Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam

60 years ago, there were two vibrant agraharams with traditionalists participating actively in Brahmotsavam and Desikar Utsavam at this Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam on the 'Vennar Banks' North of Thanjavur

Pichai Bhattar managed three temples all alone for two decades and served devotionally for 55 years, Paricharkar Sampath served for over four decades in challenging times at a salary of a few 100s

Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/01/thanjai-maa-mani-koil-divya-desam.html), praised by Thirumangai Azhvaar in his very first decad in the Periya Thirumozhi as one with walls and groves, is located three kms from Thanjavur on the banks of Vennaar, a tributary of Cauvery.

எம்பிரான் எந்தை என்னுடைச் சுற்றம்

எனக்கு அரசு என்னுடை வாழ்நாள்

அம்பினால் அரக்கர் வெருக்கொள நெருக்கி

அவர் உயிர் செகுத்த எம் அண்ணல்

வம்புலாம் சோலை மா மதில்

தஞ்சை மாமணிக்  கோயிலே வணங்கி

நம்பிகாள் உய்ய நான் கண்டுகொண்டேன்

நாராயணா என்னும் நாமம்

Till 60 years ago, Thanjavur despite being a district headquarters comprising of Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam, was largely an underdeveloped town. One of the few landmarks, the Thanjavur Palace was in a dilapidated state. The finances of the Palace were in a terrible state. There was not a single college in town. Less than 10 cars plied on the roads of Thanjavur. Bullock Cart was the main form of transport within the town.

Sangeetha Mahal – A Fertiliser Godown

Sangeetha Mahal was used as a Storarge House of Fertilizer Urea.  There was nauseating smell when a visitor went inside and hence most stayed away. Saraswathi Mahal was only slightly better.  The now famous Big Temple was not tourist place and was also not one of devotional destination for the sannidhis were inhabited by bats that rushed out in large numbers on human entry. There were just three Gurukals to take care of the entire temple, one each for the Swami and Ambal Sannidhi and a third who took care of all the other sannidhis. Except for Thursday, there was very little crowd at the temple.

Collectors’ Efforts in the 1950s

It was only after brothers TK Sankara Vadivelu and Palaniappan became Collector, in successive terms, in the 1950s that development initiatives were undertaken says the 88 years K Ramanarayanan, who served for decades in the revenue department in Thanjavur.

They began by focusing on the revival of the Palace. During Sankara Vadivelu’s time as the Collector, he renovated the Sangeetha Mahal and brought the acoustics to old glory. His brother Palaniappan who was previously in Hyderabad succeeded him. Palaniappan had experienced the beauty of Safdarjung Museum and was shattered to see the Palace in bad shape. After a terrible cyclone struck the district in the 1950s, he sent a circular to all Tahsildars to collect pieces of art neglected and not in worship in different temples in the district. A number of idols were brought to the palace and showcased in the art gallery.

He also organised an annual art exhibition in Thanjavur. SS Vasan, whose movie Avvayar was run at that time, promoted the film in Thanjavur district and passed on some of the collections to help with the repairs at the Palace. The exhibition gave a face lift to the town. In 1965, Veda Narayanan handed over the collections from the last of the annual exhibitions to the Government clearing all the debts of the Palace.

The first college in Thanjavur

Sarfoji College was started and shortly after the Kundavi Nachiyar Girls College, the first for women. A medical college too was opened in the 1960s. Thus began the development of Thanjavur. Because of the presence of the Cauvery and  her Tributaries in the North, the town saw a lopsided development with growth skewed towards the South.

The Big Temple inhabited with Bats

The first real fillip to the Big Temple was when the Bats were driven out after Periyava suggested the lighting of 500 Ghee lamps every Friday. Over a decade later, Periyava was the inspirational force behind the conduct of the Kumbabhisekam after a gap of 177years, with the previous large scale repair works having been undertaken in 1803 by Sarfoji.10 lakh devotees visited the Big Temple on the occasion of the Kumbabhisekam and after. It was the biggest event for decades in a temple in Tamil Nadu. Later that decade, one saw another event of a grand scale with the construction of the Raja Gopuram in Srirangam.

The state of and the development of Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam is to be seen in light of scenario that existed in Thanjavur, especially at the Big Temple, at that time.

Pichai Bhattar - 5+ decades at the temple

Srinivas Bhattar, popularly referred to as ‘Pichai’ joined the temple in the early 1960s and served for almost 55 years till his death a couple of years back. For a large part, he received a salary of a few hundreds. When he received Rs. 20 a month as Thattu Kaasu, he saw it as a big bonus. To take care of the family, he also managed a few other temples in the nearby villages.

Till the 1960s, agraharam was vibrant at this Divya Desam and two at that – one in the South and the other North of the temple. The traditional residents at the agraharam financially supported the festivals. But beginning the 60s and more into the 70s, a lot of them sold the property in the agraharam and went away seeking greener pastures. During those decades, when the agraharams were vibrant, the Lord was carried on shoulders around the four streets of the Divya Desam. But in recent times, as with most other remote temples in Tamil Nadu, there has been shortage of staff here as well and the Lord now moves on wheels even during the annual Brahmotsavam. In those years, Veda Parayanam too was a regular feature at the temple, especially during Desikar Utsavam.

Srinivasa ‘Pichai’ Bhattar was the man who was the vital link between the Lord and the devotees even in the financially tough times. As a single Bhattar, in the 1960s and 70s, he would shuttle between the three temples – Singa Perumal Koil, Manikundram Perumal and Neela Megha Perumal - helping devotees with darshan. This continued much into this decade as well and till the very end was devotionally committed to the Lords of this Divya Desam.

In a verse in the Periya Thirumozhi, Thirumangai Azhvaar refers to the Lord (Narasimha) who tore open the chest of Hiranyakashipu as residing in Thanjai Maa Mani Koil. He also refers to the second of the temples as Manikundram.

என் செய்கேன் அடியேன் உரையீர் இதற்கு

என்றும் என் மனத்தே இருக்கும் புகழ்

தஞ்சை ஆளியை பொன்பெயரோன் நெஞ்சம்

அன்று இடந்தவனை தழவே புரை

மின் செய் வாள் அரக்கன் நகர் பாழ்பட

சூழ் கடல் சிறை வைத்து  இமையோர் தொழும்

பொன்செய் மால் வரையை மணிகுன்றினை

அன்றி என் மனம் போற்றி என்னாதே

His son Narasimha Bhattar began supporting his father from the age of 15. He has now been at the temple for the last 35 years. But for someone committed to serving the Lord in three temples at this Divya Desam, there was no girl who came forward to marry him and thus at 50, he remains unmarried living in a small ''few 100s sft' house opposite the Manikundram Perumal Temple and serving the Thanjai Maa Mani Lords day in day out remains his only Love in Life.

