Srirangam Temple Prasadam Stall Transformation Aadi 2026

HRCE Minister Ramesh has initiated two unprecedented steps that augurs well for the devotees

High Quality Prasadam will now be prepared internally at the Madapalli, and the temple has seen a drastic reduction in 'VIP reference' darshan this month

In his first 45 days as the HRCE Minister, Ramesh has taken two unprecedented positive steps at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. This section had featured a story as early as September 2018 as to how the so called ‘Prasadam’ stall functioned at the temple. And then in 2024, this section featured another story on how the High Court came hard on the HRCE regarding the conduct of the Prasadam stall (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/09/srirangam-prasadam-stall.html).

Minister breaking the flawed model

This writer had said then back in 2018 that the HR & CE had converted ‘Food’ into a lucrative business inside the temple complex with the food counter having been auctioned for around Rs. 1crore at the Srirangam temple, a mind boggling Rs. 30000 a day.In that model, food was made far away from the Madapalli and even brought from outside the temple complex. One did not know when it was prepared and how old the snacks and sweets were.

Hiring Madapalli Paricharakars for Prasadam preparation

As soon as Ramesh took charge, he has gone about initiating two transformational changes. It is Sunday morning (June 28) and the day of Aani Jeshtabhisekam for Ranganathaswamy. The sacred water is brought from Kollidam through the Thayar Sannidhi to the presentation of non stop Nadaswaram by the entire team of artistes at the temple.

Photo credit: Sundar Bhattar

JC Sivaram Kumar is near the Dwajasthambam just past 9am as part of the sacred Kudam's procession on the temple elephant. He tells this writer as to how based on the proactive initiative of Minister Ramesh, the Srirangam temple will see a new model of Prasadam that has not been seen here or elsewhere. “We are hiring specific Parijaraka personnel for the madapalli and have received the requisite certification from the Food quality authorities. We are now in the process of identifying the quantity of ingredients required for the daily preparation and will finalise these over the next fortnight. The contract with the existing prasadam stall ends in the 2nd week of July and we will be preparing the various sweets through our own newly hired Paricharakars from mid July. This is a first of its kind initiative undertaken in TN temples and am happy that it is starting off in Srirangam”, he told this writer even as scores of Nadaswaram artistes play devotional music next to the Dwajasthambam.

The Aadi Start - Minister Ramesh's Prasadam stall direction

Minister Ramesh was keen that every food packet handed to devotees from the Prasadam stall had to have manufacturing and expiry dates. As per his direction, when the sweets get prepared from the paniyaram zone from the 3rd week of July, every packet will have these details. Ramesh is expected to closely monitor this process to ensure that only high quality prasadam is handed out to devotees. Come Aadi, the devotees of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam will experience something that they have not in the last few decades that of tasting high quality food prepared with good quality ghee, oil and other ingredients and with specific deadlines on the wrapperm of the food packets sold.

VIP 'Reference' darshan model on the decline

The Ranganathaswamy temple has been witnessing big crowds on specific festive occasions such Adyayana Vaikunta Ekadasi utsavam, Panguni Uthiram, Puratasi Saturdays and the like. With the taking off of the devotional wave, devotees are now thronging the temple round the year even on non festive occasions to have darshan of the Moolavar Lord in Sayana Kolam. 

For a long time, the VIP darshan model created havoc in the path to the Moolavar darshan. There was very little the local temple authorities could do for every so called VIP dished out a ‘reference’. Soon as Minister Ramesh visited the temple, he was clear that there had to be an end to this model. He backed JC Sivaram Kumar to undertake strict steps and adopt a clear process driven model for darshan. 

Photo credit : Sundar Bhattar

JC Sivaram Kumar told this writer on Sunday morning as to how ‘I know him’ reference of VIP devotees has almost come to an end at the Ranganathaswamy temple. Once into the Aariya Bhattal Vaasal, devotees are directed to the free darshan queue or the Rs. 100 queue. Those continuing to wield VIP reference power have to get a sign off from the JC. Even the Kainkaryaparas who brought in devotees for special darshan have to now make an entry in the notebook placed near the Dwajasthambam signing off with their name and the number of devotees they are bringing for special darshan. This step has drastically reduced VIP darshan at the Moolavar Sannidhi and there is a sense of process now to this approach.

A Refreshing outlook of the new Minister

While the previous HRCE minister focused on ‘Kumbhabhisekam’ target and giving a new look to the temple infrastructure, the new minister is focused on streamlining important processes within the temple so as to create a friendly environment for the devotees who are coming to have darshan of the Lord. The two initiatives Minister Ramesh has undertaken at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam has sent a strong message to everyone at the temple that he would not tolerate anyone wavering from devotee friendly processes.  He has said that he may seem young and inexperienced but he has toiled hard in the background for years to come to this level. With the clarity on what he wants to achieve for devotee welfare, he is taking bold, unprecedented steps that very few at the Ranganathaswamy temple had expected or have experienced in the past. And that is great news for devotees who are thronging the temple from far and wide for a few seconds darshan of the Sleeping Lord.

Uraiyur Kamalavalli Nachiyar Vasantha Utsavam Transformation

Rajesh Bhattar and Kishore Bhattar work in tandem to provide a happy experience for devotees 

A delightful restoration by TVS' Venu results in a grand historic revival of the Vasantha Utsavam 

It is just past 4pm on Tuesday (June 16) evening. Devaraja Bhattar (Rajesh Bhattar to those in the temple circles in Srirangam) has made his way from East Adayavalanjan  street in Srirangam where he resides to the Kamalavalli Nachiyar temple in Uraiyur, one where Thiru Mangai Azhvaar has referred to this location alongside the praise of Sundararaja Perumal of Thiru Nagai. He has around 50 days of Kainkaryam annually at this Divya Desam and happily for him, one set of those days has fallen on the occasion of the Vasantha Utsavam.

A twin saree alankaram

For an hour, he decorates Kamalavalli Nachiyar, interestingly with two silk sarees- one provided by the devotee donor of the day and the other brought by himself. The contrasting colours look beautiful and catches the eye of the devotees when they have darshan at the Vasantha Mandapam later in the evening.

Like with many Divya Desams in TN, the 1970s and 80s saw a slowdown at Srirangam as well and many in the next gen looked to go the corporate world for their career path while their appa continued the hereditary service at the Ranganathaswamy temple as well as its sub temples nearby. While he had his Deekshai early in his life, Rajesh Bhattar worked in multiple companies in the Paper industry for close to two decades before taking up the hereditary Kainkaryam at the Ranganathaswamy temple a decade ago. 

