The Unknown Srivaishnava

A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-11)

A “kovil samprokshanam” is a very uniquely Hindu religious concept and grand ritual indeed.

Although in the the past, I had witnessed (from only afar though) an event of a samprokshanam being conducted at a temple, I confess that like so many thousands of ordinary pilgrims or temple-goers in the country, I too was woefully uninformed about the various ritual processes involved in the consecration, their real significance and esotericism and why a “samprokshanam” is such a central and integral part of all temple-worship and ‘kovil‘ traditions in our Hindu religion.

All that I did know about the ritual of “mahasamprokshanam” was no more than what I had occasionally seen of it on TV news-channels (SVBC or SankaraTV channels) covering some neighbhourhood temple event, or what I had been able to no more than merely catch glimpses of the ceremonies when I myself in person was present at the event and watched it from a very long distance away, standing amongst onlooking street-side bystanders.

All I saw then were priests climbing up a makeshift ramp atop the temple “vimana” or cupola aka dome (‘gopuram‘) to carry out purificatory rites wherein several pots of water duly sanctified by the chant of elaborate Vedic mantras were ceremoniously poured over the “kalasha-s” (narrow pointed spire fixed upon the apex of the cupola top) — which procedure is actually what the Sanskrit word “samproshanam” means.

“A kalasha pot’s shape — as per Puranas and Agamas — symbolizes the potentialities of life. The bud which is the topmost portion signifies new life and growth. From a distance the shape of the Kalasha looks like that of a flower bud or pot… “kumbha” … Which is why the other common name for the ritual of samprokshanam is “kumbhaabhishekam“.

“Some temples have stone-block as Kalasha. But most are either made of copper or bronze and in some temples (like Tirumala Venkateshwara’s or Sri Rangam’s) they are even gold plated. Cereals and precious stones are placed inside the Kalasha before it is sealed and erected upon the cupola.

Another important hidden component inside the Kalasha is the ‘the golden person’ (Suvarna Purusha) who is kept inside the pot ( i.e. after the rite known as ‘pratishta‘ is conducted). The icon of the ‘Suvarna Purusha’ kept inside the pot is Divine Cosmic Energy personified”.

Once the pots of sanctified water are decanted and poured over the “kalasha-s”, a great roar of excitement rises from the surging, lunging crowds of hundreds of devotees standing below, thronging, shoving and jostling against each other to catch the shower of sacred water-drops drizzling down upon themselves. That is precisely the moment in the “samprokshanam” ceremony which is its rousing climax. It signals the completion of the temple renovation, re-sanctification and re-energisation.

It is through the temple’s own divine rejuvenation that thousands of devotees then experience their own individual, vicarious spiritual upliftment.

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The above was about everything that I really did know about how a kovil samprokshanam gets conducted.

It was all very scant and very superficial and I felt inwardly ashamed of my ignorance. Here I had been going about strutting all these past years, thinking myself to be an ardent temple-worshipper but then knew virtually nothing about the religious rites of temples except whatever I had been able to inform myself through vague and patchy hearsay. I knew so little about a great ritual ceremony that, as per the Agama sastra, was the very life-source, the terrestrial and temporal dynamo without which divine energy could not be infused into and made to reside inside the sanctum-sanctorum of a kovil … or a devaalayam.

Thus, it was for that reason that I found myself hastening to the tiny village of Vilanagar to be present there at the “mahasamprokshanam” of Sri Varadaraja Perumal Kovil. It was an opportunity for the very first time in my life to be present first-hand, close and upfront to get a truly ring-side eye-witness view of its ritual-processes, from start to finish.

My good friend, and the main “ubaya-karta” and “yajamanar” (the principal sponsor) of the entire festival, Sri. S.Kothandaraman (and his gracious Devi, Smt. Vyjayanthi about whom I have already earlier in Part-1 written about), had kindly promised me that he would personally arrange for me to be present at very close quarters at all the important ritual sequence of events leading right up to the climactic moment of the “kalasha samprokshanam” atop the “gopuram” spires! I was keen therefore not to be late in seizing the opportunity to deepen my skimpy knowledge about “kovil samprokshanams“.

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Although I reached the Vilanagar temple-village early enough, my friend Sri Kothandaraman told me that I had already missed two preliminary ritual events that had already been completed by way of solemnly commencing the “samprokshanam” at the designated “muhurtha” (auspicious) time that had been scheduled by the chief officiating priest, the “yagnya hota” or “purohita/brihaspati“, Sri. Ranganatha Bhattacharya.

However, Kothandaraman assured me that I had not really missed much since both the hoisting of the “pandhakaal” (flagstaff hoisting marking the inauguration of the 3-day “yagnya” sacrificial proceedings) and the ritual collection of “kalasha theertha“ (water from the nearby River Cauvery) in “kumbham” for ritual purposes were only inaugural processes. He sent me the following photos of the same simply by way of information:

“*Pandhakaal*” installation for samproshanam (April 27, 2025):
**Sri Ranganatha Bhattar,** the Chief Priest, is seen second from left

Ceremonial procession to the River Caurvery to collect “*kalasha theertha*” for the samprokshanam *yagnya-shaala*; Sri Kothandaraman is in the foreground, third from right

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Sri Kothandaraman explained to me that if I was so very keen to gather authentic and detailed information about the various rituals that were going to be performed during the course of the “samprokshanam“, then the best resource person I should be contacting was the Chief Officiating Priest, Sriman Ranganatha Bhattar himself, who as and when time permitted, would be able to enlighten me on some important aspects of the main rituals. I thanked Kothandraman for the arrangement made with the Bhattar but not wishing to waste the priest’s time asking him inane or trivial questions about the “samprokshanam“, I jotted down a few key questions for which I wished him to provide answers.

The following were those questions for each of which, much later, the Bhattar gave patient and very clear answers. I was able to audio-record him on my Sony recorder-device.

1. உங்கள் சுய அறிமுகம் குறுகியவகையில்:
உங்கள் தொழில்/கல்வி/பணி) செய்கிறேன். உங்கள் ஊர்; “poorvikam”

2. கோயிலின் ஸ்தல புராணம்: “கோயிலின் வரலாறு மற்றும் முக்கியத்துவம் கல்வெட்டுகளில் காணப்படுகின்றன.”

3. சோழர் வம்சத்தின் தொடர்பு மற்றும் கோயிலுக்கு வழங்கிய உதவிகள்: “சோழர்கள் கோயிலுக்கு பல்வேறு காணிக்கைகள் அளித்ததற்கான சான்றுகள் கல்வெட்டுகளின் மூலம் நிரூபிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.”

4. கோயிலை பல நூற்றாண்டுகள் பாதுகாத்தவர்கள்:
“கோயிலை பாதுகாத்தவர்களின் பெயர்கள் மற்றும் பங்களிப்புகள் கல்வெட்டுகளின் மூலம் அறியப்படுகின்றன.”

5. கோயில் புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டதற்கான காரணங்கள்:
“சமூக, பொருளாதார அல்லது அரசியல் காரணங்களால் கோயில் புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டது.”

6. கோயிலின் கடந்த கால மற்றும் தற்போதைய சொத்துக்கள்:
“கோயிலின் சொத்துக்கள் மற்றும் ஆவணங்கள் பதிவுகளில் உள்ளன.”

7. கோயிலில் பின்பற்றப்படும் ஆகமம்: “கோயிலில் _____ ஆகமம் பின்பற்றப்படும்; அதன் முக்கிய அம்சங்கள் _____ ஆகும்.”

8. தினசரி பூஜைகள், திருவிழாக்கள் மற்றும் எதிர்கால திட்டங்கள்:
“கோயிலின் வழிபாட்டு முறைகள் தொடர்ந்து நடைபெறுவதற்கான திட்டங்கள் உருவாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.”

9. கோயில் சொத்துக்கள் எவ்வாறு பயன்படுத்தப்படும்?:
“கோயிலின் சொத்துக்கள் வழிபாட்டு மற்றும் திருவிழாக்களுக்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படும்.”

10. தமிழ்நாடு அரசு HRCE ஆணையத்திடம் எதிர்பார்ப்புகள்:
“HRCE ஆணையத்திடம் நிர்வாகம், பராமரிப்பு மற்றும் நிதி ஆதரவு ஆகியவற்றில் உதவி எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.”

English translation of the above:

Brief self-intro
Sthala purana of temple: Is any Epigraphy available?
Chola dynasty connection and proof of the endowments made by those kings to the temple

Who preserved the temple through the centuries ? Names , if possible

What were reasons for temple falling into neglect ?

What are past and present assets networth of the temple ? Records … if any

Which Agama is going to be observed for rituals ? Main features .