60 years in the agraharam

85 year old Rukmini Maami has been a resident of this Divya Desam for close to 60 years having come here with her husband in 1962. With all her children and their families having moved to larger cities, she and her husband are the only couple left in the agraharam. She is still active with those vibrant years from the 60s still fresh in her memory.

She remembers the huge quantity of Thaligai comprising of Kadambam rice and Chakkarai Pongal that was presented to the Lord during the big Utsavams such as the Brahmotsavam and the Desikar Utsavam. The doors of the house that stretched from the agraraham in the South to the Eastern entrance of the temple were always open. Relatives and friends would come from afar for these utsavams. 100s of devotees would enjoy the sacred food after the procession of the Lord around the four streets. 

Her family supported these utsavams in a big way and ensured that the festivals at the Singa Perumal Koil did not stop for want of funds. However as with others in the agraharam, most of her relatives too chose the corporate world as their future and left this Divya Desam over a period of time leaving her and her husband as the sole long standing couple here.

Sadly, the Brahmotsavam and street processions have come to a halt at the Manikundram Divya Desam after the flag post was damaged a decade ago. The authorities are hoping that this will be revived soon.

Transformation at Neela Megha Perumal Koil
After the death of Pichai Bhattar, the Prince has appointed a separate Bhattar - Sampath Bhattar - to take care of the Neelamegha Perumal temple, the first in several decades.  Within a matter of 12 months, one finds a dramatic change in the temple with the Moolavar Lord now seen in glittering Jewels and Gold Kreedam and Kavacham, thanks to the interest taken by the new priest, who was previously in another temple within the Palace administration. It looks like Neela Megha Perumal temple will see more upgrades in the times to come with the priest looking at continuous improvements through donor contributions.

Paricharakar for 4 decades through the tough times

Paricharaka Sampath Iyengar too served at the Thanjai Maa Mani Divya Desam for four decades from the early 1960s, also at a monthly salary in the 100s. In a rare turn of event, his grandson 25 year old Sridhar has joined the temple after completing his graduation, purely in a gesture of continuing the service. 

           Sridhar Paricharakar

Right from his school and college days, he had been supporting his grandfather at the temple. He had also taken special interest in decorating the Lord even as a young boy. Now he is actively involved in alankaram during Brahmotsavams and also during the now popular 23 Garuda Sevai in Thanjavur. The good news now is that both Narasimha Bhattar and Sridhar Paricharakar are well paid by the Prince.

Mei Kavalar and his devotional commitment

An integral part of the survival of this Divya Desam was the Mei Kavalar P Varadarajan, like the one in Athanur Divya Desam not too far away from here. Now 61, he joined the temple about 25 years ago at a salary of Rs. 310. His was the role to open the temple door at the scheduled time in the morning and evening. He was also responsible for the cleanliness of the temple. He also carried the Lord on his shoulder when required and also carried the torch lamp – Theevatti- during processions. Coming off from farming in the village of Perumagalur, he is delighted to have got the opportunity to serve the Lord in a Divya Desam. 

It was not the financial lure but the devotional attraction and to be with the Lord all days of the year that helped him stick like a glue these two and a half decades.He retired last year having received a very healyhy salary from the temple. Subsequent to this retirement, he now serves as the watchman at the temple.

Almost the entire service personnel are in synch when it comes to the role played by the Rajah of Thanjavur in preserving these ancient temples (88 of them are under their administration). Both in difficult times and now when things are much better, the Palace has done its best for these service personnel. And that is truly commendable, especially at a time when the HR & CE continues to pay in 100s to priests in the several 1000s of temples administered by them in Tamil Nadu.

As with many other Divya Desams in TN, there is hope that the original inhabitants will one day come back to the agraharam, the festivals will become grand again with participation from the traditional Vaishnavites. For now, it seems a distant hope. 

Maddur Ugra Narasimha

A temple where Narasimha is seen in the angry posture at the time of the killing of Hiranyakashipu

Lord Varadaraja North of Ugra Narasimha temple is similar to the one in Kanchipuram

Located 15kms West of Doddamallur Aprameya Perumal Temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/07/doddamallur-aprameya-navaneetha-krishna.html) on the Bangalore Mysore Highway is the centuries old Ugra Narasimha temple in Maddur, where the Lord is seen in angry posture with Hiranyakashipu on his lap.Garuda and Prahalada, both in standing posture, are seen flanking the Lord.

When Arjuna requested Krishna for a darshan of Narasimha Avatara, he was told that the avathara could not be replayed but directed Brahmma to create and install the idol of Narasimha in a posture depicting the destruction of the asura.

Kadamba Rishi created a theertham, had bath and undertook penance invoking the blessings of the Lord. Hence this place was historically referred to as Kadamba Kshetram.

 The Hoysalas renovated the temple that one sees in the current form and structure.

Once upon a time, medicines were made available here for all health issues. Hence this place was referred to as ‘madhu’ that over time became Maddur. Even today those with skin issues and with mental fear are believed to be relieved from these issues after invoking the blessings of the Lord and once the sacred water is splashed on their face. 

On Avani Shravanam, the Lord is decorated with Vennai Alankaram. 15 day Brahmotsavam is celebrated in Chitrai. There are two Thayar Sannidhis at the temple – Sowmya Nayaki and Narasimha Nayaki. A special feature at the temple is the posture of Yashoda holding her child Krishna by her chest. Hanuman is seen in a respectful posture before Lord Rama at a separate sannidhi.

To the North of the temple is the Hoysala Period Varadaraja Perumal temple. The story goes that King Vishnu Varadan’s mother could not make it to Kanchi to have darshan of Varadar as she could not see. The King brought the architects from Kanchipuram and built an idol similar to the one in Kanchi. After a 48 day pooja invoking the blessings of the Lord, the King brought his mother to the temple. And to his mother’s delight, she had darshan of Varadaraja Perumal. 

Hence this Lord came to be known as Kanchi Kan Varadarajar. Similar to Kanchipuram one has to climb 27 steps to reach the Moolavar Sannidhi. Varadar Jayanthi is celebrated in a grand way on Hastham. On the day Ugra Narasimha is decorated with Vennai Alankaram, an abhishekam takes place here for Varadarajar.

