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Sri Tripurantaka with his left foot a gana blowing a shankha and his right foot atop a riser. Bronze. Tamil Nadu. 11th century. Size not provided. Vellanur. Note the naga peeping over Lord Siva’s left shoulder. Photo By John Anderson
Sri Suyasambika Sametha Sri Adhikara Nandiyemperuman Lord Shiva presided over and blessed the marriage of Sri Nandiyemperuman and Sri Vyagra Patha Sage’s daughter Sri Suyasambika at Thirumalapadi under the punarpoosam star. In Srimad Sivagama, Sri Nandiyemperuman is worshiped as Apara Parameswara.
Sri Chathura Thandava Murthy in Sri Amirthambika Sametha Sri Chandrasekhara swamy siva temple of Kamakkur, Tiruvannamalai District. Chathura thaandavam is one of the 108 divine dance pose of Lord Sri Nataraja. Thiruppukazh thiruththalam also.
Lord Ganesha from Sri Teerthagireeswarar Siva Temple, Thirukazhukundram. Photo By Sureendar Raman
Poetry in Stone! Ravana worshipping Lord Siva. Sri Pazhamalainathar Siva temple, Vriddhachalam, TN
Maheswara Moortham: Sri Chandrasekara. It is a fact that Lord Shiva wore the moon on His head, embodying that He is the All-Knowing, the One who removes the impurities that cloud the atmas and gives them the highest – mukthi.
Lord Shiva on his Vaahanaa, Sri Rishaba devar, (in Garbhagruha ) A beautiful idol said to be of 16th century . This is in Someswara temple of Pura, Soraba taluk, Shimoga dist, Karnataka. PC : Laxminarayan AG
Catura Tāṇṭavam of Nataraja Kamakkur Sri Amirthambigai Ambal Sametha Sri Chandrasekara Swamy Shiva Temple is located in the Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu
Tiruttavattuṟai Srī Vīṇātara Takṣiṇāmūrtti photo by Dr Ponnambalam Chidambaram The south-facing sculpture is sculpted into the sanctum. The beauty that freezes us for a moment as soon as we see it! Thavathurai (Lalgudi) Saptarisheeswarar Temple / Tiruchirappalli District
Siva as Srī Kajācura Samhāramūrtti, the Lord who killed the elephant headed demon Kajācura
Lord Shiva as Sri Gangavadhara Murthy of Sri Thirukogameswarar rock cut temple of Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu.
Lord Shiva as Sri Kaalasamhaara Murthy (ONE who slayed Yama) at Thirukkadavur, Tamil Nadu. Yama (god of death) near Lord Shiva’s Thiruvati (Holy Feet).
Siva as Sri Pikshadana Murthy in Sri Kayilasanathar Shivalaya (Temple), Brahmadesa town in the Ambasamudram circle of Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu
Magnificent sculpture of Siva as Sri Pikshadana Murthy giving blessings at the Karandai Sri Vashishteswarar Shiva Temple near Thanjavur. PC: Sri Balaji Sivam
Goddess Sri Durga at Sri Aamravaneswarar Siva temple, Kookoor, Thanjavur District, Tamilnadu. PC : Sri Srithar Sai
Sri Mayuravahanar (Lord Murugan) of Karnataka! Hoysalar sculptural style.
A road snakes through a reserve forest in the southern part of India. Image par Sanjay S de Pixabay
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Temple festivals have given rise to large number of new poetic patterns and motifs, The most well-known is the pavai song in Saivism and Vaishnavism. The song is now associated with the pre-dawn bath in the month of Marhali and going the rounds of the temple and temple streets. St. Andal sang the first Tiruppavai and Manikkavacakar sang next his Tiruempavai. Both the songs are today rich treasures best owed by the two saints on their respective religions and the Tamil people in general. Others in later centuries have followed them with many such pavai songs; notable are those of Tattuvarayar.
Tiruppallandu is a similar song purporting to pray for long life to the Lord Himself, so that He may shower His grace on mankind for all time. The story is that Periyalvar first sang his song on Vishnu. When Vishnu in all his glory decked with flowers, apparel and jewels went in a procession along the streets of the city, the Alvar, who constituted himself as the mother of the One who had no mother and as father, sang this song in order to remove any evil eye likely to be cast by non- religious persons. From. this day, this has been an item of devotional singing in Vishnu’s presence in all his temples Two centuries later, Sendanar, a harijan bhakta sang a Pallandu on Nataraja during the Ardra Darsana car festival and it is equally popu1ar in the Siva temples. (This has been elaborately described in the section on that festival (pages 202-203).
Tiruppalliyeluchi is yet another. This is a song intended to wake up the Lord in the temple, early in the morning in order that He may shower His Grace on mankind. Of course, the Lord does not sleep, and it is man that confers on Him a sleep in the night and a waking up in the morning. Tondar adippodi alvar sang the first Palliyeluchi on Lord Ranganathar at Srirangam followed by Manikkavacakar on the Lord at Tirupperundurai. All the songs form part of the respective canons. In recent times the great national poet Bharati sang a Tiruppallieluchi on the Bharatamata.
