A private coronation took place inside Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple on June 12. It happened at the southwestern corner of the temple, near the 'sreekovil' and right in front of the unopened 'B' Chamber.

The outgoing 'periya nambi', Makkaramcode Vishnu Prakash, a palm-leaf umbrella in hand, went up to where the pushpanjali swamiyar, Oravankara Achutha Bharathikal, the spiritual head of the temple, was seated cross-legged on a stool.

Makkaramcode knelt before the pushpanjali swamiyar and handed over the umbrella (kuda). The Swamiyar parked the 'kuda' in a specially reserved place near him. The outgoing 'nambi' then laid himself face down, his hands thrown out in prayer, before the Swamiyar.

After he stepped down from the pedestal, it was Kallappu Narayana Arumaneethaya Rajendran's turn to go up to the swamiyar. He was till then the 'panchagavya nambi' or 'cheriya nambi'. He walked up the steps and prostrated before the swamiyar. Then he pulled himself into a kneeling position and accepted the palm-leaf umbrella handed over to him by the swamiyar.

He stood up and the swamiyar bowed his head in reverence. Arumaneethaya Rajendran was thus anointed the new 'periya nambi' of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

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Ananthapuri's God-men

Once the 'periya nambi', Arumanatheeya Rajendran is not supposed to prostrate before anyone, even Lord Sree Padmanabha. Reason why he prostrated in front of the swamiyar before he accepted the umbrella.

After Arumaneethaya's promotion, Thaliyil Varikkad Narayanan Vishnu was consecrated as the 'panchagavya nambi' or 'cheriya nambi'. He, too, sanctified his position by accepting a palm-leaf umbrella and, like the 'periya nambi', is also called a 'kuda shanthi'. He, too, is not supposed to prostrate before the Gods, forget mortals.

Such is a nambi's exalted position. "They are considered the chief priests of Vaikuntha (Lord Vishnu's abode and considered the highest spiritual realm) that they cannot take up even 'melshanthi' posts of other temples after their nambi tenure is over," said Meemani Vasudevan who had served as 'keezhshanthi' in Sree Padmanabha Temple for over 40 years.

There is no such restriction for those who had served as chief priests in major temples like Sabarimala and Guruvayur. "Sree Padmanabha's abode is placed above all other temples," Vasudevan said.

Nethravati civilisation

The posts of 'nambis' - senior and junior - have been reserved over 800 years for just two groups of families living on either side of the Nethravathi river that flows through the crack that separates Kasaragod and Mangalore: 'Akkara Desham' and 'Ikkara Desham'.

There are 10 families each on either side from which the 'nambis' are chosen.

The new 'periya nambi', Arumaneethaya Rajendran, is from the Tulu-speaking side of the Nethravati. If the senior is from the Tulu side, the junior has to be from one of the ten families living along the southern bank of Nethravati, from the Kanhangad-Nileshwar side.

The Tulu and Malayali families take the 'periya nambi' position by turns. Till June 12, when Arumaneethaya Rajendran was sanctified as the senior, the 'periya nambi' title was held by Makkaramcode Vishnu Prakash from the Kasaragod side of the Nethravati. For the last two years, Arumaneethaya was the 'cheriya nambi'.

Thiruvananthapuram's Kasaragod link

Lore has it that little Anantha, who had his original abode in a temple on a lake, Ananthapura Lake Temple, at Kumbala, Kasaragod, had walked all the way to a land far south through a cave in a corner of the lake. This land was later renamed Ananthapuri/Thiruvananthapuram to commemorate the Lord's arrival.

And along with the Lord, keeping the little one company, were priests from the families in the south and north of Nethravati. It is said Anantha wanted these priests to forever tend to him.

The location of the 'nambi' cottages also reflect the placement of the families on either side of the Nethravati. The Tulu-speaking nambi lives in the cottage on the left side of the stone paved road that cuts through a Brahmin street across the road from the west entrance of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple. It's called the Thekke Nambi Madhom (South Nambi Mutt).

The road symbolises the Nethravati. On the right is the Vadakke Nambi Madhom (North Nambi Mutt), which is now occupied by the new junior, Thaliyil Varikkad Narayanan Vishnu.

Alternating priesthood

Though new to Thiruvananthapuram, Narayanan Vishnu feels blessed. "Getting to serve at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple is the pinnacle of our profession. After our term is over, we don't take up priestly jobs in other temples," Narayanan Vishnu said.

The usual term is three years. But there have been occasions in the past when a 'periya nambi' held on to the post for 18 years.

"That was a time some 30-40 years ago when there was a joint family system. In those days the 'nambi' knew that his family would be taken care of by the extended family. Now, families have gone nuclear and so it would be difficult for a 'nambi' to stay on for more than three years," Meemani Vasudevan, the former 'keezhshanthi', said.

A long tenure for one family also means that the other family would be deprived of the 'periya nambi' post. "There were many occasions when nambis from both sides had to retire as 'cheriya nambi' as the incumbent senior insisted on continuing," Vasudevan said.

Nonetheless, during the last decade, the three-year norm has been generally followed, allowing members of families from both sides of the Nethravati to hold the 'periya nambi' post.

The junior priests (keezhshanthis) are also divided between the two sides; 12 Tulu, 12 Kasaragod. This is why it does not really matter that the new 'periya nambi' does not know Malayalam. "He will be helped by the Tulu-speaking 'keezhshanthis' in the temple. I also can communicate with him easily," 'cheriya nambi' Narayan Vishnu said.

Senior-junior in name, not in deed

Though 'periya nambi' suggests a promotion, the functions of both the nambis are the same. Both will not be present in the temple at the same time. One conducts the early morning pujas and the other the evening pujas. The timing is reversed every Malayalam month.

When Travancore was ruled by kings, both the 'nambis' had defined tasks. Then, 'pujas' were far more elaborate and over 50 'keezhshanthis' were in service. The 'periya nambi' was the chief and the 'cheriya nambi' was in charge of the most crucial ritual: mixing the 'panchagavyam', the main offering to the deity.

'Panchagvyam' as the name suggests has five ingredients: cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee. The 'cheriya nambi' has to prepare the 'panchagavya' and this is why he is also called 'panchagavya nambi'.

Now, both the nambis prepare the 'panchagavya', one for the morning and the other for the evening rituals.

Sacrifice for the Lord

Holding the post of 'nambi' comes with a lot of sacrifice. A 'kuda shanthi' is also called a 'purappeda shanthi' as he is prohibited from leaving his mutt. The nambis will have to lead a life of near-absolute abstinence.

"Now that we have mobiles, we can call our families," said Narayanan Vishnu, who has a wife and two kids. "But they are not supposed to enter the mutt," he said.

It has been over two years since Arumaneethaya Rajendran saw his family. "They (wife, two daughters and a son-in-law) had come for the festival (Navarathri) last year. I saw them from a distance," the 'periya nambi' said in a mixture of what sounded like Tulu and Tamil. "But the Lord always comes first. So it is not a problem," he said.