The temple is open between 8am – 12noon and 5pm-8pm. Contact Balaji Bhattar @ 90362 92265

Doddamallur Aprameya Navaneetha Krishna Temple

Committed to the devotional service of Lord Aprameya, Pancharatra Agama expert Radhakrishna Bhattarchaya refused lucrative overseas offers and has served the Lord for 40years without an official posting – He is set to receive a Doctorate Degree this Saturday for his expertise in the Agamas

His father served the temple with utmost devotion for over seven decades, a majority of which at a monthly salary of Rs. 3

A Temple that celebrates the Avathara Utsavam of both Desikar and Manavala Mamuni

Radhakrishna Bhattachar is touching 70. His legs have weakened after over four decades of standing long hours at the Doddamallur Aprameya Perumal temple, one that is renowned for the crawling Navaneetha Krishna. Yet his devotional service has not reduced over the decades as he takes slow steps towards the Aprameya Perumal Sannidhi for the morning Satru Murai. On most days over the years, his stay at the temple has extended to 1pm as tourist and devotee crowd make their way to the temple on their way to Mysore along the National Highway.

Starting from the offer in the mid 1970s, he has let go several overseas opportunities that have come his way over the last four decades and has lived his life with the sole purpose of serving the Lord at Doddamallur, inspired by the verses of Purandaradasa who sung praise of Lord Aprameya.

His father Govindaraja Bhattar served at the temple for over seven decades from 1942, starting with a monthly salary of Rs. 3 and ending 71 years later (when he passed away) with a salary of Rs. 1500 much like O. S Seshadri Bhattar at Kapisthalam Divya Desam, who received Rs. 16 as monthly salary for several decades (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/07/kapisthalam-seshadri-bhattar.html).

A 5 year Agama course in Mysore
Soon after Radhakrishna Bhattar received Dikshai at the age of 16, he joined his father at the temple supporting him in the daily activities. Having completed his schooling in Doddamallur, Radhakrishna Bhattar studied Pancharatra Agama for five years at the Mysore Sanskrit College, the most renowned college in those days. From the stalwarts of those days, he learnt Desikar Prabhandham, Mimamsa and other Mantras.  The jeer of Parakala Mutt took a personal liking for the devotional conduct of the then young man in the 1970s and would ask him to recite the Desikar Prabhandham. 

No official posting for Radhakrishna till 2013

There was only one official posting at the temple and since his father held that, Radhakrishna Bhattar could only offer support activities and for much of his life has not been an official staffer of the temple. In the mid 1970s, when Radhakrishna Bhattar was in his 20s, he was offered a posting at the Pittsburg Perumal temple, an offer that was so lucrative that few would have refused.

His father, who was on a monthly salary of Rs. 3 was keen that his son accept the offer as it would have given great financial stability and growth to the family and tried his best to pursue his son to accept the offer but the son’s mind lay elsewhere even at that young age. The peace of mind that Radhakrishna had experienced in the first two decades of his life serving the Lord helped him forge a strong devotional bonding with the temple and he simply refused to leave Lord Aprameya and the crawling and handsome child like Navaneetha Krishna.

Not only did he instantly reject the offer, he also decided that he would not leave the Lord of Doddamallur at any point of time in life to serve at an overseas temple. In the ensuing decades, several other offers from temples in different continents came his way but Radhakrishna Bhattachar resisted the temptation to make the move away from Lord Aprameya. In fact most residents in the agraharam in his age group moved away from the town in the 1970s and 80s. Many of them went on to hold top posts in their lives including the head of HMT, BEML, Police (DGP) and one in the atomic energy space.

Radhakrishna Bhattar, for his part, also refused full time jobs within the state including a Professor’s posting at the Mysore Govt College, for he did not want a life outside of the temple. For over two decades, he taught part time at a local school and later also taught agamas and sculptures in a college.

It was this devotional commitment that helped the popularity of the temple grow over the last few decades. During the harvest season, the farmers in all the neighbouring villages would present their first offering at the feet of this Bhattar family, such was the regard they had for the family. 

The Legend

In the Brahmanda Purana, Lord Aprameya has been described in 12 Adyayams. Inscriptions dating back to 400AD refer to the temple. Lord Aprameya also finds mention in other historical scriptures. The story goes that when one dug three feet at this place, one got pure sand. Hence it was referred to as ‘Manalur’ (Maavalur in Kannada) which in later period became Malloor.  Another story goes that King Sarangadara ruled over 20 villages in this region. When once the opposition forces over powered him and cut him into pieces, he invoked the blessings of Lord Aprameya and to the surprise of everyone, his hands came back. Hence this place was called ‘Molaitha’ Ooru.

The Moolavar Lord is seen in an East facing standing posture with a conch and chakra. Aravinda Valli Thaayar is seen in a separate sannidhi. There are also sannidhis for Vedantha Desikar and Manavala Mamunigal.  

During the Brahmotsavam, the Lord is carried on the Vahanas around the four streets of Dodda Mallur.

A once Vibrant Agraharam

Not so long ago till the early part of the second half of the 20^th century, there was a vibrant agaraharam opposite the temple with over a 100 traditional families residing in the street. It was such an integral part of the town that all communication from here went with a reference to the agraharam of Doddamallur.

Historically, there were four Perumal temples and four Shiva temples in each of the four sides. Gopalakrishna Temple in the East,  Janardhana in the West, Rama in the South and Lakshmi Narasimha in the North.  Arkeswara Temple in the East, Kalyana Natheswara in the West and Varadeswara in the South and Kaileswara in the North.There are several inscriptions within the temple in the inner prakara.

In recognition of the contribution of the improvement initiatives at the temple, there is a stone image of a Vijayanagara ruler.

Festivals

A Grand Brahmotsavam continues to be celebrated in Chitrai with Chariot Festival on Hastham. It is the fortnight in the year when almost all the traditionalists congregate in the agraharam. A number of cultural initiatives especially for children have been initiated by Radhakrishna Bhattar around the Krishna Jayanthi Utsavam. A 4 day Pavitrotsavam  in Avani is also celebrated . Unlike most of the temples in Tamil Nadu, both the Vedantha Desikar and Manavala Mamuni Utsavams are celebrated in a grand way at this temple. 

A continuing piece of historical tradition is that the temple closes for the day when there is a death in the agraharam.

The official posting - Takes over from his father
Only after the death of his father in 2013, did Radhakrishan Bhattar get the posting in the temple, over five decades after he began performing service at the temple, supporting his father. Interestingly, there are notices at different locations at the temple that direct devotees to present ‘Thattu Kaasu’ only in the official Hundials!!! In the years that Radhakrishna Bhattar has performed service and his special connect with the devotees at large, the annual hundi collection in the temple has gone up from Rs.40000 to Rs. 40 Lakhs but as with temples in Tamil Nadu, the salary of the priest has remained abysmally low.