Similar songs sung on temple festival occasions are many. They are modelled on the rituals and the folk patterns of songs suited for such occasions. Some instances are Tirup-Ponnusal for the swing, Tirup-Porchunnam for preparing the bathing powder for the Lord’s bath and some others Tirmanjanakkatiyam of a later day is also a song for the occasion of the Lord’s bath.
In many temples, there are songs for the different types of festivals. Vahanakkavi stating the mounts for the procession on the different days of the festival Tiru-olakkappattiu a song celebrating the durbar of the deity, usal as stated earlier, Tirunalkavi and so on. Kavadiccindu is a new pattern of poem invented by Annamalai Reddiyar for the singing of the devotees who· carry a kavadi for Muruha in order that the tedium of their trek to the temple may not be felt. The song is sung in chorus; the leader sings the song, and the others follow. His inspired new experiment had caught on and become immensely popular, and time adds to its popularity. It had no successful imitators.
Tiru udal is one of the festivals in Siva temples. It has not been described earlier. Humour and poetry go to make up the festival. Nataraja on the Ardra day returns to the temple but is refused admission by Sakti. St. Sundarar for whom Tyagaraja at Tiru(v)Arur once acted as a messenger of love to the house of Paravai, now acts as a messenger from Nataraja to Sakti. A final reunion is effected. Oduvars, following St. Sundarar the messenger, sing verses from the Devaram and this is an item of interest, giving literary and musical training to many bhaktas in the locality.
The fact that the Chola emperors had made liberal endowments to temple Odhuvar for reciting Devaram songs had helped literary taste as well as music to be developed among the mass in their days.
Dedicated to my Parents Thiru C. Nilakanta Mudaliar and Sundarammal
Copies can be had from:
Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam, 3, Adam St., Mylapore, Madras-600 004 (India)
C. N. Singaravelu, Author and Publisher, ‘Sivamanam’, 31, Second Cross Street, West C. I. T. Nagar, Madras-600 035 (India).
Price: India : Rs. 6/-
U.S.A. & Canada: $ 2
printed at Rathnam Press, 41, Badrian St., Madras-600 001.
Introduction
I have very great pleasure in introducing the lucid and flawless translation of one of the rudimentary works on Saiva Siddhanta to the English knowing public here in India and elsewhere, from the pen of my esteemed friend Thiru C. N. Singaravelu, M.A.
The work on hand is Unmai Vilakkam (Light on Reality) one of the fourteen authoritative and standard works on the religious philosophy of the Tamils. Its author, Manavacakam Kadantaar, is a disciple of Meykandar, the first among the divine line of preceptors known as Saiva Santaana Aacaryas. The work is held as a resume (or recapitulation) of the spiritual experiences in the line of Meykandan (Meykanda Santaana Anubhava-t-tirattu). It is interesting to note that the form of the work has been deliberately chosen to be a Catechism so that the truth ordained may be vivid and unambiguous. The seriousness and the psychological insight of the author may be gauged from the form and scope of the work. It is to be noted that it was one of the two works following Sivajnana Bodham the basic work on Saiva Siddhanta. The year of its appearance is roughly estimated to be 1250 A.D. The other work which throws light on Sivajnana Bodham is Sivajnana Siddhi. Of the two one is an expansion, and the other is a resume.
The topics taken and answered in Unmai Vilakkam are
(i) the thirty-six evolvents of Maya
(ii) the innate evil principle, Anava
(iii) the deeds which cause the worldly experiences
(iv) the individual self
(v)-the aspect of God-head that dispels darkness
(vi) the aspect of God-head that confers illumination and bliss
(vii) the unifying formula of letters five
(viii) the nature of the state of freedom and bliss and
(ix) the means of attainment.
As the work on hand, the exposition of Truth, deals with these topics fully without flaw, there is very little to be said by way of introduction. But to make the work fuller I shall write the following to facilitate clear perception.
The need for the three groups of evolvents, the directive, preparatory and experiential will be seen when the classification of perception in this school of thought together with the nature of each is clearly understood. Hence the following exposition is given as a supplement to what is given in the work itself.
Worldly perception is classified into three, kinds, viz.,
1) indeterminate perception (sensation),
2) determinate perception and
3) experiential perception (Indiriya Katchi or Yayil Katchi, Manada Katchi and Thanvedanai Katchi).
The external world impresses itself on the sense organs of the individual self. The impression on one of the senses is brought to the notice of the individual self by Vidya, the cognitive evolvent, which is one among the seven belonging to the preparatory group (Vidya Tathvas). At this stage the individual self is aware in a general way of something outside, impressing on the particular sense organ. Then the internal organs, mind, ego, intellect and Chitha, begin to play their parts. The mind compares the impression with the previous ones makes several proposals and ends in doubtfulness Then the intellect plays its part and determines the object. It forms the judgement that it is a flower etc. This judgement has for its attributes one or more of the following five elements. The five elements are: – the name of the object, the quality of the object, the action of the object the class of the object, and anything which is an attribute to it. This judgement is called the determinate perception whereas the first impression which drew the attention of the individual self is called the indeterminate perception (or sensation). The function of the ego is present throughout the process. Its function is to be inclined to determine the nature of the object and also prepare the physical organism fit enough to make the judgement. Its activity extends both before and after the activity of Intellect. It also regulates the respiratory system, through which circulation of blood is made effective. Then comes the action of Chitha which is the awareness (or memory) of the various actions[1]which have taken place. Here the object for two kinds of perception is the external one, and the instrument which causes the indeterminate perception is one of the senses, whereas the instrument that cause the determinate perception are mind etc., chiefly the intellect. The intellect which causes the determinate perception becomes modified into the nature of the object of determination. It takes one of the three different forms of the qualities the Saatvic, Raajasic or Thaamasic according as one of the predominates in the object. Then comes the experience of the object in the form of pleasure pain[1]indifference, according to the nature of the object determined. In the experiential perception the object is the internal one, viz., the modification of the intellect and the instrument which causes the individual self to cognise it is Vidhya. Hence Vidhya should belong to a group which is more subjective or inner than the internal organs. So, Vidya belongs to the group of the seven evolvents collectively called the Vidya Thattvaas or Bhojayitru group, which is preparatory. The directive nature of the Siva Tattvas and the objective or experiential nature of the aanma tattvas can easily be seen.
