar in June 2024(link below), many of the family members had left this hereditary town in the 1980s when there was a slowdown in temple activities across the state but for the Brahmotsavam they are always here to support those that stayed back. It is remarkable team work by this family to ensure that the biggest festival of the year is celebrated in a grand way. 

The Vedic members arrived in good numbers at the inner prakara just after 6pm to recite the Vedas. This place was historically renowned for the recital of the Vedas and during the Brahmotsavam we see a sizeable number of vedic members reciting all the four vedas each day of the festival.

Great Kainkaryam by Srirangam Vethal Sripatham

One of the biggest challenges that every Divya Desam is experiencing recently is the availability of Sripatham Personnel. In most temples, the procession has moved on to wheeled tyres but Pichumani Bhattar delightfully tells this writer that the Sripatham Personnel carry Venkatesa Perumal on their shoulders at every procession and he is grateful to the Vethal Volunteers of Srirangam for this Kainkaryam. 

“For over 25 years, they have been coming  here in good numbers year after year without fail for both the morning Pallakku procession and the evening Vahana procession. It is a great service on their part to travel around 20 kms each day and many of them go back to work after the morning procession and come back again after their work. Their presence here has taken away a lot of the worries relating to the procession for they are always ahead of time and they push us to start the procession on time” says Pichumani Bhattar. 

Ravi (Lakshmi Narasimhan) worked at the Ponmalai Railway Yard for many decades and has been coming to Gunaseelam for the Sripatham Kainkaryam for the last 15 years. He considers it a great blessing to have got this opportunity to carry Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal during the Brahmotsavam and finds this festival well managed. The Sripatham Personnel are well taken care of by Pichumani Bhattar with him providing them breakfast in the morning and dinner in the night in addition to a good Sambhavanai for their service. 

Clock has ticked to 7.30pm and Perumal is ready for the start of the procession with the electrician providing the final touches to the lights which has now become an integral part of the evening processions in temples.As the screen opens, the Bhattar of the evening presents a deeparaathanai.  Devotees have lined up either side of Perumal to experience the Ubacharams carried out by the Bhattar for the handsome Perumal decked with glittering jewellery. Following this, the screen closes once again and the Sripatham Personnel are called out for and invited into the alankara mandapam to take their position next to the Perumal.

அகலகில்லேன் இரையும் என்று 

அலர்மேல் மங்கை உரை மார்பா 

நிகரில் புகழாய் உலகம் மூன்று உடையாய் 

என்னை ஆள்வானே 

நிகரில் அமரர் முனிக்கணங்கள் விரும்பும் 

திருவேங்கத்தானே 

புகலொன்று இல்லா அடியேன் 

உன் அடிக்கீழ் அமர்ந்து புகுந்தேனே 

There is rain in the air but the procession goes ahead. It is 8pm when Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal makes his way out of the Vahana Mandapam. The colourful canopies go up above the Lord and the temple musicians begin their Nadaswaram presentation at the East Prakara. It is delightful devotional music and Pichumani Bhattar is all praise for them “They are the daily artistes who present the music during the Pooja time at the temple. Except for the Garuda Sevai, they are the ones who present during the street processions. Historically, this temple was renowned for nadaswaram artistes. If someone says that he has played at Gunaseelam Brahmotsavam, his credibility goes up manifold.”

On the South and West Prakara too, Perumal stops to listen to the Nadaswaram presentation before the procession moves on after Pichumani Bhattar gives the go ahead. 

The golden hanuman vahana is now into its 10th year but is shining gold. Pichumani Bhattar revelas the secret behind that "The vahana is kept inside a glass cabinet and that has helped maintain its shine."

A new horse at the Brahmotsavam 

For four decades, Pichumani Bhattar has given his heart and soul to taking care of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal and he is reaping the benefits of that long term devotional commitment. Earlier this year, Deepu Bhattar of Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam gifted a male horse to the Gunaseelam temple. For many of the Bhattars of Srirangam, this temple is the Kula Deivam and they have a soft corner for this perumal. This was a nice surprise gesture from Deepu Bhattar and the horse leads the way in every procession during the Brahmotsavam” says Pichumani Bhattar. 

Brahmotsavam expenses mount

Back in the 1980s and 90s, Pichumani Bhattar organised the entire Brahmotsavam at less than Rs. 30000. Today, the scale and the grandeur has increased and improved so much that he spends over Rs. 30 Lakhs on this Brahmotsavam with a sizeable share of the expenses being taken care through the hundi offerings of the devotees. Well over 150 Kainkarayaparas are presented with food through the day for their service. 

தெரியேன் பாலகனாய் பல தீமைகள் செய்துமிட்டேன் 

பெரியேன் ஆயினபின் பிறர்க்கே உழைத்து ஏழை ஆனேன் 

கரி சேர் பூம் பொழில் சூழ் கனமாமலை வேங்கடவா 

அறியே வந்தடைந்தேன் அடியேனை ஆட் கொண்டருளே 

It is almost 9pm when Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal makes his way back to the alankara mandapam. The clouds had thickened and there was prospect of a heavy rain but it went away handing out just a few drops. While many of the devotees have their hands up clicking a photo shot of Perumal, Pichumani Bhattar is always seen with folded hands in a thanking gesture of helping see through another day and another vahana procession. 

The foundation has been laid for the new Raja Gopuram that is coming up. Soon after the Brahmotsavam Periyava will be making it to the temple and Pichumani Bhattar hopes to have the pooja that day for starting the construction of the Raja Gopuram. He is confident that with Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal's blessings, 50% of the work would be completed by the time the next Brahmotsavam is here in Puratasi of 2027.

