Srirangam is a living temple whose history goes back almost a thousand years, attracting countless Pilgrims and preserving local traditions for posterity. It is amongst the Tamils that theism reached its fullest expression, a devotion a respect towards a deity, a faithful adoration towards a deity who's equal love for the devotee was experienced by one who showed limitless intensity of love to God.
The Vaishnavism movement was founded by Nathamuni some time in the 8 or 9 century and was continued by his disciple Sri Ramanujacharya in the 11th century. Ramanujacharya actually taught in the temple of Sri Rangam and fundamentally reformed its organisation. He preached the need to observe ritual, salvation through devotion to Vishnu, in which the worshipper comes to the realisation that he is part of God and entirely dependent on him, self surrender into the hands of the God and to his will, and the confident expectation of his divine favour. Sri Ramanuja taught that the God is a personal God, full of love and grace and that he needs man as man needs him, the individual soul created by the god from his own essence, returns to the god and lives eternally in full communion with him, while remaining distinct from him.
Ramanuja's doctrine which deeply influenced the whole of India and produced countless school of thought is still today the basis of Vaishnava theology as conceived and practised in the temple of Srirangam.
The temples of south India were not only religious, but also cultural centres where knowledge was taught. they occupied an important place in social and artistic life, and played a considerable role in the evolution of Hindu thought. To promote their development and carry out their mission, it was necessary for them to call on the services of a great variety of people, some voluntary and others paid, whose joint action helped to spread teaching, ensure the smooth running of all parts of the administrative machinery, keeping the temple prosperous, manage the various estates donated to the temple, and superintend the work, welfare and education of all different employees. this involved administrative problems of all kinds. What was necessary was a real managerial system, often complex calling for outstanding skills, at all levels including the highest in the service of the god of gods venerated in the sanctuary and the shrines. The system covered not only the personnel on the spot, but pilgrims, priests those officially in charge and others, servants, artisans, musicians, singers and actors attached to the sanctuary.
The administration of the Srirangam temple supplies a perfect example of administration in ancient times i.e. before the reformer Ramanuja (Udayavar) set a systematic code to follow. This is being followed even today in all the Vishnu temples. Before there were only five categories of temple officials. Ramanuja increased them to ten. their functions are described in detail in the chronicle of the temple.
The first category that of Tirupattiyar, pilgrims who chose Ramanuja as their spiritual master and they were responsible for the ministry of the sanctuary. Their leader carried a mace, and kept himself informed of the running of the temple. Like all the temple staff, these servants began their duty at dawn, after the ritual bath. As soon as the gate of the sanctuary was unbolted, they swept and cleaned the chamber the copper door way, and the enclosure used as an ambulatory. they looked after all the lamps used in worship, refilling them with oil, cleaning or replacing the wicks and adding clarified butter ghee supplied by their assistants (ekangis). They lit the lamps and presented them to the priest holding the service puja. they also carried the torches whenever the priest performed a sacrifice homa. they offered incense, distributed parched grains among the devotees, and received and carried the various offerings intended for the God. they later became responsible also to recite hymns on special occasions.
The second category that of the water bearers or Tiruppani saivar. whose duties were very important since water was very sacred and had a ceremonial role. they were only five in no chosen on the hereditary basis from the descendants of spiritual masters and ascetics who became saints. Their duty was to sprinkle water on the holy places, pour water whenever the umbrella was held near the God during festivals and processions, and to splash water scented with camphor high into the air for the wind to carry the scent to the god. they also inspect the streets of the temple. which had to be watered before each passage of the god. They were entitled to hold the umbrella in front of the hymn singers and to lead processions, to receive on behalf of the temple offerings from devotees. It was also their duty to convene worshippers who wished to discuss the religious code, or any matter concerning the temple, and to act as arbitrators in their discussions.
next are the brahmans or nambis recognised as a group by Ramanuja. They are directly assigned to the service of the god and his worship and to that of a number of minor gods dwelling in the third enclosure. Everyday during the puja celebrated in the sanctuary, they offer incense to the god, prepare and change his jewels, and receive the offerings to be made to the God, of sweet drinks areca nut, betel fruits and coconuts. they carry the lamp used in worshipping god during the god's daily and ceremonial bath. they attend him by offering the articles required for each ceremony. it is also their duty to install the flag on the flag staff. When the God travels for example in processions, it is their duty to seat him on his shrine, his vehicle or his car. they decorate him with garlands of fresh flowers, and give the faded ones, sanctified by contact with the God, to the administrative head of the temple. they are entitled to recite stanzas in honour of the gods vehicles, and a passage from
the vedas. the oldest and wisest among them initiate students.