Another point which I want to stress is that Chitha is a name given to the prime prakriti or Mulaprakriti. This idea is got from the commentary of Shivagrayogin. The commentator Sivagnanaswamigal considers Chitha to be a transformation of mind, for his own reasons. But we have to follow the work on hand which gives internal organs in the order mind, intellect, ego and Chitha. To take the function of Chitha on the fourth and last one is also in agreement with what Sekkizhar says in respect of Sundarar when he experiences the cosmic dance at Tillai. Nambi Arurar experiences the supreme bliss conferred by the sight of the divine symbol of cosmic dance so that all the five great sensations became concentrated in the eyes alone, the immeasurable four organs merged together in the form of Chitha alone, and the three qualities became perfected on Satva (pure and illumined) alone. This view is also in harmony with the expression of Siddhiyar, which says, “Chitha, the avyakta, will also perform cintanai (memory or awareness)”.
Another point which I wish to bring out here is the meaning of “Vanmai tarum aagamanul” in the invocatory stanza. In the colophon which commences with the words “Man adhikai“, the expression is expanded and repeated thus: “pannu marai-vanmai tarum aagama nul“. So, the traditional meaning is that Aagamas give in an expanded and clear form the significance of the implied expressions of the Vedas. Hence what is given in the work is the implication of the Vedanta as explained by Meykandar through the special scripture of Aagama.
I congratulate the author of this work and the Samajam for this publication so that it may be placed in the hands of those that deserve know the secret doctrine. I wish that the light of Saiva-Siddhanta may bring peace, plenty and fulfilment throughout the world.
Festivals are fountains of joy for all. They exist in all countries, in all levels of society, in all races, and had been existing through all the ages. If man has been described as a social animal, festivals are the occasions for a close joyous coming together for the members of the social group, and they give full expression to the social instinct.
Festivals seem to be universal. They have been natural to man at all climes, in the past and in the present. Joy is inherent in the human being and only when there is an impediment in its fulfillment and experience, does sorrow arise. Sorrow is not inherent in man. The expression of joy is rejoicing and rejoicing means not one but many, means society. Sorrow becomes less and less oppressive when shared with others, while joy increases by sharing with others. This is the reason why sorrows like death, and rejoicing as at a wedding, are all social events the world over.
The expression of the greatest joy and the occasion therefor is called a festival. The best of any nation can be seen only in its feasts and festivals. These in turn imply a comradeship, fellow feeling and sharing; in short it is in a sense the expression of some of the best traits in man. The primitive man or the civilised man, each has loved festivals and rejoicing. Hunger has made man no doubt inventive but this inherent joy in group festivities and rejoicing have made man cultured and civilised.
The Tamil word for festival is Vizha (vizhavu); this arises from the root, vizhai , to desire and to love; the noun means the thing desired, the object celebrated. So when the narrow love expands, it expresses itself in the form of festivals and celebrations. The Sanskrit word is utsava (festival, jubilee) which is derived from a root meaning to rise upwards; so this is going upward, getting elevated. In the English language also the two words feast (joyful religious anniversary) and festival (celebration) are very much the same. All these have the general connotation of a celebration. Vizha is called also Kondattam, which word has the additional element of dance in it.
It is not possible to go into the question of what causes man to celebrate a thing and what gives him joy. The very getting together draws forth spontaneous joy. We may not probe into it further and try to see the reason behind a celebration. Whatever gives joy, man continues to do, and thus festivals have taken root – joyous occasions and occasions for festivity no doubt like child-birth, marriage and so on. Tamil literature would point out instances where even wars had been occasions for festivity.
Death is by its very nature the opposite of joy and so we may believe that it was only an occasion of mourning. But in fact, it is not so. Mourning is confined to a period of 15 days; then mourning stops and festivity commences. The reasons are not far to seek. It is that no one should be allowed to be steeped in mourning for long. One should get out of it and become normal, enjoying the pleasures of life. Hence in every case of death, there is a ceremony on a particular day (10, 15, or 16th) after which there is no mourning. The second reason is our faith in the indestructibility of the soul. The soul inhabiting this body has now given it up, to take up some other body. Why then need we grieve for long?