Over the last few decades, Pichumani Bhattar has anchored the transformation of the temple that can now be seen in the grandeur of the Puratasi Brahmotsvam. In the next few years, with his high devotional commitment, it is likely that this temple will sport a new Raja Gopuram and Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal will sometime in the near future go around the Saptha Prakara in a procession. 

Pichumani Bhattar - https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/06/gunaseelam-pichumani-bhattar-hereditary.html

Suchindrum Thaanumaalayan Tri Moorthy Temple

Shiva, Vishnu and Brahmma provide darshan together out of a single lingam

Devotees are back and so too the Grandeur of the Big Utsavams

                   Rishabham Vahana - Chitrai Utsavam

The Thaanumaalayan temple in Suchindrum is one of a kind temple with the presence of Tri Murthies out of one lingam and some exquisite sculptures and musical pillars. The temple is also abound with historical inscriptions dating back to the period of Paranthaka Chozha and Rajendra Chozha. Later inscriptions point to the renovation works and additions performed by Vijayanagar and Nayak Kings. One is welcomed into the temple by a towering Raja Gopuram and the sacred tank that is brimming with water.

Once upon a time this was a forest where rishis performed penance. Athiri Rishi performed pooja invoking the blessings of Kondai tree, the sthala vriksham that is believed to be over 2000 years old and he was provided with a special darshan of the Tri Murthies. Hence, the Lord came to be named as Thaanu- Maa- Layan (Shiva-Vishnu-Brahmma).

Legend has it that Indra performed penance here invoking the blessings of Vishnu and was liberated from the curse of Gautama Muni.  As Indra was purified from his curse, this place came to be called Such-Indram. This location was historically referred to as Sundara Chaturvedi Mangalam.

Devotees displayed high bhakthi

P Subramaniam is touching 70 and has been at the temple for close to three decades. From the end of the previous century, he began taking care of the security of the jewels donning the role of Karuvulapera Kaavalar. That decade and earlier, devotees were low in number with no tourist crowd.  However, those devotees who attended the utsavams displayed high level of Bhakthi, says Subramaniam pointing to the intense bhakthi of the devotees back then. The second half of the previous was also a phase when devotional Kutcheris were presented by prominent music artistes like Bala Murali Krishna and Madurai Somu during the big utsavams with local residents gathering in good numbers. Having been a worker at a hospital previously, he found great peace at this temple sharing the legend to outstation devotees.

No Artha Jaama Pooja

To relieve himself from the curse, Indra performed penance late into the night and is believed to continue to be present here every night. As part of the historical tradition, every evening before locking the Sannidhi door, the priest keeps neivedyam inside without performing the Artha Jaama Pooja and a different priest opens the Sannidhi the next morning.

The Decades gone by

M. Chellappan is 60+ and has seen the changes at the temple over the last many decades. He says that there were 8 Mutts in the century gone by with them owning huge tracts of lands in this region. They played a vital role to the celebrations at the temple but many of them have closed down and only a couple of the Mutts are still functional here. It is the Vattappalli and Therkuman Mutts that are still playing the traditional role as from the past. There were also good number of Purohit Iyers present in the Agraharam. 

One of the highlights, he says, of those decades was the huge quantity of Katti rice that used to be presented every day. Puttu was also presented as a Neivedyam in good quantity and handed to the Brahmins after they performed the Jabam.

He recalls the first bell going off at the temple at 3am in morning and abhisekam being performed at 4.30am followed by a Rudra Homam at 6am. Later in the morning at 9.30am, he remembers a special abhisekam with 16 Solasa Ubachara.  

Hanuman gains prominence

Among some of the big changes that he has seen at the temple from his childhood days, he counts the popularity of Hanuman Sannidhi as the biggest. Hanuman is seen in a gigantic 18 feet standing posture.

Decades before he joined this temple, he remembers that almost all the devotees invoked the blessings of the Tri Murthies first before moving to Thiru Venkatanathan Sannidhi and around but now many of the devotees are moving towards having darshan of Hanuman so much so that this temple has almost come to be positioned as Suchindrum Hanuman temple.

Chellappan too says that Hanuman has been gaining prominence at this temple over the last decade and many new devotees are now seeing this Tri Murthies temple as a Hanuman temple.

Utsavams- Grandeur is back

With devotees thronging the temple in large numbers, the utsavams too are seeing the return of the old grandeur.  The Thiruvatharai Utsavam in Margazhi, Theppotsavam in Chitrai, Thiru Kalyanam in Maasi and Thiruvenkatanathan Perumal utsavam in Aani Thiruvonam are now celebrated in a big way at this temple. So too are the Thevaram verses during the Pradosham procession.

கூற்றாயின வாறு விளக்ககிலீர்

கொடுமை பல செய்தன நான் அறியேன்

ஏற்றாயடிகே இரவும் பகலும்

பிரியாது வணங்குவன் எப்பொழுதும்

தொற்றாதென் வயிற்றின் அகம்படியே

குடரோடு துடக்கி முடக்கியிட

அற்றேன் அடியேன் அதி கைக்கெடில

வீரட்டானத்துறை அம்மானே- Thirunavukkarasarar

For a few decades, this temple too saw challenges but the new devotional wave is driving devotees to this temple in real big numbers. Some of the traditional practices may have become a casuality in the transition phase from the second half of the previous decade to now and not all of the influx is getting tradition back in the way it should for devotees are moving towards parikara and prarthana sannidhis such as Hanuman and Dakshina Murthy but that is in line with overall trend of the devotees.

