Thiru Nangur 11 Garuda Sevai

The Historical Manjal Kuli Utsavam of Srirangam is played out every year in Thai at Thiru Nangur Divya Desam

The Thai Amavasya festival expanded to a three day festival in the late 19th Century to include the congregation of the 11 Lords of Thiru Nangur at Thiru Narayana Perumal temple and the presentation of Garuda Sevai

On the final weekend of January, several thousands of devotees were taken back in time to the days of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar as the otherwise quiet town of Thiru Nangur that is home to 11 Divya Desams, near Sirkazhi, reverberated with chants of Divya Prabhandham on the occasion of the three day annual utsavam in Thai. The entire street leading to the Narayana Perumal temple was lined up with stalls. There was some play stuff in the corner of the street for the children. There was even a ‘Patti Mandram’ organized in the evening on Sunday (Jan 29) near the temple tank, one that reminded the devotees of the famous debate between Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Thiru Gnana Sambanthar in Sirkazhi.

On completion of the Adyayana Utsavam in Srirangam, there was a celebration on the banks of the Cauvery with the Lord being anointed with a special Manjal Kuli utsavam. In recognition of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s contribution to the temple and after having listened to his devotional presentation of Thiru Nedunthandagam, Lord Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam felt that he should present a gift to take care of his throat and decided to bless him with the anointment of the sacred Turmeric that was so special to the Lord. He suggested to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar that he celebrate this Manjal Kuli Utsavam in his home town so the devotees too could enjoy the occasion.

As a reminder of this ancient event, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar makes a trip to the banks of the Cauvery in Thiru Nangur for the ‘Manjal Kuli’ utsavam on the Amavasya day in Thai. On the occasion, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is presented with a Choornabhishekam and honoured with a beautiful flower garland and a Parivattam from the Lords of Srirangam and Nachiyar Koil (where he was initiated with the Pancha Samaskaram).

The 11 Garuda Sevai Utsavam at Thiru Nangur was introduced as an event in the later part of the 19^th century similar to the grand festival recognizing NamAzhvaar in Nava Tirupathi. Thus the historical annual ‘Thai Amavasya’ festival expanded into a large and the now popular 11 Garuda Seva festival over the last 120 years.

Consistently across all the verses of praise on temples in and around Thiru Nangur, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar records the presence of learned and knowledgeable vedic seers living in large numbers. These seers were tolerant and generous in their conduct and outlook and everyone there were seen as having a helpful tendency towards the other.

உண்மை மிகு மறையொடு நல் கலைகள்

நிறை பொறைகள் உதவு கொடை என்று

இவற்றின் ஒழிவு இல்லாப் பெரிய வண்மை மிகு மறையவர்கள்

மலிவு எய்து நாங்கூர்

வைகுண்ட விண்ணகரம் வணங்கு மட நெஞ்சே

Warmth of the Nangur residents

This scenario dating back over a 1000 years was seen in its full vibrancy with Prabhandham experts from across the state turning up to chant Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Periya Thirumozhi verses on the Lords of Thiru Nangur. The residents of Thiru Nangur in line with the ‘helpful attitude’ spoken about in Azhvaar’s verses extended a warm welcome to thousands of devotees who had even come in from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh playing the role of true hosts over that final January weekend including serving them varied delicacies through the day and night.

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar is the only Azhvaar who visited Divya Desams across the country and sung praise describing the features of the Lord and the scenario that existed in and around the temple during his times. In the Periya Thirumozhi, he has dedicated an exclusive decad for each of the 11 Lords of Thiru Nangur and three decads for Thiruvali/Thirunagari.

Thiru Kuraiyalur and Thiru Mangai Madam

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar began this year’s trip on Friday night just after mid night making his way first to his birth place in Thiru Kuraiyalur  where his praise on ‘Singavel Kundram’ (Ahobilam Narasimha) was presented at 3.30am. This historical place is now a remote hamlet with very minimal facilities. 

