About Aalyam Kaappom and their vision

Several Village Temples in Tamilnadu lack financial support to even light lamps/conduct Pooja and remain plunged in darkness. Many of such temples propitiated by Azhvars/Nayanmars in hymns,  but situated in interior villages far away from highways and arteriar roads are affected on account of less number of local devotees visiting the temples on day to day basis  and less number of tourists coming to the temples. Due to lack of support by the locals and tourists, these temples fall into decay in the longer run unless the daily temple activities are conducted and attended to by devotees 

For the last 18 months, members of Aalayam Kaappom Foundation have been providing monthly oil support, which is a vital necessity to more than thirty Village side ancient Temples in Mayiladathurai, Kumbakonam, Thiruvarur, Thiruvaiyaru, Panruti, Nagapattinam Regions. Utilising a network of Oil suppliers, arrangements had been made to deliver Oil package to each Temple for its Pooja needs, duly acknowledged by the Archakas of the temples. We have received testimonials from several Archakas speaking about how this Oil seva has helped in lighting of Temple Lamps and conduct of daily rituals in these temples. 

We at Aalayam Kaappom Foundation, while studying this oil support initiative, have realised the struggle involved in running and maintaining such ancient Temples on account of the limited resources at their disposal. It has become the archakas’ sole responsibility to run these temples as the State HR&CE Department is hardly able to provide adequate resources. It has become a constant struggle for the archakars to procure basic Pooja Items, prepare/dedicate Naivedyam for deities and serve the same as prasadam to the devotees and at the same time maintain temples’ sanctity and cleanliness. Many dedicated Archakas, despite being paid a paltry sum as honororium by the State Department,  have chosen to live for several generations in in the villages in close proximity to these Temples out of sheer dedication to the presiding deities of these Temples and have been  performing daily Poojas. 

To add to the woes attached to these temples, many Thavil and Nadaswaram Musicians have ceased  playing these divine instruments  in most Temples in the last two decades and those who continue to play the instruments in the temples are paid paltry monthly salary of Rs 300-500 by the State Department. Due to this, the next generation members of the musicians have already moved out of villages to the cities, in search of better-paying professions.

They envision a society where temples are self-sufficient thanks to the support of astikas.