So the festivals go on. Men in the ancient agrarian society, always went out for work and so festivities became the chief concern of the women folk who stayed behind. Women in the past, till the liberation movement, had been of a self-sacrificing nature, always working and keeping the home warm and delightful both for their husbands and for their children. Kural would say that the duty of the house holder (grhasta, illarattan) was to take care of the five – the manes (dwelling in the southern regions), the deities, the guest, the kin and the family. This duty was rightly fulfilled by the women folk. That is also the secret of the continuity of the heritage of the festivals and their success.
Now every important occasion in the life of an individual from birth to death is a domestic festival or ritual. As a matter of fact, these rituals begin even before birth. During pregnancy, there is the Valaiyal kappu, known also as poo-chututal, {a kind of Raksha bandhanam). Then in due time, the birth, namakarana or naming of the child, perhaps along with the first placing on the crib, ear-boring and the celebration of the first anniversary of the child’s birth. The annap-prasana or the day of feeding of rice to the baby, then the upakarma among brahmins, placing the child in the school, and lastly the wedding. These are a total of sixteen and each is in some measure, large or small; a domestic festival.
The cycles of natural events are themselves great events. Sunrise and sunset call for special prayers, Sandhyavandana ; so also the new moon and full moon days call for special tarppana. We shall see later the part played by the full moon days etc. in the matter of festivals. So also the equinoxes or ayanas, and eclipses. All these call for special baths in a river or the sea. Eclipses; though recognised as mere natural phenomena by astrologers and calendar makers in the past, have yet been the source of many romantic legends. Many occasions symbolise the rejoicings in the family, such as the Pongal, which really celebrate agricultural operations. Adipperukku is also similar, denoting the commencement of agriculture while the other, pongal, celebrates its culmination.
In between we have the days of great heroes and of forms of deities celebrated such at Ganesa, Sarasvati and Durga, Krishna, Muruha, Nataraja and Vishnu, and Siva and Rama. One thing however has to be clearly borne in mind. Although we have here the worship and festival for many forms of deities, it does not alter the basic concept of Hinduism; namely that there is only one God without a second. This book thus deals only with the Hindu festivals; Saiva and Vaishnava, besides a large number of non-religious or social festivals. These may of course be general to the whole of India but particular to Tamil Nadu. Unlike the others; Christian and Muslim, these had originated on the Indian soil and belong to India and to Tamilnadu. The families which had converted themselves to the other religions, may yet be found to celebrate some of these festivals like the Tamil New Year Day, Dipavali and Pongal.
It may be remembered that the two religions Jainism and Buddhism had some currency in Tamilnadu for a few centuries in the first millennium after Christ. Of the two religions, Jainism fad been the state religion for some time at Madurai the Pandiya capital and at Kanchi the Pallava capital. Because of this position that religion had been able to contribute to a slight extent to the art and culture of the period. The contribution to art took the form of sculpture, architecture and painting. But the Digambara Jainism in Tamilnadu was a religion which negated life and so possibly, although it had temples and temple festivals on a small scale, it could not have contributed in any appreciable manner to the joy of public life and its rejoicings and festivals, the occasions of rejoicing. Music was virtually taboo in the Jainism of Tamilnadu and women were kept under the thumb, since it was and ineluctable doctrine with the Jains, that women and music are to be put down because they were obstacles to one’s spiritual progress. Therefore though Jainism was the state religion for sometime, it did not leave any mark or have any impact on the life of the Tamil people in general There have been no festivals or rejoicings worth the name that had taken root in society because of the Jains. They might still be a force to reckon with in other part of India., but not in Tamilnad. Hence we do not have anything to say about Jain festivals in Tamilnad.
The same is the case with Buddhism. It was never a state religion here and its mark on Hindu society was much less, We do not therefore have anything to say about the Buddha festivals. However the Indian Union has taken up the birthday of the Vaisaka suddha Poornima, as a national festival an its echoes are certainly heard in Tamilnad.
Among the festivals elaborately dealt with here, under the various, predominate. the Vinayaka, Saiva, Skanda, Sakti festivals can be brought under Saivism, while Krishna and Rama and others like Vaikuntha- Ekadasi and Kaisika Ekadasi will fall under Vaishnavism. Sarasvati, new year day and pongal belong to both. But all this in reality does not detract from the concept of One God in Hinduism. There is only one God without a second. Whatever is said in the various names as Ganapati, Muruha, Durga, Vishnu, Krishna, Nataraja, Surya or Siva – all goes to the One Supreme, of which these are all well understood to be simply manifest forms.
There is a continuity in the festival celebrations and the festival culture of Tamilnadu which is hardly to be found elsewhere. Several factors have contributed to this continuity. The chief factor is the large number of temples which stud the country. Even small villages have large temples to Siva and Vishnu. All the temple festivals involve the entire society around, through daily aradhana, procession, music particularly the nagasvaram, singing of devotional songs, distribution of prasadams etc. The second factor is that foreign religions had not held any great sway over the Tamilnad. There was Jain rule in Madurai for some centuries which, historians call the dark age in Pandinad. Again there was also Muslim rule there for a short period of about half a century. But Cholanad, which was the custodian of the culture of the land, was ruled continuously by Hindu rulers. After the Cholas, the Vijayanagar empire, then the Nayaka the Mahrattas, Till the last Mahratta ruler gave up his land to the British. Then was no foreign religious oppression and this was an important factor in the continuity of the festivals.