Next came the priests born in Srirangam Ullurar disciples of ramanuja attached to the service of the god and the processional statue. they were responsible for guarding and handling the objects used for worship, the sacred vessels the garments of the God the mirror the whisks, the fans the umbrellas the jewels and the ornaments of the God, the mace the cushions the box holding the betel which accompanied the god in all his processions and the curved sword. every day and at all ceremonies travels and processions, they presented the god with sandal paste, ritual cakes and dishes of sweet food. they added scent to his bathing water, fanned him and washed his feet. they offered betel before the sacred vaishnava mark was put on his forehead. they brought the offerings from the kitchen and presented them to the God for his meal. they also offered him sandal paste, newly washed garments and garlands of basil. they set before the hymn singers coconut milk in a new vessel. at the end of the gods meal they changed the sacred lamps.
When the God and goddesses met once a year they formed a guard of honour and fanned them. they honoured the head administrator and presented him the objects used in worship. and conducted the services on his behalf and offered him the prasad.
the fifth category comprised the hymn singers and musicians or vinnappam saivar. they were responsible for playing the veena, reciting chanting and singing in the presence of the God on all occasions and played a very large part in the service.. they ranked very high in the scale of ceremonial values. they were entitled to special honours.
The Vaishnavism movement was founded by Nathamuni some time in the 8 or 9 century and was continued by his disciple Sri Ramanujacharya in the 11th century. Ramanujacharya actually taught in the temple of Sri Rangam and fundamentally reformed its organisation. He preached the need to observe ritual, salvation through devotion to Vishnu, in which the worshipper comes to the realisation that he is part of God and entirely dependent on him, self surrender into the hands of the God and to his will, and the confident expectation of his divine favour. Sri Ramanuja taught that the God is a personal God, full of love and grace and that he needs man as man needs him, the individual soul created by the god from his own essence, returns to the god and lives eternally in full communion with him, while remaining distinct from him.
Ramanuja's doctrine which deeply influenced the whole of India and produced countless school of thought is still today the basis of Vaishnava theology as conceived and practised in the temple of Srirangam.
The temples of south India were not only religious, but also cultural centres where knowledge was taught. they occupied an important place in social and artistic life, and played a considerable role in the evolution of Hindu thought. To promote their development and carry out their mission, it was necessary for them to call on the services of a great variety of people, some voluntary and others paid, whose joint action helped to spread teaching, ensure the smooth running of all parts of the administrative machinery, keeping the temple prosperous, manage the various estates donated to the temple, and superintend the work, welfare and education of all different employees. this involved administrative problems of all kinds. What was necessary was a real managerial system, often complex calling for outstanding skills, at all levels including the highest in the service of the god of gods venerated in the sanctuary and the shrines. The system covered not only the personnel on the spot, but pilgrims, priests those officially in charge and others, servants, artisans, musicians, singers and actors attached to the sanctuary.
The administration of the Srirangam temple supplies a perfect example of administration in ancient times i.e. before the reformer Ramanuja (Udayavar) set a systematic code to follow. This is being followed even today in all the Vishnu temples. Before there were only five categories of temple officials. Ramanuja increased them to ten. their functions are described in detail in the chronicle of the temple.