Thiru Mangai Mannan had ruled from this region but today the main road leading to the Ugra Narasimha temple is without even a light in the night. The Utsava deities of Lord Narasimha and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar went missing from the temple a few years ago and have still not been found. Once a year, this temple wears a festive look on the arrival of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar from Thirunagari for the annual trip on the occasion of Thai Amavasya.

A couple of hours later, he was off South East to Thiru Mangai Madam and to the Veera Narasimha temple, the second among the Pancha Narasimha temples in this region.

It was at Thiru Mangai Madam that Thiru Mangai Mannan presented food to 1008 Vaishnavites every day for a year as directed by his beloved Kumudavalli. At this place is now a beautiful temple dedicated to Veera Narasimha Perumal. One also finds a handsome idol of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar seen with Kumudavalli Nachiyar.

Given its remote location, this temple had earlier been in a dilapidated state at the end of the previous century. About 15 years ago, this temple, with big walls on all four sides, a Raja Gopuram and a big Nandavanam, was completely renovated and today Lord Veera Narasimha sports a majestic princely look with a transformation that has been largely credited to the devoted service of the young Balaji Bhattar. It is a remote temple but is now buzzing with devotees from across the state willing to contribute in large measure to the Utsavams and to the development of the temple. Balaji Bhattar's initiatives at Mangai Madam is also a testimony to the fact that enthusiastic, sincere and devote Bhattars can actually create a vibrant atmosphere at the temple.

After a trip to Kavalampadi, Thiru Mani Koodam and Parthan Palli temples, he made his way to the banks of the Cauvery for the historical ‘Manjal Kuli’ Utsavam on Saturday afternoon. The sacred verses of praise on the Lords of these two Divya Desams were presented reminding the devotees of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s special liking for them.                            

After a trip to Mani Mada Koil, Van Purushottaman, Vaikunta Vinnagaram, Sempon Sei Koil, Thiru Thetriyambalam and Arimeya Vinnagaram temples, he rested at the Mani Mada Koil for a few hours ahead of another long festive day. In each of these temples, the respective decad of praise from the Periya Thirumozhi was presented before the Lord.

Congregation of the 11 Lords - Mangalasasanam

By Sunday afternoon, the crowd swelled in even larger numbers and gathered in front of the Mani Mada Koil where the 11 Utsava deities congregated having made their way through the day from their respective abodes. Each of the Lords decked with glittering necklaces was seen in a grand alankaram. Sincere devotees stood in front of them admiring the handsome features of the Lord that seemed to remind them of the description in Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s verses well over a 1000years ago.

Starting at 3pm, for over three hours, each of the 11 Lords positioned themselves one after another in front of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and listened to a verse of praise from the Periya Thirumozhi that was so devotionally rendered by a large group of Prabhandham experts.

Choice of the Best Decorated Lord

Following a quick Thirumanjanam, the priests worked as a team to showcase their respective Lords in the best possible alankaram atop the Garuda Vahana. When the screen was opened at around 9pm, the devotees just could not take their eyes away from the Lords as they moved from one to another. For almost three hours, one saw devotional fervor at its peak inside the Narayana Perumal temple with devotees rejoicing and expressing aloud their description of the beauty of the Lord.

One Lord was seen with a long Kaasu Malai, while another sported a large set of Pathakams on his chest. The huge and colourful garlands on the shoulders of the Lords and their sheer variety attracted the attention of the devotees as they went about praising the speciality of these flowers. The silk vastrams on the each of the Garuda idols were colourful and the draping on the Lord’s vehicle had a distinctive feel about it.

Just when one set of devotees found a particular Lord as the best decorated, they had a change of heart on seeing the next one. On the night, one simply could not make that exclusive choice, for the years of artistic alankaram experience of each of the priests came to the fore and they presented the Lords of Thiru Nangur with a grandeur that left a number of the devotees in tears of joy.

Streets dotted with Traditional Kolams on the night

Finally just around mid night on Sunday, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Kumudavalli Nachiyar in a Hamsa Vahana made their way out of the Mani Mada Koil to the loud cheer of the devotees.