For those like Sthanikar Dr. Shiva Prasad, the happiness lie in the return of the devotees and the consequent vibrancy at the temple. As the custodian of the temple practices, he is constantly trying his best to get everyone involved to stick to historic traditions while at the same time meeting the expectations of the new gen devotees (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/05/suchindram-thanumalaya-temple.html).  

Appan Koil Sarangan Araiyar

27 year old Sarangan Araiyar is confident of reviving the fortunes of this Avathara Sthalam of Nam Azhvaar

The Thiru Aradhana idol of Nam Azhvaar will provide darshan on the new Golden Garuda Vahana around the streets of Appan Koil during the Panguni Brahmotsavam

It is just past 7am on Friday (Feb 21) morning. 27 year old Sarangan Araiyar of Azhvaar Tirungari is riding his Royal Enfield Bullet to Appan Koil ahead of Nam Azhvaar’s annual visit to the temple on the occasion of Maasi Anusham. Thiru Venkatamudayan, the presiding deity at the temple, is decked with glittering jewellery, a far cry from the decades gone by when this temple was in a dilapidated state. The flower garlands are long and colourful. 

Hailing from Azhvaar Tirunagari, a lady devotee who has dedicated her life to Nam Azhvaar is playing Vishnu Sahasranamam loudly on her mobile phone even as she guides devotees on the event that is set to unfold that morning. The madapalli that has now been restored to its historical glory smells of ghee pongal while Saranga Araiyar is running around to ensure that everything is in order with Nam Azhvaar just a km or so away from reaching the temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/02/azhvaar-tirungari-nam-azhvaar-maasi.html). 

Takes charge of Appan Koil from his appa

Saranga Araiyar was not yet 25 when he took over the reigns of Appan Koil from his appa Nathan Araiyar, who had some health issues at that time. He underwent 8 year patshala education in Srirangam where he learned the Vedas and Agamas in addition to Nalayira Divya Prabhandham. He has also been initiated into Tiruvoimozhi Kalakshepam. To further his interest in Vaishnavism, he is planning to take to MA Vaishnavism this year. 

Appan Koil is under the one kalam pooja of the HR & CE and Sarangan Araiyar is paid an accumulated salary once  (around Rs. 3000) every three months for the daily pooja services he performs at this temple.

 

Revival of Panguni Brahmotsavam 

He is all excited about the upcoming Panguni Brahmotsavam when there will be a kalasa Thirumanjanam. This historical temple reverberating once again with Prabhandham Ghoshti is something that Sarangan Araiyar is looking forward to.  The Pavitrotsavam too has been revived and the three day utsavam takes place in Aani. 

New Golden Garuda Vahana

The temple bears no resemblance to what it was 50 years ago.Govindan Bhattar of Thiru Mogur was a regular at Nam Azhvaar's annual Maasi trip to Appan Koil and is delighted in the way Appan Koil has been transformed by Venu Srinivasan from the dark days when he first visited the temple during the Maasi Utsavam in the early 1970s.

In the couple of years since his taking charge, Sarangan Araiyar has used his devotee network to initiate positive developments at this temple. All the vahanas have been refurbished. He has played an active role in building a new Golden Garuda Vahana. At the Panguni Brahmotasvam next month, Thiru Venkatamudayan will provide darshan around the streets of Appan Koil atop this new golden garuda vahana. And in Vaikasi this year, the Moolavar Lord will shine bright with a new Silver plated kavacham. He is also keen to revive the Chariot Festival and the Theppotsavam in the near future.

Venu Srinivasan restores Appan Kol in the 1990s

Venu Srinivasan told this writer on Sunday morning that along with the restoration of the 11 Nam Azhvaar praised Divya Desams in this region in the second half of the 1990s, he was keen to take up the restoration of Appan Koil, for it was here that Kaali Maaran attained Moksham (hence the name Appan Koil). Like his commitment to Nava Tirupathi temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html), Venu Srinivasan is delighted to have had the opportunity to be associated with this historical Avathara Sthalam of Nam Azhvaar. 

A major Thiruppani exercise after 25+ years

It is now time for another Thiruppani for which the HR & CE has sanctioned Rs. 6crores. This is expected to commence in May this year and the rebuilding work should see the temple in a new avatar over the next 12 months or so.

Located a few kms off Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam, Appan Koil comes to life thrice a year when Nam Azhvaar from Azhvaar Tirunagari visits this temple. In addition to Maasi Anusham, Nam Azhvaar stays through the day at Appan Koil in Chitrai and Vaikasi. 

Chariot and Theppotsavam to be revived

While continuing to perform the Araiyar Sevai at Azhvaar Tirunagari along with his appa Nathan Araiyar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/03/how-family-disputein-azhvaar-tirunagari.html), the young Sarangan Araiyar is committing himself to a lifetime of service at Appan Koil and is hopeful that this once neglected temple will start attracting devotees once again like the Nava Tirupathi Divya Desam temples following the large scale Thiruppani this year.  Sarangan Araiyar is also confident that very soon after this Thiruppani, the Chariot will run around the streets of Appan Koil. In the near future, it is likely that Thiru Venkatamudayan will provide darshan on the Theppam.

Soon after the departure of Nam Azhvaar from Appan Koil to Erettai Tirupathi, Sarangan Araiyar dashes off on his Bullet to Aravinda Lochanan sannidhi for the Tiruvoimozhi Prabhandham Thodakkam on Friday morning while his mind continues to work on the revival of historic utsavams at Appan Koil.