The first category that of Tirupattiyar, pilgrims who chose Ramanuja as their spiritual master and they were responsible for the ministry of the sanctuary. Their leader carried a mace, and kept himself informed of the running of the temple. Like all the temple staff, these servants began their duty at dawn, after the ritual bath. As soon as the gate of the sanctuary was unbolted, they swept and cleaned the chamber the copper door way, and the enclosure used as an ambulatory. they looked after all the lamps used in worship, refilling them with oil, cleaning or replacing the wicks and adding clarified butter ghee supplied by their assistants (ekangis). They lit the lamps and presented them to the priest holding the service puja. they also carried the torches whenever the priest performed a sacrifice homa. they offered incense, distributed parched grains among the devotees, and received and carried the various offerings intended for the God. they later became responsible also to recite hymns on special occasions.
The second category that of the water bearers or Tiruppani saivar. whose duties were very important since water was very sacred and had a ceremonial role. they were only five in no chosen on the hereditary basis from the descendants of spiritual masters and ascetics who became saints. Their duty was to sprinkle water on the holy places, pour water whenever the umbrella was held near the God during festivals and processions, and to splash water scented with camphor high into the air for the wind to carry the scent to the god. they also inspect the streets of the temple. which had to be watered before each passage of the god. They were entitled to hold the umbrella in front of the hymn singers and to lead processions, to receive on behalf of the temple offerings from devotees. It was also their duty to convene worshippers who wished to discuss the religious code, or any matter concerning the temple, and to act as arbitrators in their discussions.
next are the brahmans or nambis recognised as a group by Ramanuja. They are directly assigned to the service of the god and his worship and to that of a number of minor gods dwelling in the third enclosure. Everyday during the puja celebrated in the sanctuary, they offer incense to the god, prepare and change his jewels, and receive the offerings to be made to the God, of sweet drinks areca nut, betel fruits and coconuts. they carry the lamp used in worshipping god during the god's daily and ceremonial bath. they attend him by offering the articles required for each ceremony. it is also their duty to install the flag on the flag staff. When the God travels for example in processions, it is their duty to seat him on his shrine, his vehicle or his car. they decorate him with garlands of fresh flowers, and give the faded ones, sanctified by contact with the God, to the administrative head of the temple. they are entitled to recite stanzas in honour of the gods vehicles, and a passage from
the vedas. the oldest and wisest among them initiate students.
Next came the priests born in Srirangam Ullurar disciples of ramanuja attached to the service of the god and the processional statue. they were responsible for guarding and handling the objects used for worship, the sacred vessels the garments of the God the mirror the whisks, the fans the umbrellas the jewels and the ornaments of the God, the mace the cushions the box holding the betel which accompanied the god in all his processions and the curved sword. every day and at all ceremonies travels and processions, they presented the god with sandal paste, ritual cakes and dishes of sweet food. they added scent to his bathing water, fanned him and washed his feet. they offered betel before the sacred vaishnava mark was put on his forehead. they brought the offerings from the kitchen and presented them to the God for his meal. they also offered him sandal paste, newly washed garments and garlands of basil. they set before the hymn singers coconut milk in a new vessel. at the end of the gods meal they changed the sacred lamps.
When the God and goddesses met once a year they formed a guard of honour and fanned them. they honoured the head administrator and presented him the objects used in worship. and conducted the services on his behalf and offered him the prasad.
the fifth category comprised the hymn singers and musicians or vinnappam saivar. they were responsible for playing the veena, reciting chanting and singing in the presence of the God on all occasions and played a very large part in the service.. they ranked very high in the scale of ceremonial values. they were entitled to special honours.
The sacred water bearers
also formed the sixth category (Tirukkaragak Kalyar) they were directly and
primarily associated with the worship of the god. It was their duty at dawn to
take the water pots from the strong room adjoining the store house, fill them
in the Kaveri to provide water for two days, and return with them on the back
of an elephant. They then had to fill the five sacred vessels used in all the
pujas for that day. They held the water pots during the ceremonies of washing
the teeth and the mouth of the God, every day at dawn and after the offering of betel; also the
water pots washing the gods feet. Originally it was their duty to pour water on
the hands of the officials responsible for preparing the arch of flowers for
festivals, and to prepare the garlands of flowers and necklaces of scented
seeds for the God.
