Part III An insight into the people of Thiruchendurai (of 1940) - By Sethuraman

Just as Tiruchendurai Vaidyanatha Iyer and members of his family brought fame to the village by their professional eminence as Judges, Advocates, Administrative Officers and Engineers, another family which contributed to the growth, popularity, and religious upbringing of the villagers was that of the illustrious Dikshidhars of the Keela Theru. According to T.M.Srinivasan, himself a grandson of this great family, the three eldest members were Venkataramana Dikshidhar, Narayana Dikshidhar, and Ayya Dikshidhar.

(Venkataramana Dikshidhar, one of the triumvirate, and doyen of the Dikshidhar families. His contribution to the village is immeasurable. Photo courtesy – T.R.Gurumurthy, Chennai)

(Akhilanda Narayana Dikshidhar (also known as Ayya Dikshidhar), one of the Dikshidhar triumvirate. An erudite Sanskrit scholar - Photo courtesy – Mr. R. Sridharan – Advocate - Dindigul)

Venkataramana’s family consisted of six daughters and four sons. Two of the daughters and their children were very much involved in affairs of the village – Chella, whose son T.N.Ramamurthy of Trichy, was a regular visitor to the village during the Bhajanotsavams, particularly Sita Kalyanam – when he donned the role of a Sakhi in the Bavvalimpu, with T.M.Krishnaswamy mostly, as his partner. Ramamurthy was well known for his Marathi ‘abhangs’ .. (see post on Sita Kalyanam for their roles).

The other daughter was Sambhu, and her sons were the popular Krishnaswamy and Vaidyanathan brothers (Kitta and Vaitha), whose progenies have a cent per cent involvement in the bhajan activities even today. The four sons of Venkataramana were Swami, an ardent participant in the village activities including the bhajans,T.V.Subramanian (Suppa Mama), T.V.Krishnaswamy (Pichamama), a teacher by profession) and T.V. Ramamurthy. Venkataramana took ‘sanyasam’ in his old age and his ‘samadhi’ is located in front of the Chandrasekaraswamy Temle, well visible from the road side. The Samadhi is maintained by one of his great grandsons, T.S. Venkataraman.

(Venkataramana Dikshidhar’s Samadhi in front of the Chandrasekaraswamy temple and by the roadside –the photo taken long before the Kumbabishegam - the visitor is T.V.Ramamurthy son of T.R.Venkataramaiyer – photo courtesy – TV Ramamurthy)

And the first house in this part of Keela Theru, adjacent to the Lane, is said to have belonged to Ayya Dikshidar, one of the three Dikishidhar brothers, and later passed into the hands of others. Ayya Dikshidhar was a Sanskrit Scholar, and his sons T.A.Subramanian and T.A. Ramachandran went into the legal profession, the former practicing at Palani and the latter at Dindigul.

It is in this house the Manavasi Family resided for a long time -- K. Venkatasubba Iyer and Lakshmi a very quiet, unassuming couple – their eldest son Srinivasan died young, and the second son Ramani settled in Pudukottai starting a music school there. Ramani used to participate in the village festivities including the bhajans. Krishnamurthy their other son, after education here, moved to Vridhachalam, and the youngest Chandrasekaran continued to remain in the village for some years. Prior to the Manavasi family, Subbaiyer of the Postal Department , father of T.S.Kuppuswamy (affectionately known as Kuppa Bhattar) who gave regular attendance to the Bhajans , for nearly sixty years without a break, till his death few years ago. TSK and his family settled in Manali near Madras, and he was a regular visitor to the village.

The next was a fairly big house, then called Kannambadi House, originally belonging to T.V. Venkataraman, brother of Judge Seshagiri.. This house was occupied by Dr.K.M. Meenakshisundaram, a physician, of Kulumani in the south, practicing in our village. Dr. KMM apart from his role as a physician took keen interest in the village affairs, and the bhajans as long as he was resident in the village. His family consisted of Ambalmami, Babu, Sankaran and Angachi who interacted with the villagers in a great way. Sankaran left the village to join the Air Force in the forties, and later the family itself moved out of the village. The Doctor was a pious, kindly person, and the villagers well remember his person with the ‘spatikamani malai’ and silver ‘vetrilaipetti’.