For this evening, he has roped in his close friend Sundararaja Bhattar (Kishore Bhattar to those in the temple circles) for support. The two of them work closely and support each other in temple events as Kishore Bhattar tells this writer shortly after Kamalavalli Nachiyar arrives at beautiful looking Vasantha Mandapam surrounded by colourful Vritchi flowers in the Nandavanam. “It is Rajesh Bhattar’s service day today at this temple and he called me in for support to be at the Vasantha Mandapam after the 5pm procession. Similarly, when it is my service temple in any of the temples, I rope him in for support. We understand each other well and enjoy working together” Kishore Bhattar narrates to this writer on why he is present at Uraiyur this evening.

Chozha's Capital

Located on the banks of Cauvery south of Srirangam, Uraiyur was the first capital of the Chozhas. The Chozha king Nanda Chozhan had been childless. Pleased with his prayers, Lord Ranganatha asked Goddess Lakshmi to be born as the King’s daughter at Uraiyur. Being born out of the Lotus, the Goddess here is called Kamalavalli Nachiyar [Kamala means Lotus]. As years went by, Kamalavalli grew into a beautiful young girl. One day while she was out with her friends, her eyes fell on a handsome young man and instantly she fell in love with him. The man was none other than Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam.

King Nanda Chozhan was in a fix as his daughter had fallen in love with the man, who had blessed the king with the child. Once again, the Lord accepted the king’s prayers and accepted her as his bride. Delighted at this, Nanda Chozhan built a temple at Uraiyur to celebrate the (home) coming of Lord Ranganatha to Uraiyur to take the hand of his daughter.

Panguni visit of Lord Ranganatha

Every year in the month of Panguni, a significant event takes place at the Uraiyur temple. Lord Ranganatha, in all his splendour, leaves the Srirangam temple at 4am to take long trip across the Cauvery in a golden palanquin to meet his beloved Kamalavalli Naachiyar for the ‘Kalyana Utsavam’(marriage festivities). On this auspicious day in the month of Panguni, the entire marriage formalities between Lord Ranganatha and Kamalavalli Nachiyar is enacted at the Uraiyur Temple. Lord Ranganatha takes the trip back to Srirangam across the Cauvery that same night.

A transformational restoration by Venu Srinivasan

The Vasantha Mandapam and its surroundings was in a dilapidated state till a decade ago with a lack of attention and with devotees focusing all their attention on the Divine Couple at Srirangam. TVS’ Venu Srinivasan who was the architect of large scale restoration exercise at the Srirangam temple just over a decade ago was invited to restore the Uraiyur Divya Desam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html). 

He was shocked to see the state of the temple infrastructure but as he has in so many other temples especially in the erstwhile Pandya region, he went about providing his magic touch to restoring this temple too in a traditional way with the help of his team of engineers and those well versed in temple restoration. And in a matter of six months, the Vasantha Mandapam had been completely transformed. 

This writer had featured a story in this section in 2019 on the state of the temple and how the Vasantha Mandapam had been converted to an anna dhanam koodam. It was through Venu’s efforts that the anna dhanam koodam was removed and the Vasantha Mandapam was restored to its historic elegance that devotees experienced this evening (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/09/uraiyur-kamalavalli-nachiyar.html).

Venu Srinivasan had told this writer that he was in 'Service to God' as a devotee and that the restoration exercise in Uraiyur was in line with that thought.

      Vasantha Mandapam area - A decade ago

Sacred food from the madapalli

The restoration of the damaged madapalli and a full time cook has been great news for the kainkaryaparas for they get to eat tasty sacred food in between their service during this fourth evening of the utsavam. The devotees too get a feel of the traditional temple dosai as that is handed out to them late in the evening before the return procession. And each of them seemed to have enjoyed that as much as they enjoyed the presence of Kamalavalli Nachiyar at the Vasantha Mandapam.

A devotionally committed Koil Mahajanam Seenu

Koil Mahajanam Srinivasan (Seenu) has had a 8 hour duty as Sannidhi Vaasal through the first half of the day at the Moolavar Ranganathaswamy Sannidhi in Srirangam. After a short rest, he has driven 10 kms on his two wheeler from Srirangam to Uraiyur to perform the role of the Koil Mahajanam at the Vasantha Utsavam while his junior colleague ‘Pineapple’ Sudarshan donned that role at the Vasantha Utsavam for Ranganayaki Thayar in Srirangam. Interestingly, this year, both the Poochatru Utsavam and the Vasantha Utsavam fell on the same dates for Ranganayaki Thayar and Kamalavalli Nachiyar. Seenu was just into his early years of service as Koil Mahajanam when he experienced the Vasantha Utsavam well over a decade ago at the Uraiyur temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/10/srirangam-koil-mahajanam-srinivasan.html). 

Shortly after Kamalavalli Nachiyar entered the Vasantha Mandapam, he recalled his memories from those early years of his service “The entire location around the Vasantha Mandapam was filled with debris with the processional path in a dilapidated state with stones poking the feet of the Sripatham personnel. It has been a dramatic transformation in the last few years with the Vasantha Mandapam wearing a new look much to the delight of the devotees.”

Thirumangai Azhvaar's reference to Kozhiyur

There’s a belief that an Elephant of a Chozha king, which entered this place, was beaten back by a valiant Hen and had to retreat. Hence, this place is also called Kozhiyoor (Kozhi means Hen in Tamil). 

கோழியும் கடலும் கோயில் கொண்ட 

கோவலரே யொப்பர் குன்றமன்ன

பாழியும் டோழுமொரே நான் குடையார்

பண்டிவர் தம்மயம் கண்டறியோம்

வாழிய ரோவிவர் வண்ண மென்னில்

மாகடல் போன்றுளர் கையில் வெய்ய

அழியோன் றேந்தியோர் சங்கு பற்றி

அச்சோ ஒருவர் அழகியவா

Selfless Service by Sripatham

G. Krishnamurthy (GK) was at the purapadu Thodakkam at 5pm playing the role of Maniyakarar while Sridharan Maniam took care of the Ranganayaki Thayar Vasantha Utsavam at Srirangam. After mariyathai at Ramanuja Sannidhi (it was Thiruvathirai and monthly birthday of Ramanuja) and Thirupaan Azhvaar Sannidhi (the birth place of the Saint Poet who sang ten verses of praise of Lord Ranganatha after invoking the blessings from the banks of the Cauvery) in the presence of the Jeer of Azhvaar Tirunagari, Kamalavalli Nachiyar made her way through the colourful lights to the Vasantha Mandapam. There are four HRCE appointed Sripatham at this temple and the rest of the personnel were from the Vethal service, those that perform selfless service during processions. For the next 2 ½ hours, she provided darshan at the Vasantha Mandapam to devotees who trickled in small numbers through the evening. 