What is the future plan for continuous conduct of daily rites, festivals , pavithrotsavam, adhyaayana and Brahmotsavam

How will temple assets be put to use for above ?

What expectations from HRCE ?

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What I will be penning in the ensuing essays in this series, will all based upon the answers and information that were kindly provided to me by Sri Ranganatha Bhattar at Vilanagar. I will be paraphrasing in English, to the best of my ability, all the wonderful explanations about the “mahasamprokshanam” given about this ancient temple and as well as about a few glimpses into its long history.

(to be continued)

Sudarshan Madabushi

If you want to understand why this “Tenkalai – Vadakalai” skirmish happens every year at the Kanchipuram Temple’s Annual “Brahmotsavam”, buy a copy of this book

May 13, 2025: Kanchipuram

Vadakalai, Thenkalai sects face off again during Brahmotsavam of Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI

Tempers flared between the Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects of Vaishnavites at the annual Brahmotsavam of the Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple, one of the 108 Divya De-sams, in Kancheepuram on Monday.

A source in the Vadakalai sect said devotees belonging to the Thenkalai sect chanted verses from Divya Prabandam even as representatives of the Thathachariars, who belong to the Vadakalai sect, performed Mantra Pushpam to the utsava idol of Sri Varadharaja Perumal at Gangai Kondaan Mandapam.

During the Brahmotsavam, the idol is brought in a procession to the Gangai Kon-daan Mandapam twice daily during which the Thathachariars perform Mantra Push-pam, a ritual of offering tulsi and flowers to the deity, along with chants in Sanskrit.

“It is the right of the Thathachariars to offer Mantra Pushpam while chanting verses from various texts, including the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Stotrapadam, during all pujas conducted daily. The Thenkalai-yars are trying to prevent them from doing so. They began this on day one of the Brah-motsavam. I wonder how eight more days of the festival will be conducted,” said a representative of the Vadakalai sect.

A representative of the Thenkalai sect said the Thathachariars have the right to offer Mantra Pushpam only at the Moolas-thanam (the sanctum sanctorum) and, that too, on court orders.

“When they chant, they can chant only verses from the Vedas and not from other texts. Also, there is no official order permitting them to chant at the Mandapam. If they are allowed, so can we. If they stop chanting at the Mandapam, the festival will be conducted in a smooth manner,” he said.

Official sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, under whose control the temple is, said they held separate meetings with both groups and secured a promise that they would ensure that the festival went on without any disturbance.

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If you want to understand why this Tenkalai – Vadakalai skirmish happens every year at the Kanchi Temple’s Annual Brahmotsavam, you should buy a copy of this book and get the answers . Click on the Amazon link below ⬇️

Sudarshan Madabushi

A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Thalacchanga Nanmathiyam Temple (Part-10)

The Naanmadhiya Perumal Temple (also called Thalachanga Nanmathiyam) is a Hindu temple situated in the village of Thalaichangadu, near Akkur in Mayiladuthurai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Nanmadhiya Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Talaichanga Nachiar.

Thalaichanga Nanmadhiyam Temple is architecturally modest but historically and mythologically rich, making it one of the most unique and significant temples among the 108 Divya Desams of Tamil Nadu. Its combination of ancient literary references, Chola patronage, and rare iconography that sets it apart from other temples in the region.

The temple stands out for its blend of Saiva and Vaishnava iconography (crescent moon on Vishnu), its role in the ancient conch-shells trade, and its deep roots in both Sangam literature and Vaishnavite tradition.

The temple is believed to have been constructed during the Chola reign. It stands on the southern bank of river Cauvery and was near Poompuhar, the famous port town of the Chola times. This place was so well-known for its conch-shells, that even in the famous Tamil literary work, Silappadikaram, the fact finds a mention.

Inside the temple sanctum, the idol of Sri Naanmadiya Perumal is in the standing posture, with the crescent Moon on his head. Chandra Vimanam is the tower above the sanctum. There are shrines for the Goddess and other deities, while the temple tank, Chandra Pushkarini, can be found outside the complex.

The temple’s vimana is of the Ekatha Vesara type, referred to as Chandra Vimanam, which is architecturally unique compared to the more common multi-tiered vimanas in other Divya Desams.

As per the legend of the “sthala purana“, the temple is associated with the Planet Chandra (the moon god) being relieved of a terrible curse afflicting him curse by the grace of Vishnu here. It’s a very unique ‘sthala purana‘ narrative about the sin of adulterous relationships.

Legends Associated with Thalaichanga Nanmadhiyam Temple

1. Chandra’s (Moon God) Curses and Redemption

The primary legend centers on Chandra, the moon-god, who was afflicted by multiple curses due to his lascivious actions. Chandra, regarded in the pantheon of Hindu gods, as the brother of Goddess Lakshmi, and is second in rank only to Surya (sun-god) among the Navagrahas (the nine planetary demigods) was cursed on two major occasions:
- Tarakamaya War and Guru’s Curse: Chandra developed an illicit relationship with Tara, the wife of his guru Brihaspati (Jupiter), leading to the birth of Budha (Mercury). Brihaspati cursed Chandra to be afflicted by an incurable disease of the skin, specifically leprosy.
- Dhara, also known as Tara, was the wife of Brihaspati (Guru), the preceptor of the Devas (other gods and celestials). In the legend involving Chandra, Tara played a central role that was no less culpable than his. Chandra and Tara developed a mutual attraction, and Tara then deserted her husband Brihaspati to go and live with with Chandra. Despite Brihaspati’s efforts and appeals to the gods to reclaim his wife, Tara remained with Chandra for some time, leading to a major conflict among the gods and asuras who took sides in it.
- This episode culminated in a cosmic war, which got only resolved when Brahma the Creator intervened and restored Tara to Brihaspati. However, Tara by then became pregnant, and after initial reluctance, she had no choice but to reveal the truth that the child, Budha (Mercury), was fathered by Chandra.
- Thus, Tara’s relationship with Chandra not only triggered a divine conflict but also resulted in the birth of Budha, also an important planetary deity in Hindu mythology. Her actions were pivotal in the unfolding of the legend of the purana and its consequences for Chandra, Brihaspati, and the cosmic order.
- Daksha’s Curse: Chandra married the the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati, promising to treat them all equally. However, he was especially fond of and favored only Rohini, which caused a lot of heartburn and grief among his other wives. Daksha, angered by this, cursed Chandra so that his lustre and lunar brightness would wane day by day fortnightly … This resulted in the waxing and waning phases of the Moon.
Redemption through Vishnu: To relieve himself from the above curses, Chandra was advised to perform penance at several sacred sites. As part of a three-phased atonement, he worshipped Vishnu at Srirangam, at Thiru Indhalur, and finally at Thalaichanga Nanmadhiyam. Here, after bathing in the temple tank (Chandra Pushkarani) and performing severe penance, Vishnu appeared as Nanmadiya Perumal and completely liberated Chandra from his afflictions. This is why the deity here is also called “Chandra Saabha Haran” (Remover of Chandra’s Curse).

2. The Sacred Conch and the Name of the Place

The temple’s name, Thalaichanga Nanmadhiyam, is derived from the word “cankam” (conch). The presiding deity holds a unique and precious conch, denoting the surrounding area which was historically renowned for its conch-shell trade during the Chola period. This association with the conch is both a physical and mythological hallmark of the temple.
Vishnu adorning himself with the Moon on his head, which is usually seen only in the images of Lord Shiva is symbolic of Vishnu having worshipped Shiva here and obtaining the great conch Panchajanyam. A mention of this conch is found even in the Bhagavath Gita when Sri Krishna used it to announce commencement of the War of Kurukshetra.

3. Connection with Other Temples

The legend of Chandra’s redemption links Thalaichanga Nanmadhiyam with two other prominent Divya Desams: Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple and Parimala Ranganathar Temple at Thiru Indhalur. Chandra’s penance at these three temples forms a spiritual circuit for those seeking relief from “Chandra Dosha” (afflictions caused by lunar influence).
After I completed my journey here at this kovil, I was able to consider myself blessed by all three Perumals since I had received their grace having complegted the pilgrimage to all three kshetrams.

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The “sthala purana” of this temple is about the planetary god Chandra’s sexual misdeed and his adulterous relationship with the wife of another planetary demigod, Brihaspati.

Hindu Puranic lore is full of othjer similar candid narratives about sexual promiscuity. There are stories where the gods’ and goddesses’ chastity or that of rishi patni-s (wives of sages) are tested or challenged. Such purana legends are symbolic narratives. When viewed through the lens of modern, contemporary secular social mores they might seem extremely offensive … reeking of patriarchy, misogny and sexual licentiousness.

But these purana narratives have to be understood correctly in the perspective and context of the ancient times in which they were authored and not transplant them all in the here and now and subject them to modern-day critiques.