Thanjavur Palace Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple

This temple finds a reference in the Parasara Kshetra Mahatmiyam with Sage Vashishta having performed penance invoking the blessings of Perumal

The Maratha Prince found the current Moolavar Idol beneath the Ayyan Kulam a few centuries ago

One of the 88 temples under the administration of the Thanjavur Palace, Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple finds a mention as Minmalai Venkatesar in the Thanjai Vellai Pillayar Kuravanji literature alongside Thanjai Maa Mani Koil (Divya Desam), Raghunatha Perumal and Aadhi Kesava Perumal (South of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal).

The Moolavar idol that one finds today was located by the Thanjavur prince centuries ago in Ayyan Kulam following an invisible message from the Lord directing the Prince to that tank.

Parasara Kshetra Mahatmiyam refers to the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple as being located 4miles South of Panchanatheswarar temple (Thiruvayaru) and South West of Vashishteswaram (now Karanthai). As per the legend, Sage Vashista undertook penance here in this Kshetram invoking the blessings of Perumal who happy with the penance provided darshan to the Sage. A beautiful temple tank and a Nandavanam was created at this place.

Parasarar performed his pooja with the sacred water and flowers presenting 108 names of Prasanna Venkatesan.

Following the killing of Thanjakasuran, Perumal acceded to his request of naming this place after him as ‘Thanjai’.

Muthuswamy Dikshithar has also presented verses in praise of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal “Prasanna Venkateswaram Bajarey, Vaadi Vasantha Bairavi Nutham Shri”.

This section had featured a story on Venkatesa Bhattar, archaka at Saligrama Kothandaramar temple in Punnai Nallur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/punnai-nallur-kothandaramar-temple.html). His younger brother Srikanth Bhattar has been performing the role of the archaka at the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple in Thanjavur over the last two decades after the Vaikanasa Agama initiation from Dr. Muthu Bhattachar for four years. 

He has just sent his 10 year old son to the Agama Patshala in Kudavasal and is hoping that he would continue the temple service in the future.

The two big annual utsavams takes place in Chitrai and Puratasi.

As with other temples under his administration, Babaji Rajah Bhonsle (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/thanjavur-palace-babaji-rajah-bhonsle.html), the current Prince of the Thanjavur Palace takes good care of the Priest with a fair salary and other benefits. Currently, the Prince is actively involved with the restoration of the Venugopalaswamy temple on the Southern Banks of Cauvery in Thiruvayaru (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/09/thanjavur-palace-venugopalaswamy-temple.html).

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple is located near the Ayyan Bazaar Street in the heart of Thanjavur and about 3kms South West of Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/08/thanjai-maa-mani-divya-desam.html).

Dhanushkodi Rama Temple Shiva Lingam Removal

Rameswararam Temple EO Sivaram Kumar anchors removal of unauthorised Shiva Lingam and Nandi idols near the historical Kothandarama Temple in Dhanushkodi where Rama performed Pattabhisekam for Vibheeshana

HRCE removed, on Thursday (May 9) morning, the unauthorised installation, by devotees, of Shiva Lingam and Nandi idol on the sea shore near the Kothandaramaswamy temple, Dhanushkodi. It was here that Rama performed Pattabhishekam for Vibheeshana. The Aani Utsavam is the big day in the year at Dhanushkodi. A day before Hastham, the utsava deity of Rama makes his way to this temple for Vibheeshana Pattabhisekam. On the fourth Saturday of Puratasi Rama makes his way on the Garuda Vahana for Pancha Deepam at this temple. 

The EO of Ramananathaswamy temple, Rameswaram, S. Sivaram Kumar told this writer on Thursday soon after the removal that these local residents and guides misled visiting devotees that this was the historical Shiva Lingam that Lord Rama performed Thiru Aradhana and collected money from these devotees.

“We secured the permission of the Tahsildar and the Police Chief to remove this unauthorised new installation of these idols. Under their supervision, we have this morning removed these idols and placed these in safe custody in Rameswaram”, he told this writer.

Sivaram Kumar, who was the EO at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, for a brief period last year has taken a number of welfare initiatives at the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram including keeping away touts and agents misleading devotees from the North of the country. He has also taken new initiatives for the construction of bathrooms, toilets, chappal stands and lockers outside the temple complex, each of which were previously manned by private personnel who fleeced unwary devotees. 

Devotee Welfare Initiatives

It is refreshing to see the new EO taking positive devotee friendly steps soon after his taking charge and there has been a transformation at the temple over the last 6 months or so. He has put paid to agents fleecing the devotees for darshan with a process inside the temple complex that is now keeping the agents away. The queue system has been streamlined and devotees are having a new experience and a relief for the first time in year from the fleecing agents. He has also ensured periodic announcements  through a public address system to alert the devotees from not falling prey to the agents. 

A 30000 litre purified water tank has been installed to supply free water to the devotees. Across the temple complex, new fans have been installed this year for those standing in the queue for darshan. 

Toilet Block and Locker Room

The toilet block at the North Gate is nearing completion as well as the locker room. 850 mobiles can be kept for Rs.  5each compared to the Rs. 20 that was being charged previously by the private shops. At the new free slipper facility, 1000 pairs can be kept at any point of time. 

450 Dormitories for Devotees

Very soon, a huge guest house measuring over 10000 sq ft will be ready near the reconstructed Rameswaram Railway station. Through this facility, the temple will be able to provide dormitory accommodation to 450 devotees. 

