I do not know the English name of 'Kondrai' but I feel Kondrai and Naagalinga Poo are different.
Kondrai is found across India and can be found flowering more during Spring. It is a must for Keralites to keep Kondrai in their Vishu KaNi organised during Vishu - in coincidence with Tamil New Year.
Naagalinga Poo looks like a Naagam shading the centre of the flower - the appearance is kind of a Lingam with a Naaga Padam on it. I have seen it in some places only - most notable is at the Prakaaram of the "Thiru Aavinan Kudi" Padaiveedu temple at Pazhani (Adivaaram).
NV..you could be right, I'd love to know what is the kondrai, and I dont' really remember where i read that it is same as nagalinga poo. Perhaps patti kadhai. Kondrai might be the yellow flower that bloos on trees during tamil new year, also called 'vishu poo' in kerala.
Nagalinga poo is very familiar in shiva temples, very very fragrant and hard to grow.
Coming to talk of whose writing is original on ramayana (I say all versions are...) , with ponnar meniyane, how does the poet write Lord shiva as a golden skinned person? Shiva is the same as a cold stone when he is meditating. He is black in color and assumes the color of Fire while performing Laasya...
How does sundarar get this poem written ? Karpanaya illai Kaatchiya? Karpanai nu sonna, ellame karpanai thaan... Kaatchi nu sonna ellame unmai thaan... ofcourse....ramayanam - mahabaratham ulapada...
Ravi, Shiva is supposedly representative of all five elements - air, water, fire, ether and earth. Water is blue, fire is red, ether is black, Air has no color and earth is gold. So he can be represented in any one of these colors.
Just coincidentally I ran into this rather funny version of Ponnar Meniyane, by MR Radha. Pundits please excuse but since we have had so many serious discussions so far it might be funny.
1. The golden shower tree is the national flower of Thailand; its yellow leaves symbolize Thai royalty.
2. The golden shower tree is the state flower of Kerala in India. The flowers are of ritual importance in the Vishu festival
3. the tree was depicted on a 20 Indian rupees stamp. 4. is also featured on a 2003 joint Canadian-Thai design for a 48 cent stamp, part of a series featuring national emblems.
Very true Ravi. Without HIS grace nothing can be acheived. Only those had those visions, we call them great. Why kannadasan's thathuva padal have more depth than other lyricist?
But just for argument sake, Veda's refer to Siva's colour as red or like fire. So even i know that Siva was golden colour, inspite of the fact that I am yet to get any vision :)
I understand what you say, i am curious to know of Shiva's description in various colors.
I believe that the major colors tht have been described are Black for Shiva, Golden is Siva thandava natarajar. I have read a thirupugazh where Guru Arunagiri describes Shiva in silver. But the description in ponnar meniyane is unique as the golden vision.
1. You are naturally gifted to visualize Sambasivan in the red color, apparently the red form of Sambasivan is his shining Son. At this point, I envy... 2. If you are reading and constructing the image of Lod Shiva by book reading, it is definitely good. Here is what my Guru Arunagiri says 'puthaga pithatrai vittu vithagathunai thuthikka buthiyil kalakamaru ninayathe'
Either ways, you are gifted and I am gifted to be associating with an adiyaar like yourself.
Books and scriptures are something like oondru kol, guidelines, if I may. The real knowledge comes from within. The books help us get to that stage, but one should know when to let go, the book knowledge also. Baja govindam says "Nahi nahi rakshathi...dukrinjh karane'
going back, Valmiki's writings were a mentorship to Kamban et all, the relay was live from Rama's life itself. Kamban pays respect to his mentor in the beginning itself. Sirithathu sengatsingham, the roar of Narasimha when he presented his works from the mandapam opposite to Thayar sannithi at Srirangam. Copy adicha avalo mark kidaikathu...
Rama had a full life, it is difficult to document that for any one. For example, Thirupugazh says how Hanuman stops at Katirgama to get blessings of Skanda to lead the battle againt Ravana. I will be curious to read this incident in any other version of Ramayna.
shiva garlanding chandesa..the famous ( my fav ) sculpture in gKC...is it not a konrai garland..which shiva takes from his neck and ties around chandesa's head....( in appreciation of his devotion...aka cutting of his father's legs who dared to disturb his shiva pooja)...
Abhirami Anthaadhi has references of 'KonRai' at some other places also like '..KonRai Vaarsadai...'. Even the last (100th) Pathigam contains '....KonRaiyanthaar Kamazh....'
I read somewhere that 'KonRai Vendhan' was called so because its invocation song ('KadavuL Vaazhthu') started with those words - similar to 'Aathi Soodi' - There was no name of these works known to the latter day people.