As the clock ticked almost to 7pm, Rajesh Bhattar began the Thiru Aradhanam process fanning Kamalavalli Nachiyar on what had earlier been a hot day. The Araiyar from Srirangam too had made it to Uraiyur and he presented the Pallandu verse.

It has been a completed transformation of the Vasantha Mandapam and the Vasantha Utsavam has been revived to its historical beauty, with the plants around the mandapam providing a cool breeze for Kamalavalli Nachiyar to enjoy. 

From Indian Railways to Temple Kainkaryam

While Rajesh Bhattar went away for a while after the Thiru Aradhanam, Kishore Bhattar took over the role of the Vasantha Mandapam archaka aiding devotees with the darshan. Like Rajesh Bhattar, Kishore Bhattar too had been away while his appa continued the temple service. For 25 years, he worked in the railways before quitting the job and taking up the hereditary temple kainkaryam after the passing away of his appa and uncle. 

At the Uraiyur temple, Kamalavalli Nachiyar is seen in a grand sitting posture, all set to get married. Being the handsome man in wedding attire, Lord Ranganatha here is called ‘Azhagiya Mana Vaalan’. A speciality of this temple is that this is the only Divya Desam where the Goddess is facing the Northern direction, in this case in the direction of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple.

It is past 8pm and following the Veda Vinnappam and Theertha Ghoshti, Kamalavalli Nachiyar is all set to make her way back to her abode on this 4th day of the Vasantha Utsavam. Koil Mahajanam Seenu and Maniyakarar GK lead the Sripatham personnel to the Vasantha Mandapam. Rajesh Bhattar is back at the mandapam for the return procession while Kishore Bhattar makes his way to the Madapalli that too has been restored beyond recognition. 

There are just a handful of devotees and each of them enjoy the procession in the quiet and serene prakara. In front of the Ramanuja Sannidhi, Rajesh Bhattar presents the Deeparathanai that is followed by the presentation of Vada Paruppu before Kamalavalli Nachiyar makes her back to her Sannidhi sharp at 8.30pm.

A Revival to Savour

It has been enjoyable evening for both Rajesh Bhattar and Kishore Bhattar working in tandem and they make their way back to Srirangam. For Koil Mahajanam Srinivasan, he dashes back to the Ranganathaswamy temple for the culmination pooja event there. For those that had been witness to the Vasantha Utsavam at the Kamalavalli Nachiyar Divya Desam in Uraiyur just over a decade ago, this has been a delightful transformation and for that the credit goes to TVS’ Venu Srinivasan.

Srirangam East Gopuram Reopening Delayed

Shut down for years- Devotees put to great hardship in Srirangam

Will the new HRCE Minister initiate steps to hasten the reopening process

When the residents of Srirangam came on to the streets opposite the Damodara Krishnan East Gopuram late last year, the JC of the Ranganathaswamy temple, Sivaram Kumar, assured them that the gopuram will be reopened by March this year. When this writer wrote a story for The Hindu in December last, the devotee donor Dr. Jayabal from Coimbatore who is also building the Raja Gopuram in Thiru Vellarai said that the gopuram will be opened in May this year. 

Last month, when this writer met the JC, he confirmed that the Gopuram will be reopened to traffic this month. The residents of Srirangam were eagerly looking forward to the reopening for they had been put to a great hardship over the last few years with the complete shutdown of this gopuram with residents not even allowed to walk through this passage (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/04/srirangam-jc-sivaram-kumar-2nd-panguni.html).

Many thought that this would indeed be opened in May this year but unfortunately the completion of the strengthening process is taking extra time and the reopening has been postponed by at least another two months. “The work is likely to take another 45-60 days” Jayabal told this writer on Thursday.

With the Srirangam constituency winner becoming the HRCE minister, the residents are hoping that he will take this issue as a priority and push the JC and the devotee donor to complete the final leg of the strengthening process quickly.

Autos have had to take a detour while coming from the eastern side of Srirangam from locations such as Kaattu Azhagiya Singar temple and the Girls High School. For a few years now, devotees have missed the straight road from the East to reach the White Gopuram which they had over a long period of time. Unfortunately, the residents on the eastern side including many shops there have lost hope after multiple postponements and have been frustrated with the non opening of this important pathway to the Ranganathaswamy temple from the East.

Will the new HRCE minister Ramesh initiate immediate steps to hasten the completion process and put a strict deadline to this for there has been an inordinate delay in the completion and the reopening has been put off a few times including the proposed reopening, first in March this year, and then the targeted reopening this month.

This section will continue to track the developments.

Srirangam Madapalli Pachur Rangarajan

Hailing from a remote village near Pachur, Rangarajan has gone on to perform service at the madapalli at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam for over three decades

This section has featured stories on those from various walks of life taking to Kainkaryam at the Ranganathswamy temple in Srirangam. Chakrapani was a worker at a factory who secured the Kainkaryam of a Sripatham. Kannan quit an IT job in Chennai to join the Sripatham. Harish Bhattar quit a high paying bank job in his 20s to continue the hereditary Bhattar Kainkaryam. This story is about one who worked as a server at a restaurant in Thiru Vellarai in his teens and was blessed to be the one who would go on to prepare the sacred Thaligai for Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayaki Thayar for over three decades. 

When he was a school boy in the 1970s, Rangarajan did not visualise a life of Kainkaryam at a temple and that at the number one Divya Desam. His appa, Venkatraman Iyengar, who hailed from Virandur, a small village near Pachur, had performed service at many village temples such as Gopurapatti and Azhagiya Manavalam. It was a financially challenging life during his childhood for there was not much of an income for those in temple service, even more so for those performing in remote village temples.

தேட்டருந்திறல் தேனினைத், தென்னரங்கனை

திருமாதுவாழ் வாட்டமில் வனமாலை மார்வனை

வாழ்த்தி 

மால்கொள் சிந்தையராய்

ஆட்ட மேவியலந்தழைத்து 

அயர் வெய்தும் மெய்யடியார்கள் தம்

ஈட்டம் கண்டிடக் கூடுமேல் 

அது காணும் பயனாவதே

From Vellarai Restaurant to Srirangam Madapalli

Given this background, like many others his generation Rangarajan, too, saw for himself a life away from temples. He was not academically inclined and quit school early. A stint at the renowned Singam Patshala in Srirangam too was short lived. To earn a livelihood, he took on a job as a server in a restaurant in Thiru Vellarai at a monthly salary of Rs. 100 sleeping in the same restaurant every day.