The next time you visit the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram and the Kothandaramaswamy temple in Dhanuskodi, it could be altogether different experience for devotees, thanks to these initiatives of EO Sivaram Kumar.

Manachanallur Bhoominathar temple Giridharan Gurukal

Your House Problems will be solved at this temple

Over the last 15 years, Giridharan Gurukal has successfully created a 'faith' model among devotees to relieve them  from their house related issues 

As with most remote temples in TN, the Bhoominathar temple in Manachanallur, that dates back to Agastyar period, went through a challenging phase in the 1970s and 80s. Original inhabitants had left this town in search of jobs.  Ramani Gurukal did not have money to even pay the son’s education fees. There was no oil to light the lamp, only minimal devotees. Thattu kaasu was non-existent.

Against this background, he asked his son Giridharan to focus on academics. He was also a sportsman and came third in the state athletics tournament in Avadi in the 400 meters in the early 1990s. He has a Masters degree and also pursued a M. Phil. He is now a school teacher in Pettavaithalai.

While he went this way, all along, there was a fire burning inside him that the temple had remained deserted and was keen to bring back devotees to the temple. Like in Nachiyar Koil, where the then bhattars created a Thursday prarthana model for Kal Garuda in the 1990s, Giridharan Gurukal created a prarthana model two decades ago, when he was just 30 years old, that promised to solve house related problems. 

A Namboodari from Kongu Nadu recommended the installation of a Vaastu Yanthram in the Moolavar Sannidhi. And Giridharan Gurukal actively marketed this with devotees.

Devotees throng Bhoominathar

It is just after 9am on Saturday and devotees are thronging the temple in large numbers, contrasted with the scenario a decade ago. Almost all the devotee are there presenting their house related issues to Giridharan Gurukal. He is vocal about the solution and the impact of the prayer in front of Bhoominathar. 

An hour later, another set of families arrive at the temple. These are devotee families whose problems have been solved and there is a certain delight in their faces. They are to perform an abhisekam and present annadhanam as promised earlier when they had come to the Sannidhi with their house related issues. Each of these families are grateful to the Gurukal for solving their problems.

Creates a Vaastu Yanthram Solution Model

Giridharan Gurukal later tells this writer that there was anger building up inside him a couple of decades ago having watched his appa struggle at the temple with no archanai, no money and no devotees.  Ramani Gurukal had served till he was 78 “My appa never displayed any anger at the state of his life and spoke very little. He would go from home to home to collect money for the special pooja every Krithigai. That was about the only day when there was some activity in the temple in those decades. Amma asked me to go to the temple but I told her that there was no income at all at the temple.”

This scenario at the temple and the silent struggles of his appa saw his blood boil “I thought long and hard as to what could be done to revive the temple’s fortunes and came up with this idea of Bhoomi pooja. The Vaastu Yanthram that I installed two decades ago is very powerful. On the first Sunday of Margazhi, I do an abhisekam and Rudra Yaagam for 14 hours. That provides results to devotees through the year.”

His brother Manikandan Sivan is the officially appointed Gurukal at the temple. Interestingly, HRCE manages the morning session while Thiruvavaduthurai Atheenam takes care of the remaining three pooja kaalams each day at the temple. Giridharan Gurukal has received an order from the Mutt to perform special pooja at this temple as a Kainkaryam.

In a dramatic turnaround, there has been at least 5 abhisekams every day in recent years. The scenario is so positive in terms of devotee turnout that Giridharan Gurukal now engages another priest to support him. There is also a person that he engages at the madapalli for neivedyam and anna dhanam. He happily shares his earnings with the service personnel at the temple as he is conscious of the life his appa led and wants those in the temple space to live a financially stable life. 

He is also happy that he has been able to solve the problems of several thousands of devotees each of whom back him ever so strongly. “We were so down with issues relating to our house and did not foresee an end to the problem. The way Giridharan Gurukal gave us confidence that Bhoominathan and Dharma Samvardhani Ambal will take care of us made us believe. And that real faith has helped solve the issue in no time”, a young devotee who is at the temple with his wife and two children told this writer on Saturday just after noon at the temple complex.

No oil to now 'only ghee lit lamps'

Giridharan Gurukal proudly remarks that during his appa’s time, there was no oil to light the lamp. And now ‘we use only ghee to light the lamp’. Driven by his appa’s financial struggles in the final decades of the previous century, Giridharan Gurukal, with creative thinking and a mind that focused on ‘revival’, has fashioned a remarkable turnaround much like the one at Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam. Giridharan Gurukal is vocal and open in the way he communicates with the devotees. He asks them to express their concerns and suggests the solution loudly and clearly. From minimal crowd and no thattu kaasu, he has brought in crowds into the temple in large numbers instilling confidence and faith in the devotees and a belief that all their problems will be solved. And they seem to trust him completely.

The annual ten-day Vaikasi Utsavam is also now celebrated in a grand way at the temple. 

The temple is open from 7am to 12noon and 5pm to 8pm. Contact Giridharan Gurukal@ 9344769294

Kesava Perumal Temple Mylapore Hereditary Priests

Giri Bhattar's forefathers came to Mylapore from Vandavasi in the 1550s and have been performing archaka service at the Kesava Perumal temple for almost 500 years

Srinivasarangan (Giri) Bhattar is 30. Over the last 15 years, he has been carrying on the hereditary archaka service that has been performed by his forefathers at the Kesava Perumal temple in Mylapore from the 1550s. At various points in time, the family have been in serious financial situations but the message that has been passed on through generations has been the same ‘Believe in Mayuravalli Thayar’ and ‘Perform archaka kainkaryam with sincerity’.

