Article on Araiyar Sevai

[Guest guest]

REGARDING Article on Araiyar Sevai

 

The following article appeared in "The Hindu" on December 21, 1997.

 

 

A dying art

Monuments crumble, manuscripts get moth-eaten and

traditional fine arts practised for centuries in temples

are being forgotten because of long years of neglect. No

wonder ``Araiyar Sevai,'' a visual enactment of the

passionate expression by Vaishnavite saints known as

``Azhwars'' in vogue in almost all Vishnu temples in the

past, is now confined to a handful of them and seems to

be on its way out.

Temples in Tamil Nadu, especially those dedicated to Sri

Narayana, had been, and continue to be, on a lesser

scale the nurseries of the three branches of Tamil

literature (Iyal), music (Isai) and drama or performing

arts (Natakam) for many centuries. The ``Araiyar

Sevai,'' which comes under the last category, is a

performing art practised by Araiyars, descendants of

Nathamunigal, who retrieved the ``Divya Prabandam''

pasurams or songs, almost from oblivion. They used to

perform ``Abinaya'' or ritualistic facial expression and

movement of legs and hands to explain the feminine

concept of Vaishnavite philosophy where the Lord is the

only male and around Him revolves the whole universe.

 

The Araiyars are not mere performers of this unique

dance form, but are also well versed in sacred

Vaishnavite love, especially the commentaries for

Azhwar's hymns known as ``Eedu.'' Highly respected by

the rulers and the ruled in the past, they, especially

those in Srivilliputtur in Virudhunagar district, were

conferred the status of spiritual teachers. Sri Ramanuja

was the disciple of Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar.

 

According to Koil Ozhugu, record book of the Srirangam

temple, which gave valuable information about temple

practices and rituals, Thirumangai Azhwar, a Vaishnavite

saint, started the practice of presenting before the

Lord of Srirangam his work known as

``Thirunedunthantakam'' to the accompaniment of music

and dance. But it was Nathamunigal who introduced the

performing art in its present form in temples in the

Tamil month of ``Margazhi'' during the festival known as

``Thiruvadhyayana Uthsavam.'' He taught this art to two

of his nephews - Keezhai Agathu Azhwar and Melai Agathu

Azhwar - who were the first and foremost Araiyars in the

Srirangam Temple.

 

According to tradition they were given a cone-like cape

known as ``Ariyar Kullaai,'' two cymbals and the sacred

garlands by the Lord of Srirangam Himself. Nobody else

was given this honour and to this day they are getting

it. Their ``Abhinayam'' is considered to be similar to

the ``Srunga Nirutham'' taught by Lord Narayana to Lord

Brahma and the ``Kaisika Vrithi'' of Brahaspathi, the

teacher of the Devas.

 

Numerous is the inscriptional and historical evidence

about ``Araiyar Sevai'' having existed during the reign

of Chola and Pandya kings and the former could be found

in plenty in the Srivilliputtur temple.

 

According to Srinivasa Rangachariar, one of the two

Araiyars in the Srivilliputtur temple, Thirukkurungudi

in Tirunelveli district was the home of Araiyars where

once 64 Araiyar families lived. But now not a single

Araiyar family can be found there. The reason for this,

according to Srinivasa Rangachariar, was that the Lord

who was so much impressed by their service appeared

before them and asked them to seek from Him whatever

they wanted. The Araiyars said all that they sought was

His Holy Feet and the Lord granted the same. The Lord

later regretted their absence and to please Him, all

their cymbals were melted and a bell was made out of

them. The Lord is offered food only after the ringing of

the bell, which is found even now in that temple.

 

Now the ``Araiyar Sevai'' is performed only in three

places - Srivilliputtur, Azhwarthirunagari in Tuticorin

district and Srirangam. At Melkote in Karnataka,

Araiyars only recite Pasurams, they do not perform the

``Abinaya.'' It is performed at the same time in the

three places during the ``Pahal Pathu'' and ``Era

Pathu'' festivals for 20 days in December-January. The

Araiyars first recite the Azhwars' songs, explain their

inner meanings as handed down to them by their ancestors

through palm leaf manuscripts and then perform

``Abinaya.''

 

It is a treat to watch the Araiyar of Srivilliputtur

perform the ``Abinaya'' depicting the life of Andal, who

was found as a five- year-old child in the garden

(``Pancha Varshath, Divyaroopath, Divayapara

Bhushithath,'' according to Varaha Puranam) and was

brought up by her foster father like a princess, her

composing 173 poems sending the cloud, and other things

as messengers to the Lord, to convey her longing for

union with Him, the observance of a ritual known as

``pavai nonbu'' etc.

 

The most interesting parts of the ``Araiyar Sevai'' are

``Amirthamadhanam'' or the churning of the ``milky

ocean'' and ``muthukuri.'' In the latter the Araiyar

will don the roles of the mother of the lady love and

the soothsayer known as `Kattuvichi.' He will, through

change of voice, perform the role of the mother, who

will explain the plight of her daughter who used to

adorn herself with all dresses and ornaments and look at

the mirror, build houses in sand and the other pains

undergone by her. The soothsayer will advise the mother

to take her daughter to the temple and present her

before the Lord which alone can cure her illness. It

gained the name of ``muthukuri'' as the soothsayer used

to do it by spreading pearls in a bamboo plate known as

``muram.'' The ``muthukuri'' episode has a philosophical

connotation as it signified the individual soul seeking

the guidance of the ``Acharya'' or spiritual teacher

(soothsayer) for union with the ``Supreme Soul.'' It is

performed thrice during festivals at Srivilliputtur

while it is done only once at Azhwarthirunagari and

Srirangam. The Araiyars strictly adhere to the

guidelines given by their ancestors in manuscripts known

as ``Thambiranpadi.''

 

Such an ancient and great system seems to be on its way

out due to lack of Government and public patronage.

There are two Araiyar families at Srivilliputtur. One of

them, Srinivasa Iyengar, is too old and his descendants

have not been trained in the art. Hence the Periya

Araiyar, Srinivasa Rangachariar, and his two sons -

Balamukundan and Vatapatrasayee - had to perform the

Araiyar Sevai in the temple on all the 365 days.

 

They had to undergo training for at least 18 years to

perfect the art of `Abinaya.' But the Government,

without realising their uniqueness and importance,

declared them temple servants and they would have to

retire like others on reaching the age of

superannuation. Despite lucrative offers, the Araiyars

had not given any audio or video recordings. There were

many greener pastures, but the Araiyars of

Srivilliputtur, though ``retired'' by the Government,

were serving the Lord without expecting any

remuneration. The Government and the devout public ought

to see that this system which had been in vogue for a

millennia, is continued in the temples. The Government

spends a lot to preserve folk arts and other forms of

dance, so it should not turn a blind eye to the

performing art of `Araiyar Sevai.'

 

T.A. SRINIVASAN