S'pore HR&CE to implement Annai Thamizhil Archanai scheme in temples

CHENNAI: Officials of the Hindu Religious and Charities Endowments (HR&CE) from Singapore have reached out to their counterparts in Tamil Nadu seeking details of the Annai Thamizhil Archanai scheme. The Singapore officials will soon replicate the Tamil archanai’s in some of their temples and the trial had already begun.

“We will also provide these details to the other Hindu temples in Malaysia and Sri Lanka, where a large Tamil population live,” an informed official told DT Next.

So far, Annai Thamizhil Archanai has been implemented in 47 temples in TN and will be expanded to 533 more temples. Booklets and verses published for Tamil archanai are also circulated among archakas for them to learn the nuances.

Meanwhile, the State had also re-launched the age-old ‘Vasthira Mariyathai’ where temples will exchange honours and prasadhams as a mark of respect and cultural exchange. The Vasthira Mariyadhai is already in place between Sri Rangam and Tirupati, and this will soon be expanded to other south Indian temples, sources said.

“In earlier days, kings used to send honours comprising of treasures like gold, precious stones, diamonds, pearls, rubies and also stuff which are peculiar to that region, to other kings to express their cordiality and relationship. In the same way, the Hindu temples have traditionally followed the method of sending honours, ‘Vasthira Mariyathai’ from one temple to various other Hindu temples showing their religious and cultural relationship. We’re planning to expand this cultural exchange across the country,” a senior official said.

This kind of religious exchange also helps to know about the good practices followed by the religious institutions in other places for the welfare of the devotees. In Srirangam, Arulmigu Aranganathaswamy temple sends Vasthira Mariyathai comprising of silk vasthirams, garlands to Tirupati Arulmigu Venkatachalapathy temple, Andhra Pradesh. The Vasthira Mariyathai is sent on Kaisiga Ekadhasi day (October-November) every year and Tirupati Venkatachalapathy temple officers receive the Srirangam temple’s vasthirams carried by the temple priests and officers. A grand procession is arranged by Tirupati Devasthanam along with temple elephants, the official said adding that the vasthirams are adorned with all the deities of the temple, the official explained.

In reciprocation on the first day of the tamil month Aadi (July), Tirupathi Devasthanam brings Holy Vasthirams to Srirangam, Arulmigu Aranganathaswamy temple deities and the procedures are carried out.