 As they stood in front of the tank, each of the Lords made their way out on to the streets for the long four hour procession on the majestic Garuda Vahana. Late into the night, devotees lined up the four big streets of Thiru Nangur with beautifully drawn traditional white pulli kolams welcoming the 11 Lords and the Azhvaar to their homes and seeking their blessings. All around one could hear the sweet sound of the anklets and bangles of girls moving around eagerly awaiting the Lords into their street.

இளைய மங்கையர் இணை அடிச்

சிலம்பினோடு எழில் கொள் பந்து அடிப்போர்

கை வளையின் நின்று ஒளி மல்கிய நாங்கூர்

வண்புருடோத்தமமே

On the final day of the three day Utsavam, after each of the Lords had made their way back to the respective temples, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar started on his return trip enjoying the presentation of the respective decads of praise at Thiruvellakulam and Thiru Thevanar Thogai on the way. 

The grand Thai festival of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar culminated with Garuda Sevai both in Thiruvali and at his abode at Thirunagari late on Monday (Jan 30) night leaving the devotees with a fulfilling devotional experience.

As referred to in the Periya Thirumozhi, over a 1000 years ago, the devotees seemed to have gone back with an elevated spirit after having seen and  experienced the 11 Lords on the night.

சீர் அணி மாட நாங்கை நல் நடுவுள்

செம்பொன் செய் கோயிலினுள்ளே

கார் அணி மேகம் நின்றது ஒப்பானை

கண்டுகொண்டு உய்ந்தொழிந்தேனே

Periya Nambi Narasimha Gopalan Acharya Mannar Koil

Transforming a huge ancient temple all on his own working all alone at a 'princely' monthly salary of Rs. 750!!

The Periya Nambi Thirumaligai in Mannar Koil is one of the two vibrant ones still functioning in TN

It is the one day in the year when the temple is buzzing with real activity. The occasion on Wednesday (Maasi Punarvasu) evening is the birthday celebrations of Kulasekara Azhvaar who was out on the Anna Vahana Processions around the streets of Mannar Koil providing a special once in a year darshan to around 250 devotees. It is a moment of utmost joy to play host to hundreds of devoted souls for a man who has committed himself to the Lord of Mannar Koil keeping aside tempting financial offers to perform temple service elsewhere.

It takes huge amount of dedication and devotion to the Lord to lead life at a monthly salary of Rs. 750. A lot of the new gen youngsters have already moved away leaving aside the hereditary roles in temples in TN to take up ‘modern’ jobs in cities. 34 year old Periya Nambi S. Narasimha Gopalan Acharya of Mannar Koil (Ambasamudram) is clearly an exception. Not only is he donning multiple hats at different times in the day at the temple, but is also taking up a number of noble causes.

This 29th descendent of Periya Nambi has neither worn a shirt nor a slipper in over a decade. He sports a tuft and has not travelled past the Tirunelveli region in decades for he is too attached to the historic Kulasekara Azhvaar Rajagopalaswamy temple. He does not know what a city life is like. He is the only one aged below 35 years continuing to perform pooja in a Vishnu temple in this region.

The turning point in his life came when as a teenager he was being initiated into some specific and difficult verses of the Divya Prabhandham by his grandfather LS Srinivasa Iyengar, a renowned scholar in Sanskrit at Azhvaar Tirunagari. The insights from the Vedic Scriptures and narration of the innermost meaning of each of the prabhandham verses completely changed the life of the then young Narasimha Gopalan. 

பத்தியிலாத பாவிகள் உய்ந்திட

தீதில் நன்னெறி காட்டி

எங்கும் திரிந்து அரங்கனெம்மானுக்கே

காதல் செய் தொண்டர்க்கு

எப்பிறப்பிலும் காதல் செய்யும் என் நெஞ்சமே

The verses of Kulasekara Azhvaar and his advocacy of selfless service and devotion to Lord had a profound influence on him. So moved was the young boy that he decided to dedicate his life to the service of the Lord at the Kulasekara Azhvaar Rajagopalaswamy temple.