These puranic tales associated with the temple legends only emphasise the immense spiritual power attributed to a woman’s chastity and conjugal devotion.

Such tales as the story of Anasuya and Tara, often depict the gods themselves being humbled or transformed by the virtuous or unvirtuous conduct of their women. Their underlying message is that purity and fidelity in holy matrimony possess a force so great that even lesser deities of the celestial world must acknowledge and respect it, sometimes resulting, in fact, in miraculous or divine events…. such as, for example, the birth of another planet Budha, the offspring of an adulterous relationship between Chandra and Brishaspati’s spouse.

Such stories as this of Nandmadhiyam Thalaichangangudi are not merely about chastity or marital fidelity, but really more about highlighting the significance and the reverence that monogamy (“ekapatni” and “ekapati vrata“) commands in the spiritual hierarchy of Hindu thought.

The core moral of the story is that if the wages of the sin of adultery are sure to befall even the powerful gods such as Chandra, what then is to be said of mere humans who might be all too easily tempted to transgress sexual morality in this world?

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The Kovil here in this divya desam is said to have become dilapidated once long ago. It was renovated by a devotee Suntara Ramanuja.

Sundara Ramanujan (also spelled as Suntara Ramanuja) is noted in temple records as the individual who renovated the Thalaichanga Nanmadhiya Perumal kovil. The temple is ancient, dating back to before the 8th century CE, and is said to have been originally constructed by the Chola king Chengkotta Chozhan, with subsequent contributions from later Chola and Maratha rulers.

However, the specific date or period when Sundara Ramanujan undertook the renovation is not mentioned in the available sources. The only clear information is that the temple was in a dilapidated condition at some point and was renovated by him.

Today, the temple is supposedly being maintained by the Tamil Nadu State Hindu Religious and Endowment Board (HR&CE). But as I surveyed its desolate state that morning, I imagined that its state of dilapidation today was perhaps no less grievous as what it might have been during the time of Sundara Ramanujan.

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My pilgrimage to the 6 Divya Desams now stood completed.

I prepared next to travel to Vilanagar, Sri Varadaraja Perumal Kovil “mahasamprokshana utsavam”. I hastened forth to that village.

(to be continued)

Sudarshan Madabushi

The toughest part of Modi’s job as PM: It’s not Pakistan’s “death to India by a thousand cuts”… it’s “the most unkindest cut of all” dealt by churlish citizens

Prime Minister last evening’s May 12 2025 address to the nation — in the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror attack and India’s resounding anti-terrorist response to Pakistani sponsorship for the same — was a historic one indeed and truly deserved the appreciation of the whole nation.

A few people I know are dissatisfied with Modi’s speech and historic announcements for the simple reason that he did not directly refute Donald Trump’s claim made on international stage that it was he and his threat to declare a trade embargo on both India and Pakistan which effectively and promptly brought both antagonists to their senses and meekly submitted to his Majesty, the POTUS’s command to announce a ceasefire.

However , in our country , we have thousands of “Monday morning quarterbacks” who hate Narendra Modi so viscerally that they cannot and will not resist the temptation to nitpick on him and churlishly, uncharitably find fault with him on the most trivial and inconsequential pretext.

“Why didn’t Modi refute Trump ? The silence means that Trump claim is true, doesn’t it? It means that India is now a subservient state to America , doesn’t it? Why doesn’t Modi come out in the open to admit as much to the nation? Instead why make other brave and chest-thumping sound and fury in his speech last night TV appearance all of which signifies nothing if the Trump boast is true?”

Such are the churlish words with which some people in India stick a dagger into the Prime Minister’s 56 in. chest from behind his back to deliver the Shakespearean “most unkindest cut of all”.

Now, I for one do not agree at all with such people with narrow petty strategic perspectives who choose to only nitpick and remain blind to other truly momentous announcements made in the PM’s speech relating to ground-breaking new doctrines of India’s foreign policy and future stances vis-a-vis not only Pakistan but whole of South Asia and West Asia.

PM Modi’s speech has to be finely parsed and read between the lines to be be able to appreciate the big picture nature of his pronouncements. If one cannot do that , one will only start nitpicking … in other words, “bleed Modi to death through a 1000 cuts”…

Why must an Indian PM who is addressing his nation to show them a new strategic direction he is charting have to respond to what the POTUS said or did not say in a moment of wonted, wanton bravado somewhere in America? Surely, our Indian PM Modi has more class than the crass chap Trump in the White House.

Instead of directly refuting Trump boasts and veiled threats to India , Modi said the world (duniya) is being given notice through his baryon-wide address… So, hear Ye One and All ! :

India will not hold talks with Pakistan except terrorism and PoK .
⁠India will no longer kowtow to any nuclear threat from Pakistan (and that means, tacitly, China too ).
⁠Henceforth, both non-state and state-actors in Pakistan’s complicit in terror activities will now be targets for India’s military strikes … make no bones about it .

The above is a clear and courageous message to not only to Pakistan but also to Trump and to America and China .

Modi has spoken well indeed, like how a great nation’s head ought to speak … with authority , clarity and gravitas … all of which Donald Trump lacks .

Our PM Modi did well not to stoop to the low level of trumpery that the cheap grandstanding that Donald the POTUS we see has been ever since assuming office engaging in almost everything he does from the White House … be it the Ukraine war , Gaza genocide or the botched up tariff war .

Come on, people, show some discernment! Please don’t expect the Prime Minister of India to deign to sparring with fools .

Some other people … right on the other extreme end of the spectrum of Modi-haters and Modi-bhakths … are a little disappointed with his speech for yet another kind of trifle :

“I watched his address in full. One aspect he should have mentioned but didn’t is, it is not just a terrorist attack at Pahalgam or terrorist camps in Pak. He should have categorically nailed jihadi terrorism…”

This in fact is really another Shakespearean way of saying “I come not to dishonour Caesar but to bury him!”.

In his speech the PM specifically mentioning the category of “jihaadi terrorism” would’ve needlessly given rise at once to frenzied discourse in the islamic world as a veiled accusation against Islam itself . The international media would then have played it up to such a level of amplification that Modi’s main focus on terrorism per se in all its forms would’ve have got utterly lost in distraction. Just think of this : India supports the Palestine 2 state solution. Is the PLA not working with Hamas which has a jihadi orientation?

So , the matter does become very complicated if Modi had used the word jihadi to qualify terrorism .

My perspective therefore is slightly different:

Terrorism in the modern context also includes tariff terrorism and deadly media misinformation terrorism …

So, while Modi’s strong message to Pakistan was about conventional terrorism which it incites and sponsors, the message he sent was also loaded with a clear signal to America and the West about how their media-orchestrated propaganda terrorism is frequently inflicted upon India .

That is why the PM made that very significant statement at the end of his speech : the country’s strength lies in our unity, he said. If we are united as a people , no form of terrorism can hurt or damage us …. That was the sense and context in which I thought his statement was made .

There are so many intellectuals , academicians , historians , journalists and university students in India amongst us today who get seduced by media-propaganda terrorism that gets fomented from abroad …

They are not killed but they suffer an even worse form of victimhood. They get seduced intellectually and morally by non-conventional media-generated/aided terrorism .

But then after being thus intellectually seduced, they gradually get transformed psychologically into fourth and fifth estate voices that begin working for and on behalf of regular conventional terrorism … as either undercover defenders or skilful, powerful apologists or influencers for it .

Jai Hind ! 🙏

Sudarshan Madabushi

A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Thalacchanga Nanmathiyam Temple (Part-9)

May 1, 2025: Early in the morning I prepared to travel from Mayavaram to attend the grand “kovil mahasamprokshanam” of Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Vilanagar. But then first, I wanted to complete my planned pilgrimage to the 6th and final “divya desam” viz. Thalacchanga Nanmathiyam Perumal Kovil in the tiny, virtually un-locatable village of Thalacchangadu near Akkur in Mayiladuthurai District. My plan was to have darshan of the Deity there by 8 AM that morning and thereafter reach Vilanagar Village, about 20 Kms away, by around 10 AM so as to be on time for the ritual commencement of the “mahasamprokshanam“.

On the road to Thalaicchangadu Village, I was suddenly asked by the driver of my hired rental taxi-cab, Pachiappan, to turn on the GPS map on my mobile. I was taken aback by his request and asked him, why, didn’t he know the route to the this temple?! His reply both amazed and disturbed me.