The seventh category was that
of the administrators (Stanattar) whose duties as regards worship were all
concerned with the God, particularly when he moved from one place to another. Carrying
the God to his palanquin or mount (except the elephant) holding the umbrella
over the sacred water during processions staying besides the palanquin to prevent any outward movement. to these were added prerogatives such as offering the god milk and curds. giving away certain offerings to officials, and garlands to the head administrator, affixing the garuda seal to the chest containing the jewels. after the muslim occupation, they continued to be responsible for directing processions and distributing offerings, later they parted with some of their rights to the nambis in particular. the use of Garuda seal passed to the officials in charge of the temple of the Goddess Nachiyar.
Next came the independent Brahmans (Bhattar) who form a separate group responsible for reciting daily at pujas in the sanctuary the sacred texts listed in the chronicle of the temple. they are present at all daily and special ceremonies and receive offerings like silk and cotton,sandal paste, single garlands, betel) after Ramanuja's reform each of them was entrusted with tasks which had previously been assumed by a single nambi, the head of the priests of the temple of Srirangam.
The next category consisted of Brahmans (Aryabhattal) whose chief function was to keep constant watch over both God and temple. they were posted at the northern and southern entries of the third enclosure, supervised all movements day and night to and from the first two enclosures and held the rear end of the poles of the palanquin when it was carried in procession on both the inward and outward journeys. At night they slept on the verandas near the gateways and at dawn opened the gates to the pilgrims (tirupattiyar) who came to worship. They were the depositors of the royal seal, the purpose of which was to protect them while they performed their duties.
The last category consisted of the group of Dasanambis, descended from an earlier group which provided the temple flowers. they laid out flower gardens for the God. held torches in the presence inside and outside the sanctuary, decorated his palanquin with flowers and prepared it for the procession along the seven enclosures and made all kinds of garlands for ceremonial processions. They also served in the sanctuaries of the Alvars and of Ramanuja, and received great honours.
to these ten categories of temple servants, all Brahmans, Ramanuja added four assistants (Ekangis) who were assigned to guarding the sanctuary at the door and the screen which hid the god at special times from the sight of devotees; it was their duty to refuse entry day and night to un authorised persons. they also guarded the stores of condiments, perfumes and all produce used for daily and special ceremonies.
Ramanuja also appointed eight Vaishnava ascetics (Sattadamudalis) responsible for carrying the standards, the gold and silver torches, and Ramanuja's sword, and serving as guard for the priests. Next came the mace bearers (Vettirapanis). It was their duty to ensure order during processions and when the God was exposed outside his sanctuary. They acclaimed the god at the beginning of ceremonial processions, imposed silence before the recitals of sacred texts, and cleared the way for the hymn singers appointed for divine worship.
In addition to these groups, all Brahmans, Ramanuja appointed non brahmins (Vellalas) from the farming class (Sudras). first came those who measured the grain stored in the temple, including that required for daily consumption; then the guards of the first enclosure and the accountants, whose prerogatives seems to have been much disputed. It was agreed that the office of chief treasurer should be held by a sudra. Later, according to the chronicle, ramanuja established another post which he assigned to a brahman, but this resulted in frequent disputes until finally the post was occupied by a single non brahmin treasurer.
Many other minor posts were entrusted to non brahman, making up a second group whose duties were all concerned with the handling and storing of objects required for worship, the preparation of powders (salt and curry) and clay for sealing the locks of doors.
the third group contained the sacred dancers (devadasis) an institution known to have existed in Thanjavur in the eleventh century(which had nearly400 of them with houses provided and many other facilities) onwards and was abolished in the nineteenth century. their duties were all related to the god and to the most sacred of ceremonies. The devadasis are given a place of honour in the koil olugu which records that one of them set a noble example by saving the temple at the time of the muslim occupation in 1323.
The next group consisted of the guardians of the temple and its outlying buildings, the sculptors and artisans responsible for painting banners and modelling or carving holy images, the goldsmith who worked for the god, designing new jewels, repairing and polishing old ones and carrying out all work in connexion with the ornaments of the god, the copper smiths, who made or repaired copper objects used in worship and the metal founders, who made bells, gongs, standing lamps, and coverings for pedestals and stairs.