காண்ணீர் களால் வார நிற்பவர்

தாளிணைக்கு ஒரு வாரமாகும் என் நெஞ்சமே

Transformation of the temple

Typically an Acharya does not perform pooja at temples. With no archaka coming forward at a salary of Rs. 245 per month, and also to save the temple from further dilapidation, Narasimha Gopalan took that up and started performing daily Thiru Arathanam just over a decade ago. When he took charge while still in his early 20s, bats were the main inhabitants of the temple. There was no income from the temple and the sight of a devotee was rare even during the weekends.

A lot of Narasimha Gopalan’s early days at the temple were spent trying to keep the bats away from the Sannidhis using thorns from Indian Plums. Since then, he has completely transformed the temple in every aspect. It was through his determined efforts that a major restoration service took place at the temple after a gap of over 300 years. It was also his single minded devotion that helped revive the annual Theppotsavam that had been stopped for several decades.

The reference of Shenbagam flowers in Kulasekara Azhvaar’s verses motivated him to convert the huge open area in the outer prakara of the 5 ½ acre temple into a Nandavanam. He sowed the seeds in 2008 and today it compares with the best with a wide variety of flowers that includes Shenbagam, Malligai, Iruvatchi, Magilam and Parichatam. With the idea of providing resting and nesting place for birds and parrots, he added Thothagathi, Naaval and Maruthai trees as well. In recent times, he has also started to grow 70 teak trees.

For over a decade, he has taken care of the maintenance of the temple almost all alone. Today, the temple wears a fresh look. All the Sannidhis and prakaras are clean. Unlike in the past, the lamp now glows at the temple, a significant improvement from the decades gone by.

 'Naamam Pottutaan' Files a High Court Case

When he once heard the phrase ‘Naamam Potuttan’ (a reference of the sacred ash of Vaishnavites being used to indicate a cheat), he raged in anger. He moved the Madurai High Court pleading an order to restrain the use of this terminology both in movies as well as in public places. He is hoping the judgement would be delivered soon in his favour (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2014/11/periya-nambi-acharya-fights-for.html). 

He has also made himself a party to the dress code case in the High Court and is planning to go on an appeal against the earlier verdict. He asks if it will be acceptable in the corporate world for an interviewee to go to a job interview in shorts and T shirt saying that his strength is in the intelligence of the mind and not in the dress that he wears. He strongly believes that there is a certain dress code required for presence at temples to create the devotional environment.

Magical 1000 Samasrayanams 

Being a descendent of the revered Periya Nambi, who was the acharya of Ramanuja, one of Narasimha Gopalan’s primary tasks is in initiating disciples with Samasrayanam, the process of becoming a true Vaishnavite. In the last 2 years alone, he has initiated this for well over 650 disciples. By the time of the 1000^th birthday of Ramanuja, he is hoping to touch the magical number of 1000.

Also, as part of Ramanuja’s inclusive philosophy, he has identified 100s of unknown tribal families living atop the Pothigai Hills in the dense forest near Papanasam and is planning to support the education of around 1000 children through his disciples who are spread worldwide.

Financial Struggle through the decades

It has been a struggle in many of the ancient temples in Tamil Nadu with the low salary making it financially not viable to continue performing pooja services. Narasimha Gopalan’s parents had lived a hard fought life and had to even sell their vessels for their daily food.

His father Periya Nambi Srinivasacharya taught him the entire Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, Upanishads and the Vedas. Despite the financial struggle, his father was keen to keep the revered Periya Nambi Thirumaligai going and wanted his son to continue to safeguard the sacred home. 

In line with the teachings of his father, Narasimha Gopalan rolls out with extreme devotion verses from Kulasekara Azhvaar’s Perumal Thirumozhi to reason out his logic for staying away from the lure of a more lucrative city life.

வாழ்த்தி மால்கொள் சிந்தையராய்

 ஆட்ட மேவியலந்தழைத்து அயர் வெய்தும் மெய்யடியார்கள்

தம் ஈட்டம் கண்டிடக் கூடுமேல் 

அது காணும் பயனாவதே

At the peak of his powers as the ruler of Madurai, Kulasekara Azhvaar had renounced his kingdom and chose a path of service to the Lord. This did not go well with many who branded him as mad. However he hit back at them stating that it was they who were mad for they do not realise as to how blessed he was having been taken away from the world of materialistic desires to one of true life time devotion.