இந்திரனோடு பிரமன்

 ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்

மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு

மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்

சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும்

சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளறை நின்றார்

காந்தியம் பொது இது ஆகும்

அழகனே காப்பிட  வாராய்

 For additional income, he would also serve at weddings and it was on one such occasion that a meeting led to a transformational change in his life that he recounts to this writer on a hot Friday morning in front of the Perumal Madapalli at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam “Doraiswamy Iyengar, Sthaneegam and Sindhumani Iyengar, my uncle, met me at a wedding. I had just married three months earlier and the career path was uncertain. They were keen for me to move into the madapalli at the Srirangam temple where there was a shortage of personnel. I had never visualised a full time service inside the temple and this offer came out of the blue when I least expected it.”

Hard initiation at the madapalli

Thus in 1994, Pachur Rangarajan joined the madapalli at the Srirangam temple and has been here for over three decades. He remembers his initiation into the madapalli “In the first few years, the seniors back then initiated me into this service with real hard training. I had to clean the paanai and the other vessels every day, I had to clean the floor with cow-dung, had to bring over a 100 kudams of water from the well  and also wash and dry the vastrams.”

In those decades, that was the way youngsters were trained into temple kainkaryam. He says that they got him into this service in a phased step by step manner “I started off boiling rice. Once I did that well, they initiated me into preparing Thirukannamathu and Pongal. Only after being convinced that I was committed into this service, did the seniors allow me into preparing the full range of sacred food.”

Challenges at the Madapalli

In the middle of the previous decade, there were a couple of IT trained personnel who joined the Srirangam madapalli but their stint was short lived. "It is not easy to secure the blessings of Ranganathaswamy and it is even more difficult to keep it for a long time. One has to remain patient here and work hard for years to get into the good books of Perumal. Those who sought a quick path to glory were shown the door just as quickly" says Pachur Rangarajan on some of the challenges he had to encounter in his service, especially when newer, more aggressive personnel worked alongside him at the madapalli (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/07/srirangam-madapalli-transformation.html).

Serious Health Issues but he is back again

A life at the madapalli at the Ranganathaswamy temple is a physically challenging one with the personnel having to carry several kgs of Thaligai from the madapalli to the Sannidhi and to mandagapadis during the round the year utsavams. Working on firewood and without enough free flowing air takes a toll on the body as Rangarajan found out late last year when he encountered serious health issues. But his devotional commitment to Ranganayaki Thayar has brought him into the temple after a short ‘health’ break and is raring to go like he was in the 1990s, looking forward to the Panguni Utsavam that is coming up later this month. 

His Top 3 favourite Sacred Thaligai

Pachur V. Rangarajan counts Milagu Puliyodarai, Thayar Aravanai and Puttu as his three favourite sacred Thaligai that he particularly likes preparing and presenting. He is now the senior most cook at the Ranganathaswamy temple and the one who initiates and trains new comers into the madapalli. He has served at the Perumal madapalli for over 15 years, at the Thayar Madapalli for close to a decade and also at Thiru Vellarai and Uraiyur in the past. 

Madapalli Kainkaryam as his only way of life

He says he never visualised a life at the Srirangam temple. He considers it a great blessing to be following in the footsteps of grandfather and uncle into this life of preparing and presenting the sacred food to Perumal and Thayar at this legendary Divya Desam for over three decades. He would be retiring soon but if the temple authorities require his services, he says he would be happy to continue the kainkaryam till the very last moment of his life, for he has experienced the greatest satisfaction and happiness in his life when preparing the sacred food for the Divine Couple. 

Singar Koil Srirangam Maniam Cook Venkatesan

One of a kind Madapalli Cook

For over 40 years, Venkatesan has been the sole man preparing the sacred food for Lakshmi Narasimha at Kaattu Azhagiya Singar Koil Madapalli 

It is ticking to 4am on this Pongal (Jan 15) morning and it is another chilly morning in Srirangam. For the 31st day in a row, S Venkatesan, the Maniyakaarar and Chief Cook at the Madapalli at the Kaattu Azhagiya Singar Koil in Srirangam, is at the temple for the final Thaligai of the month. With Andal’s Thiruppavai playing on the temple’s loud speakers around the temple complex, Venkatesan, as the lone man at this hour at the temple madapalli, is preparing ‘Paal Payasam’ as the final sacred food for Narasimha in this Margazhi month. Through each day of Margazhi, he has woken up at 2.30am and been at the temple madapalli at this early hour to prepare the sacred ‘Thirupalliezhuchi’ food for Lakshmi Narasimha presented just after 6am each morning of the month. 

Rains over the past few days meant that it took longer for the firewood to heat and that added to Venkatesan’s early morning challenges this Margazhi. But he has always been one with patience and he demonstrated that in adequate quantity during the rainy days as well. 

He has been the sole cook at the Singar Koil for over four decades and has set expectations so high with the quality of his Ven Pongal and Chakkarai Pongal that there was a long queue each morning of the month to taste the sacred delicacy just after it’s been presented to the Lord. Many of the devotees came back a second time in the queue to pick up another ‘Thonnai’ of the hot and tasty Pongal.

Maniam Venkatesan had to stay back for uchi kaalam preparation and headed back home only past noon each day of Margazhi to come back in the evening for another round of sacred food preparation for Lord Narasimha.

This is a far cry from what the scenario was in the early 1980s when Venkatesan joined the Singar temple. He looks back at those dark early years of his association with this temple “It was really dark around the temple and inside as well. I would pick up some ghee and oil every morning to light the lamp at the temple. We would wait endlessly till after noon for the next devotee but there were hardly any. There was absolutely no income.”

Dark decade - The 1980s

As the Maniyakaarar in charge of the temple service and poojas, Venkatesan was not able to give even 25paise a day to the archakas for their service in those early days, such was the financial state of the temple. 

In addition to housing Lord Azhagiya Singar, the temple played home to venomous snakes, Udumbu and deadly big Scorpions. Cook Venkatesan had to contend with snakes that were an integral part of the dark prakaras in those decades. He has recalled many times to this writer as to how a venomous snake just missed biting him outside the madapalli when he was washing the vessels.