“Sir, I’m a native settled with my family in Mayavaram for over 30 years now. I’ve always made my livelihood as a cab-driver. I’ve ferried thousands of pilgrims like you over the years… and their families too… to the scores of kovils in this and neighboring districts… Tanjore, Seerkazhi, Nagapattinam… One thing I have noticed is that the pilgrim traffic varies greatly in density. The number of pilgrims I have driven to the various “navagraha sthalam-s” (temples for the planetary gods like Guru, Rahu, Budha etc…) by far outnumbers others. Next, I find that the numbers of pilgrims doing the rounds of various Shiva-sthalam-s also is considerable. To all these oft-visited temples in these districts, I am very familiar with the road routes. I know exactly the way to even remote villages where these “graha” and “shiva sthalams” are situated. So, I drive there without any difficulty.

“However, Sir, I have to tell you that the general pilgrim traffic to “Vishnu-sthalam-s” in these districts is really no more than a trickle, comparatively speaking. The numbers of Vaishnavas who hire my services to drive them to various Divya Desams located around here is very small indeed… So, since I drive so few pilgrims to Vishnu-sthalam-s so infrequently, often I lose my way to these kovils… I forget the route and which is why I request my customers to please help me stay on course through the use of their own GPS system on their mobiles.

“I am very sorry to trouble you, Sir, but this Thalacchangangudi Kovil is one of those rarely visited temples… I remember having driven there several years ago. It is tucked away somewhere deep inside a nondescript village several kilometers off the main highway. Which is why I am aksing you to use the GPS navigation system”.

When after much touble locating the village driving through narrow, kuccha, winding rural roads, we finally reached the gates of the temple, indeed, I was sad to see how forlorn and deserted the ‘kovil‘ looked.

When I entered the temple under its main archway and gopuram, I noticed there was not a soul to be seen anywhere inside.

Inside the main sannidhi, I saw a lone man — he seemed to be a watchman — seated on ricekty old chair, writing up what I presumed was an accounting ledger. He looked up to see me with a quizzical look and said:

“It’s too early for darshan… The Bhattachari of the temple usually comes here only around 10 AM to open the sannidhi and perform the morning rites. You can wait if you wish. Otherwise, you can walk up to the doors of the sanctum and have a look at perumal through the grill doors”.

“Yes, please I would like that”, I said and my voice echoed off the desolate walls and roof of the temple.

While the temple forecourt itself was dim and musty, surprisingly, when I went closer to the sanctum and began peering through the grill-framed door, I could see the deity bathed in a bright, brilliant swathe of light. The archamurthy was beautiful to behold ! The “vadivu azhagu” in fact took my breath away.

I recited a few stature verses and a prabhandam paasuram and slowly walked out of the main shrine, asking the watchman the way towards the Thaayaar Sannidhi, the shrine for the Lord’s Consort. I was shown the way:

As I ambled across the outer courtyard slowly towards the shrine, my heart truly bled while seeing the generally unkempt, drab and poorly maintained ambience of this ancient, beautiful temple. When I strode into the sannidhi of Thaayaar and peered into the darkness, to my shock and distress I saw that not even a garland or bare ornament adorned her archa-svarupam…. Again, I felt myself choking on a lump of glum emotion rising inside my throat…

As I peformed the customary circumambulation (“pradakshina“) of the temple, there was one thought that kept nagging my mind. Given what I had seen to be the general state of neglect and desolation of this Sri Vaishnava divya desam, still the sanctum sanctorum I had seen was nonetheless brilliantly lit and shone indeed in a strange divine luste. I wondered how that could be possible… It did seem rather strange.

The answer I found when I came upon a commemorative plaque — a small stone tablet that had been cemented into the wall on the north-eastern corner of the outer “praakaram“.

The plaque told me that back in 2019, a group of Sri Ahobila Muttam sishyas had collected funds to the tune of Rs. 184,000/- to install a solar-energy equipment that would keep the interior of the temple — especially at least the “garbha-griham”, the sanctum — well and brilliantly lit on most days of the year when the sun shone. It also made me surmise how sorry might have been the situation otherwise if the solar-equipment had not been installed! No grid power or else only erratic grid-power to the temple would have perhaps kept it plunged in semi-permanent darkness …. or more often than not….

What a pathetic state of affairs for a Sri Vaishnava Divya Desam!

If a premier religious institution like the Sri Ahobila Mutt can raise resources to install a solar-equipment for a poorly maintained temple like Thalacchanga Nanmathiyam temple in remote Akkur village taluk, why could it also not come forward to take the initiative to repair and renovate the temple, perform its “mahasamprokshanam” and encourage its vast following of sishyas worldwide to actively contribute to its ongoing upkeep?

Surely, wouldn’t that at least improve what my rental cab-driver, Pachiappan of Mayavaram, had earlier complained to me about — that the Vaishnava pilgrim footfall into this famous, lovely Perumal Kovil was virtually NIL throughout the year?

(to be continued)

Sudarshan Madabushi

Pakistan is not a nation. It is really the badlands of the “Wild West”… So, let’s not second-guess our Prime Minister or doubt his judgment

Many people in India today are upset over PM Modi’s perceived pullback on an all-out attack on Pakistan after having successfully degraded if not destroyed its inland terror infrastructure.

They are further infuriated that Modi was upstaged by Donald Trump in the declaration of ceasefire between Pakistan and India . “Trump claims he stopped war between India and Pakistan and Modi has no guts to refute it strongly if what Trump said was not true!”.

My counter question to them is this:

Why should Modi do it ?

From India’s point of view, it will pay to simply pander to Trump’s egotism… make him feel deluded about his megalomaniac self-image as a great world leader who keeps the world peace ….

To keep Trump onside and humoured is IMHO good clever policy for India for the next 4 years when India can try and wring out several strategic benefits from America : trade deal, tariff concessions, technology transfer, bulwark against Chinese dominance, diplomatic support … to name only a few …

So, please let’s give credit where it is due … PM Modi knows how to play the long game . He doesn’t let street-level jingoism dictate policy making.

But Modi-haters and baiters still will not concede to him good judgment and foresight. Modi for them can do nothing right …

So they now are screaming :

“When IMF gave that huge loan to Pakistan and no member of IMF protested including his Rafael bosom pal he got scared that’s true.”

No one knows really what happened within the IMF but Modi baiters are quick to jump to uncharitable and presumptuous conclusions.

In my own view this is perhaps what might have happened at IMF . I could be wrong or I could be dead right … who knows ?

That IMF loan was really Pakistan’s lifeline … to save it from sinking into default and bankruptcy … If the loan had been rejected , the miltary lunatics of Rawalpindi Army HQ would’ve have still further got the upper hand over Pakistan civilian government. Lunatics in desperation with their fingers on the Pakistan nuclear button might have done anything unpredictable .

India IMHO wisely abstained at the IMF on the vote for loan to Pakistan … Further, it was a loan that had already been initiated and processed under the regime of the India-hater Joe Biden ; Trump has least leverage to do otherwise and upturn the loan approval .

Again the anti-Modi arguement goes like this : Really it is difficult to argue with one who says that Pakistan would have used nuclear weapons if it had not been given a loan by the IMF! That’s ridiculous!”

The harsh undeniable reality is that India has a rogue state as a neighbour in Pakistan . We can’t try mindless heroics with a homicidal maniac. All I’m saying is that the IMF loan carried a condition … either Pakistan agrees to cease fire , or it gets no loan … If the loan had not gone through , the civilian govt . would’ve likely gone too. The new Army General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, a certifiable madman, would’ve been sorely tempted to stage a coup and seize power … . Anything could’ve happened thereafter . … including a tactical threat of a nuclear confrontation that would have immediately brought the big boys , the big powers like America and China into the game .

PM Modi wisely averted all that …knowing fully well how the law of unforeseen consequences works in such fraught situations .

The Modi critics however will simply not stop ridiculing the possibility of a nuclear confrontation: “Everywhere in the world it’s a standard rule that only the civilian head of a nuclear nation that has its finger on the nuclear button. Not the military. Why should Pakistan be any different? , they argue . And if as an exception in Pakistan military had its hands on the nuclear button, notwithstanding the truce that was announced, Army HQ could have gone ahead and used it any way , couldn’t it?”

The answer is simple : Pakistan is unique. The civilian rule in Pakistan is for appearances only. It’s a charade. It will not be incredulous to say that in succeeding in getting the IMF loan did enable the Pakistan civilian govt. to stave off a possible military coup …

If anyone in the world wants to know what kind of civilian rule is there in Pakistan, all they have to do is to ask a serious question on any Internet search engine :

Since 1947, how many Prime Ministers have India and Pakistan had ruling the country ?

They will be aghast by the answer the A.I. engine will throw up !!

Here below ⬇️ is what I got !