The sixth group included artisans such as tailors, who pieced together sewed and embroidered the draperies to be hung from ceilings and pillars, the clothes of the god, and the pennons, the carpenters responsible for making umbrellas, huge fans, insignia, and the tops palanquins, the weavers who used silk thread to make garlands, whisks and tassels.
The seventh group consisted of washerman who washed and dried the garments of the god, cleaned the pieces of cloth covering the plates used in worship, and dyed the cloth decorating the ceiling of the mandapams. this guild is recorded a place of honour in the koil olugu for it is expressly recorded that the image of the god carried off to Delhi by the muslims and rediscovered by chance in 1371 was identified by a washerman of the temple.
next came the potters, forming the eighth group, whose duty was to make fresh vessels each day for the temple kitchen, which were then broken after use.
The ninth group consisted of the boatman, who rowed the milk and provisions for the temple across river Kaveri and carried them to the kitchen.
The musicians and the dancing masters made up the tenth group. they took part in all important ceremonies.
These groups or categories, upwards of a score, formed a large and highly complex community calling for co-ordinated management. But the koil olugu makes no reference to any such governing assembly or committee found elsewhere. It records that the management was in the hands of an administrator general and draws up a list of functions.
Each day at dawn, it was the administrator's duty to go to the temple and meet his closest colleagues. After his ritual bath, he would proceed to the foot of the sacred flag staff (dvajastambha) in the second enclosure, he then went to inspect the kitchen area and the stores of provision and the perfumes required for worship and for the brahmanas; he assigned the servants the duties for the day. next he visited the flower garden to choose the variety of flowers which would be used during the day, depending on the ceremony. thereafter he would proceed to worship the god. Next he presided on a meeting of all the representatives of the temple servants, exhorting them to carry out their tasks diligently; he then supervised the arrangements for the puja.
After the offering of the mid day meal to the god, he was entitled to retire to his house and take food himself. In the afternoon he conducted the various festivities until the evening. when the offering of milk and rice kasaya was made to the god. When homage had been paid to him, he would retire for the day.
His duties included organising every festivity and supervising it to ensure that it was carried out properly. he had the right of jurisdiction, except as regards the nambis and the brahmanas. it was also his duty to affix his seal to all articles deposited with the treasury. all the heads of service of the temple came directly under his orders, and he had his own serving priest (Ekangi). the highest honours were paid to him.
Four other officials deputies to the head administrator, were responsible for the administration of the temple and its outlying buildings. The head store keeper began work every day at dawn by inspecting the kitchen, where he saw to the delivery of a set quantity of carefully cleaned rice, curd, wheat and other cereals, vegetables, coconuts fruits and all the food stuff for the god's meal. every day different kinds of paddy, tamarinds and other produce from the temple lands were brought to the temple storehouse, or in case of oil seeds to oil room where they were pressed or grounded. The head store keeper also looked after the equipment and personnel required for processions, including a thousand coolies to carry umbrellas and pennons. He organised the fireworks for festivals at night, for which the thousand coolies were paid in kind. He supervised the care of the elephants, horses, cows pigeons and pigeon - cotes, deer, wild cows peacocks and parrots belonging to the temple. It was also his duty to supervise the milking of the cows in the presence of the chief cowherd, and to handover the milk to the servants responsible for it. each stable was looked after by a cowman who saw that it was kept clean and supervised the milking twice daily.
A temple superintendent gave orders every day for the removal of parasitic plants from the walls and gopuras. He directed repairs and reconstruction works. decided how tapestries and hangings should be displayed, and saw to the decorations and erection of pandals for the daily and special festivities. two ekangis were assigned to him.
It was the duties of the keeper of the various stores to look after the flower gardens which were to the east and west of the sanctuary and protect and tend the fragrant flowers chosen according to the season to ornament the sanctuary and the gods. He also picked the vegetables, cut the cane sugar and juicy plants and had them delivered to the kitchens. it was also his duty to preserve order in the store houses by rewards and punishments.