A lot in the current generation have moved away from archaka service into the corporate world but for Giri Bhattar, the only thing that he is reminded of everyday is the message from his Thatha Veera Raghava Bhattar  (popularly known as 'Chellapillai') who performed kainkaryam for almost seven decades and who passed away during the Pandemic. “I would sit with Thatha and listen to the stories about his grandparents and the way they lived their lives” Giri Bhattar told this writer at the home opposite the Kesava Perumal temple where several generations of this family have resided.

Kainkaryam as the only way of life

He recalls two unforgettable stories that Veera Raghava Bhattachar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/veera-raghava-bhattar-kesava-perumal.html) narrated to him when he was young “Over 125 years ago, a financially rich businessman from North Madras was handing out 4gm gold coins to the Brahmins in this village (Madras). My Thatha’s thatha – Srinivasa Varada Bhattar -  performed archaka kainkaryam from the 1870s till the 1930s. The family was experiencing financial challenges in that phase and my ellu patti asked him to go to Parry’s and collect the Sambhavanai.”

It would have been reasonable for Srinivasa Varada Bhattar to have gone and collected the gold for it was being donated to the Brahmins performing service but Giri Bhattar’s ellu thatha refused and told his wife that he would not let go of Kainkaryam to Mayuravalli that day. It would have taken a great deal of time to go to Parrys and return back to Mylapore in those days.

Tears roll down Giri Bhattar’s cheeks as he narrates what happened in the second half that day “My ellu thatha was sitting at the Mayuravalli Thayar Sannidhi when a group of devotees from North India visited the temple. They had been to Thiruvallikeni earlier in the day and were now visiting the avathara sthalam of Pey Azhvaar. Pleased with the Kainkaryam of my Thatha, they placed 8gms gold in the Thattu which was double of what the North Madras businessman was handing out that day in Parrys. He came home and told my ellu patti as to how Mayuravalli blesses archakas who perform kainkaryam with complete devotion.”

Giri Bhattar says that his thatha, Veera Raghava Bhattar, constantly reminded him of this story to instill in him the importance of unflinching faith in Mayuravalli Thayar “My Thatha would often say that Kesava Perumal has a 1000eyes and keeps total watch on us every minute of the day. And he would not let go easily those that stray away from the dharmic path but Mayuravalli is full of Karunai and that she is always considerate and hence we should fully surrender to her and perform our service with utmost sincerity.”

Chellapillai Veera Raghava Bhattar

Wouldn't eat without presenting Thaligai to Kesava

On another occasion, just under a century ago, there was a death in the far corner of the Sannidhi street and Thiru Aradhanam could not performed and Thaligai presented to Perumal for almost 36 hours “My Ellu Thatha (Srinivasa Varada Bhattar) did not eat anything in that period because his way of life was such – he would not eat food without presenting the Thaligai to Perumal. They were steadfast in their faith and lived their entire life in the belief that complete devotion to ‘Kesava and Mayuravalli’ was the only way of life and there was no compromise permissible in the way they performed kainkaryam at this temple.”

Giri Bhattar’s forefathers moved from Vandavasi to Madras around the 1550s and came to reside in the Sannidhi Street in front of the Kesava Perumal temple ‘When the financial situation was really bad, my great grandfather Kesava Bhattar went to the Parthasarathy temple in Thiruvallikeni as a support priest (during his non service days in the month at the Kesava Perumal temple). With the income generated during his Kainkaryam there, he performed the Deepavali utsavam at the Kesava Perumal temple.”

Born to perform Kainkaryam

The thought that this Vaikanasa Bhattar clan has been born only to perform archaka service to Perumal and Thayar had been instilled in Giri Bhattar right from the time he was five years old “Instead of learning the alphabets at Chellammal School, I learned the slokas. When a traditional event was held at Sivaswamy Kalalaya, I donned the Hanuman Thirukolam and won a prize. Similarly, when my teacher at school asked how it rains, I said that Lord Varuna throws water from the sky in a Jug. My early life was almost completely centered around Kesava Perumal and Bhakthi towards him. Hence I related everything in life to the concept of devotion and kainkaryam.” 

He says from being an academically poor student in early school, he managed good marks in Class X and XII and completed his graduation in commerce from the Vivekananda college. He later went on to a degree in law. His thatha and appa had lived through poverty and there were days when there was no money at home to even eat a meal. During the Pandemic, when his thatha passed away due of Covid, there was not enough money to even perform the last rites and the monthly Kaaryams but Giri Bhattar says that Kesava and Mayuravalli have always shown the way and helped them come of all kinds of challenges.

The previous consecration had taken place 20 years ago and the temple is currently seeing a restoration exercise with Thiruppani works having started in the second half of last year. The consecration is expected to take place later this year by when it is hoped that the temple will wear a new and fresh look. 

 

Taking forward the Hereditary Service into the next phase

Given the current scenario in temples, Giri Bhattar will continue to don the role of an advocate in the foreseeable future but as has been way of this family over the last 500 years, Giri Bhattar is clear that his first and foremost duty in this life is to perform Kainkaryam at the Kesava and Mayuravalli Sannidhis at the Kesava Perumal temple in Mylapore. There are challenges for archakas relating to hereditary service in temples but Giri Bhattar is confident that with the blessings of 'Mayuravalli', he will be able to continue this five centuries old tradition during his life time. At this young age, he has been able to captivate the minds of the devotees with his sincerity and committed service. He says that he will endeavour to perform Kainkaryam in  a way to not spoil that regard the devotees seem to currently have for him as a devoted archaka.

