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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00056 Apr 2003

 
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Dear Members,

Adiyane's nativity is from Tirupati 'kshEtra' and I write this with a
heavy heart.

It is learnt that the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam) recently
announced a proposal to extend the area and perimeter of the Tirumala
temple 'prAkAra' by clearing the present 'prAkAra' of structures and
dwellings. The aim of this proposal is to create wide open spaces
around the main temple-precinct so as to decongest it of thronging
pilgrims as well as to enable periodic 'utsavams' (temple processions
during 'brahmOtsavam', for example) taking place without the undue
tumult and unmanageable crowding that is presently experienced. 

The proposal of TTD, no doubt, is well-intentioned but one fears that
it might get implemented in a rather over-zealous manner that is
bound to trample upon the religious sentiments of many thousands of
devotees such as myself who hail from the holy temple-town of
Tirupati/Tirumala. The TTD's proposal if pursued in letter and spirit
will surely involve the demolition and evacuation of certain ancient
and sacred monuments that presently occupy the 'prAkAram'. When the
TTD proceeds to clear the 'prAkAra' there is no doubt that along with
the common structures and dwellings that will get demolished, sacred
monuments will also suffer the same fate. The baby, in effect, will 
get thrown out with the bath-water.

One such most important monument in the 'prAkAra' is the temple or
shrine of Sri Tirumala Nambi that stands today in the south-eastern
corner of the main 'prAkAra', just below the overhead pedestrian
walkaway that leads from the Q-complex to the main 'dwAra' of the
temple. 

This temple of Sri Tirumala Nambi is dedicated to the memory of the
great maternal uncle of Sri RamanujAchArya. He lived in Tirumala
during Ramanuja's times over a 1000 years ago. The temple stands
today on the spot where it is believed Sri Tirumala Nambi lived and
probably also where it is believed he received and occasionally
taught ("kAlapshEpam") his illustrious nephew the philosophical
nuances of the Ramayana for a period of a year. The esoteric
'tattvA-s' of the Ramayana that Tirumala Nambi imparted to Ramanuja
are 18 in number and they constitute one of the most profound and
invaluable interpretations of the Ramayana in the entire history and
lore of SriVaishnavism ("Nambi nirvAham"). 

Sri Tirumala Nambi was a great religious scholar in his own right but
out of deliberate choice decided to devote his life to
"teertha-kainkarya" at the Tirumala temple rather than turning to
expounding SriVaishnavite philosophy or poetry as was the wont of
'achArya-s' of his times. One thousand years ago Tirumala was not the
salubrious and convenient place we know it is today. Tirumala was a
rough and rocky terrain and the upkeep of the temple in those days
must have been a terribly daunting and unwelcome task. Nambi
dedicated his entire lifetime to living in a small house on the hills
and worked out of it while tending to, maintaining and administering
the temple of his beloved 'tiruvengadamudaiyAn'. More specifically,
Nambi performed the daily rite of fetching water from the nearby
stream of "aakAsa-ganga"
for use in the temple 'tirumanjanam' (ritual bath for the Deity). In
honour of this humble but most noble 'teertha-kainkaryam' that Nambi
institutionalized in his times, his heirs and progeny until this very
day have been allowed to perform the same service in the temple as
matter of heriditary right. The descendants of Tirumalai Nambi are
known today as "Tirumala kumara-s" or "thOzhappachAri-s".

When temple "utsavam-s" are held in Tirumala, such as the annual
'brahmOtsavam', it is age-old custom for the traditional procession
of Vedic chanteurs ("vEda-pArAyaNa-gOshti") to begin their ceremonial
perambulation of the temple precincts from the very doorsteps of the
temple that stands today on the hill in honour of Tirumala Nambi. 

It is a great and hoary monument such as Tirumala Nambi's shrine that
the TTD seeks today to remove from the "prAkAra" -- ostensibly for
the sake of creating more convenience for pilgrims.

To be fair to the TTD they are offering an alternate site on the hill
for Nambi's shrine. But they do not seem to understand that the offer
of an alternate site for such an ancient and sacred shrine is adding
insult to injury. No one who has a deep acquaintance with the history
and legend of the Tirumala temple will be happy with the moving out
of the Nambi shrine to another site from the present one whose
historical and sentimental significance is enormous. It is like
offering an alternate site to relocate the Ram-janma temple in
Ayodhya.

The TTD contends that there should be no objection to moving the
shrine to an alteranate location just as other sacred Mutts, like the
Ahobila Mutt and Andavan Ashram, for instance, in the locality have
seen been moved from their original premises around the 'prAkAra' to
other spots elsewhere on the hill far away from the main 'prAkAra'.
But the TTD does not seem to understand that Mutts can never be
equated with a shrine such as Tirumala Nambi's. These Mutts came to
be built only around 200 to 300 years ago more for the purpose of
serving as camp-lodges for those devotees who came to Tirumala on
pilgrimage. Nambi's shrine is no free lodge! It commemorates his
memory of over 1000 years! It stands on the spot today where Nambi
once lived and worked and served the Lord of Venkatam...! How can the
shrine and the Mutts be treated as if they were all merely of the
same kind?

My appeal to the TTD is that by all means do proceed to extend the
'prAkAra' for the sake of the millions of the pilgrims who throng the
hill temple. But in the process please do not violate any of the
age-old and 'agamic' rules that we see once governed the temple
structures when first erected. 

Similarly please do not mindlessly tear down ancient shrines like the
Tirumala Nambi 'sannidhi' and hurt the religious sentiments of
devotees. The TTD should be careful not commit sacrilege in the name
of providing "amenities for pilgrims". 

Tirumala as it is today is in itself a grim reminder of the ugly
depredations that modernity has caused to be cast upon the natural
repose and serenity of the ancient temples of our land and their
environs. Let it not be made worse by proposals such as those the TTD
seeks to implement today.

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

If any member who has read the above write-up of mine has been moved
to tears and is even in the least inclined to agree with what adiyane
has stated... then please let him or her take the trouble to write to
the Executive Officer, TTD, Tirumala, India making known his/her
strong protest against the removal and relocation of the Tirumala
Nambi shrine from its present location in the grand "prAkAra" of the
temple of Venkatam.

Thank You,

Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan 




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