மொய்த்துக் கண் பனி சோர மெய்கள் சிலிர்ப்ப ஏங்கியிளைத்து நின்று

எய்த்துக் கும்பிடு நட்ட மிட்டெழுந்து ஆடி பாடி இறைஞ்சி

என் அத்தனச்சனரங்கனுக்கு அடியார்களாகி அவனுக்கே

பித்தராமவர் பித்தரல்லர்கள் மற்றையார் முற்றும் பித்தரே

And that is exactly the life Narasimha Gopalan has come to live. He performs the role of an archaka in the mornings and evenings, prepares the sacred food for the Lord donning the hat of a cook and turns into a gardener watering and plucking flowers from the huge garden that he himself had created from scratch and performs Samasrayanams for his disciples, in addition to taking up other noble Vaishnaite causes. 

A few years ago, he had received a luring offer to perform services in a temple overseas. Had he accepted that and gone there just for a few years, his financial status would have seen a big positive upturn. But he resisted the temptation for he had long ago decided to commit himself to the Lord of Mannar Koil.

When he was reminded again of this lucrative prospect with the suggestion that all temples are the same and that he would still be performing service to the Lord, he retorted to that person if 'Kulaseakar Azhvaar's Thiruvarasu would be present there in that overseas location'!!! And with that ended the discussion on that topic...

Unmindful of the lack of financial and resource support, he has managed to enjoy his role of providing undivided attention to Lord Rajagopalaswamy at Mannar Koil and performing the daily service to the Lord. Truly, Narasimha Gopalan is an odd man out in the fight for survival.

The Periya Nambi Thirumaligai in Mannar Koil is one of the two vibrant ones still functioning actively in Tamil Nadu, the other being in Srirangam. Narasimha Gopalan Acharya may be reached on 04634 252874

Features of the Temple

The three tiered Kulasekara Azhvaar Rajagopalaswamy temple in Mannar Koil is located 5kms from Ambasamudram off the Tenkasi highway. The temple is  named after Kulasekara Azhvaar who spent the last years of his life here performing service and attained Moksham here. There is a separate Flag Post for the Kulasekara Azhvaar Sannidhi. 

The Lord is seen in three forms - standing posture at the ground level, sitting posture in tier 1 and in a Sayana Kolam in Tier 2 under the Ashtanga Vimana. In recognition of Rajendra Chozha’s big contributions to this temple, this place was referred to as Rajendra Vinnagaram. Inscriptions refer to Rajasimhan donating several pieces of land and Jatavarma Chozha Pandya as well as Nayak kings making contributions to the temple.

The temple is open between 7am-11am and 4pm-7pm.

Satajit Child Prodigy

Legend in the making Elayavilli Sriram Satajit, who celebrated his 12th Birthday on Thursday (March 2), has already presented over 500 Upanyasams

In December 2015, he became the youngest ever upanyasakar to present at the Parthasarathy temple in Thiruvallikeni

'Satajit has remarkable memory power, a great retention capability and an extra ordinary art of reproduction' - Sanskrit Scholar and Grand Father Srinivasa Bhuvarahacharya Swamy  

On Friday (March 3) evening a day after his 12th birthday, Elayavilli Satajit (of Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam) was at the Maasi Velli Garuda Utsavam at the Ranganatha Swamy temple in Srirangam as part of the Ghosti presenting Nanmugan Thiruvanthathi. He was the odd boy out in the group of elderly Prabhandham Scholars of Srirangam. He was the cynosure of attention of the entire devotee crowd who watched in awe his rendering of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham leaving many watching in awe this prodigal talent. A week earlier he was seen at the Devapiran Sannidhi in Erettai Tirupathi for the Maasi Anusham utsavam.

His grand father U Ve Elayavilli Srinivasa Bhuvarahacharya Swamy is 84 years old and has been a great scholar in both the Sanskrit and the Tamil Vedantas and a renowned Upanyasakarta presenting sampradaya discourses for over five decades.  Notwithstanding his old age, in January this year he presented a Thiruppavai Upanyasam in Bangalore.