In recognition of his four plus decades of devotional service at the temple, promotion of spiritual activities and his expertise and presentations on the Pancharatra agama, he is being conferred a Doctorate this Saturday (July 27) jointly by a University in Bangalore and in the US. 

Quick Facts

Moolavar: Aprameya Perumal

Thayar    : Aravinda Valli Thayar

Separate Sannidhi: Crawling Navaneetha Krishna seen with butter in his hand

The temple is open from 730am-1pm and 430pm to 8pm. Contact: 080-29783127

How to reach

Doddamallur is about 60kms from Bangalore on the Mysore Highway, 3kms after Channapatna. From Channapatna Station, an auto to the temple will cost Rs. 70 (96636 70125 Arasu).

Share autos are available from the bus stand. Express bus may not stop at Doddamallur.

Tiruvoimozhi Pillai Konthagai

The descendants of the Acharya, who transformed Azhvaar Tirunagari into a beautiful temple town, have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord and Azhvaar at this ancient Divya Desam 

Monthly Divya Prabhandham presentation and a grand Avathara Utsavam still a feature at his Birth Place in Konthagai

Located 15kms East of Madurai is the centuries old Deivanayakan temple in Konthagai, the birth place of Acharya Tiruvoimozhi Pillai. While the temple itself is in fine state, the once vibrant agraharam that comprised of traditionalists chanting Vedas and Prabhandham, is non-existent and as with many other historical locations, this too has faded with passage of time.

The young Gopalakrishnan Bhattar is one of those few among the modern gen who has chosen to stay back in a remote temple town and perform aradhana for the Lord. His uncle had previously been undertaking pooja for several decades.

Unfortunately, there aren’t too many visitors to the temple despite this being an Avathara Sthalam of a Vaishnavite Acharya. To those that do visit, the priest with great delight refers to this as a location that Arjuna visited as part of his pilgrimage. 

                                  The temple in Konthagai

Every Moolam, the Adyapakas make a trip to Konthagai all the way from Koodal Azhagar to present prabhandham at the temple here. On Vaikasi Visakam, the birth day of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai, the acharya goes on a grand street procession, as part of the Avathara Utsavam celebrations.

Being a Pancharatra Agama temple, Koodal Azhagar temple refused to administer this remote temple and hence this comes under the administration of Meenakshi Amman Koil, the only Perumal temple under their control.

The temple is open from 7am to 11am and 530pm to 8pm. Contact Gopalakrishna Bhattar @ 97887 26611

Tiruvoimozhi Pillai and Azhvaar Tirunagari

While his Avathara Sthalam has turned remote in modern times, far away down South in Azhvaar Tirunagari, the location where Tiruvoimozhi Pillai resurrected the forest region into a beautiful temple town and brought back the idol of Nam Azhvaar from Kerala,  there is a certain vibrancy with his descendants continuing his legacy of performing service to the Azhvaar.

The historical story - From administration of Kingdom to Vaishnavism

With the then Pandya King dying early and his son too young to be crowned as the next king, Thirumalai Azhvaar, the original name of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai, was mandated by the ministers in the kingdom to take over the administration till such time the prince came of age. It was around this time that the Mughals invaded the Srirangam temple. Along with others, Pillai Lokacharya brought the idol of Namperumal to Kodikulam, near Narasingam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/12/yoga-narasimha-narasingam-madurai.html). Thirumalai Azhvaar had been initiated by his acharya Pillai Lokacharya with the Pancha Samskaram when he was very young.

It was during his stay there that he identified the devotional powers of Thirumalai Azhvaar and called upon Koora Kulothuma Dasa to initiate him in the traditional path.

Once when Thirumalai Azhvaar was going around the city of Madurai on an inspection round, he found Koora Kulothuma Dasa reciting the Tiruviruttam verses of Nam Azhvaar. Not finding him yet ready to take on the challenge of traditional services, Koora Kulothuma Dasa refused to explain to him the significance of these verses. When he narrated this incident to his mother, she informed him of the wishes of his acharya and the role assigned to Koora Kulothuma Dasa.

Yet another time, when Thirumalai Azhvaar was on elephant top on another inspection of the city and its people, he spotted Koora Kulothuma Dasa amidst the crowd. This time there was a spark and Thirumali Azhvaar requested Kulothuma Dasa to initiate him into the verses in the mornings during the period that he was applying the sacred Thiruman before his departure to perform the administrative duties in the kingdom.

It was also the time that Nam Azhvaar’s idol had been taken away to Kerala as a precautionary measure to guard from the Mughal invasion. Tholappar sought the help of the Pandya forces to recover the idol that had been hidden under a deep pit. It was finally Tholappar who dived into the pit to help reclaim the idol. However, in the process of trying to climb back he lost his life. In memory of his contribution to the recovery of the idol, he is to this day presented with Theertham and sacred garland after the Thiru Arathanam every day at the Aathi Nathan temple in Azhvaar Tirunagari.

Soon, he quit the kingdom and made the transition to a life of a Vaishnavite. Tiruvoimozhi Pillai left for Azhvaar Tirunagari, a location that at that time resembled a huge forest. Given his administrative experience at the Pandya Kingdom, he got down to the task of renovating the entire place and converted it into a beautiful temple town with the temple in the heart of it. Taking a special liking to Namazhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi, he began practicing it all the time at the temple that he (Thirumalai Azhvaar) came to be referred to as ‘Tiruvoimozhi pillai’.

The descendants

Sridhar Tiruvoimozhi Pillai is one of the descendants continuing to reside at Azhvaar Tirunagari and one who also takes care of archaka service at Thiru Mogur Divya Desam. His forefathers had dedicated their entire lives in the service of the Lord of Thiru Kurugur but it was a financially challenging time for them during the 20^th century. For several decades, it was the sishyas who helped them survive that phase of life. The sishyas presented cows that helped his forefathers secure milk for the day. For half a century, the entire family just had one meal a day. His father did service at the Thiruvenkatamudayan Sannidhi South of the Athi Nathan temple at a salary of Rs. 22 for many years. 