Besides, the songs of the Nayanmar and the Alvar in the temples was another integrating force of permanence. All these contributed to the retention of the great culture unbroken.
Modern scientific advance has added a new dimension to the celebration of festivals and that is the abolition of distance. Means of communication like the radio, television and the news paper take u9 to festival centres in no time or bring the festivals to our very doors. Distance is thus bridged and we are given the means of understanding others in different climes and places.
Opportunities for understanding and for spreading peace and goodwill have been brought to one’s own doors and this is sure to result ultimately in the full realisation of the bard of two thousand years ago who declared ‘that the whole world is kin and any place is my place.’
No apology is needed for bringing out a volume on the festivals of Tamilnadu. The Tamils have a glorious and continuous heritage of classical literature and culture which goes back to a period two thousand and five hundred years. They are reputed the world over as great temple builders. And what are temples if not seats of festivals? Classical Tamil Literature is said to be of three divisions, Iyal, Isai and Natakam, namely poetry, music and dance. Music and dance are accompaniments to any celebration of festivals. They are even prescribed as symbols of honour in a temple worship and festival-gita, vadya, nirutta-music} vocal and instrumental, and dance out of a total of sixteen such symbols of honour (the shodasa upachara).
This is no doubt a book of Hindu festivals. The festivals here dealt with mostly relate to India, but are special to Tamil Nadu. All the festivals detailed here are ancient, having been celebrated probably over a period of more than twenty centuries. Christian and Muslim festival days are common not only to India but to other countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, as these two religions are extensively followed outside India. Today we are having a spate of foreign scholars and tourists visiting India and they visit us certainly not to know Christianity and Islam as practised in India, but to know Hinduism, its society and its ancient civilisation, is philosophy and culture its institutions, and the way of life of its people and so on. Hence I believe I am justified in confining myself only to the festivals of Hinduism here, in this book of Tamil Nadu festivals.
Occasionally, festivals in the other regions of India may be seen to be elaborately dealt with here though these are outside the scope of the work, yet some of them have important common features with Tamil Nadu celebrations, and it may be an advantage to learn how other people react to our own festive occasions. Some of them are given in detail. Examples are Raksha Bandhanam (mostly north India), Onam (Kerala) and Holi (again north India). There are yet some other Tamil Nadu festivals where some idea of how they are celebrated elsewhere is also given. 5 examples are Dipavali in Kerala, Durga puja in Bengal, Ganesa Chaturthi in Maharashtra and so on. These may help towards a better understanding of even our own festivals.
There are three aspects to every festival in the land.
The first is the ritualistic aspect – the various steps of its celebration, whether it be in the home or in the temple, the performance of a puja, preliminary arrangements etc.
The second is the legend aspect – the ancient stories which had grown round it, which had caused the origins of the festival, the benefits attained by some who celebrated it early in the history of the society, and so on.
The third is the philosophical or esoteric aspect which gives significance to the celebration and which has kept it alive through so many centuries. In many, the philosophical aspects may not be fully explicit; but a social significance may be apparent.
An attempt is here made to explain the significance of some of the obscure festivals and observances such as the Adippuram festival, Akshaya Trithiyai, Mahalaya Amavasya etc. The romantic and story aspects are well explained in most cases.
Normally it is not worthwhile to question or change established conventions. We in Tamil Nadu have a way of celebrating great people. One way is to celebrate the birth day, while another is to celebrate the day of passing away. The Vaishnavas celebrate the day of birth, of their Alvar and Acharyas, while the Saivas celebrate the day of passing away of their Nayanmars and Acharyas. (The rationale behind this has been explained in the appropriate place – page 316). These have all been fixed and cannot be questioned or changed now.
Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 and, after he became the champion fighter in the Independence struggle continues to be celebrated as a great national holiday and the day of celebration for him has not been changed.
The festivals seem to constitute in a sense the eternal religion of India, particularly Tamilnadu. We need not know when the celebration of festivals by society or the state started. Saint Tirujnanasambandhar mentions a series of monthly festivals for the twelve months which were popular in his day (the seventh century). Most of them continue to this day almost unchanged both in the manner of celebration and in their significance. Festivals are the outward social expression of the communal joy of the people and they have helped to retain the best in the past culture and by the celebrations in the present, band it down to the future generations. Festivals, mostly conservative, do not lend themselves easily to changes but continue to be rigid and the very rigidity opens up as it were a window for us to have a peep into the past.
Mode of observance of festivals has not changed. Lamp, incense, camphor, fragrant flowers, sandal, turmeric and kumkum with the ever-present betels., plantain fruits and coconuts are there, both in the domestic festivals and in the temple festivals. Instead of the ancient oil lamps, we may have electric lamps but yet, the oil lamp is there if not in the centre, at least in a corner symbolically. Camphor might have been introduced in to our country some where about the 4-6th centuries a.d. in the place of an oil lamp for waving before the deity ( aradana). But the others are unchangeable and irreplaceable. The kolam and festoons are part of the decorations for any festival. Baths, a personal discipline of fasting, vigil in some cases, bath in the rivers or the sea, circumbulation, tying of the piece of yellow string round the neck or the wrist, new clothes in some cases, and the special food offerings which are special for each occasion – all together have kept up further a continuity of the ancient culture and have helped to keep alive the glow and glamour through many centuries, even amidst the greatest gloom and darkness caused by foreign aggression and suppression. The songs, kummi and dance have also made their own contribution in the preservation of that culture.