India has had 14 Prime Ministers since 1947, including:
– *Jawaharlal Nehru* (1947-1964)
– *Gulzarilal Nanda* (acting, 1964 and 1966)
– *Lal Bahadur Shastri* (1964-1966)
– *Indira Gandhi* (1966-1977 and 1980-1984)
– *Morarji Desai* (1977-1979)
– *Charan Singh* (1979-1980)
– *Rajiv Gandhi* (1984-1989)
– *Vishwanath Pratap Singh* (1989-1990)
– *Chandra Shekhar* (1990-1991)
– *P. V. Narasimha Rao* (1991-1996)
– *Atal Bihari Vajpayee* (1996 and 1998-2004)
– *H. D. Deve Gowda* (1996-1997)
– *Inder Kumar Gujral* (1997-1998)
– *Manmohan Singh* (2004-2014)
– *Narendra Modi* (2014-present)

Pakistan’s number of Prime Ministers is not explicitly stated in the search results, but some notable ones include:
– *Nurul Amin* had the shortest term of 13 days
– *Yusuf Raza Gilani* had the longest consecutive term of 4 years and 86 days
– *Nawaz Sharif* has been the longest-serving prime minister for a non-consecutive term, serving approximately 9 years and 215 days

To provide an exact number for Pakistan’s Prime Ministers, further research would be required.

The answer above I got floored me into disbelief that I was forced to ask Meta again:

Why doesn’t Pakistan government itself have such information ?

And pat came back the answer :

The Pakistani government might not have a centralized, easily accessible record of all its Prime Ministers and their terms due to various reasons, including:
– *Lack of Official Records*: In some cases, official records might be incomplete, outdated, or not readily available.
– *Political Instability*: Pakistan has experienced frequent changes in government, military coups, and political upheavals, which can lead to gaps in record-keeping and documentation.
– *Bureaucratic Inefficiencies*: Government records might be scattered across different departments or archives, making it challenging to compile accurate information.
– *Limited Transparency*: Government information might not always be readily available to the public or even within the government itself due to various reasons, including security concerns or lack of transparency.

As a result, accurate information about Pakistan’s Prime Ministers and their terms might require cross-verification from multiple sources, including historical records, news archives, and academic research.

Can anyone not be shocked and frightened by the facts above ?!!! A country calling itself a democratic Islamic Republic doesn’t know how many elected Prime Ministers ruled it in the last 75 years !!

Pakistan is not a nation. For India , it is really the “Wild West”… Badlands where really bad things can happen !

So, please , my countrymen, let’s not criticise our own Prime Ministers for showing caution , even over-caution in dealing with this infernal ghetto of insane, criminals that calls itself a neighbour of ours and “a responsible nation” too !

Sudarshan Madabushi

“ApAmArjana Stotra Japa Homam”: Highlight of the Sri Nrisimha Jayantotsavam: May 10 and 11, 2025 @ Sri Andal Rangamanar Kovil, Bheemana St. Abiramapuram, Chennai :

The joyous celebrations of Sri Nrisimha Jayanthi were conducted with great fervour on May 10/11, 2025 at the Sri Andal Rangamanar Kovil, Bheemana St., Abiramapuram ( near my home). The jayantotsavam included all regular rituals such as “Homa Sankalpam”, “aavaahanam” , “Agni Pratishta” and various yagnya havis and dravya offerings accompanied by 24/108/1008 mantra japam chanting all finally culminating in grand “purnaahuthi”. The utsavam was attended by several devotees from the local neighbourhood .

It was a divine opportunity bestowed upon me by Sri Lakshmi Nrisimhan to be present at the utsavam on both days from start to finish of the event and to participate in the Homam proceedings as one of the “ritviks”.

The highlight of the Homam this year was the performance of yagnya offerings through the recitation of the ApAmArjana Stotra Japam … which is a very sacred text found in the Vishnu-dhamottara Purana.

The Vishnudharmottara Purana is traditionally attributed to the sage Markandeya. Other scholarly sources attribute its authorship to Vyasa. There is scholarly debate about its exact date, but most sources place its composition between the 5th and 7th centuries CE. Some scholars (such as David Pingree) suggest the compilation was likely complete by the 5th or 6th century CE. Other analyses, considering literary influences and references, suggest it was written not earlier than 400 CE and not later than 650 CE.

Apamarjana Stotram is a powerful prayer found in the Vishnu Dharmottara Purana, and is dedicated to various forms of Lord Vishnu-specifically Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Vishnu, and Sudarshana Chakra. The term “Apamarjana” means cleansing or purification, and this stotram is recited for the removal of diseases, afflictions caused by evil spirits, and negative planetary or other occult influences.

Context and Structure:
• The stotram is presented as a conversation where Sage Dhalabhya asks Sage Pulasthaya for a remedy to cure all sickness and afflictions for the benefit of all beings. Sage Pulasthaya then teaches this stotram.

• It includes specific invocations (nyasa) to different forms of Vishnu, associating each with different fingers and parts of the body, symbolizing the act of purifying and protecting oneself.

Purpose and Significance
• The main goal is the purification of both body and mind, driving away all forms of physical and mental ailments, as well as inauspiciousness caused by malefic planetary movements.

• It is considered akin to ritual purifications (like PuNyAhavAchanam) performed in temples, but focused on the individual’s own body and mind.

• The stotram is especially valued for its association with “Vaidhya Narayana,” the healer aspect of Vishnu, and is believed to be effective when chanted daily or for those suffering from chronic illnesses.

Key Features
• Forms Invoked: Varaha (boar), Narasimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Vishnu, and Sudarshana (discus).

• Benefits: Cleansing from diseases, protection from evil spirits and planetary afflictions, mental peace, and general well-being.

• Philosophy: Emphasizes the body as a sacred dwelling for the Lord, which must be kept pure and healthy for spiritual practice.

Usage
• Recited during times of illness, negative planetary periods, or as a daily prayer for maintaining health and purity.
• The stotram is available in Sanskrit with translations and commentaries for better understanding.

The Apamarjana Stotra contains several important verses that highlight its purpose-removal of diseases, poisons, evil planetary effects, and afflictions. Here are some of the most significant verses and their meanings:

• Verse 4:
vratopavāsairyair viṣṇur nānya janmani toṣitaḥ,
te narā muniśārdūla viṣa rogādi bhāginaḥ
“Those who have pleased Lord Vishnu by penance and fasting will never suffer from poison or diseases, O best among sages.”

• Verse 6:
ārōgyaṁ paramārudhiṁ manasā yady adhīcchati,
tad anpotya saṁdigdhaṁ paratra ācyuta toṣa kr̥t
“Whether one desires health or great wealth, it will be surely attained by one who pleases Achyuta (Vishnu).”

• Verse 7:
nādhīn prāpnoti na vyādhīn viṣa grahaṁ nibandhanam,
kr̥tyā sparśa bhayaṁ vāpi toṣite madhusūdane
“No sorrow, disease, poison, planetary problems, or fear of evil spirits will affect one who has pleased Lord Madhusudana.”

• Verse 10:
toṣakāṣṭā jayante narāḥ pūrṇa manorathāḥ,
arogāḥ sukhino bhogān bhoktāro muni sattama
“He who pleases the Lord will have all his wishes fulfilled, will be free from disease, and will enjoy happiness.”

• Verse 77:
mama astu sarva duḥkhānāṁ praśamo yācanādhare,
śāntaḥ samasta rogāste grahāḥ sarva viṣāṇi ca
“Let this prayer remove all my sorrows, make all my diseases peaceful, and neutralize the effects of planets and poisons.”

• Verse 78:
bhūtāni sarva praśamyantu saṁsmṛte madhusūdane,
etat samasta rogeṣu bhūta grahaṁ bhayeṣ ca
“Let all evil spirits be pacified by meditating on Madhusudana, and all sickness, planetary effects, and fears be destroyed.”

Several verses in the Apamarjana Stotra are especially revered for their potency in removing diseases, poisons, evil planetary effects, and negative energies. The following are widely considered the most powerful:

• Verse 52:
Achyutānanta Govinda Vishnor Nārāyanāmṛta,
Rogān me nāśaya aśeṣān āśu Dhanvantare, Hare.
“O Dhanvantari, O Vishnu! Let all my diseases be completely cured by the nectar-like names of Achyuta, Ananta, Govinda, Vishnu, and Narayana.”
This verse is a direct appeal to the divine healer aspect of Vishnu, invoking his various names as a remedy for all diseases.

• Verse 51:

Vilayam yāntu te sarve Vishnor uccāranena cha,
Kṣayam gacchantu cha śeṣāś cha kṛṇabhi-hatā Hare.
“Let all afflictions be subdued by the repetition of Vishnu’s names, and whatever remains be destroyed by the holy wheel of Hari.”
This highlights the power of chanting Vishnu’s names and the Sudarshana Chakra for complete protection.