It was during his long 25 year stint as a Sanskrit Professor at St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore that Srinivasa Bhuvarahacharya Swamy began to spread the Vaishnava literature through Kalakshepams. He had become so popular by the time of his retirement in 1990 that the Bangaloreans had sought his upanyasams right through the year. The streak of high expectations from the people there led him to continue to reside in Bangalore for 15 years after his retirement during which time he began presenting discourses on all 7 days of the week.

He also travelled across the country to present discourses. On one such trip, he stayed back in Nagpur to present a Thiruppavai Upanyasam during the entire month of Margazhi.

Passing the baton to his grandson

Over the last 7 years, Bhuvarahacharya Swamy has been actively involved in passing on the huge wealth of knowledge to his grandson Satajit in whom he sees enormous potential.

He says that Satajit has been blessed with three essential ingredients that will make a truly special upanyasakar in the future. ‘Satajit has remarkable memory power, a great retention capability and an extra ordinary art of reproduction that is likely to keep the audience engaged through his discourses  and one that will create a lasting impact in the minds of the devotees.’ 

Satajit's father Elayavilli Sriram, a well versed scholar in Divya Prabhandham, has been presenting upanyasams across the country over the last decade but has kept a low profile and very few are aware of his devotional presentations. However, Satajit has already captured the minds of the devotee audience constantly leaving them awe struck with his vivid style of presentation.

First Upanyasam before he was 5 years old

Not yet five, Satajit had already begun presenting 15 minute lectures on Azhvaar Vaibhavam. He also has to his credit being the youngest child to deliver Tiruppavai discourses having started from the age of 6. 

In recent years, he has expanded his horizon to delivering lectures around Samprokshanam events and the annual Brahmotsavam celebrations at various Divya Desams including Thiruneermalai and Azhvaar Tirunagari. 

He has developed his own style of presentation and has captured the imagination of the audience with his unique story telling skills.

Rare Feat at Thiruvallikeni Parthasarathy Temple

With the month long Tiruppavai discourse in Margazhi (2015-16), 10 year old Satajit became the youngest ever upanyasakar to present at the Parthasarathy temple in Thiruvallikeni, a truly remarkable achievement.

On Vaikunta Ekadasi, in December 2015, he presented a LIVE commentary in All India Radio, Madras for 20 minutes and on Podhigai TV.

Like his grandfather, Satajit too has travelled across the country and even presented upanyasams in Mumbai and Kolkata. He has already had the senior well known upanyasakars take notice of his progress. Not surprisingly, awards have been pouring in from all corners, the most interesting among them being the title of “Sath Sampradaya Bala Bhaskaran” by All India Adhi Shiva Chariyargal Seva Sangam in Chennai. Such has been his narrative abilities that even the Saivite group recognised him for his discourses. Mudaliyandan Swami crowned him as the “Asthana Vidwan” of Mudaliyandan Sannidhi in Pettai near Poonamallee after listening to his lecture there.

To go along with his upanyasams, Satajit, who is currently in class seven at Kamalavati Higher Secondary School, Sahupuram (near Azhvaar Tirunagari), has also been brilliant in his academics topping the class in many of the subjects. His school saw the huge talent in him and has made special concessions so he could be away from the classes during the whole of margazhi for his annual upanyasam.

He has no notes in front of him. He has never had one while presenting. He has been blessed with such natural talent that he seems to reel out new interesting stories even from the most common historical subjects.

Like other boys his age, he too plays tennis ball cricket every day after his school and cycles around the streets of Azhvaar Tirunagari However, when it comes to addressing a gathering of ardent devotees looking for interesting stories, Satajit is already a legend in the making having presented several hundreds of upanyasams. And he has just touched 12.

If the right opportunities come his way in the next few years, he could well become a name to reckon with in the world of upanyasakartas.

