This is a Shatari, a Vaishnava ritual headgear used by the devotees of Vishnu. Designed like an inverted lotus with the slippers of a saint named Nammalvar placed on the crown, it is considered the most sacred of the ritual objects in Shri Vaishnavism. The Shatari is used by priests in Vaishnava temples in Tamil Nadu to transmit Vishnu's blessings to his devotees. It is an honour to receive the Shatari on ones' head and devotees generally bow down humbly before the priest when Shatari approaches them. Shatari is always placed near the feet of Vishnu. One can see it being used in the Sri Srinivas Perumal temple on Serangoon road in Singapore.