• Verse 66:
Kṣiptvā Sudarśanam cakram jvālā-mālati-bhīṣaṇam,
Sarva-duṣṭopasamanam kuru deva-vara Achyuta.
“O Achyuta, send your Sudarshana Chakra, fierce and blazing, to destroy all evil.”
This verse is often recited for protection from negative forces.

• Verse 77:
Mamasthu sarva-duḥkhānāṁ praśamo yācanādhare,
Śāntaḥ samasta-rogās te grahāḥ sarva-viṣāṇi cha.
“Let this prayer remove all my sorrows, pacify all diseases, and neutralize the effects of planets and poisons.”
This is a comprehensive prayer for relief from all forms of suffering.

• Verse 78:
Bhūtāni sarva praśamyantu saṁsmṛte Madhusūdane,
Etad samasta-rogeṣu bhūta-grahaṁ bhayeṣ cha.
“Let all evil spirits be pacified by remembering Madhusudana (Vishnu), and let all sickness, planetary effects, and fears be destroyed.”

These verses are frequently singled out for daily recitation or during times of illness and adversity, as they encapsulate the core protective and healing intent of the Apamarjana Stotra.

All the above verses encapsulate the stotra’s core themes: seeking divine protection from illness, negativity, and misfortune through devotion to Vishnu. The stotra ends with a prayer for total well-being and pacification of all troubles

In summary, the Apamarjana Stotram from the Vishnu Dharmottara Purana is a revered hymn for spiritual and physical cleansing, invoking the healing powers of Vishnu in his various forms to protect and purify the devotee.

************ ************ **********

Below are attached a few video-clips of the recitation of the ApAmArjana Stotra Japa Homam on the day by the chief priest.

Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha Parabrahmane Namah!

🙏🙏🙏🙏

Sudarshan Madabushi

The cinema world is neither boon nor bane … “it’s about jobs, stupid!”

Yesterday in The Hindu dt. May 9, 2025, I read a very interesting article about how the well known Tamil novelist Asokamitran had in a couple of his popular novels described both the dark and bright sides of the Tamil Cinema world by using the now defunct Gemini Studios S.S.Vasan’s career as his template.

The most striking and thought-provoking part of the article was the last paragraph in which a scene taken out from Asokamitran’s novel is paraphrased as follows :

The fall of a great studio through the lens of writer Ashokamitrans novel, Karaintha Nizhalkal, is a fictionalised version of My Years with Boss that recounts the fall of men who once dominated the tinsel world of Tamil Cinema and how easily the world moves forward without them.

Gemini Studios, which once produced blockbusters like Chandralekha and Avvaiyar, faded into oblivion. Vasan being Vasan, who was also the owner of Ananda Vikatan, managed to keep up appearances — so true to his profession as a showman.

Nataraja lyer, is a character in Karaintha Nizhalkal. lyer, the production manager of Reddiyar, who is the producer, knows the film world like the back of his hand, but finally “ends up begging at the Saidapet bus stand”. Ashokamitran would have fashioned the character of lyer and others after real-life figures from Gemini Studios.

The essence of Asokamitran’s novel however, remains contemporary in the cinema world even today after more than half a century.

One scene in Asokamitran’s novel stands out. Going through rough times, Reddiyar (the cinema producer) who has been stood up and betrayed by an actress Jayachandrika, who reneges on her commitment to work for him in his film, goes home to her and hurls filthy abuses at her in a great fit of temper but then quickly expresses remorse by saying this: , “Don’t take my harsh words to heart. I can say one more thing… I have known your mother for 30 years since she first came her from Vaitheeswaran Koil . Maybe, I am your father, Who knows?”.

That one line captures the dark, stark, grim, venal and really sordid side of the film world! It also echoes countless other untold tragic stories of survival of desperate women in the harsh, morally-bankrupt quarter of the Tamil cinema industry.

*********** ************* ***********

Then this morning a good friend of mine in Mumbai forwarded me a video-clip of how today in the modern cinema studio, movie scenes get filmed … And unlike the grim tale of The Hindu article above, it made me laugh, not brood over thoughts on the decadence of the cinema art world . Here below is the video :

A Telugu movie in the making 😂

Hero effort 0% camera📷 man effort 100% but people recognition only hero😂😂 pic.twitter.com/kfhN7lRHne
— Mohini Of Investing (@MohiniWealth) May 9, 2025

Both the article on Asokamitran’s novel and the video-clip above got me thinking and starting to ask myself larger questions about the world of cinema in India , and more especially that in Tamil Nadu and the three other states of the South, Greater Andhra, Karnataka and Kerala .

These below were my stray thoughts which I share with you …

1. Many intellectuals today in Tamil Nadu hold the view that Cinema has done more to degrade, vulgarise or corrupt Tamizh culture and social/traditional norms than any other single cause such as political ideology, urbanisation, caste-wars or alcoholism.

The other view is that Cinema merely reflects society . It does not shape it in any fundamental way .

Which view is the true one ?

2. Wherefrom springs this obsessive love in the hearts of the masses for Cinema art? Is it a peculiar characteristic only of the Tamil psyche?

3. Otherwise, how else can anyone explain why and how this State came to be ruled for over 6 decades by cinema stars, cinema script-writers and tinsel town aficionados, all and sundry?

4. If that old world ideal of the “Philosopher-King” has been permanently banished and erased from the common man’s imagination everywhere in the world, nowhere else do we see that fact more starkly than in Tamil society today , don’t we? The Tamil people have much greater trust in celluloid matinee idols than in philosophers, don’t they?

5. Every cinema-screen hero from Kamalhasan to Rajinikanth, to Vijaykanth, to Vijay to also-rans like SV Sekhar and Sarath Kumar …. all try their hand at politics … to become rulers! What really drives them from the cinema silver screen to the political smoke screen ?

6. Why are Tamil people so pathologically enamoured or addicted to Cinema-culture …. on the big screen and on the TV idiot-box screen as well?

7. What is the true nature of this macabre show of the dance of death that Cinema and Politics in TN have been performing for nearly a century now? Do novelists like Asokamitran really have the answers ? I posed this question to my very revered friend and a master Tamil novelist and dramatist himself, Eepa (Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Nayana Akademy winner, Sri Indira Parthasarathy) and his response was a dry, laconic and wry tongue-in-cheek comment : “Well… before cinema came on the scene, it was theatre. K.B.Sundambal was the star of Congress Party. We Tamilians believe more in shadows than substance”. But Eepa was also quick to add : “KBS did do propaganda work for the Congress but she didn’t get any benefit out of it. She was a great woman!”

8. As for the cinema-culture in the other Southern states, the pathology is not perhaps as bad as it is in Tamil Nadu. Apart from NT Rama Rao , no cinema star or movie-moghul has ever become a Chief Minister in greater Andhra … and none in Karnataka State either, although a few matinee- idols like Dr. Rajkumar and Ambarish did try to become CMs. In the state of communist Kerala , cinema and politics, strangely, are worlds apart. Only recently has one cinema star managed to win a Lok Sabha election : Suresh Gopi .

9. Although Bollywood is the big daddy of all cinema worlds in India by sheer size of revenues and audience-reach, it is odd that it has never produced a Chief Minister or Central Cabinet Minister… Bollywood produces really no big political icons … since it seems to only now and then give up sheltering its drug-addicts, flirtations with criminal underworld and its publicity-craving celebrity woke-warriors.

10. Now, there are some people who I know are certainly not going to appreciate my irreverent questions and reflections on the cinema world. They will stoutly defend it by pointing out to me the undeniable fact: the Cinema World of India provides employment and jobs for millions of ordinary people …

So, here’s the bottom line :

At the end of the day , to use an American Presidential expression : “It’s all about jobs , stupid!”.

Sudarshan Madabushi

A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Tiru Sirupuliyur (Part-8)

In the minds of many Sri Vaishnavas exists still a very deep-rooted conception or consciousness of the Dravidian origins of their ageold history which broadly is imagined to be divided into (a) the Azhwar Era and (b) the post-Ramanuja era.

In the Azhwar era, again it is believed by them, that Vaishnavism took roots in South India as an anti-Saivite theology that preceded it chronologically — i.e. since the pre- 5th century CE. Saivism in the eyes of these Sri Vaishnavas was indeed the most dominant popular faith also in the post-Ramanuja era — i.e. after the 11th century CE. Thus, the most common historical narrative is that the two theological schools of Saivism and Vaishnavism in Tamil country (Chola and Pandya provinces) remained diametrically and bitterly opposed rival sectarian faiths.

This popular impression amongst many Sri Vaishnavas is a simplistic “black and white” theory. The nuanced facts of history show that while Saivism and Vaishnavism were indeed distinct schools of theocentric faith, they both overlapped and blended together harmoniously through several of their common religious interaction and cultural intercourse.