After the doctor’s family moved out, for a short while a Madhwa family resided in this house – the tall, sturdy Rangavittal, a sportsmanlike figure and after this Kannambadi Subramania Iyer himself moved into the place.

And we move into another Dikshidhar family house next, a twin house as was common in the village – the western part of which belonged to Sita, the only daughter of Narayana Dikshidhar. Sita had two sons Seshagiri and Muthukrishnan. Seshagiri went into medicine, and was practicing in Kattuputhur. Muthukrishnan remained in the village, looked after the family interests , children’s education, and agriculture.

Seshagiri’s son Krishnamurthy was a great exponent of the bhajan sampradhaya – he moved out to Chennai where he was working in the Government, but was a regular visitor to the village on festive occasions. Krishnamurthy was known as ‘Gurudasan” and the following introductory note in one of his many publications highlights his eminence in the field.

Bhagvatha Ratnam, Gurudasan T.S. Krishnamurthy – born 29 Nov 1928 – parents Dr. T. V. Seshagiri Shastri and Seethalakshmi -- graduated B.Sc. 1948 – employed Tamil Nadu Government Public Works – soil research, gold medalist 1976.

Disciple of Triplicane Panduranga Bhajana Mandali T.V.Narayana Sastri introduced hundreds to the Nama Sankeerthanam – titles ‘Bhagavatha Ratnam’, Bhaagavatha Choodamani, Bhagavatha Sironmani but prefers to be called Gurudasan.

Gurudasan T.S.,Krishnamurthy,( a popular exponent of Bhajana Sampradaya and Divyanama Sankeerthanam,and an invaluable gift from the dikshidhar family) and his disciples during a Pada Pooja.(photo courtesy - Ganesan, and Ramanujam of the Panduranga Bhajan Mandali, Madras.

(Bhagavatha Rathna Gurudasan T.S.Krishnamurthy from the Dikshidhar family of Tiruchendurai. Photo courtesy-N.S.jayaraman, chennai)

Krishnamurthy’s family resides in Chennai these days. His brothers do participate in the Sita Kalyanam festival.

Muthukrishnan resided in the house for many years, till he breathed his last; he was an active participant in the village activities. His two sons, Srinivasan (popularly known as TMS) and Thiagarajan resided in the village between 1953 and 2002. Srinivasan, a teacher by profession, the Headmaster of the E.R.Higher Secondary School, after retirement, now resides at Tiruvanaikoil but is a frequent visitor to the village and an active participant as all the other Dikshidhar family members. Thiagarajan, also a teacher by profession, is as keen as his brother is, and was a member of the youth brigade of the sixties (see photograph in Part I). TMT, as he is known is also a qualified Cricket Umpire, and has participated in the matches of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. It will be interesting to know that for more than a century this family has been the donor (mandaga padidharar) for the ‘Anchaneya Utsavam’ the eleventh day festivity of the Sita Kalyanam.

Now we go to the eastern part of this twin house, where stayed the brothers T.V.Subramaniam, T.V. Krishnaswamy and T.V.Ramamurthy, all sons of Venkataramana Dikshidhar. TVS bought the plot adjacent to the perumal koil, and moved in there while TVK and TVR continued in this house. TVK another teacher in the family, and TVR did participate in village activities to the extent they could.

House opposite, a tiny one, was that of Swami Dikshidhar, eldest son of Venkataramana Dikshidhar, who lived with his wife Bhagi.. Swami was a very quiet type and engaged himself in all religious activities of the village – be it a festival of the Perumal Koil, or Siva Temple, regular Ekadasi bhajans and other divine marriage festivals e.g. Sita kalyanam and Radha Kalyanam. His grandson T.S. Venkataraman is now a resident of the village, and has truly taken after his grandfather in involving and interacting with the villagers in all the activities.

Back to the northern row, to the house of K. Ramachandran, known as Pichumama, a staunch congressite, always known to wear khaddar, president of the Panchayat Board etc. etc. The village consisted mostly of vadama families, except the three families in this part of the village, who belonged to the ‘vathimas’.