அங்கண் ஞால மஞ்ச அங்கு ஓர் ஆள் அரி ஆய் 

அவுணன் பொங்க ஆகம் வள் உகிரால் 

போழ்ந்த புனிதன் இடம் 

பைங்கண் ஆனைக் கொம்பு கொண்டு பத்திமையால் 

அடிக்கீழ்ச் செங்கண் ஆளி இட்டு இறைஞ்சும் 

சிங்கவேழ் குன்றமே - Periya Thirumozhi - 1-7-1

Till about a few decades ago, there were no houses in the area. The temple was flanked by a burial ground in the North and green fields in the East and South. There were no lights anywhere in the vicinity of the temple. The only noise came from the steam engines that passed through the Srirangam station. There were even skeletons seen around this ancient temple that pre dates the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.

Devotional Commitment - The Saviour

For over a dozen years, it was a very challenging life for Venkatesan as there were ' No devotees- No income' and it had become a way of everyday life in that early phase. While it may have been disheartening, I always remembered my appa’s message to have a firm believe in Narasimha and to perform our duty with utmost sincerity” Venkatesan recalls on the most important message of his life.

“Despite the financially stressed life, my appa Srinivasa Iyengar’s consistent message to me throughout my childhood was to give positive messages to devotees who came to the Lord with problems and to create the belief in them that the Lord would take care of them if they invoked his blessings with sincere devotion. It is our duty to make them happy when they are here at the temple and that is what I have tried to instil in them all through the last four decades” says Venkatesan.

That’s easily Venkatesan’s biggest differentiator. At a time when there are shortage of cooks at the madapalli even at Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu, Venkatesan has been a lone hand at Singar Koil having prepared the Thaligai each day of the year for over 40 years leaving long standing devotees bewildered at his devotional commitment.

Devotional Wave - Surge in 'Narasimha' belief

With the devotional wave striking TN temples and the belief in Lord Narasimha as one who answers a devotee’s sincere prayers, Singar Koil has seen a remarkable turnaround with Pradosham and Swathi days every month seeing high turnout of devotees. On Aani Swathi in 2025, the annual birthday of Periyazhvaar, the devotee queue extended to the main road with thousands of them lined through the evening for a darshan of Lakshmi Narasimha. Similar was the crowd during the Saturdays of Puratasi. 

From a time when he awaited the next devotee to present his Thaligai, it has reached a phase now when devotees have to return disappointed without tasting Venkatesan’s Pongal. On days such as Swathi, Venkatesan prepares multiple dishes including melagorai, kesari bath and dhadhyonam. Paanagam is another hit among the devotees on Pradosham days.

பள்ளியில் ஓதி வந்த தன் சிறுவன்

வாயில் ஓர் ஆயிற நாமம் 

ஒள்ளியவாகிப் போதவாங்கதனுக்கு ஒன்று மோர் பொறுப்பிலனாகி

பிள்ளையை சீறி வெகுண்டு தூண் புடைப்ப

பிறை எயிற்றின ல் விழிப்பேழ்வாய்

தெள்ளிய சிங்கம் ஆகிய தேவை 

திருவல்லிக்கேணி கண்டேனே - Periya Thirumozhi - 2.3.8

 

It is past 7.30am on this Thursday morning and one can see the joy and a bit of relief in Venkatesan’s face having successfully prepared the sacred food each morning of Margazhi and to have satisfied the taste buds of the devotees.  Almost all the devotees wondered this morning as to how he has been able to do it all alone through each morning of the month when the weather is quite chilly. Forty years ago and now, his answer has always been the same. It is Lord Lakshmi Narasimha who is his sole guide and the one who has helped him wade through the most challenging times at the temple instilling in him the belief that there will be a big turnaround one day in his life provided he serves the Lord with sincerity each day of his life.

As one goes around Perumal temples in Tamil Nadu, one finds the priests struggling to find those for the Madapalli and there are many temples where the priest doubles up as the madapalli cook as well. At Kaattu Azhagiya Singar Koil, Venkatesan has been the most striking and familiar face to a large number of Narasimha devotees.

While the traditional madapalli service is continuing to be deserted in an increasing number of perumal temples with the next g looking at the corporate space or the private catering service, Venkatesan is one who has taken forward the service from his appa and after over 40 years remains devotionally inclined to preparing the sacred food each day of the year. He reminds himself every morning when he enters the madapalli of Singar Koil as to how blessed he has been to be the one to prepare and present the sacred food at the feet of Lakshmi Narasimha at Singar Koil for such a long time when most others have looked elsewhere for more lucrative opportunities.

The temple is open between 6.15am and 12noon and between 4.30pm and 8.30pm. There are special poojas and Thirumanjanam organised every month on the Swathi Nakshatram and Prathosham days. Also, Saturday is an auspicious day to visit this temple.

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Utsavam Dasavatharam temple Srirangam

A Day to Celebrate Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's contribution to Srirangam

In a once in a year procession, the 'Azhvaar with a Spear' presents darshan around the Chitra Streets and at the Ahobila Mutt and Poundarikapuram Ashram 

It is the big day in the year at the Dasavatharam temple when it comes alive with the celebration of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and his contribution to Srirangam. Priest Sudarshan of Dasavatharam Sannidhi in Srirangam, one administered by the Ahobila Mutt, woke up early on Thursday (Dec 4) morning and much to his delight, the sky had cleared after heavy rains the previous day. He had been apprehensive the previous night on whether the rains would continue and disrupt this annual procession of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on this Karthigai day in Karthigai.

Thirumangai Azhvaar’s Dasavathara praise
Located on the banks of Coloroon half a kilometer North West of Lord Ranganatha temple is the historical Dasavatharam Sannidhi in Srirangam. Thirumangai Azhvaar has made a specific mention of the Dasavatharam Lords in the sixth decad of the fifth canto of Periya Thirumozhi. Pleased with Thirumangai Azhvaar’s efforts in constructing the huge walls, Ranganathaswamy is said to have granted his wish of displaying the 10 Avataarams all at one place. Accordingly, the Lord displayed all his 10 prominent Avatars including the Kalki Avataar.

ஏனாகி உலகிடந்து அன்று இருநிலனும் பெரு விசும்பும்
தானாய பெருமானை தன்னடியார் மனத்தென்றும்
தேனாகி அமுதாகித் திகழ்ந்தானை
மகிழ்ந்தொருகால்
ஆனாயன் ஆனானை கண்டது தென் அரங்கத்தே- 5.6.3

Thirumangai Azhvaar had two other wishes - for Namperumal to provide darshan to all those who helped him build the huge walls of Srirangam and for Him to come on special street processions via the Southern banks of Coloroon.