Araiyar Sevai Azhvaar Tirunagari

How a family dispute in Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam is taking a nasty turn, one that could bring to end the Araiyar Sevai in this historical birth place of Nam Azhvaar

Case filed in the High Court against HR & CE by one of the Araiyars has thrown questions on the future presentation of Araiyar Sevai in this Divya Desam 

There was a time in the not so distant past when Araiyar Sevai was presented in several Divya Desams across Tamil Nadu. In fact, they were differentiated by the Divya Desam where they performed. Thus there used to be Thirukurungudi Araiyar, Srivilliputhur Araiyar, Thiru Mogur Araiyar, Thirukannapurathu Araiyar, Srirangam Araiyar and so on (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2007/06/108-divya-desam-special-araiyar-sevai.html).

However, this number has drastically come down to just three. Aathi Nathan Divya Desam in Azhvaar Tirunagari  about 30 kms East of Tirunelveli and part of the Nava Tirupathi Divya Desamsis one of the only three Divya Desams where Araiyar Sevai continues to be presented.

Araiyars in the 1950s/60s @ Azhvaar Tirunagari

Over the last century, Azhvaar Tirunagari has managed to survive the extinction of this rare art form dating back a 1000 years with the truly devotional commitment of the Araiyars despite living a life in financial poverty. But a series of events over the last few years has raised a serious threat and thrown open the real possibility of Araiyar Sevai closing down at this historical Divya Desam.

With a cone-like coloured cap on the head and a sacred garland on their chest, Araiyars, descendents of 9^th Century Vaishnavite Saint Nathamuni, present these divine hymns through a differentiated musical chanting and dance performance using two cymbals in their hands.

The Araiyar Sevai requires a deep knowledge and understanding of the Pasurams. It takes close to two decades to master this art, which involves not just acquiring knowledge of the 4000 divine songs of the Azhvaars but also the monumental task of capturing the meaning of each of these Pasurams and then reaching out the essence of these verses to the audience. Also, Araiyar Sevai requires close co-ordination and perfect synchronisation of the musical chanting (of one Araiyar) with the Thaalam and the dance steps (of another).

Sarangan (Vada Badra Sayee) Araiyar of Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam had learnt the art of Araiyar Sevai from his father in the 1930s and began performing at the temple a decade later. He would present the Abhinayam and Vyakyanam of the 4000 verses without ever opening the book even once, such was his devotional commitment through the decades of his performance. For a long time, the only reward for his presentation was a prasadam and betel leaves from the temple.

By the 1950 and 60s, the family was in dire straits financially. In the mid 60s, recognizing the extraordinary devotional service rendered by the Araiyar and the lack of any alternate income, the temple decided to provide a monthly fee of Rs.5. In addition, the Araiyar was also provided a few kgs of paddy every day. Annually, the Araiyar would receive Thattu Kasu a total of around Rs.20 over three special days in a year during the Adyayana Utsavam.

Sarangan Araiyar's eldest son Srinivasan Araiyar learnt the art from him for 12 years and started performing with his father from 1966. Those who watched Srinivasan Araiyar perform in those days are all praise for him for his way of presentation. He later joined the corporate world picking up a job at TVS in Madurai in the mid 1970s in Madurai and worked there till 2010 making it to Azhvaar Tirunagari on special festive occasions through the year.

Another son Araiyar Nathan who has been performing Araiyar Sevai since 1984 remembers the dismal financial state from his school days in the 1970s ‘Whenever I would ask my father for just 25 paise, he would look around to his neighbours to lend. Such was the situation at home that he could not afford even a few annas for his son despite presenting selfless service to the Lord through the year for several decades.”

Soon after completing his class X, Araiyar Nathan quit academics and joined his father in full time temple service. Right from his school days, he had watched closely the presentation of his father especially during the Adyayana Utsavam and that proved to be a great learning experience for him. Through the 90s, till the death of his father in 1998, Araiyar Nathan presented Araiyar Sevai along with his father and his brother Araiyar Srinivasan during the 21 day Adyayana Utsavam.

A monthly remuneration of Rs. 3000

In 1996, he received an ‘appointment’ under a special order from the temple for a monthly remuneration of Rs. 3000 for the services rendered in lieu of the Paddy that had been previously provided to his father.