Both theologies, for example, were essentially rooted in the Vedas (“marai“); both were theosophic and theophanic; both embraced Bhakthi as a pathway to spiritual liberation; both accepted Agamic forms of idol-worship in their respective temples; both celebrated their respective pantheon of saints as mystics: 63 Nayanmars in the case of the Saivites and 12 Azhwars in the case of the Vaishnavites.

While these commonalities of the two sectarian faiths are well-known, there is one other little-known fact yet about them that often gets overlooked by both sides. It is that both the Saivite and Vaishnavite temples of the Azhwar Era have had very intimate inter-sectarian affiliations and mutual intra-faith accommodations between each other.

Such affilations and accommodations sprung truly from the respect and tolerance each had for the other. And that fact is precisely what inspired an old and very famous Tamil aphorism quoted even today by the discerning and very learned Saivites and Vaishnavites of Tamil Nadu :

“ஹரியும் சிவனும் ஒன்று, அதை அறியாதவன் வாயில் மண்”

“Hariyum Sivanum onru, adhai ariyadhavan vaayil mannu“… is a very old maxim common to both sects . It echoes the integral voice of Tamil spiritual and philosophical discourse over past centuries that emphasized the unity of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Sivan) as manifestations of the same supreme reality. It also suggested that denying or being ignorant of this unity is as foolish as filling one’s mouth with mud (மண்) — a metaphor for self-inflicted ignorance or foolishness.

Such mutual affiliation and accommodations were found to be evident in several Siva and Vishnu temples even of those bygone eras.

For example, in the famous Rameshwaram Temple of Siva, there is to be found even today alongside the sanctum on a corner of the inner ‘praakaara‘ a separate sannidhi for Vishnu consecrated there as “Bindhu Madhava Perumal“. Saivites to this temple thus worshipped both Siva and Vishnu under the roof of the same abode of the Almighty One.

Similarly in the famous Nellai Appan Siva temple in Tirunelveli, there is right next to the main Sivalinga sanctum, a large “sannidhi” of Sri Govindaraja Perumal... Again, Saivites devotees offer worship to both Siva and Vishnu.

Conversely, near Trichy, one can see in the Divya Desam temple of “Uttamar Kovil” (Tirukkarambanoor Sri Purushottaman Perumal Temple) also houses within the same premises, a Sivalinga sannidhi dedicated to “Bhikshadanar Iswara“. So, Vaishnavites here offer obeisance to both Vishnu and Siva.

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When I visited the Divya Desam kshetra at Tiru Sirupuliyur Perumal kovil, I was pleasantly surprised to come across again yet another egregious example of the ancient Saiva-Vaishnava spirit of mutual accommodative spirit inside a temple being manifested in a form other than in the form separate ‘sannidhis‘ or shrines for the two deities. What I saw was what I believe I stumbled upon as being both an affirmation as well as a truer clarification of the hoary Tamil aphorism of “ஹரியும் சிவனும் ஒன்று..” than what has for so long been its most popular interpretation.

However, before I proceed to explain the clarificatory truth of the Tamil aphorism, first let me pen a few striking impressions of this temple at Tirupuliyur which I was able to gather during my visit to this divya desam for the very first time in life.

The Vishnu deith here is referred to as	Arulmaakadal, Krpasamudra Perumal
Lakshmi here is referred to as	Tirumamagal Nachiar, Dayanayaki
The cupola Vimana is called	Nandavardhana
The temple pond, Pushkarni is called	Maanasa Pushkarni
The Divya Prabhandham Hymns sung	Ten
Location	3 kms on Mayavaram-Kollumangudi route; 3 kms from Thiru Velliangudi – Komal

Structure

The front of the temple is decorated with ornamental figures and symmetrical designs. The temple has carved on it animals like elephants, horses, monkeys, so also peacocks, trees, warriors, flying figures, deities and celestial beings as well as some narratives from the puranas. The temple architecture is a bold synthesis of architectural forms and features of several dynasties that has resulted in a strong local traditional form.

The temple is on an elevation and has two towers, one of five tiers and the other of three tiers with a magnificent Shikara perched over the east.

Mahavishnu here is seen in Bala sayana and the temple has separate shrines for Manavala Mamuni, Andal, Srinivasa, Nammalvar, Ramanuja and Anjaneya.

Legends

Garuda purana and Brahmanda purana are said to contain many descriptions of this ancient temple. Rich both in history and legend, the sthalapurana also mentions that many eminent sages, rishis performed penance and worshipped Mahavishnu in his glory here.

While the sage Pulikkal Munivar is known to have done penance in this temple during Puranic times, Bhrgu Maharishi was also at once blessed by the supreme Lord at this very shrine.

Another legend goes thus:

Several centuries ago, during the period of Bhakthi renaissance, there lived a monk, a muni who was a Mahavishnu upaasakar. He aspired for realisation of the self.

He prayed to Lord Shiva to bestow upon him with the energetic limbs and sharp night-vision eyes of a tiger (“puli” in Tamil), enabling him thereby to travel vast distances, day and night, nonstop to all parts of the country.

Siva asked him what else he desired and the muni said he was seeking moksha, eternal salvation.

Siva was greatly pleased and granted the rishi “tiger limbs and vision“. However, for for the boon of “moksha” he directed the muni to travel to this kshetra in Sirupuliyur where by worshipping Arulmakadal perumal in bhujanga sayana, the blessing of “moksha” could be attained.

This muni was none other than Pulikkal Munivar or Rishi Vyaghrapada.

In remembrance of this puranic legend, a lovely icon of Vyaghrapada muni (Pulikaal munivar) is enshrined inside the sanctum.

The sanctum also has the icon of another famous rishi, Kanvamuni of the Rg Vedic times.

According to one legend, Vyaghrapada was entrusted with the task of plucking fresh flowers from a grove, untouched even by honeybees, for offering to Shiva in his aspect as Nataraja in the temple complex of Chidambaram. While plucking the flowers, Vyaghrapada was wounded on account of thorns and sharp stones. Shiva conferred on him thus the feet of tigers to relieve him of his pain and to go about his religious tasks with vigour.

Now bearing tiger’s (puli) feet, the sage easily moved from place to place, including climbing rough trees to pluck fresh flowers untouched even by the honeybees.

Both the sages Patanjali and Vyaghrapada once together venerated Shiva, and in response, the pleased deity performed for their eyes only the magnificent “ananda tandava”, his dance of bliss which to this day, one can see in the glorious pose of Nataraja at Chidambaram temple.

An astronomical work attributed to Rishi Vyaghrapada

According to local traditions in distant Kerala, Vyagrapada’s footprints are also to be found in that state.

The authorship of a treatise on astrology called Aṅkaṇaśāstra (also called Grahasamaya and Navagrahasamaya) has been attributed to sage Vyaghrapada. The work consists of 389 verses and has been divided into four chapters. In the book, each of the lagna-rāśi-s has been divided into nine aṅkaṇa-s (navāṃśa-s) and each aṅkaṇa is presided over by a graha having individual characteristics. (Wikipedia)

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After darshan inside the sanctum, I walked out on to the outer ‘praakaara‘ of the temple and performed the customary “pradakshinam“, the slow circumambulation around the “garba gruha”. It is in fact the time during which a pilgrim concentrates his mind in meditative contemplation upon the deity and the temple legends as well.

My mind began to dwell upon the the old Tamil proverb: “ஹரியும் சிவனும் ஒன்று, அதை அறியாதவன் வாயில் மண்” …. and for some mysterious reason I could hardly fathom, I found myself asking this question:

“Rishi Vyagrapada had prayed to Siva and asked for not only “puli kaal” and vision. He had also told Siva that he was seeking “moksha”, did he not? Siva then granted him the first two wishes. But for “moksha”, Siva directed Pulikaal Muni to travel to Sirupuliyur and beseech Vishnu presiding there for the bliss of eternal salvation. Why? If Siva and Vishnu are both one and and had possessed the same divinity …. i.e. “ஹரியும் சிவனும் ஒன்று” …. why couldn’t Siva himself have granted the boon of “moksha” to Rishi Vyagradapada? Why send him all the way to Tiru Sirupuliyur divya desam to seek “moksha” from the Perumal there?

The answer to the question buzzing inside my mind, while I was absorbed in performing the “garbha-gruha pradakshinam“, came to me when suddenly I was able to recall a “paasuram” from the Naalaayira Divya Prabhandham.

Tirumangai Azhwar performed mangalaasaasanam for the Deity at this divya desam in ten beatiful hymnal stanzas in Tamil …. (Periya Tirumozhi 7.8.4). The most captivating and revealing of those “paasurams” is this one — and which, incidentally at once, also clarified to me the question roiling my mind about Vishnu and Siva being one:

In the above ‘paasuram‘, there are three significant Tamil phrases which reveal and clarify the true import of the Tamil maxim of “hariyum sivanum onru… etc.”