Shortly after 6am, Sudarshan Bhattar had moved into the final decoration process of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. By 7am, there were more happy faces with the arrival of Prabhandham and Vedic members as well as the Sripatham personnel. 

After Mangalasasanam at the Perumal Sannidhi, Desikar and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Sannidhi, the procession began around the Chitra streets. Residents of Dasavatharam Sannidhi street lined up in front of their homes to present coconut, fruits and flowers to Kaliyan on his birthday.                          

At the North Chitra Street, with Thiru Mangai Azhvaar facing the North Tower, the Prabhandham members presented the sacred verse from Sri Stuti. Veenai Srinivasan, who will be seen in action at the Veenai Ekantham later this month as part of the Era Pathu Utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple, had darshan of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in front of his home on East Chitra street.

It was 8am when Thiru Mangai Azhvaar who presented 50 verses of praise on the Lord of Srirangam, entered the Ahobila Mutt on East Uthira Street for Mangalasasanam at the Lakshmi Narasimha Sannidhi with the presentation of the Narasimha verse relating to Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam.

பள்ளியில் ஓதி வந்த தன் சிறுவன்

வாயில் ஓர் ஆயிற நாமம் 

ஒள்ளியவாகிப் போதவாங்கதனுக்கு ஒன்று மோர் பொறுப்பிலனாகி

பிள்ளையை சீறி வெகுண்டு தூண் புடைப்ப

பிறை எயிற்றின ல் விழிப்பேழ்வாய்

தெள்ளிய சிங்கம் ஆகிய தேவை 

திருவல்லிக்கேணி கண்டேனே

The service personnel were presented with Thaligai following which Thiru Mangai Azhvaar made his way through the Chitra Streets listening to the Prabhandham and Vedic recital.

At the South Chitra Street, with Thiru Mangai Azhvaar facing Periya Perumal, the Prabhandham members presented the sacred verse of Vedantha Desikar on the Lord of Srirangam.

ஆறாத அருள் அமுதம் பொதிந்த கோயில்

அம்புயத்தோன் அயோத்தி மன்னற்கு அளித்த கோயில்

தொலாத தனிவீரன் தொழுத கோயில் 

துணையான வீடணற்கு துணையாம் கோயில்

சேராத பயன் எல்லாம் சேர்க்கும் கோயில்

செழுமறையின் முதல் எழுத்து சேர்ந்த கோயில்

தீராத வினை அனைத்தும் தீர்க்கும் கோயில்

திருவரங்கம் எனும் கோயில் தானே- Athikara Sangraham

                                      

The Azhvaar with a spear

It was at Sirkazhi that the Saivite poet Thiru Gnana Sambandhar met with the Vaishnavite saint poet Thiru Mangai Mannan and engaged in a debate.

After visiting Thiru Chitrakoodam (Chidambaram), Thirumangai Mannan was on his way to Sirkazhi. All the way his subjects sang praise of him uttering different names of Mangai Mannan. The praise of Thirumangai Mannan by his subjects angered the disciples of Thiru Gnana Sambandhar. They blocked Thirumangai Mannan and asked his followers not to shout praises of Thiru Mangai Mannan in this birthplace of Thiru Gnana Sambandhar. They wanted Thirumangai Mannan to engage with Thiru Gnana Sambandhar in a discussion and win over him before continuing with their praise of Thirumangai Mannan.

Debate between Thiru Mangai and Thiru Gnana Sambandhar

In the first meeting between Thiru Mangai and Thiru Gnana Sambandhar, the Vaishnavite poet answered fluently each of Thiru Gnana Sambandhar’s questions and let out 10 verses of praise in the name of Vishnu.

“ஒரு குறளாய்  இரு நிலம் மூவடி மண் வேண்டி 

உலகு அனைத்தும் ஈர் அடியாள் ஒடுக்கி ஒன்றும் தருக

ஏனா மாவழிய சிறையில்  வைத்த 

தாடாளன் தாள் அணைவீர் 

தக்க கீர்த்தி அரு மறையின்

திரள் நான்கும் வேள்வி ஐந்தும்

அங்கங்கள் அவை ஆறும் இசைகள் ஏழும்

தெருவில் மலி விழா வளமும் சிறக்கும்

காழிச்சீராம வின்னகரே சேர்மின் நீரே ”- Periya Thirumozhi 3.4.1

Pleased and impressed with Mangai Mannan’s knowledge and the sweetness in his praise and description of the different forms of Vishnu, a spell bound Thiru Gnana Sambandhar acknowledged the greatness of Thirumangai and crowned him as ‘Mangai Azhvaar’ and presented him with the ‘Vel’(spear). Among the Azhvaars, Thiru Mangai is the only one who has been crowned with the ‘Vel’.

Thirumangai Azhvaar’s favourite idol Lakshmi Narayana is the Utsava deity at this temple. He is seen with his left hand around Thaayar. On the pedestal of the Utsava deity is Garuda who is surrounded by 8 different statues. Lord Krishna is seen as Navaneetha Natya Kannan holding butter in one hand. One of his legs is seen grounded while the other is up in a dance posture.

The walls of the Dasavatharam Sannidhi, the Prakarams and the structure of the tower are an indication of the history of this temple. The rectangular shaped Vimanam at the Dasavatharam temple is special. Also, there are 10 Kalasam for the 10 Dasavatharam Idols, another unique feature at this temple.

வளர்ந்தவனைத் தடங்கடலுள் வலியுருவில் திருசகடம்

தளர்ந்துதிர உதைத்தவனை தரியாது அன்று இரணியனை பிளந்தவனை

பெருநிலம் ஈரடிநீட்டி பண்டொருநாள் அளந்தவனை

யான் கண்டது அணிநீர்த் தென்னரங்கத்தே - 5.6.4 - Periya Thirumozhi

With clock ticking to 9am, the procession had moved to the Desikar Street, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar made his way to the Poundarikapuram Ashram where the Pontiff welcomed him. After presenting parivattam and flower garland, the head of the Ashram directed the Prabhandham members to present the verse on Therazhundur on the occasion of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s birthday. As Kaliyan made his way back from the Ashram, the acharya turned a Sripatham and carried the birthday boy on his shoulder.