Srirangam Singar Koil Transformational Restoration

From a deserted temple not so long ago, the restoration to its historical traditional features is leading devotees to throng the temple in big numbers

Thousands visited the temple on Tuesday when Namperumal made a trip to this temple on the occasion of Vijayadasami and provided darshan on the Horse Vahana

TVS' Venu Srinivasan has orchestrated yet another transformational restoration of a temple, this time at the Kaattu Azhagiya Singar temple in Srirangam. Thousands of devotees visited the temple located in the eastern outskirts of Srirangam on the occasion of Vijayadasami on Tuesday when Namperumal provided a once in a year darshan through the day at this temple. Till a few decades ago, the Singar temple was in a discarded state. Most feared a trip to this historical temple for the path was dark and the temple abound with thick bushes. 

Snakes, Reptiles and Skeletons too!!!

The few who made their way to have darshan of  Azhagiya Singar had to encounter venomous Snakes, Udumbu and deadly big Scorpions. Similar to the twin temples of Erettai Tirupathi in Nava Tirupathi (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html), the prakara here too was filled with bushes and one could hear the hissing snakes. Only the die-hard Narasimha devotees and those that had serious problems to contend with in life dared to venture into this area.  The temple was flanked by a burial ground in the North and green fields in the East and South. There were no electric lights anywhere in the vicinity of the temple. The only noise came from the Steam engines that passed through the Srirangam station in the West. 

The temple legend

Surrounded by the two rivers- Cauvery in the South and Coloroon in the North, this Kshetram was inhabited only by the rishis and their families in the centuries gone by. Time and again, wild animals would attack the families of the rishis and consume them for a meal.While the rishis had the power to burn the animals just by their looks, they would not forego the fruits of their penance by killing these wild animals. Instead they undertook a more severe form of penance invoking the blessings of Lord Narasimha. Pleased with their prayers, Lord Narasimha appeared here providing darshan to these rishis. As per their request, he stayed here with Goddess Lakshmi protecting the lives of all those who offer their sincere prayers at this place. The idol of Lakshmi Narasimha here is a Svayambu moorthy and is seen in a seated posture facing the West (towards Srirangam Ranganatha temple) with Lakshmi to his left. As the Lord appeared here in the middle of a forest and stayed back to protect the devotees, he came to be called ‘Kaattu’ Azhagiya Singar.

     Azhagiya Singar Temple

Deterioration of the temple infrastructure, Issues abound

As had been the trend in the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, additional constructions came up here too in the century gone by. The second prakara remained shut for decades and not many knew the existence of this prakara. Just under two decades ago, as found in many temples in TN and in line with the new trend, the temple complex saw unwelcome additions. The path leading to the moolavar sannidhi was embellished with modern stones and the temple lost the traditional feel to it. Steel sheets too made its way into the temple. The water in the madapalli remained stuck and there was no path for the waste water to flow out. Rain water stagnated inside the temple complex. Overall, there were issues on all sides inside the temple complex.

BEFORE AND NOW

The Restoration Exercise 

Chairman of TVS Motor Company Venu Srinivasan has been involved with restoration of ancient temples for the last thirty years. He followed his transformational restoration at the Ranganathaswamy temple in the middle of the last decade with the repair works at Singar Koil a few years ago. From the restoration of the Nava Tirupathi temples in the 1990s, he has always held sticking to traditional infrastructure on top of his priority list. And thus one of the first things he did at Singar Koil was to remove the modern stones that had become integral to the temple over the previous couple of decades. He replaced these with Karungal. The overhead steel sheets were removed. The first prakara was completely dug up, the concrete flooring that had been previously laid was removed and replaced with traditional stones. 

FIRST PRAKARA EARLIER AND NOW

S Venkatesan, the maniyam at Singar Koil, has also doubled up as the cook for over four decades. He served through the dark days when snakes even made its way to the madapalli. His appa Singar Koil Maniam Srinivasan served for three decades at the temple and lived in financially challenging times selling the madapalli prasadam to make both ends meet. He watched the entire transformation process from a few yards away and the restoration to old times brought happy tears to his years.  Sitting at the entrance of the Madapalli in the Eastern corner of the first prakara,  he told this writer that Venu Srinivasan took up an almost impossible task “ The earlier Thiruppani led to concrete stones being laid in this prakara. He studied how this prakara was in historical times. The pradakshanam path way dug up a few feet and traditional stones found its way back into this prakara. The devotees have been delighted with this development as it is good for the feet. The traditional feel is now back at the temple.”

A transformed Madapalli

Venkatesan is personally happy at the transformation at the Madapalli where he has been serving for the last 42 years “There was not enough natural light at the Madapalli. Air Flow issues meant that the smoke remained with the madapalli leading to health issues. There was no proper outlet for the waste water to flow and it often got stuck in its path. There was bad odour that I had to put up with each day of the year.  I had to use a long stick to push the water away every time. Venu Srinivasan’s team studied this process and devised a system whereby the waste water now flows out of the temple into the drainage system.”

He is also delighted with the way rain water is now being saved “A system was devised by the TVS team for the rain water to be saved. In the past, there was stagnation inside the prakara. Not a drop of rain water is now wasted.”

      Earlier Addl Constructions

Where was the Second Prakara?