There is the phrase describing Siva as “the moon-bearing” deity (sadai mazhuvaali); and then there is the phrase describing Indra as the “leader of the demigods” (amararkku adipathi). Then there is the phrase describing Kripasamudra Perumal as the Supreme One …. “thaan aagiya thalaivan“... on either side of whom both Siva and Indra stand merely looking on as the Azhwar prostrates at the feet of the Deity of Sirupuliyur, acknowledging that “Other than his lotus feet, I know no refuge …. “sirupuliyur salasayannathu aanaayanathu adi alladhu onru ariyen….”

What the Tirumangai Azhwar verse thus establishes is the cardinal theological truth which he came to know; which Siva and Indra too were cognizant of; and which is precisely why the Lord of Kailasa directed the Rishi Vyagrapada to go and pray at Sirupuliyur to the Supreme Duty Vishnu who alone could confer on him the grace of “moksha“.

The Tamil maxim “ஹரியும் சிவனும் ஒன்று… ” is therefore true and yet inaccurate.

It is true in so far as the power to grant moksha is excluded from the divine powers other deities are capable of bestowing. If a devotee remained ignorant, however, even after getting acquainted with the legend of Siva and Rishi Vyagrapada, of the truth that Vishnu or Supreme Naryana alone can bestow “moksha“, then it is such a devotee who must be said to have metaphorical “mud” in his mouth…. அதை அறியாதவன் வாயில் மண்”

In traditions such as those founded by Madhvacharya (Dvaita) and Sri Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita), Vishnu (Narayana) is regarded as the supreme being and the sole granter of moksha. Devotion and surrender to Vishnu are seen as the only way to attain liberation, and even the grace to do so is believed to come exclusively from him. The Bhakti movement within Vaishnavism also clearly emphasizes that only Vishnu or his avatars (like Krishna or Rama) can grant moksha. Other deities, such as Siva, as in the case of Rishi Vyagrapada, can at best only intercede on behalf of the devotee or else recommend or direct him to Vishnu but they do not by themselves possess power to grant eternal liberation.

(to be continued)

Sudarshan Madabushi

A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Tirukannapuram (Part-7)

Early next day from my base-camp at Mayiladuthurai, my pilgrimage continued on to the holy temple town of Tirukannapuram.

This visit of mine to this sacred Divya Desam was of very special significance to me personally, since it was precisely where the 5th and very last destination in a customary pilgrimage known in Sri Vaishnava tradition as the “Pancha Krishnaararanya Kshetrams” culminates.

During earlier years — since 2018 — along with my wife, I had already sojourned through three divya desams in an exclusive cluster amongst these five others — (1) Thiruvikrama Perumal Temple in Thirukkovalur, (2) Loganatha Perumal Temple in Thirukkannagudi, (3) Gajendra Varadhan Temple in Thirukapisthalam and (4) Bhakthavatsala Perumal temple in Tirukannamangai Kovil … And now, I stood before Sri Neelamegha Perumal Temple in Thirukannapuram —- my fourth.

To me personally, it felt like I had reached one more milestone in the Pilgrim’s Progress in life. After Tirukannapuram, there remained now for me only one more temple left in the Pancha Krishnaaranya Kshetrams to visit. Mentally, I prayed to the Deity of Tirukannamangai to bless me again with his darshan there at some time very soon in the very near future, now that I had worshipped him here at Tirukannapuram.

Meanwhile, now at Tirukannapuram, I turned to walk into the temple precincts with a heart skipping with excited expectations of joyous darshan. Here are some headline features of this great temple:

Moolavar : Sowriraja Perumal	Posture : Standing Pose Facing East With Varada Hastham and Prayog Chakra
Thayar : Kannapura Nayagi	Utsava Perumal : Sowrirajan	Utsava Thayar : Padmasini Thayar
Vimanam : Uthpalavataka Vimanam	Theertham : Nithya Pushkarini, Ananda Saras	Puranam : Padma Puranam

It was here in Tirukannapuram that the Deity here himself initiated Thirumangai Azhwar into the sacred esotericism of “Thiru Manthira Upadhesam“…. the 8 syllabled “ashtaakshara mantram” so dear to all Sri Vaishnavas.

“O Lord of Kannapuram! I shall have nothing to do with those who take to other gods. Having learnt (from you) your eight-syllable Mantra and meditating on it constantly, and out of all the meanings gleaned and interpreted from it, the only one I chose to embrace is this: lifelong dedication to the service of your devotees.”

The Legend for the Name – “Sowrirajan“

Sowrirajan is the name of the “utsava” (processional) Deity in this kovil. It means Artificial Coiffured Hair! The “sthala purana” tells an interesting tale of how this endearing “naama” got stuck to the Almighty here!

Once there was a devoted priest named Ranga Bhattar who was a priestly servitor of the Almighty here in Thirukannapuram. In the days of yore, there was a custom that, every day the local royal viceroy would dutifully send a large garland to the temple which the priest would then use to adorn the Deity in the sanctum. Later, the local viceroy would come for darshan at the temple to be honoured when the priest would return to him the same garland earlier offered to and adorning the Deity.

One day, due to some unknown reasons, the customary garland from the viceroy’s palace gardens did not reach the temple on time. The priest got frustrated and began fretting since the time of viceroy’s Darshan was nearing and he feared the temple service that day would get delayed. The delay would certainly displease the viceroy.

To save himself from the ire of the local viceroy, the priest in very great haste rushed to his home, took away the flowers collected there meant for his own wife’s use, and ran back with them to the temple to weave them all quickly into a garland for the Almighty.

The viceroy duly arrived and the customary service in the sanctum was held, after which the garland of the Deity was ceremoniously removed and offered as “maala maryaadai” to the high and mighty dignitary.

However, on returning to his palace, the viceroy, as he removed the garland from his neck, noticed that a long strand of human hair was entwined in the garland! To him it looked exactly like that of a strand of hair taken from a woman’s tresses. The big man fumed!

The priest was at once summoned from the temple and questioned about the garland.

Fearing severe punishment at the hands of the viceroy, the priest to save his skin, began blatantly lying. He told the viceroy the long strand of hair pulled out of the garland must be that from Lord Vishnu’s own head!

The viceroy was incredulous! He thought the priest was lying through his teeth. But then the priest vigorously insisted that daily he himself had seen the Deity in the sanctum actually wore his lustrous hair very long!

The viceroy remained unconvinced. After all, he too had been visiting the sanctum every day and knew exactly how the Deity’s idol looked. He had never seen the Almighty sporting long hair…

“Priest, I will come tomorrow to the sanctum to verify myself if you are speaking the truth or fibbing. You may go now!”, said the viceroy sternly.

The panic-stricken priest rushed back to the temple and trembling with fear, he prostrated before the Deity and desperately pleaded for the Lord to rescue him from the dire punishment that surely awaited him the next morning—- the Day of Judgment.

The next day, the viceroy arrived to verify the claims of the priest at the sanctum and asked the priest to show him the Lord’s long tresses.

The craven priest reached behind the Lord’s idol. Miraculously, the Almighty gave Darshan to both the priest and the viceroy in a pose that sported a beautiful, silken long-haired “sowri” … an artificial coiffure!

Since then, the Deity of Tirukannapuram has always been known to his devotees as Sri Sowriraja Perumal!

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The deity rooted inside the sanctum is the Moolavar Murthy of this Perumal. The idol can seen to be in a very elegant posture indeed symbolising divine blessings being showers on his devotees with eagerly outstretched hands.

The Almighty’s hands appear to be holding the “receiving mudra‘” (receiving posture in contrast to the usual iconic posture one will find on idols in other Vishnu temples where the Lord would be in “Abhaya mudra” or “daana mudra”, the giving posture) symbolising that He accepts all the sorrows and burdens of the devotees who come to Thirukannapuram seeking his grace for relief and solace.

Unlike other Sri Vaishnava temples elsewhere , where one of the several large and overarching portals inside the temple is designated specially to be the “svarga vaasal” (or the Doorway to Heaven), in Tirukannapuram, there is no such Svarga Vaasal ! Why? Because it is believed that one can reach Sri Vaikuntam, the eternal abode of Lord Narayana, if one were to merely step onto the soil inside this great Divya Desam and prostrate upon it in true devotion. No entry through “svarga vaasal” is needed here for the true devotee !

With that happy and hope-filled thought lodged inside my mind, I ambled out of the Tirukannapuram — a merry and fulfilled Pilgrim.

(to be continued)

Sudarshan Madabushi