The superintendent of the temple lands looked after the seasonal sowing of seeds, and sent to the temple store house all the produce from the land including gleanings. He supplied staff recruited in the villages belonging to the temple. A fourth ekangi a vedic scholar was assigned to him as an assistant.
all this continued until the muslim invasion in the first quarter of the fourteenth century after which the temple was subject to the authority of muslim governors. and their influence is described in the koil olugu as having affected the ritual example the statue of the god was clothed for the bath with a garment of the kind worn by muslims Kaili, also his breakfast became thick pancakes chappathis with butter and curds served to him on a dampened cloth, and the quids of betel were coated with lime on the inside, instead of on the outside as was the hindu tradition.
The next category consisted of Brahmans (Aryabhattal) whose chief function was to keep constant watch over both God and temple. they were posted at the northern and southern entries of the third enclosure, supervised all movements day and night to and from the first two enclosures and held the rear end of the poles of the palanquin when it was carried in procession on both the inward and outward journeys. At night they slept on the verandas near the gateways and at dawn opened the gates to the pilgrims (tirupattiyar) who came to worship. They were the depositors of the royal seal, the purpose of which was to protect them while they performed their duties.
The last category consisted of the group of Dasanambis, descended from an earlier group which provided the temple flowers. they laid out flower gardens for the God. held torches in the presence inside and outside the sanctuary, decorated his palanquin with flowers and prepared it for the procession along the seven enclosures and made all kinds of garlands for ceremonial processions. They also served in the sanctuaries of the Alvars and of Ramanuja, and received great honours.
to these ten categories of temple servants, all Brahmans, Ramanuja added four assistants (Ekangis) who were assigned to guarding the sanctuary at the door and the screen which hid the god at special times from the sight of devotees; it was their duty to refuse entry day and night to un authorised persons. they also guarded the stores of condiments, perfumes and all produce used for daily and special ceremonies.
Ramanuja also appointed eight Vaishnava ascetics (Sattadamudalis) responsible for carrying the standards, the gold and silver torches, and Ramanuja's sword, and serving as guard for the priests. Next came the mace bearers (Vettirapanis). It was their duty to ensure order during processions and when the God was exposed outside his sanctuary. They acclaimed the god at the beginning of ceremonial processions, imposed silence before the recitals of sacred texts, and cleared the way for the hymn singers appointed for divine worship.
In addition to these groups, all Brahmans, Ramanuja appointed non brahmins (Vellalas) from the farming class (Sudras). first came those who measured the grain stored in the temple, including that required for daily consumption; then the guards of the first enclosure and the accountants, whose prerogatives seems to have been much disputed. It was agreed that the office of chief treasurer should be held by a sudra. Later, according to the chronicle, ramanuja established another post which he assigned to a brahman, but this resulted in frequent disputes until finally the post was occupied by a single non brahmin treasurer.
Many other minor posts were entrusted to non brahman, making up a second group whose duties were all concerned with the handling and storing of objects required for worship, the preparation of powders (salt and curry) and clay for sealing the locks of doors.
the third group contained the sacred dancers (devadasis) an institution known to have existed in Thanjavur in the eleventh century(which had nearly400 of them with houses provided and many other facilities) onwards and was abolished in the nineteenth century. their duties were all related to the god and to the most sacred of ceremonies. The devadasis are given a place of honour in the koil olugu which records that one of them set a noble example by saving the temple at the time of the muslim occupation in 1323.
The next group consisted of the guardians of the temple and its outlying buildings, the sculptors and artisans responsible for painting banners and modelling or carving holy images, the goldsmith who worked for the god, designing new jewels, repairing and polishing old ones and carrying out all work in connexion with the ornaments of the god, the copper smiths, who made or repaired copper objects used in worship and the metal founders, who made bells, gongs, standing lamps, and coverings for pedestals and stairs.
The sixth group included artisans such as tailors, who pieced together sewed and embroidered the draperies to be hung from ceilings and pillars, the clothes of the god, and the pennons, the carpenters responsible for making umbrellas, huge fans, insignia, and the tops palanquins, the weavers who used silk thread to make garlands, whisks and tassels.
