Meeting of Devotees

On the auspicious day of Tamil New Year, a meeting was held today, Sunday, 14th April 2019 @ 4 p.m., at P.S.High School, Ramakrishna Mutt Road, Mylapore, Chennai. 

The agenda of the meeting was to update the financials and temple activities with the devotees, plan for Kumbhabhishekam in 2020, induct volunteers and interact with devotees present.

The accounts upto 31st March 2019 were shared with the devotees present.

During the meeting Mrs and Mr Haritheerthan had arranged cold "Kalathi Rose Milk", a well known shop in Mylapore.

Photos taken on the occasion can be found in this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/W9vPHLabxJxYfE6h8

Need Volunteers for Kumbabishekam preparations

The number of families amongst devotees who consider Sri Mahasastha Ayyanar at Suraikayur as their Kula Deivam is a small one. Of these, there are some who are regular in visiting the temple.

The task of conducting the Kumbabishekam is not a small one. While devotees will contribute their might monetarily, there are several activities which are required to be carried out. These include frequent visits to the temple to supervise work, coordination of all kinds, monitoring progress to timelines, any other job, etc.

Devotees, men and women who are willing to slog it out for nothing in return, since these are voluntary tasks, but with guarantee of personal satisfaction that you played a part, may please come forward and give their names.

Kumbabhishekam likely in February 2020

Devotees will recall that the last kumbabishekam of our kuladeivam Sri Mahasastha Ayyanar at Suraikayur was performed on 4th September 2008. As is customary, the next kumbabishekam will fall due after 12 years in 2020. 

It has been advised by the learned that it will be more auspicious to perform the kumbabishekam in Uttarayanam. While the date for the kumbabishekam is yet to be finalised, which will be done in consultation with pundits, it is likely to be sometime in February 2020.

But before that, some civil repair jobs may have to be undertaken to the structure. These include widening of the main entrance to the Sannadhi  for better visibility of Pushkalamba from the hall, repairing of cracks, arresting leaks, scraping and painting, both interior and exterior surface, constructing a tiled roofing outside the temple between the horses for devotees to stand and have darshan under shade. Some repair is also overdue for electrical wiring and fittings. 

These repairs and improvements are expected to take at least about 3 to 4 months. The estimated cost of these is about Rs 8 lakhs. 

The vaideega kariyams, consisting of dakshina for vedic pundits, material required for the rituals, food for them, prasad for devotees, arrangements, etc., are expected to cost about Rs 12 lakhs.

Devotees are requested to contribute their might commensurate with their capacity, to this common cause.

Contributions can be made to the bank account of 'Suraikayur Charitable Trust'. Devotees are aware that contributions to the trust account are eligible for 80G benefit under Income Tax Act.

May Sri Maha Sastha Ayyanar bless you and family always.

Captivating Alankaram at Mahabhishekam 2018

The annual reunion of the devotees of Mahasastha Ayyanar happened in large numbers this year on Tuesday, 4th September 2018, at Suraikayur, as planned for an elaborate and grand mahabhishekam.

Though there was some amount of water flowing in river Vettar and the canal close to the temple, the abundant rains recently in the Western ghats did not seem to have much impact on the river. Nonetheless, despite limited flow, the entire village was lush green. In fact the tank near the Sivan Kovil was half-full.

This year's abhishekam saw about 15 families present, though small in number, can be considered better than last year's attendance.

As usual, the proceedings included elaborate sankalpam,  homam, abhishekam, alankaram, archanai and deeparadhanai. Particularly remarkable and captivating was this year's chandana kappu and flower alankaram of the deity. I guess the Lord desired to show himself differently and beautiful to His devotees this year as He does uniquely every time.

May His blessings be with all His devotees always.

The event was followed by sumptuous and yummy prasadam consisting of panchamridam, rava pineapple-pomegranate kesari, potato fry, sambar rice and curd rice.

It is hoped that His devotees will assemble in larger numbers next year, particularly the second and third generation devotees who will be the torch bearers of the future. May Mahasastha Ayyanar enable this.

Photo taken of the event can be found in this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GiHHS6hbbiN7PLBk8

Photos from the Past 2007-08

Recently I was going through some of the old archived albums and stumbled upon photos shared by Sri Haritheerthan long ago.  Somehow these have not been shared.  Can't understand why I didn't do it before.  But they should have been.  Therefore I do it now.  After all, it is better to be late than never.  So here they are for everyone to see and to preserve for posterity too.

The photos cover the period June 2007 to August 2008.  They reflect the various stages in the renovation and reconstruction of the temple, additions of Vinayakar sannadhi and guesthouse, and most importantly consolidation of the temple land by erecting a boundary wall to demarcate its extent, to protect it from encroachment and to secure it for the future generations of devotees of the deity.  It covers a little over one year upto before the Kumbabhishekam of the temple on September 4, 2008.

Link to the album can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yo6RvpLPkE5vthiT9

Going through the photos one can easily understand the extraordinary efforts put-in by the Kumbhabhishekam Committee Members Sarva Sri R. Laxmi Ratan (late), A. Venkat, K.C. Radhakrishnan, S. Hari Theerthan and K. Narayanaswamy.  Words of praise and appreciation, though they don't seek, are rightfully due to them.  May Ayyanar bless them in their continuing efforts of self-less service to the temple.