During the Adyayana Utsavam in Azhvaar Tirunagari, the descendants of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai are given the first respects on the first day. Financially they do not get anything at the Azhvaar Tirunagari Divya Desam except for some quantity of rice as prasadam. The descendants are also the Sthalathars at Thiru Kolur Vaitha Maa Nidhi Divya Desam and are bestowed with the keys of the temple. There, they serve as Adyapakas and present Veda Parayanam and are also the hereditary Arankavalar. Given that he ruled the kingdom, Tiruvoimozhi Pillai had first rights of theertham at Srivilliputhur, Azhagar Koil, Thiru Mogur and Konthagai in the Pandya region.

The financial revival

It was in the 2^nd half of the 20^th century that one of the descendants was handed over to Thiru Mogur Divya Desam after the original Mirasu there did not have successors. Only after this adoption and after the revival in the 1990s of the temple located in the outskirts of Madurai did the descendants of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai find an improvement in their livelihood. At the Kaalamegha Perumal temple, the descendants of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai present the Puranam on the occasion of Kaisika Ekadasi, Sri Jayanthi, Gajendra Moksham( Maasi) and the Sthala Puranam in Vaikasi.

Unlike many others from the present generation, none of the descendants of Tiruvoimozhi Pillai have tried to seek livelihood outside of the temple service. There are six in the family currently as the descendants.

How to reach Konthagai
From Madurai, take a bus to Silaiman ( 12kms). From Silaiman, an auto South to Konthagai temple will cost Rs. 80, crossing the Rameswaram National Highway. Contact auto:84897 22346.
Share autos every 10minutes from Madurai Ring Road to Silaiman.

Kapisthalam Seshadri Bhattar

For six decades,  he has served at the  Gajendra Varadar Divya Desam with devotional commitment

His 'challenged' son has been supporting him 'quietly' at the temple for the last two decades 

Despite the financial challenges of several decades, Seshadri Bhattar has lived a quiet and contented life without any complaints

With the untimely death of his father (there were no medical facilities at that time in Kapisthalam), O. S Seshadri Bhattar took over as the archaka at the Gajendra Varadar Divya Desam in Kapisthalam, one of the Pancha Krishna Kshetrams, when he was just 19, in 1961.  For almost 60 years now, he has been performing devotional service, all alone, every day of the year at this Divya Desam. 

Seshadri Bhattar was one of the well respected priests in the region even at that young age in the 1960s for he had learned the Vedas and Agamas for a decade from 1949 from the revered Oothukadu Sankara Ganapadigal at the renowned centuries old Raja Patshala in Kumbakonam.  He wanted to become a teacher but the sudden death of his father meant that the responsibility of the temple service came to him at a very young age.

Vibrant Agraharam – Strong Service Personnel

In the 1960s, Kapisthalam too was vibrant with 21 traditional families including one Saivite and Rayar family, in the Agraharam. With the presence of Adyapakas, Divya Prabhandham Ghosti was an everyday feature at the temple. All the residents in the agraharam would gather at the temple in large numbers for Nithyanusanthanam in the evening that was followed by the presentation of Sundal to the Lord.

That decade, the temple had 11 service personnel including Mei Kaavalar, the garland maker and paricharakars, in addition to four who played the sacred musical instruments. For 15 years, Seshadri lived a financially challenging life. He would receive a maximum of one anna a day and it was with that, that he ran the family. His elder brothers found their way into life outside of temple service as did his younger brother leaving him as the only one in the family continuing the hereditary service. In the 1960s, Seshadri Bhattar also ran a Patshala in Kapisthalam teaching over 20 students. Most of his students have done financially well in their lives but very few have come to serve their Guru or help him financially in his tough times.

In those initial decades at Kapisthalam, he resided in what is now the Vahana Mandapam at the Eastern entrance to the temple, a 200 sq ft room. With support from the residents of Umayalapuram, he built the small home opposite the Gajendra Varadar temple which is where he has been residing for decades. 

Umayalpuram Perumal - An Additional Temple in charge

In September 1976, his uncle who had been performing service at the Rajagopalan Temple in Umayalpuram, a few kms East of Kapisthalam went in pursuit of overseas opportunities and asked Seshadri to perform ‘two time’ aradhana at the temple. Umayalpuram was a vibrant location in those decades with 60 traditional families residing in the agraharam. All the residents loved Seshadri Bhattar for his devotion to the Lord. He would cycle his way between Kapisthalam and Umayalpuram each day. He was paid a monthly salary of Rs. 150 for his service there, which came as a welcome addition, financially.

Heartbreak - A Deaf And Dumb Son

His son was born partially (or at least that’s what Seshadri Bhattar thought) deaf and dumb in 1981. Through that entire decade, he spent his entire earnings and more on the medical treatment for his son including taking him to JIPMER but nothing progressed. There were different versions and solutions that gave Seshadri Bhattar hope but his son has remained speechless for almost four decades now, though the father has kept the verbal communication going from his side. And over time, his son began to understand the messages from his father, especially those relating to temple activities.

Utsavams

There has been no Brahmotsavam at the temple for over a century, though when he joined service he found many of the Vahanas. But even during the time his grandfather served at the temple, the Brahmotsavam had not been conducted.

The Lord provides Garuda Sevai darshan on Akshaya Trithiyai. In the 1960s, the Gajendra Moksham episode used to be enacted in a grand way at the tank South of the temple. Thirumanjanam on Puratasi Saturday and Ramaa Mani Thayar purapdu on Aadi and Thai Fridays have been regular features at the temple. But most of the grand festivals have come to nought in recent decades with almost the entire agraharam residents moving away to cities seeking greener pastures. In the last decade or so, Navarathri has been celebrated in a grand way with participation from the local community.

A Towering Recognition from Kudanthai Andavan

Way back in 1963, when he was just 21 years old, Thiru Kudanthai Andavan of Andavan Ashram conferred the title of ‘Mantra Mani' for having rendered Vishnu Homam for 20 hours nonstop in Kumbakonam without a water or a toilet break. But financial rewards have eluded Seshadri Bhattar all through his life.

All alone without support

Unlike many other priests in the region, Seshadri Bhattar has not been in the thick of action performing Samprokshanams in other Divya Desams / Temples, an activity that would have been financially lucrative. Given the physical state of his son and being stuck all alone at the Kapisthalam temple, he has rarely participated in Samprokshanam activities in other temples. Thus for a major part of his life, he has had to manage with the two digit salary at the Kapisthalam temple and the slightly better remuneration at the Umayalpuram temple. As decades passed, the service personnel too reduced at the Kapisthalam Divya Desam and for a number of years he has now been all alone at the temple.

In the last few years, the devotee numbers has been on the rise and so has the Thattu Kaasu.