New visitors to the temple over the last few decades did not know about the existence of a second prakara. That had become a thing of the past. There were thick bushes around. These were removed and a pathway laid once again with traditional stones. On the Vijayadasami day, devotees in large numbers went around in a pradakshinam around this second prakara. 

     The new look 2nd Prakara

Greenery in the First Prakara, large open space

New walls had been constructed in recent decades around the first prakara that meant there was very little walking space. These were removed and this has now led to an open space that is filled with greenery.  

           The Spacious first prakara 

1970s/80s - No devotees at Singar Temple even on Vijayadasami day

Sridhar, Maniam at the Ranganathaswamy temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html) has been performing Kainkaryam since 1978. He is happy with the recent turnaround having carried Namperumal on procession during the annual trip of Namperumal to the Kattu Azhagiya Singar temple when there were not too many devotees. He recalls those years from the 1970s and 80s "The entire zone after the boys high school was full of bushes. There was no electricity east of the Srirangam railway station. The entire area around the temple complex was full of trees. It was really dark and ladies did not make it to the Singar temple for the start of the Kuthirai Vahana purappadu in the evening. In those years, there were just around 20 Vethal Sripatham service personnel carrying the Lord on processions. There were hardly fifty people at the Singar Koil even on the Vijayadasami day when Namperumal provided darshan through the day. On most other days in the year, the temple was in a deserted state with only a couple of Kainkaryapakas performing service inside the temple."

Archakas now queuing up for Kainkaryam

There was a time in the not too distant past when devotees feared entering this temple complex and the archakas waited outside for devotees to turn up but it seemed like an eternal wait at that time and they shut the temple and return home saddened at the plight of the temple. Venkatesan Maniam remained committed to the Madapalli service in the most challenging phase for he believed that Azhagiya Singaperumal would one day turn around the fortunes of this temple.

Four decades after he joined service, Venkatesan points to the way the archakas are now queuing up to perform kainkaryam as testimony to the mega turnaround “Not many gave it a chance for this temple to turnaround in the way it has. The burial ground nearby also led to resistance in visiting this temple. It had been real dark days and the archakas preferred service at the Ranganathaswamy temple. Today, they are all turning up in full strength and are here sharp at six am much in contrast to the decades gone by when not many among them preferred this temple for service.”

In recent times,  devotees have been thronging the temple in large numbers on Swathi and Pradosham evenings.

Venkatesan presents three different Thaligai on Tuesday evening

From the days when only a handful of devotees were present even on the Vijayadasami day, Venkatesan considers it a great blessing to have had the opportunity to present three different Thaligai Chakkarai Pongal, Dhadhyonam and Paanagam to Namperumal on Tuesday evening that the huge number of devotees enjoyed. He recounts as to how the only time devotees turned up at Singar Koil in those dark years was for the Ven Pongal Thaligai that the devotees particularly liked. 

By 6pm on Tuesday, there were several hundreds outside the alankara mandapam eagerly waiting for a darshan of Namperumal on the Horse Vahana. After waiting a while for Vande Bharat express to pass by the Srirangam station, Namperumal crossed the railway track as he made his way back to his abode via the Sathara Veethi after a day long stay at the Singar Temple. The Vijayadasami events concluded with a Thirumanjanam of Namperumal at the Santanu Mandapam well past 9.30pm.

A Glorious Revival on all fronts

TVS Chief Venu Srinivasan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html) can sit back with a great deal of satisfaction at having turned around the fortunes of the temple with yet another transformational restoration of a historical temple in Tamil Nadu, a journey that had started in the mid 1990s with the Nava Tirupathi temples. For the devotees, it is a devotional treat to see the temple complex return to its historical glory with large open spaces assisting easy movement around the prakaras. Also, the removal of the modern stones inside the sannidhi and the restoration of Karungal has given the devotees a good feel. For the archakas, it is glory days again, something they would not have visualised in their childhood. The thronging of big crowds especially on Swathi and Pradosham days has meant a financial revival for them, a far cry from the decades when the previous gen archakas waited endlessly for the next devotee to arrive, one that for most part proved futile.

                                     

The final word is on Venkatesan Maniam who stuck to his guns even in the worst of times not giving up his belief in Kattu Azhagiya Singa Perumal. His appa Singar Koil Srinivasan had always told him that unflinching faith would lead the Lord to shower his blessings on him and his family. On this Tuesday evening, presenting multiple Thaligai in large quantities to Namperumal gave him utmost satisfaction. Sitting at the entrance of the madapalli where he has cooked all alone for four decades, Venkatesan sports a happy smile at this restoration exercise carried out by Venu Srinivasan and his team. He has seen the temple at its lowest and now after this restoration, there is a sense of contentment within him in the way the fortunes of this ancient temple has been turned around. Devotees are after him at the madapalli with one devotee asking for a Kalkandu Bath Thaligai once a month for the next one year. On Swathi and Pradosham evenings, devotees queue up to the entrance of the temple for the prasadam. Despite the turnaround, he remains unchanged. He says that Azhagiya Singar has taken great care of him and given him all that he could have asked for in this life. Like he has been doing for decades, he sees as his role performing his kainkaryam as sincerely as possible till the time his body allows him to. 

Kaattu Azhagiya Singa Perumal temple is located 200 yards east of the Srirangam Railway Station. The temple is open from 6.15am to 12noon and 430pm to 8pm.

For Thaligai (prasadam) devotees may contact Maniam and Madapalli Cook Venkatesan @ 63792 77677/ 81447 21248