we are supporting a project in- Raj nagar MP(close to Kajuraho) - renovation of temples and the 18 th century gardens, under the banner of www.intach.be www.lostgardens.be we are an overseas chapter of www.intach.org
we are seaking help to learn from the situation of the templesduring the period before 1950's - if any of you know about these details and lead us to such access from the pictures and details of the temples we are looking for, please do kindly help us, by forwarding us such details. that will indeed be a kind gesture. Geert / or myself can be reached on the above id's
If we need to call or come in contact with any one by phone too, we can do that, provided you cansend in the co ordinates, and we will do our best to take contact immediately. The details of our project can be read on our web sites and for any further information and details needed please do take contact with Geert or myself. We will do our best to answer your queries.
Entrance is the main entry point through a road from a neighbouring village or town. Border is the perimeter of the village outside which one should not spend the night during the festival period (flag up to flag down) in the village. Sampath
Friends: trying to get more info on the village deities. ( have one lead on Muni) and was advised to wait for some time to take authentic photos. On karuppu there is an intresting info ( surprisingly when i opened the mail box after 2 days and saw darba grass as subject- thought that you were already into it) This is the story of karuppu in village legends:
Following is the story heard by word-of-mouth from the pujaris or Sami aadis in Alagar Kovil, Madurai. Lord Rama had sent Sita to the forest when she was pregnant and lived in Saint Valmiki's Ashram. While in the Ashram, She brought a male heir of Rama to the world. One day when she was going out for some chores of the Ashram, she asked the Saint to take care of her child in the cradle. The Saint was watching the child and meanwhile went into a deep meditation. When Sita returned, she found that the Saint was in meditation and didn't want to disturb him to tell him that she was taking her child. When the Saint was out of the meditation, he found the child missing. So he put some holy grass (Dherbai) in the cradle and with his mantra he made that as a child. Later when he found that Sita was having her real child, he was so confused and asked Sita to treat the new baby also as her own child. When Sita was returning to Rama, he was expecting only one male heir. But to his astonishment, he found two boys (Lavan and Kushan) approaching him. Again to test the purity of the boys, he set a fire and asked the boys to cross the fire to reach him. He told that whoever was his real heir would cross the fire unscathed. Unknowingly the boy brought up by the Saint, stuck in the middle of the fire and burnt his body becoming very dark. Finally, Rama got to know what had happened in the forest to have two boys instead of one. Then he blessed the burnt boy to become his escort god (kaval deivam) and called him “Karuppannan” which became Karuppa Sami. That was the reason why Karuppa Sami put the sacred tri-strips (Thiru Namam) on his forehead. And also I heard that while calling the deity, the pujaris sing that “Dherbaiyil pirandhavane (born from theholy grass)
Intrestingly the name of the Boy in Ramayan is KUSA - ( Dharbai)
Please give us more such info - It is really intresting.
Dear Sankaranarayanan, I have many photos of groves w Ayyanars near Kodumbalur, at Narthamalai, and near Thirugokarnam. I'd be happy to send them. kathie
This temple is on the tiruttani - nagari highway. You have to take a left turn - cross the level crossing just before Kasi Hotel.
In the year 1954, a group of labours were working near mathur for Arakonam.- Renigonda railway project. In a place called sakthimedu, some labours were digging the land with crowbar When a labour was digging he heard a sound like hitting a metal vessel. Suddenly he got fainted and felt down.Labors got together and started removing the soil. They were astonished to see a gigantic statue of Sri Mahishasuramarthini inside the pit without any damage. place where they found status was known As shakthimedu for long period before this event people crossing that area used get faint in midnight and mid noon.After coming out statue no such event occurred cases reported In area
Year 1954. Why the event happened on 1954? It is on Oct 1953, Andhra was separated. This place became the border of Tamilnadu. May be she decided to beat the Border of the state. Ellai amman? Can any one tell me the period of the idol from the picture?
The root word for ayyan is arya. again this arya dose not denote any race. Arya is a type of adjuctive. Ayyanar is sastha. Sastha is a son of siva. " Sathanai maganai vaithar" - appar thevaram. Sathan is one of the oldest name and many sangam poets have that name. As we know sangam (Pathuppattu and ettuthogai) having many ref ofHinduismand the names of that period also correspond to the Gods worshipped. Sastha is worshipped in both forms - Pue Brahmachari and Married with poorana pushkala. Both forms are equally popular and worshipped as kuladeivam. In my native chettinad - between chettinad village and Pallathur there is an ayyanar temple called solai andavar. Here women are not allowed to see the ayyanar and have to stand outside. There are theories as Sastha is a bhudhist God, but with no strong proof of bhudhism in sangam age it can be refuted. Also early bhudhism is ethist religion and the pantheon of Gods were added with more influence of tantric religion. The Gods of Bhudhism ( other than Bhudha) and earlier bodisatvas were not evolved/spread/deeprooted in sangam time.
