There is a Krishna shrine just outside the Sundara Vinayaka temple, which turns out not to be the temple’s own at all. A neighbourhood group used to rent a statue and do their Jayanti pujas, but over time this became a proper physical shrine which shares physical space (the position of the shrine itself, the use of the road outside, the use of the temple space itself for alankaram) – and I’m not sure whether to read this as compulsion or cooperation. During Jayanti, they are doing a Sudarshana homam, Krishna Abhishekam was supposed to start 1030, but hadn’t begun by noon. We took a few representative photos. We didn’t want to appear to support a temple that was a bit at odds with the family’s temple which we were following for this project.
The priest performing Homam was from Chetty Koyil, also the helper and the nadaswaram-thavil players. How can sivacharyas perform sudarshana homas? We ask him. Vaishnava priests only for Perumal, but Krishna was Yadava so anyone can do, was the reply.
In the evening, we came again, to see some kids there dressed as Krishnas as there are many yadavas in the neighbourhood; alankaram for the Krishna being done (to make him look like he’s eating butter). Actually, we came to try to see the 4pm Kalabhairava abhishekam – but hadn’t started by 5, Rani ma’am calls me at 6, but I’m unable to go then. They’re having trouble keeping up with the demands of the temple and are in search of a priest to do regular nityapadi pujas. Her atthai installed the Murugan idol, and does a Murugan Thirukalyanam during Sashti every year. They hold it in the hall they have upstairs from the main temple.