Food without Salt in tough times

What he has found remarkable is that his wife has never complained once in her life about the financial challenges. He proudly says that she eats the food available on the day, even if it’s without salt. That has been her commitment to him and this Divya Desam. A couple of years ago, after several years of search, Seshadri found a lady who agreed to marry his son giving the 77 year old Bhattar peace of mind that there would be someone to take care of his son after his time.

Seshadri Bhattar is truly a one of his kind having spent the last six decades at the Kapisthalam Divya Desam. He has never complained in his life about the financial challenges and has served the Lord with devotion every day for he has largely remained contented with the way of life that God has provided him. His son has been very dear to him and he has spent the last four decades trying to give him as much happiness as possible communicating to him in whatever way he could. With the passing of every decade, his son has improved and is now able to help devotees with darshan.

As a financial security for his son, 77 year old Seshadri Bhattar is hopeful that one day some devotee will help him run a Go-Shala in Kapisthalam

He can be reached on 04374225434/9585085619

VB Gokulakrishnan TNPL

The once 'Dreaded Duo' in the City League join hands once again with VB Chandrasekar roping in J Gokulakrishnan as the coach of his team in the TNPL 

One will have to wait and watch if this combination will make it happen again like they did in the 1990s

                       

Just over 25 years after they formed one of the potent combinations in the city league, former captain of India Cements VB Chandrasekar and his new ball bowler of the time J Gokulakrishnan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/03/gokulakrishnan-j.html), who spearheaded the bowling attack of India Cements in the 1990s and anchored many a victory that decade have come together again, this time in the fourth edition of the TNPL.

As soon as he decided to throw himself into the local TN T20 league, VBC ( http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/vb-chandrasekar.html) was keen to rope in his mentee from the 1990s. However the terms did not work out at that time. While Gokulakrishnan along with his brother Madanagopal coached Tuti Patiriots to two successive finals  (including winning one), VBC’s team has not fared particularly well in the TNPL so far (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/tnpl.html). 

When the duo moved on to the Coimbatore team last year, it was the match against VB’s team that undid the season for them as they collapsed chasing a mediocre target.

VBC once again looked for Gokulakrishnan ahead of the new season that is set to start in the third week of this month. However, with Gokul committed to the Coimbatore team, it seemed that the once feared combination may not come together yet another time.

But things turned around suddenly over the last week as Gokul and Madan parted ways with the Coimbatore team. And finally, after three years, VBC as he always does has had his way even if it has come a little late this time and has signed up Gokulakrishnan as the coach for his team.

For both VBC and Gokulakrishnan, winning was a driving force in the way they played their cricket. And it is likely that this combo will go all out this season to give it a winning shot.

It will be interesting to wait and watch as to how this once dreaded combination fare this time around. 

(Teams from the TNPL have shown interest in roping in Madanagopal, who has been rated highly as a coach and mentor by the players in TN.  However, if nothing works out soon, he may take the call to make himself available to umpire for the first time in the TNPL, this season)

Ameena Seshadri Parthasarathy Koil

For over 25 years, his has been a voice that a devotee to the Parthasarathy Perumal Divya Desam in Thiruvallikeni could hardly have missed

The man responsible for the timely conduct of temple services and utsavams and one who has seen and overcome several challenges during his time at the temple has one unfulfilled dream – that of serving Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam as the Maniyakaarar

Sholavaram (Pettai) Ranganathan was keen that his son Seshadri take up to auditing but the young mind was destined to spend a major part of his life serving the Lord in an ancient Divya Desam. The boy who schooled at National Boys School, Triplicane quit academics at the age of 13 and with a traditional tuft and a dhoti moved to the Avathara Sthalam of Vaishnavite Saint Ramanjua at Sriperambudur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/ramanuja-avathara-utsavam-sriperambudur.html ) to serve at the Madapalli there. Subsequently, for a couple of years, he stayed in the house of his great grandmother Kooram Pattamma at Pettai, a period when there was no electric lights at the house, and performed Madapalli service at Thirumazhisai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/02/jagannatha-perumal-temple-thirumazhisai.html), Sriperambudur and at the Mudhaliandan temple in Nazratpettai.

Venkidi's Transformational Change at Kanchi

It was while he was performing service at the Adhi Kesava Perumal temple in Sriperambudur that he caught the eye of Koil Annan Kanthadai Kumara Venkatachar, a descendant of Mudhaliandan, the first disciple of Ramanuja ((https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/muthaliandan-ramanujas-first-disciple.html). So impressed was the revered acharya with the devotional intent of Venkidi (that’s how he was called by those close to him) that he took him along to his Thiru Maligai in Kanchipuram. It was to be a life defining moment for the young 15 year old boy. 

     Seshadri in the 1970s with the current Mudhaliandan Swami

Once he moved to Sriperambudur from Thiruvallikeni in 1972, Seshadri rarely stayed with his parents so much so that when Kumara Venkatachar Swamy organised for his Upanayanam, the young Seshadri went around the whole of Madras searching for his parents to invite them for the ceremony the next day for he did not even know where they were residing.

Fully Dedicated to his Mentor and Acharya

For 5 years from 1976, he performed daily service at the Thiru Maligai of Mudhaliandan. The Swamy initiated him into Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, Grantham, the art of making sacred Thaligai and more importantly the mantras to be chanted for every sacred activity that one performs each day. During this period, he would wake up each day at 4am, have a cold water bath, wash the clothes of his acharya, cook food and perform service through the day for his acharya.

It was also a phase when Venkatachar Swamy taught him life lessons that Seshadri has not forgotten to this day – that of being contented in life, not succumbing to temptations of life and to be generally controlled in one’s actions at all times. 

Every day Darshan of Athi Varadar 40 years ago
Seshadri was blessed to be right near the Varadaraja Perumal Temple 40 years ago for the Athi Varadar Utsavam.  There would be at least 50 disciples who made their way to the Thiru Maligai of Mudhaliandan Swamy each of the 48 days. It was Seshadri who cooked and presented food on each of these days serving a large number of disciples. This experience also equipped him with the ability to cook varied food for as many as 1000 people in one go. He also enjoyed the experience of having darshan of Athi Varadar on each of the 48 days. 

During those five years, he had the great experience of accompanying Venkatachar Mudhaliandan Swamy to the Kooram temple each Hastham of the year.

So pleased was Venkatachar Swamy with the service of Seshadri that he appointed the 20 year old as a Theertha Gumastha at the Singaperumal Koil in 1980, a rare privilege that entitled the youngster to have the first rights at the temple. While Mudhaliandan Swamy continued to reside in Kanchipuram, Seshadri moved to Singaperumal Koil into the Thiru Maligai of Mudhaliandan Swamy.

A treasured moment - Receives Sambhavanai of Rs. 60/- from his Acharya for his devotional service

For the next five years, he was under the care of Vadakapatti Narayanan, a disciple of Mudhaliandan performing daily service at Singaperumal Koil.  He was paid a monthly sambhavanai of Rs. 60 by Mudaliadan Swamy for his service activity, an amount that Seshadri that treasured for he received it from his mentor and acharya who had taught him the Vaishnavite Sampradayam.

During the Brahmotsavam, the temple personnel would beat the drum and led by the Theevatti, would visit the Thirumaligai of Mudhaliandan Swamy to invite him for the first rights at the utsavam that included parivattam, theertham and sacred flower garland.

It was also a period when Seshadri began initiating the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham to a bunch of students from Chengalpattu and to a few at the Singaperumal Koil including a couple of Bhattars.

Financial Challenges in his childhood

In the mid 1980s his father, who had seen severe financial challenges in the 1960s and 70s, moved to madapalli service at a temple in Banaswadi in Bombay. Seshadri too was asked to join his parents there.  The period in the 60s and 70s was so bad, financially, that even paying the monthly rent of Rs. 25 for the house where they stayed in Thiruvallikeni was a challenge for the family.  His father performed kainkaryam in three temples but without much of a salary.

Thiruvallikeni Adyapaka ropes Seshadri to the Parthasarathy Temple
It was during his stay in Bombay that Adyapaka Deivanayakan Swamy of Thiruvallikeni asked him to apply for the ‘Ameena’ Post at the Parthasarathy Perumal Koil. He served as a trainee ‘Ameena’ for a year at the temple, after which  he worked for a brief period in a corporate environment, the only time in his life that he was away from temple service.

In 1993, a formal interview was conducted and he was officially appointed as the ‘Ameena’ ((Maniyakaarar) of the Parthasarathy temple . It was much a respected post even from the days of the British for even in those times, 'Ameena' was bestowed with the primary rights and responsibilities to conduct the daily services as well as the utsavams in a timely manner. He was also the one that the temple looked forward to for information on any deviation in services by any of the personnel at the temple.

For over 25 years, he has been the official timekeeper at the temple having streamlined many of the activities at the temple. It has not been an easy period though, for the 1990s witnessed many challenging moments not least from the Sripatham of the time. He was also new at the temple and had to bear the brunt of the challenges that arose during most of the street processions. But his devotional commitment helped him sail through that phase. 

Political climate at Parthasarathy Koil

Like many other temples administered by the HR & CE, this one too has had its fair share of political interference. For a brief period a decade ago, driven by political pressure, he was moved away to the role of paricharakar and also to manage the counter. There was even a plan to remove him from the temple such was the group-ism among the powers that be but good sense finally prevailed and he was reappointed as the Ameena.

Similar to Srirangam, the processions at the Parthasarathy temple have been on time ( that was not always the case till the 1990s) after Seshadri took over as the Maniyakaarar. He is also proud of initiating ‘Ekantha Sevai’ for Narasimha Swamy during the Brahmotsavam, an event that was kicked off just over two decades ago. He is also happy that during his stint at the temple, he has been able to manage various service personnel adopting a consensus decision making approach whenever issues have flared up.

While his father wanted him to become an auditor, Seshadri wanted his two children to take up IAS but their interests too were elsewhere and have taken up to work in the corporate world.  Determined to have an IAS official in the family, Seshadri has now instilled the thought  in his grandchildren.

Service at Srirangam - A Long Cherished Dream

Seshadri will soon be turning 60 and his time could be up at the Parthasarathy temple same time next year, even though talks are already on for a possible extension of his service given his terrific contribution to the temple, the clean sheet and the track record at the temple and the fact that all the service personnel have been comfortable engaging with him.

His has been a loud and prominent voice one has heard at this Divya Desam for over 25 years. When unhappy with the performance of any service personnel, especially ahead of a procession, Seshadri’s has been the first voice to come out. 

Despite the numerous challenges he has had to face at the Parthasarathy Perumal Koil as the Maniyakaarar of the temple, he considers the peace of mind that he has had over the last couple of decades as the greatest blessing of his life. Each night when he has gone to bed, he has done so with the satisfaction of having served the Lord that day. And that is a blessed state to have been in. He says that the five years under the tutelage of Venkatachar Mudhaliandan Swamy also gave him the people management skills that has held him in good stead at the Parthasarathy Koil, especially during tough times.

Into the future, he  wants to initiate youngsters into Nalayira Divya Prabhandham during his free time so the sacred verses of the Azhvaars are passed on to the next generation.

His long cherished dream has been to serve Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam as the Maniyakaarar of the temple. He is hopeful that one day in the not so distant future that this dream will become a reality. 

Parthasarathy Koil Narasimha Swamy Garuda Sevai

In a rare occurence, NamAzhvaar has Garuda Sevai darshan of Narasimha Swamy on the occasion of his Avathara Utsavam that coincided with the 3rd day of the Brahmotsavam

Devotional commitment of Sri Patham Thangis and Divya Prabhandham Ghosti was seen till well past midnight with two successive processions on the evening

A death in one of the sacred streets of Thiruvallikeni just ahead of the Simha Vahana procession on the 2^nd evening of the Narasimha Swamy Brahmotsavam took the service personnel  and the temple staff off guard. Historically, it has been the tradition in the agraharams of Divya Desam that any untoward incidents will be cleared off within the first Naazhigai – 2 ½ hours.

Agama expert and one of the leading Bhattars in Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu Vasan Bhattar of Therazhundur says that there has been historical documentation in the  Aamaruviappan Divya Desam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/10/therazhundur-divya-desam.html) that has all its residents as signatories wherein the residents have undertaken to clear any obstructions to the Lord’s procession within a couple of hours so as to allow the Lord to pass.  

He says that even the period of an hour and a half is only for the ‘sacred’ activities to be performed after death and scriptures record it that anything after this sacred period, the ‘dead’ body becomes equivalent to that of a dog that lies dead and unattended on the street. Hence, it is the duty of the resident to complete all the sacred formalities within the first couple of hours of death and clear obstructions that will then pave the way for the Lord to go around the streets on the pre slated procession including during the Brahmotsavam. 

In fact for specific lagnam based events such as dwajarohanam and chariot procession, even such untoward events should not stop the pre fixed schedule and the Lord’s events should take place as planned says Vasan Bhattar.

Changing Times and its impact

This was largely followed till a few decades ago in almost all Divya Desams. However, times have changed and the new generation on the back of an anti brahminical wave from the 1960s and 70s (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/thenthiruperai-divya-desam.html) have made their way to the West seeking greener pastures in the corporate world. Given this completely changed scenario, even the once most traditional of residents are playing it tough now and making the Lord wait beyond the once acceptable time for clearing such obstructions reasoning that the descendants have to make their way for the event from other destinations.

In the past, the families stayed together in the agraharam, the service personnel to conduct the activities were also residing in the same area and hence it was possible to finish within the stipulated time. And hence rarely did a procession get delayed for such reasons.

However, things have changed dramatically. For example, at the Thiruvallikeni Divya Desam, the streets on which the Lord makes his procession is now full of shops, eat outs and towering apartments in many cases taller than the Vimanam of the temple. There are big cars parked on the Mada and Car streets that many times affect the easy movement of the Lord.  And in many cases these belong to the traditionalists living in these streets ( Last night just after 11pm, one of the former staffers at the  temple Madapalli, in a moment of anger, removed the air from couple of tyres of a car parked opposite the Rama Sannidhi in the  presence of the Police personnel).

Following the death, there were differing views amongst the service personnel and devotees. There were those who wanted to protest as a group demanding the quick removal of the body where as the devotees were a little apprehensive on the rights of the temple considering the sensitivities involved with this.

While much has changed in the decades gone by in terms of the lifestyle of the traditionalists at the temples in Tamil Nadu, it still remains within the powers of the temple to force a clearance of obstructions on the streets where the Lord makes his way on a procession for that is the unwritten  (in some cases even a written undertaking as seen in Therazhundur Divya Desam) code of conduct that the residents agreed to abide by once upon a time in the sacred streets of Divya Desam. Today they are talking a different language forgetting the historical reasons of having taken up residence in these streets and standing firm on such occasions.

Spotlight turns on the Azhvaar 

As it turned out, the Simha Vahanam procession had to be cancelled on the 2^nd evening of the Brahmotsavam as was the popular Garuda Sevai on the 3^rd morning as the resident did not agree to clear till the next morning. The devotees also discussed amongst themselves that this was a way for the greatest of the Azhvaars, NamAzhvaar to show his power,  for the 3^rd day of the Brahmotsavam also co-incided with the annual avathara nakshatram of the Azhvaar.

And thus the focus on most of the 3^rd day of the Brahmotsavam remained with NamAzhvaar with the devotee crowd gathering in large numbers to listen to the Prabhandham recital of the verses of the Azhvaar – Tiruviruttam, Tiruvasaryam and Periya Thiruvanthathi in addition to the 10^th Canto of Tiruvoimozhi.

A Rare Occurence - Azhvaar has Garuda Sevai darshan

Also, the delayed clearance on the previous evening led to another unique feature. For the first time, NamAzhvaar had a Garuda Sevai darshan on the occasion his Avathara Utsavam. As the Garuda Sevai procession at the Brahmotsavam features in the morning and the NamAzhvaar Avathara Utsavam procession takes place in the evening, it is rare for NamAzhvaar to have Garuda Sevai darshan of the Lord of Thiruvallikeni. 

                                          

With the morning Garuda Sevai postponed on the third day (Saturday June 15) of the Brahmotsavam to 4.30 pm and with the Satru Murai of NamAzhvaar having been completed just an hour earlier, it provided an opportunity for NamAzhvaar to have this rare Garuda Sevai darshan of Narasimha Swamy at the Parthasarathy Perumal Divya Desam last evening.

Word was sent around to the devotees from across the city who usually gather in front of the Narasimha Swamy Raja Gopuram from 430 am on the occasion of the third day of the Brahmotsavam about the postponement of the Garuda Sevai to evening. And thus a huge crowd gathered around 4pm with each of the devotees wanting to take a vantage position for a first glimpse of the Lord on the Garuda Vahanam.

Shortly after, Namazhvaar made his way around Narasimha Swamy and positioned himself in front of the Lord to listen to the Moonram Thiruvanthathi recital of the Divya Prabhandham Scholars of Thiruvallikeni

The other debate of the day was whether ‘Eysel’, a prominent event of Garuda Sevai would take place.  While the offerings to the Lord on the street procession was done away with, much to the delight of the devotees Eysel was presented as per the original schedule. It was around 7pm that the Lord returned to his abode through the Western Entrance of the Parthasarathy Koil.

Devotional Commitment of Sri Patham and Divya Prabhandham Ghosti

For the over 100+ Sri Patham Thangis, there was very little time to rest for they had to come back within the next couple of hours to carry the Lord on the Hamsa Vahanam procession that was slated for the 3^rd evening of the Brahmotsavam. It was commendable on the part of the traditional Sri Patham (one that has come to be almost non-existent in most of the Divya Desams in Tamil Nadu) to carry the Lord for over two hours again from 10pm having just undertaken a 2 ½ hour procession from 4.30 pm but they carried out the task with utmost devotion ( they were also back this morning at 6am for the Surya Prabhai procession after just a few hours of sleep on Saturday night).

And when the Lord on the Hamsa Vahanam came to rest at the Vahana Mandapam, it was well past midnight. 

The  Divya Prabhandham and Vedic scholars too had had a very long day having begun the day just around 10am with the postponed procession relating to the 2^nd evening that was followed by Thirumanjanam for Lord Narasimha and Namazhvaar. The extended recital of Namazhvaar’s verses on the occasion of his Avathara Utsavam took almost three hours on this last day of Vaikasi. And then they were back at it in the evening for the two long Vahana processions. It was also a long and tiring day for other service personnel such as the archakas, paricharakas, the madapalli personnel and the nadaswaram players to move from the procession in the morning to the hectic activities that followed during the course of the day.

The two differentiating features of this Divya Desam continues to be the traditional way the Lord is carried, with the extraordinary commitment of the Sri Patham Thangis  like the ones in Srirangam (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/12/sri-patham-thangis-srirangam.html) and the  Divya Prabhandham Ghosti who are seen in large numbers through the entire Brahmotsavam to present the 4000 verses over the 10 days of the festival (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/07/thiruvallikeni-prabhandham-ghosti.html). 

It was also touching to see the leader of the Divya Prabhandham Ghosti, MA Venkatakrishnan, unmindful of the injury to his leg, standing for over three hours in the afternoon presenting the verses of NamAzhvaar on the occasion of his Avathara Thiru Nakshatram, such is the commitment of the Ghosti at Thiruvallikeni ( http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html).

PHOTO COURTESY: SHRI THIRUMALAI VINJIMOOR VENKATESH