87 year old Mukkoor Srinivasan, who had performed archaka kainkaryam at the Dasavatharam Sannidhi in the years gone by,  was delighted to welcome Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in front of his house and then joined the Satru Murai verses in front of the Easter Tower of the temple.

It was almost 10am when Thiru Mangai Azhvaar made his way back to the Dasavatharam temple, where renovation works have been going on for the last year. The young Sripatham personnel were energetic during the two hour procession and felt blessed to carry Thiru Mangai Azhvaar on this once in a year procession on the occasion of his annual birthday.

Srirangam Koil Mahajanam Srinivasan

The untimely death of his appa thrust a great responsibility on the teenaged shoulders - Over the last 15 years, Seenu has devotionally immersed himself in this service that has been assigned to the Madhwas at the Ranganathaswamy temple

Srinivasan (Seenu to those in the temple circles) was preparing hard for his Class XII Board in February 2010 when he heard the news of the passing away of his appa Manirao while performing his service at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. Manirao had donned the role of Koil Mahajanam at this legendary for close to three decades and was well respected by the Kainkaryaparas.

The sudden and untimely death sent shock waves in the family. Srinivasan’s elder brother was in his second year of Engineering at Thanjavur and a sizeable investment had already gone into his education. There was no more money in the family for Srinivasan to continue his academic life.

He told this writer on how that late teenage phase went in his life “I was interested in studies and would have gone into a college had things been normal. My appa’s death led me to quit academics and continue the Kainkaryam that my appa had performed for over 25 years at the Ranganathaswamy temple.”

One month after the passing away of his appa, Srinivasan joined the temple as a Koil Mahajanam for a daily wage of Rs. 100 as a temporary staffer when he was only 17 debuting in the Panguni Utsavam of 2010. Seenu learned the processes as days and months went by “It was a new experience for me. I would write down every activity I performed in a note and memorise these processes. There are utsavams round the year and each of these is unique. So, I had to understand indepth the activities in my role.”

It is the Koil Mahajanam who have to inform the Sthalathars and Maniyakaarar of the Lord’s readiness for the procession. And they lead the Maniyam and the Sripatham Thangis from the Dwajasthambam by striking the ‘Saattai’ on the floor alerting everyone that the procession is going to start shortly.

“It took me about four years to fully understand all the processes end to end and for me to gain confidence in my role as a Koil Mahajanam. The regard the temple authorities had for my appa and his selfless service for so many years and after seeing me perform my role for five years led them to offer a permanent role as the Koil Mahajanam” says as to how selfless kainkaryam pays off in the long run.

As a school boy, Srinivasan was interested in cricket and would play around the temple complex but the death of his appa thrust a great responsibility on his shoulders and he let go of his cricketing interests to fully focus on his role as a Koil Mahajanam.

It has now been 15 long years since the passing away of his appa and Koil Mahajanam Seenu has devotionally immersed himself in his role. At the time he joined in 2010, there was another Koil Mahajanam (Murali) on duty but he retired after a few years leaving Seenu all alone in his role. He looks about at his decade and a half at the temple “I saw as to how my appa was respected in the temple circles for his Kainkaryam. Once I took on this role, I told myself that my entire life would be dedicated to this service and I wanted to do this to the best of my ability and as sincerely as possible. While it took some time for me to understand the processes and my specific role, I have enjoyed every minute of it over the last decade and feel blessed that Ranganathaswamy has assigned me for this Kainkaryam.”

In the last few years, he has been joined in this service by Sudarshan (Pineapple in temple circles) about whom this section had featured a story in July this year (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2025/07/srirangam-koil-mahajanam-sudarshan.html). Both of them unfortunately lost their appa early in their lives leading them to take responsibility for the financial security in the family at a very young age.  “I see Koil Mahajanam Sudarshan as my younger brother and we work together as a team” says Seenu.

While Srinivasan was saddened in the initial phase soon after his appa’s death, he overcame that gradually over a period of time and the Kainkaryam at the temple has given him a great deal of peace and happiness. Like 'Pineapple' Sudarshan, Koil Mahajanam Seenu sees this service at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam as his only way of life.

Srirangam Koil Mahajanam Sudarshan

The 'Pineapple' choice - Temple over corporate

This once IAS Aspirant commits himself to a lifetime service at Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam

As a school boy in Tiruppur, he aspired to become an IAS officer. Not too far away from there – in Salem- was a school boy in the 1970s who aspired and went on to become one and is now an inspiration to the current generation (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/irai-anbu-ias_19.html). Into his mid and late teens, his focus shifted to become an auditor like his appa. But Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam had different plans for him and this 23 year old Madhwa has now committed himself to a lifetime of service at this Divya Desam. Here’s the story.

Academically Brilliant

VJ Sudarshan had a happy early childhood and was extremely proficient in academics. He would travel almost 15 kms every day from his village in Perumanallur to the world renowned garment town in Tiruppur for his schooling. Throughout that early phase, he aspired to become an IAS officer and believed that he had it in him to achieve that. 

He was a rank holder in Class X but the sudden loss of his appa (to a heart attack) when he was just 15 put paid to the IAS aspiration.  It looked like the world had come down on him for his appa taught him everything in life and he was to be no more there to support him. With no other source of income and also to overcome this tragedy, he wanted to move to Srirangam where his uncle resided but with his extraordinary academic performance, he had become a favourite of his teachers and the school authorities provided him with a meritorious scholarship and asked him to continue there. 

School topper in Class XII

Sitting at the Thayar Sannidhi on the auspicious Aadi Pooram day, he recounts that phase to this writer “I had finalised the plans to move to Srirangam but my school in Tiruppur would not let me go. They had high expectations of me in class XII and I did not let them down and topped the school in the Boards in arts.”

As a school topper, he received admission in prestigious colleges across the country but after having previously pulled back his decision to move to Srirangam, this time he was firm and joined B. Com at the Andavan College. “Amma was alone and I thought it was my duty to be with her and hence let go of the opportunity to join any of India’s top commerce colleges including one in Delhi”, he says on how he took a big call to let go off opportunities to graduate from the best of colleges in the country.

By this time, his ambition turned from an IAS aspirant to a professional auditor like his appa, two years after he lost him,

                         Chitrai Garuda Sevai

While he was a high scoring student throughout his school life, he had also developed devotional interest thanks to the inspiration from his uncle. "I would spend every summer in Srirangam at my uncle’s house and had experienced the famous Chitrai and Poochatru Utsavam right from my childhood."