The seventh group consisted of washerman who washed and dried the garments of the god, cleaned the pieces of cloth covering the plates used in worship, and dyed the cloth decorating the ceiling of the mandapams. this guild is recorded a place of honour in the koil olugu for it is expressly recorded that the image of the god carried off to Delhi by the muslims and rediscovered by chance in 1371 was identified by a washerman of the temple.
next came the potters, forming the eighth group, whose duty was to make fresh vessels each day for the temple kitchen, which were then broken after use.
The ninth group consisted of the boatman, who rowed the milk and provisions for the temple across river Kaveri and carried them to the kitchen.
The musicians and the dancing masters made up the tenth group. they took part in all important ceremonies.
These groups or categories, upwards of a score, formed a large and highly complex community calling for co-ordinated management. But the koil olugu makes no reference to any such governing assembly or committee found elsewhere. It records that the management was in the hands of an administrator general and draws up a list of functions.
Each day at dawn, it was the administrator's duty to go to the temple and meet his closest colleagues. After his ritual bath, he would proceed to the foot of the sacred flag staff (dvajastambha) in the second enclosure, he then went to inspect the kitchen area and the stores of provision and the perfumes required for worship and for the brahmanas; he assigned the servants the duties for the day. next he visited the flower garden to choose the variety of flowers which would be used during the day, depending on the ceremony. thereafter he would proceed to worship the god. Next he presided on a meeting of all the representatives of the temple servants, exhorting them to carry out their tasks diligently; he then supervised the arrangements for the puja.
After the offering of the mid day meal to the god, he was entitled to retire to his house and take food himself. In the afternoon he conducted the various festivities until the evening. when the offering of milk and rice kasaya was made to the god. When homage had been paid to him, he would retire for the day.
His duties included organising every festivity and supervising it to ensure that it was carried out properly. he had the right of jurisdiction, except as regards the nambis and the brahmanas. it was also his duty to affix his seal to all articles deposited with the treasury. all the heads of service of the temple came directly under his orders, and he had his own serving priest (Ekangi). the highest honours were paid to him.
Four other officials deputies to the head administrator, were responsible for the administration of the temple and its outlying buildings. The head store keeper began work every day at dawn by inspecting the kitchen, where he saw to the delivery of a set quantity of carefully cleaned rice, curd, wheat and other cereals, vegetables, coconuts fruits and all the food stuff for the god's meal. every day different kinds of paddy, tamarinds and other produce from the temple lands were brought to the temple storehouse, or in case of oil seeds to oil room where they were pressed or grounded. The head store keeper also looked after the equipment and personnel required for processions, including a thousand coolies to carry umbrellas and pennons. He organised the fireworks for festivals at night, for which the thousand coolies were paid in kind. He supervised the care of the elephants, horses, cows pigeons and pigeon - cotes, deer, wild cows peacocks and parrots belonging to the temple. It was also his duty to supervise the milking of the cows in the presence of the chief cowherd, and to handover the milk to the servants responsible for it. each stable was looked after by a cowman who saw that it was kept clean and supervised the milking twice daily.
A temple superintendent gave orders every day for the removal of parasitic plants from the walls and gopuras. He directed repairs and reconstruction works. decided how tapestries and hangings should be displayed, and saw to the decorations and erection of pandals for the daily and special festivities. two ekangis were assigned to him.
It was the duties of the keeper of the various stores to look after the flower gardens which were to the east and west of the sanctuary and protect and tend the fragrant flowers chosen according to the season to ornament the sanctuary and the gods. He also picked the vegetables, cut the cane sugar and juicy plants and had them delivered to the kitchens. it was also his duty to preserve order in the store houses by rewards and punishments.
The superintendent of the temple lands looked after the seasonal sowing of seeds, and sent to the temple store house all the produce from the land including gleanings. He supplied staff recruited in the villages belonging to the temple. A fourth ekangi a vedic scholar was assigned to him as an assistant.
all this continued until the muslim invasion in the first quarter of the fourteenth century after which the temple was subject to the authority of muslim governors. and their influence is described in the koil olugu as having affected the ritual example the statue of the god was clothed for the bath with a garment of the kind worn by muslims Kaili, also his breakfast became thick pancakes chappathis with butter and curds served to him on a dampened cloth, and the quids of betel were coated with lime on the inside, instead of on the outside as was the hindu tradition.