So we may say that the festivals by themselves constitute an eternal religion for the different societies.
The average Tamilian, as indeed as the average Indian, has a worshipful attitude towards the Supreme Intelligence as Water, fire, air and ether, the Sun and the Moon, and the Individual. (The eight are called in Saivam the Ashta murta or the eight manifest forms of Siva). Hence his attitude of reverence to all things-say, to the sea,, the river, the plant, and the animal. The sensible person does not worship ghosts or goblins, does not worship minor evil devatas; he pays homage no doubt to departed ancestors out of a sense of respect and gratitude. All these “elements are manifest in the various festivals. Rivers are worshipped as sacred waters, the sun is worshipped as the giver of all life and bounty, and plants are worshipped as Sthala Vriksha (sacred trees attached to shrines) and ancestors are given due homage. Many festivals detailed in the following pages will indicate the homage done to these categories. All these call for an expression of piety and devotion in worship, fasting, vigils, offerings of food and flowers, and gifts to men of God and the sharing of food with the labourers and the poor, and a deep fellow feeling with all creation. Festivals by their very nature are sources of great rejoicing for all concerned.
The book is divided into the three parts. The first is a general introduction to the festivals and their celebration in the home and the temple, their classification and their value. The second part deals with all the celebrations month by month beginning from the Tamil month of Chitrai (April 14 to May 14) and ending with the month of Panguni (March to April). The third part deals with some other festivals which had not been dealt with in the second part. An extensive account of the Kumbhakonam Mahamagham festival is given here in the opening pages of this section (page 266) although the subject is just mentioned under the Masi magham festival (page 233-4), because of the great importance and attraction which it has to people all over Tamil Nadu and because it is not a monthly festival occurring once a year but occurring once in twelve years. The next festival occurs on 1—3—1980.
Additional notes are provided in Appendix 1 . There are some further points relating to the respective festivals given in parts 1 and II; they are given here and are to be read along with them in continuation of the relevant matter on the pages indicated. Appendix 2 gives here in original the Tamil sources in the form of Tamil quotations, corresponding to the passages mentioned in the body of the text in the appropriate page* These have been given here partly because it is our belief they -will be enjoyed by the Tamil knowing readers, who may also like to read them in the Tamil language and partly also because I was unable to resist my own joy in recounting them in the book. Appendix 3 is a table of the Tamil months with the corresponding months in the Saka era, the zodiacal reckoning and the English names of the Roman calendar.
A glossary of the Tamil and Sanskrit words occurring in the book is appended.
During the years 1947 to 1970 when I was running the Gandhian National Education Centre in my place Tiruchitrambalam, a remote rural area, it was a matter of religion with us to celebrate all the festivals on the respective days. On an average we were celebrating about fifteen days in a month, which included the anniversary days of Nayanmar Alvar, and other saints, poets and eminent national heroes including the festive days of all the other religions. Our main purpose was to instill in our educators at the elementary and high school levels a pride in the national life and in the national culture. No student passed out of our school without knowing something about the Tamil Nadu festivals, the All-India festivals, the Anniversary days of our great men at the Tamil Nadu and the A Is India levels, and a little about the religions other than the Hindu. The Gandhian National Education had given us the spirit of integration long before the dawn of India’s Independence, and it is that spirit of integration which has enabled me to write down these few accounts of the festivals. These constitute only a small fraction of the celebrations in our schools.
The whole book has been prepared with the background of the Kaveri area and its culture and that too at a particular stratum of society. Occasionally one may notice peeps into 6 Festivals of Tamilnadu Madras also here. This is quite natural because one can not get out of his own early upbringing and the simple joys and pleasures the environment gave him in the early periods.
P.V. Jagadisa Aiyar, Manager of the Archaeology department of the Government of India in Madras, had published a book on the South Indian Festivals in 1924 in about 200 pages of which more than 44 full pages of illustrations being photographic reproductions of temple gopuras, tanks, deities etc. He has given there a large volume of useful information, chiefly dealing with the legends, and with some epigraphic references. He has treated of the festivals beginning with the month of Thai and ending with Marhali. It is quite a useful book, useful because of the extensive legends given therein and the pictures. But it is not exhaustive and it is not generally concerned with the celebration. I have tried to describe the celebration in this book and have tried to make it extensive.
A number of these accounts had appeared in the pages of the Swarajya during the years 1975 and 1976. At the suggestion of some friends I am completing the series and am issuing them in book form in an enlarged version. I am indebted to Dr. R. Nagaswami, Director of the State Archaeology Department for the illustrations in the book which 1 hope will stimulate the reader’s interest and add to the usefulness of the book. The printing of the book has been spread over an unusually large number of months owing to difficulties in the press and this has resulted in the lack of uniformity in the spelling of certain words like Aippasi, Poompavai, Tirup-puhal etc. Again, in carrying out the proof corrections the Press have made fresh mistakes, which do not come for the scrutiny of the proof reader. For these and other similar lapses. I crave the indulgence of the reader.
