Renovation and maintenance of Temples

[Guest guest]

SRIMATHE BHOOMIDEVI SAMETHA SRINIVASA PARABHRAMANE NAMAHA

SRIMATHE NIHAMANTHA MAHA DESIKAYA NAMAHA

 

OHM DHANUR DHARAYAI VITHMAHE

SARVA SIDHYAI CHA DHEEMAHI

THANNO DHARA PRASODHAYATH

 

OHM SRI ABAYAHASTHAYA VITHMAHE

PRASANNA VADHANAYA DHEEMAHI

THANNO OPPILLA APPA PRASODHAYATH

Dear Captain Desiakn, Suresh, Venkat, v ayyangar,

Adiyen thought of sharing our experience with all the Srivaishnavites

after seeing the enthusiasm amongst all the Srivaishnavites to Renovate and

Maintain all our DivyaDesams.

Adiyen is extremely happy that our KULADEIVAM LORD UPPILIAPPA blessed us

and GUIDED the Kainkarya Sabha to carry out the renovation of a nearly 400

years old temple in our native village Poundarigapuram. Our Acharyas

Srimath Poundarigapuram Andavan Swamigal, The Jeer of Ahobhila Mutt and

Srimath Andavan Swamigal blessed us stating that the renovation when

completed will be better than what has been planned. Our Acharyas'

BLESSINGS and Guidance helped us immensely.

To evoke a good response from the people of the village we first

started cleaning up of the Temple which was in a dilapidated condition. We

repaired the doors and compound wall and carried out other minor works. We

also dug a hand bore well to supply water to the Temple. This created a

good will amongst the village folk and they also started helping us in the

cleaning works. We also started Thirumanjanam of Moolavar Perumal and

adorning the Deitees with new Vasthrams.

With enough interest kindled and fairly good amount of work done in

cleaning etc (which kept away the stray cattle and bats) we decided to form

the Kainkarya Sabha. Representatives from persons of Poundarigapuram origin

and the present residents were taken as office bearers and members of the

Sabha. The Sabha was duly registered under the societies act. Members from

the present residents were important persons of the village like president,

post master etc. (Trouble makers can also be made the members of the

executive committee to keep them from making trouble in future.) We also

submitted an application to the Govt authorities of HRE dept through the

executive officer looking after the temple.

We then started the most important work of collecting donations. We

collected the addresses of all Sri Vaishnavites of Poundarigapuram Origin

and sent them letters, mails and spoke to them over the phone. We also

contacted all the Vaishnavites through NAMA in Singapore and USA. We also

contacted the Vaishnavite groups in middle east.

We were a little nervous in the beginning having taken up this

important and holy task. We understood that LORD UPPILIAPPAN IS GUIDING AND

HELPING US when we received a mail from Sri Vasan a Vaishnavite Devotee

from USA asking for details through mail. He then spoke to us and said that

he is not interested in donation but would like to do a project. He took

upon himself to finance the Renovation of Thayar Sannadhi. Then we

understood that THE DIVINE HAND OF LORD UPPILIAPPAN IS HELPING AND GUIDING

us and we were sure that the Renovation will be completed successfully. THE

ACHARYAS ALSO BLESSED US.

With funds flowing from all over the world the work picked up and

reached its full peak with the construction of Front Mandapam, Uppiliappan

Ezhuntharulum Mandapam, Madapalli, Muttham and compound wall. Balalayam was

then performed and the renovation of Thayar and Perumal Sannadhis and Raja

Gopuram was taken up. The forming of the Silpams took quite some time as it

is a slow process job and there are only a few Silpis available to do it.

Samprokshanam, Mandalabhisheka Poorthy etc went off well. Dhanur masa

poojas have just been completed with a Thirumanjanam on Pongal Day. Again

Sri Vasan contributed for making all the items required like Simmasanam

etc for Samprokshnam.

With the above experience adiyen is of the opinion that Vaishnavites

who have these Divya Desams as origins have to be identified and they

should be asked to form Kainkarya sabhas with representation from the

present residents. The present residents should actually supervise and

ensure that the work is carried out satisfactorily. They will be interested

because lot of money will be spent in the place or village where the temple

is located and that generates enough jobs and revenues to the local people.

A corpus fund can be formed by all of us and donations collected. One or

two Divya Desam temple should be taken at a time and after completion of

the work the next project can be taken up. We should also ensure that

enough money is kept deposited to ensure Nithya Aradhani in the Temples

thus renovated.

The Kainkarya Sabha has deposited some amount in the post office

in Poundarikapuram for carying out Nithya Aradhanai and also has started

the Nithya Aradhani Kattalai scheme. A quarters is a must for the

Bhattachar. If revenue position improves we can think of other facilities

for the Bhattachar. The interest from the amount deposited is taking care

of the salary of the Bhattachar. We hope to construct the quarters also

shortly. Local people are now regularly going to the temple. Ladies throng

on Saturdays to Hanuman Sannadhi.

Adiyen thought of sharing our experience which will help all of

us in Renovating our Divya Desam Temples and maintain them in future.

With Warm Regards,

dasan

Poundarigapuram Elanagar Madabhusi Srinivasan Lakshminaryanan