Today 10-06-2014 is Swamy Tirumala Nambes Thirunakshatram ( Appearance day ) 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. During those hard days there lived a great devotee Tirumala Nambi in Tirumala Hills at Tirupathi . Sri Tirumala Nambi was a great religious scholar in his own right but out of deliberate choice decided to devote his life to “theertha-kainkarya” ( service of bringing water from Papanasanam for worship of Lord of Seven Hills) at the Tirumala . He dedicated his entire life to the services of the Lord and in His aradhana. His entire lifetime was spent living in a small hut on the hills and worked out of it while tending to, maintaining and administering the temple of his beloved ‘tiruvengadamudaiyAn’ ( Lord Venkateshwara ) . Tirumala Nambi used to bring water from Papanasam situated at a distance of 8 kilometers from Tirumala for the daily puja. He was old but never allowed his age to interfere in his services . Lord out of his abundant compassion , wanted to grace his devotee for the great kainkaryam taken up by him. One day when Tirumalai Nambee was walking towards the temple sanctorium from Papanashanam with a pot of water ,Lord appeared before Tirumalai Nambi in the attire of a fowler addressed Nambi as Thatha ( Grandpa) . Nambee was surprised with the address . On turning he found an attractive and handsome fowler who demanded him for water to quench his thirst .Nambee was taken aback and refused to give water intended for the Holy bath (Abhishekum) of the Lord and politely marched ahead . The mischievous fowler he was followed Tirumala Nambi , slowly pierced the pot with a stone , and drank the water which oozed out of the pot. Tirumala Nambee was very sad that he could not fulfill the daily service to LORD .He said to the fowler about his old age and hardship in once again bringing the water that would make HIS LORD wait and as such delay in the service .The fowler said Grandpa , Don’t worry ! I will show a place nearby for you to collect water for the services .Saying this ,he discharged an arrow at the hillock near by in the sky , and lo torrents of water came gushing from the place hit by the arrow.. The fowler commanded that the water for the Lord’s puja should thenceforth be brought from Akasaganga and disappeared. The new fountain is now called Akasaganga . Thirumala Nambee was convinced that the fowler was none other than Lord Srinivasa. He performed various kainkaryams such as Akasaganga Theertha Kainkaryam, Thomalaseva, Mantrapushpa Kainkaryam, Saathumurai, Thirumanjanam and Vedaparayanam. Hence he was called as “Acharya Purusha” of Tirumala Temple. 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 Swamy Tirumalai Nambi are known today as “Tirumala kumara-s” or “thOzhappachAri-s”. There is a historical evidence that Tirumala Nambi lived in Tirumaaliga, South Mada Street, Tirumala. The temple shrine of Sri Tirumala Nambi that stands today in the south-eastern corner just below the overhead pedestrian walkaway that leads from the Q-complex to the main temple . Now the descendents of Tirumala Nambi are managing the temple at this place where the Utsavar and Moolavar deities of Acharya Tirumala Nambi is housed. The unique Kainkaryams are performed by descendants of Tirumala Nambi even today. Tirumala Nambi, was one of the five gurus of Bhagavad Ramanuja. He was his maternal Uncle who taught the essence of Srimad Ramayanam.
Swamy ThirumalA Nambeegal Thiruvadigale sharanam
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan