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A short 9.36 mins overview of the Iraivan temple
Iraivan Temple Aavudaiyar casting process
Timelapse of Iraivan Temple South Jalakam Installation
Iraivan Temple Yalli Pillar Installation Part 1
Iraivan Temple Yalli Pillar Installation Part 2
Introducing our Temple Stone Carvers
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The Making of Iraivan Temple Part 1
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The Making of Iraivan Temple Part 2
Timelapse of Iraivan Temple Yalli Potagai Installation
Timelapse of Iraivan Temple Yalli Pillar Installation
Those who drink the nectar of Divine Bliss arising from the ocean of Divine Wisdom, look upon the devotees and the holy images worshipped by angels, as identical with the supreme Being unreachable by even the Devas. Moved by devotion, they will lovingly worship Him with tears of joy and lisping tongue. They realise the presence of God in them and enjoy His Bliss.
In this book, we have dealt with the bound and the freed state of the soul in the light of Saiva Siddhantam, which leads to final bliss, bears no inconsistencies and is based upon the faultless doctrine that effect is involved in its cause. It contains the crowning truths of Upanishadic scriptures beyond the ken of all creeds beginning with Lokayadam and ending with Sivadwaitham.
This book, Sivaprakasam, may be taught, after Initiation, to those that, with a view to understand the meaning and scope of it in a consistent manner, will concentrate on the reasons given and similes employed (of four kinds) to establish each proposition.
The Perfected will keep clear of the evil Maya, three kinds of karma and the original bond of darkness and will get immersed in the Light of grace. They will then open their souls to the inflow of Divine Bliss and silently enjoy the same in the old adwaitic union with God untroubled by anything in the world.
They are above space, time, quarters, yogic seats, doctrine, sect, quality, attachment to fame and reputation, fasts, rules of conduct, penance, muttering prayers or mystic words, meditation, and so forth, all of which are not willingly given up by them, but disappear like things in the hands of people who are in deep sleep.
அகம்புற மென்றி ரண்டால் அர்ச்சனை புரியும் இந்தச் சகந்.தனில் இரண்டு மின்றித் தமோமய மாகி எல்லாம் நிகழ்ந்திட மகிழ்ந்து வாழும் ரீர்மையார் போல ஞானம் இகழ்ந்தகம் புறம்எ னாத செம்மையார் நன்மை யாரே. 95
In the world where God is worshipped either internally or externally, there are men, immersed in ignorance, who do not care for either, but altogether lead a sporting life; even like those men, the great ones immersed in spiritual wisdom have no distinction between subjective and objective, but remain ever realising God and enjoying His Bliss.
The element of ether gives room for all things within its sphere and permeates them all. Similarly, God’s wisdom is overwhelming and all-pervading. In its light when things are seen by the Perfected, they become enshrouded with divine grace, the realization of which leads them to the final goal. (This is how Jivan Mukta, the Perfected, should regain the highest state of realization if he slips from it.)
Subjective and Objective worship by the Perfected ஞானக் கிரியை
மண்முதற் கரண மெல்லாம் மறு௮சத் தாக்கி ஞானக் கண்ணினில் ஊன்றி அந்தக் கருத்தினால் எவையும் நோக்கி எண்ணிஅஞ் செழுத்து மாறி இறைகிறை வுணர்ந்து போற்றல் புண்ணியன் தனக்கு ஞானா பூசையாய்ப் புகலு மன்றே. 97
Reals (Tatwas) from the earth up-ward should be looked upon as impermanent and vanishing in the light of God’s grace, and sheltering under that grace, everything that happens to strike the mind must be looked at through the eye of Divine Grace. In addition, if the meaning of the holy five letters, in the God-ward form, be meditated upon, the Omnipresence of God will be realized, and He may be worshipped as such. It is their spiritual worship.
Photo by Frank Holleman on Unsplash - Sadhus walking near the ghat in varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
பத்தாஞ் சூத்தீரம்
Supreme gain ஆன்ம லாபம்
பொற்பூறு கருவி யாவும் புணராமே அறிவி லாமைச் சொற்பெறும் அதீதம் வந்து தோன்றாமே தோன்றி கின்ற சிற்பர மதனால் உள்ளச் செயலறுத் திடஉ இக்கும் தற்பர மாக நிற்றல் சாக்கிரா தீத் தானே. 80
The highest state of pure consciousness in waking moments is attained when the soul is not affected by any of the implements, when it does not sink into unconsciousness and when, submitting itself fully to the control of the highest wisdom realized, it gives up its egoistic efforts, identifying itself with the supreme Being, whose vision it then commands.
ஓடுங்கிடா கரணம் தாமே ஓடுங்குமா றுணர்ச் தொடுக்க ஒடுங்கிடும் என்னில் கின்ற தொடுங்கிடா கரண மெல்லாம் ஓடுங்க ஓடுங்க உள்ள உணர்வுதா ஜெறியும் வேரும் ஓூங்கிடின் அன்றி மற்ற உண்மையை உணரொணாதே. 81
The implements of knowledge playing then part during waking consciousness will not by themselves cease to act. If it is said that the soul by its own intelligence knows the way how to subdue them, they cannot be subdued, for then the intelligence of the soul will endure, and egoism will be the result. Farther, when the implements cease to act, the soul will sink into ignorance. Therefore, unless the soul subdues them in a different manner by the help of God’s grace, it cannot realise God.