Yesterday (2nd April) on way to Pillayarpatti (via) Trichy was crossing Narathamalai - Thirukkogarnam and noticed the Ayyanar. Recalling our discussions. Here you have posted the same !!
Dear SPS, I've promised to post more photos of Ayyanars from other groves besides Narthamalai, but haven't done it yet. I will put them in a Picasa album this weekend. kathie
This is another important Village deity. there are many forms of this god. The Pachaiamman temple in thirumullaivoyil is a beautiful temple which houses all the Munis. They have clearly explained under each muni.They dont allow to take photographs.
1. Agasthiyar is vazhum Muni 2. Parasara is jadamuni 3. Vyagmar is Lada Muni ( vyagmar is unheard rishi) 4. Vyasar is Muthumuni 5.Narada is Vedamuni 6.Viswamitrar is Karimuni 7.Vasishtar is semmuni 8.Gowdamar is Thavamuni
in the attached images - munis from 2 -7 are in 6 muni image. vazhummuni separate Very intresting
Jaya TV is telecasting a Serial on village deities in the monring (around 830 am or so) .. on Saturdays - I guess !
Next week a Village deity from an ancient AMMAN temple near KAATUMANNARGUDI (veeranam !)
Recal our mails (from Archieves) re ( Maa)SATHANAR ( @ Ayyanar) temples at Thiruppattur where in Rajendra I inscriptions talk of "Thuvkkayilaya Gnana Ula" by Cheraman Perumal containing 2 Thirukkurals !!
There is another belief in many people in tamilnadu. it is infact an ill informed campaign. Many think that the village Gods are not worshipped by all. Many even propagate their god and our God. Upper ... Lower.. etc etc. The matter of fact for many people irrespective of nativity, class, etc etc the Kuladeivam is a Village deity only. I took a list in my family (in laws &cousins) - The Kuladeivams are Periyandavar,( near tindivanam)Petharanyar, ( near tiruvarur) pachaiamman ( near vandavasi) madurakali ( siruvachur) sastha (near sengottai) One of My Srivaishnava friend has Madurai Therkuvasal Madurai veern as Kuladeivam. All these people worship first their Kuladeivam, do poojas, first Mottai ( Mundan) first invitation, Pongal, mavilakku all to these temples. hencepeople thinkingas Village God is considered inferior is a myth and totally wrong. Now the question is why these temples are in the border?
Is Munivar and Munisvar the same ? All the below names are of Munivars, not sure how they can be attributed to a Village Muni (technically a representation of Shiva).
Thats a valid argument. SN Sir...please do share any proof you have...
thinking in these lines...muniyandi is muni + aandi.. Aandi should be obviously Shiva...so muniyaandi should be shiva or form of shiva...does it sound logical?
Posting photos - only of places and things which are allowed for every one to see.
1. Temple tank - full of water even in Mid May. The chettinad water tank, kanmai, oorani and keni system . Still surviving but urbanisation is catching up.
Thirumayam - Pidari The deity is the one of the protector of the fort ( kaval deivam) . Pidari name is slowly changing to periya nayagi pictures enclsoed with fort back ground. Request members to tell, the period of the deity.
Yesterday visited Thevar Kanda Nallur" on Tiruvarur - Tanjore Road. Theer is a temple for Peddaranyar and Periyanayagi amman, who are village deities and Kuladeivam of my in laws.
Photographs were allowed form outside only. The Vazhithunai veeran image is enclosed. One Pidar was also inside and a photo was shot (yarukkum theriyama sutten) there is a misconception that the village deities are not worshipped by every one and it is not right.
Thirunelveli side Sasta is predominently worshipped, North arcot Pachai Amman, South arcot Periyandavar , Central part - Madurakali, Tanjore both Sasta and Peddaranyar, Madurai karuppuswamy /Verran the kuladeivam of atleast 50% my relatives/friends. Salem/CBE it is Muneeswaran where i have friends.
We were thrilled to see Peddaranyar in Singapore Mariyamman temple.