It was on the back of that experience as a devotee in Srirangam that he joined the Vethal Group and performed the Sripatham service during his college years. He also performed Sripatham service during this phase at the Pundarikakshan temple in Thiru Vellarai (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/03/thiru-vellarai-pundarikaksha-perumal.html) and the Kamalavalli Nachiyar temple in Uraiyur.  With each passing year, his devotional attachment to the Divine Couple of Srirangam was growing and he had begun to develop an extremely close bond with them.

Temple Kainkaryam Opportunity 

Having lost his appa early, the need for basic financial security led him to join an investment firm in Srirangam soon after his graduation. And then as he recounts, he secured a ten day kainkaryam at the Ranganathaswamy temple out of the blue that transformed his life from a IAS/CA aspirant to a temple Kainkaryapara “I cannot forget that morning. It was 1st January 2023. Namperumal was to provide darshan in Mohin Alankaram when I received a surprise call from the temple. The Koil Mahajanam, who was to be on duty, had to be away from the temple for the rest of the utsavam and I was asked if I could don the role of a substitute for the 2nd half of the Adyayana Utsavam.”

Maniyam Sridharan has played a role in the lives of many of the young Kainkaryaparas. “It was Maniyam Sridharan who took me first to the Kambathadi Anjaneya to invoke his blessings and then to the Moolavar Sannidhi before introducing me to JC Marimuthu. That was how I got the opportunity to perform the role of a Mahajanam” Sudharsan told this writer on how he got a divine kainkaryam opportunity out of nowhere, when he least expected it (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html).

“Those ten days gave me a great deal of satisfaction and I was delighted when the temple authorities asked me if I would be interested to continue the service as a Kainkaryapara. For six months, I performed the role without an appointment just as a Kainkaryam, alongside the official Mahajanam of the temple. It was a very enjoyable experience.”

                             Panguni Uthiram Serthi Sevai

In those six months, he also performed the role of ‘Perumal Sannidhi Vaasal’, involved in the management of the devotee crowd at the Moolavar Sannidhi.

While this was a Kainkaryam role, it demanded his presence at the temple during all the utsavams including the four Brahmotsavams starting Thai!!!!  This necessitated him to quit the well paying corporate job and in a matter of a few days he had turned himself into a full time Kainkaryapara. 

Having lost his appa early, responsibility had fallen on him to run the family and take care of his amma. By the end of those six months, he was beginning to get restless and jittery. He recalls that period as to how Ranganatha blessed him a second time answering his prayers immediately “I had performed service for almost six months without a salary. One day, I stood in front of Ranganatha and invoked his blessings. I was enjoying the Kainkaryam and it had been a great experience but without a regular fixed monthly income, I told the Lord (almost threatened him!!!) that I would have to consider a corporate job."

"Reconfirming His real presence, the Lord bound me to his service with the authorities  appointing me as a Koil Mahajanam within one week of my prayer. I was in tears realising how Perumal responds to a real prayer of a devotee.”

At the end of six months, the temple authorities called on him and informed him on his appointment as a Koil Mahajanam on a daily wage (temporary staffer as per HRCE rules) of Rs. 300!!!

In these two years, he has also been given the additional responsibility of ‘Sannidhi Vaasal’ at the Ranganayaki Thayar Sannidhi, one who is responsible for the management of the devotee crowd and their darshan.

Madhwas as the Koil Mahajanam 

This section had featured a story last decade on how Vaishnavite Saint Ramanuja assigned roles and responsibilities to people from different communities and got those from all walks of life to be engaged in Kainkaryam at this temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/srirangam-saathatha-raghuram.html). 

The Madhwas were assigned the role of Mahajanam Kainkaryam. It is they who inform the Sthalathars ahead of every procession of Namperumal and Ranganayaki Thayar and invite them by striking the ‘Saattai’ on the floor leading them to the Moolavar Sannidhi for purappadu Thodakkam. They also perform a similar role during Padi Erakkam and ahead of every Thirumanjanam. “We are the information giver to the Sthalathars of this temple on the timing update of procession and Thirumanjan” says Koil Mahajanam Sudharsan.

The Madhwas have also been involved in carrying the sacred Kudam from the Cauvery during the Jeshtabhisekam utsavam.

As a Mahajanam, he also performs the role at the Brahmotsavam and Jeshtabhisekam at Thiru Vellarai and during the processions at Uraiyur Divya Desam.

He is proud at the traditional way the Madhwas have lived “Madhwas have been known for sticking to tradition. Even when I was schooling in Tiruppur, I performed service at the Raghavendra Mutt and the Anjaneya Sannidhi and hence I got involved in temple related Kainkaryam early on in life.”

Koil Mahajanam Sudharsan did not visualise a life at Srirangam when he was a school boy. Even after the untimely death of his appa, he foresaw himself as an auditor carrying on in his appa’s footsteps. But him rejecting the seats in the most prestigious of colleges in the country and moving to Srirangam when he was just 17 transformed his life and led him into a path of temple kainkaryam. Having experienced this for a couple of years in his full time role as a Koil Mahajanam and Thayar ‘Sannidhi Vaasal’, Sudharsan has put behind his thoughts of a life in the corporate world even though he is just six months away from securing a professional MBA degree.

நம்பி பிம்பி என்று நாட்டு மானிடப் பேரிட்டால்

நம்பும் பிம்பம் எல்லாம் நாலு நாளில் அழுங்கிப் போம்- Periyazhvaar's naming a child

At a time, more and more Vaishnavites from the next gen are letting go of temple service to explore a career in the corporate world, Sudharsan, referred to in Srirangam temple circles as 'Pineapple' (in violation of Periyazhvaar's verses!!!), has taken a bold call to enter the temple kainkaryam space despite performing well in his academics and with him not getting a permanent posting yet (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/periyazhvar-naming-child.html)

At 23, he acts and speaks with clarity “As I look back, I feel greatly blessed at having taken the decision to move to Srirangam instead of joining a top college in the country. My MBA degree will always serve as a reminder to me that I consciously chose full time Kainkaryam as a way of life letting go of my early ambitions of reaching the top of the corporate ladder. And how only the chosen few are likely to perform service at the feet of this Divine Couple of Srirangam. ”

In this phase, Sudharsan has found and experienced a never before happiness in his life and sees this as his only way of life. He is devotionally committed to a lifetime of service at the Ranganathaswamy temple irrespective of the financial returns. With two and a half years of Koil Mahajanam service under his belt, it is hoped that the HR & CE would consider providing him with a permanent posting that would help him with long term financial security that a daily wage earner would not necessarily get.

This section will track the developments on this front.