Also, after the restoration services of Nava Tirupathi that happened in the 1990s, Venu Srinivasan organized a monthly sambhavanai for the Araiyar. But even with that it has remained a case of financial difficulty for Araiyar Nathan for the monthly expenses top Rs. 10000 and there isn’t an income to match that.

And yet, he is keen to keep up the commitment given to his father to dedicate his life to Araiyar Sevai.  

He has rarely moved out of the Divya Desam for there is a Kainkaryam to be presented almost every day of the year, even if its only for a few minutes. Araiyar at Azhvaar Tirunagari hold the rights for presentation during Thirumanjanam as well as at the presentation of Pasurams. Also, the Araiyar is present every evening during the recital of Nithyanusanthanam at the temple. During the procession of the Lord on festive occasions, Araiyar have been bestowed with the rights to present ‘Padi Etra Sevai’.

In recent years, Araiyar Nathan has also taken up aradhana Kainkaryam at a few of the nearby temples including the Appan temple near Erettai Tirupathi.

Public Spat within the temple 

Unfortunately like in two other Divya Desams where Araiyar Sevai is performed, the relationship amongst the Araiyars is not a happy one. Araiyar Nathan’s elder brother Araiyar Srinivasan got into a tussle with the temple authorities over the rights of the Araiyars and has filed a case against them in the High Court that has now been re-directed to the JC court.

Araiyar Srinivasan is of the view that Araiyars cannot be 'appointed' by HR & CE as the service is hereditary having passed through several generations over the last 1000 years.

When Araiyar Sarangan died, it was customary for the family to invite the senior most Araiyar but many in Azhvaar Tirunagari look back at those series of events as yet another indication of what's in store there. 

Araiyar Srinivasarangachariar of Srivilliputhur (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2013/08/araiyar-srinivasachariyar-srivilliputhur.html) who was well into his 60s then and who had performed at Azhvaar Tirunagari along with his son Bala Mukundan Araiyar, was to have been invited but he wasn't. And that left a sore taste.

One of the bigger issues that arose a few years back on the Nam Azhvaar Moksham day was when in an open dispute involving Araiyar Sevai the Lord was held 'captive' for over 6 hours, much to the dissent of the devotees.

Following the filing of the case by Araiyar Srinivasan, only Araiyar Nathan has been presenting Araiyar Sevai at Azhvaar Tirunagari. With the case pending in the court, Araiyar Nathan's teenaged son, who has learned the agamas and prabhandham, too has been prevented from presenting the Araiyar Sevai at Azhvaar Tirunagari on the ground that he is not an 'appointee'.

Similar is the scenario in Srivilliputhur where only one brother (Bala Mukundan Araiyar) has been presenting Araiyar Sevai while his younger brother's rights have been put on hold by the temple authorities. Many requests by both the temple authorities as well as by the elder brother to convince the younger Araiyar to continue the Sevai have turned a futile exercise.

  

It is now almost 35 years since Araiyar Nathan began presenting Araiyar Sevai at Azhvaar Tirunagiri Divya Desam. Now in his late forties and with a son who in his late teens, Araiyar Sevai as a full time service is still not financially viable as he finds it difficult to make both ends meet with the income/sambavanai he receives every month. But it is evident from his commitment that he will continue this devotional service unmindful of the financial challenges.

However, the public spat within the Araiyars is a clear distraction. Given the current scenario, one is not sure of the NextGen continuing to present Araiyar Sevai as it may be a big challenge to keep it going at Azhvaar Tirunagari unless the powers that be, including the likes of Venu Srinivasan who are closely involved with supporting the devotional services at the Nava Tirupathi temples, come together to sort out the lingering disputes that have been going both within the Araiyar family as well as Araiyar Srinivasan’s long standing battle with the HR & CE. It is all the more important for the Araiyar had been part of the TVS team at Madurai for almost four decades.

It is hoped that the differences between the Araiyar and the authorities will soon be sorted out amicably amongst themselves without the intervention of the court and that the current Araiyars and the future generations at Azhvaar Tirunagari will continue to be able to present this rare art for centuries to come.