KR’s house was very spacious, with a big hall, and an ‘oonjal’ - and the kindly hosts Gnanambal Patti and Kamalam Mami took great care of visitors to the house - there will always be something for one to munch – some homemade tidbits, or the tiny banana fruits grown in their own backyard garden. KR took part in a great way in the village affairs, and his son Venkataraman and family continue to live in his house, and give staunch support to the village. KR was one of the bold warriors, and it is said, when there was a problem with the farmers, KR and children went into the field and worked themselves the whole day – that is a true agriculturist.

Sathabishekam of K.Ramachandran -- In the picture are, Mama, Mami, Venkattu, and R.Ramakrishnan. KR was the president of the Panchayat Board, Trustee of the Temples, and a philanthropist. His contribution to the welfare of the village is commendable. RRamakrishnan was the erstwhile owner of Judge TVS's house presently with TVChandru. He has helped many people from the village to get a job and settle down in Madras. -- photo courtesy - T.R.Venkataraman)

Police Narayana Iyer owned the house next – he was the guru in the Bhajana sampradaya for many youngsters – a very kindly, noninterfering person . Narayana Iyer involved himself in the bhajan activities for many decades, taught and guided willing youngsters into tradition. His rendering of the Ashtapathis and Tarangams was well known – and on the Sita Kalyanam night, well into the dawn of the next day – All of us used to sing that song from Rama Nataka Keertanai of Arunachala Kavirayar - just before the Deeparadhana – commencing ‘Rama Rama Rama Rama’ -- Tears will swell in ones eyes.

Narayanaiyer’s only daughter Kunju was given in marriage to Venkataraman popularly called “Mappillai” for his looks and style – Mama, Mami and Kunju passed away in due course; Venkataraman married a second time, continues to reside in the village involving himself even today in activities of the village..

Next is Munsif Duraiswamy Iyer’s house – his son Chandrasekaran resided in the village in his younger days, later moved over to Tiruchi where he practices as an Advocate . Chandru was a keen participant in all activities including the youngsters’ association and other cultural events.

Mill Narayana Iyer owned the house next – since his business interests and sons were in Trichy, did not very actively participate in the village affairs, as most of the time he would be away in Trichy. Later on the Panchayat office was located in this house.

Twin Houses next belonged to T.M.Krishnaswamy and T.M. Vaidyanathan of the Dikshidar family, grandsons of Venkataramana Dikshidar, and sons of Muthuswamy and Sambu. TMK was a Teacher and the TMV a Railway employee.. Both devoted themselves to the Bhajan activities of the village in every respect till their demise. TMV had a melodious voice, and one song that we loved most was his ‘Pakkala Nila pati’ sung at the Bhajan soon after the ‘deeparadhana’ – learn, this divine gift has now been showered on a granddaughter of TMV, Sangeetha Swaminathan who is making a name for herself in the U.S.A.

As the village’s luck would have it, TMK’s sons Balasubramanian, Nagarajan, and Murali – and TMV’s sons Venkatesan and Ramakrishnan involve themselves in carrying on the tradition, in a big way in the Sita Kalyanam – which is a binding event that makes all those who had gone out of the village to gather in the village those ten days. The only other place such a bond still exists will be Melattur near Tanjore where all present and past residents of the village gather during the months of May/June for the famous ‘Bhagvatha Mela’ when the Prahlada Charithram is enacted in all its glory! Balu also followed his father’s footsteps in becoming a Teacher.

And the last house in this row, belonged to Kuppuswamy Iyer – whose son Ramanathan was very active in his younger days.. he left the village for work in Bangalore. Ramanathan and Mani used to coach youngsters of the village for examinations and these coaching classes were conducted in the terrace of the house, now in possession of Dr. Sundaram.

Justice T.V.Seshagiri Iyer

(Justice T.V.Seshagiri Iyer and others – photo taken in the 1920s. Muthukrishna Iyer is standing to the right of TVS. – Photo courtesy Mohan V.M.Ramalingam, Chennai



Judge T.V.Seshagiri Iyer’s house in all its glory. Huge compound, the spiral staircase, the balcony and its beautiful columns, the French ornamental grill – it is the village’s pride. R.Ramakrishnan bought it from the TVS family, and then sold it to T.V.Chandrasekaran. (photo courtesy – T.V.Chandraselaran)