பற்றிடும் கருவி யாவும் பட.ர்க்துணர் வளிக்குங் கால உற்றறிர் திடுவதொன்றின் உணர்வினின் உண்மை யாகும் மற்றது பகல்வி ளக்கின் மாய்ந்திட வருவ துண்டேல் பெற்றிடும் அதனை மாயப் பிறப்பினை அறுக்க லாமே. 82
When all the implements of knowledge help the soul to know things, it concentrates its attention on them and knows them pointedly. If that kind of finite knowledge fades in the light of God’s grace like a lamp before the sun, the soul will realize divine wisdom and be able to get rid of the bewildering births.
முந்திய ஒருமை யாலே மபொழிந்தவை கேட்டல் கேட்டல் சிந்தலை செய்தல் உண்மை தெஸளிந்திடல் ௮துதா றாக வந்தவா றெய்தல் நிட்டை ॥ருவுதல் என்று நான்காம் இந்தவா மடைந்தோர் முத்தி எய்திய இயல்பி னோரே. 83
Listening to the words of God, coming as Guru as a result of penance accumulated during past births, meditating on the meaning of such words, getting a clear vision of the truth and realizing adwaitic union with God just as he has been in adwaitic union with the soul (Spiritual Tranquillity) are the four steps in spiritual wisdom the completion of which secures final salvation.
The Soul cannot see God with its finite conscience or self-conscience. Attaining the super-conscience vouchsafed by God, the soul should give up its finite conscience and get immersed in grace which will dawn upon it. Subsequently it should attach itself with love to the supreme Being sighted. This is called the Spiritual Tranquillity with God.
Easy means of attaining Spiritual Tranquillity உபாய நீட்டை
If that union is hard to attain, the soul should keep in view the limitations of the implements of knowledge, its own nature and the adwaitic union of God with the soul; and it should cherish a lasting love for God. Then it will be easy to realize the said state of Tranquillity.
If you intend to realize God by meditation, you require the use of mental faculties, which is no good since God is above these faculties. If you say that you will meditate without the use of faculties, you will conceive nothing and you will only sink into unconsciousness. If you say you will conceive of God as something inconceivable you realise nothing about Him. For those who have received the grace of God no such meditation or thought is required at all.
If it is said that one Supreme Being has become two, God and soul, and that they unite, there should be no distinction between God and soul; if God and soul are different and become one in final Beatitude, it implies that one of them becomes destroyed; if God and sou! would not unite, there is no adwaitic union; and if the soul in union with God is said to be like the iron in the lire, it should possess all the powers of God and perform His five functions (which has been refuted). So, for the adwaitic union of the freed soul with God, the proper simile is the adwaitic union of the soul with its original bond, anavam.
If the dark bond can be destroyed it cannot be said to be eternal. But if it cannot be destroyed, we cannot think of obtaining divine wisdom. Therefore, what is destroyed is its potency, and not its entity. It is like the darkness which cannot stand before light, but which is not at the same time destroyed.
The limitless store of the twofold karma which gives rise to births becomes impotent like fried seed. The karma for suffering which the existing body remains, continues to affect the body alone, and the karma for the future which may arise out of experience will be destroyed by the fire of wisdom, which is like bright sunlight dispelling darkness.
Even though the bonds of the soul are dissolved, their residue may persist so long as the elemental body moves in the world, just like the smell of asafoetida in a vessel from which it has been removed. To counteract the effect of the same, one should use the mystic name of God, the meaning of which has neither beginning nor end, as instructed by the divine Guru. Those who use it will not be affected or perverted by the residual effects of the bonds.
Of the five letters of the Mystic spell Sivayanama (சிவாயநம), si (சி) represents God, va (வ) His grace, ya (ய) the soul, na (ந) the screening power of God, which involves the Maya and Karma, and ma (ம) the original bond, anava. The form, Sivayanama (சிவாயநம), in which God and His grace precede the soul while the screening Power and Anava recede, should be pronounced and not the other form, Namasivaya (நமசிவாய), in which the screening power and anava stand foremost; for, in- the latter case, the soul will get into the ways of the world and the whirl of births, without attaching itself to God and His grace. This truth may be revealed to the lovers of Salvation.
Pronounce the form in which the letters for God and Grace stand first, in which case the screening power will destroy the potency of anava and turn into grace. Then with the help of Grace the soul will realise God and become one with Him. This is the purport of the five lettered mantram.
Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash - A priest performing puja at a temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu
ஒன்பதாஞ் சூத்தீரம்
Purification of Soul ஆன்ம சத்தி
புகலரும் அசத்தர் தம்பால் பொருந்திய அலகை யேபோல் அூலைமும் உணரு மீசன் அருளுயீர் மேவ லாலே சகலமும் நிகழ வேண்டும் தலைவன் ஐ தொழிலும் தானே இகலற இயற்றல் வேண்டும் என்றது நன்றி யின்றே. 76
There is a view that, just as a feeble person possessed by a ghost does the valiant acts of a ghost, so the soul engrossed by the all intelligent grace of God should possess all the attributes of God and perform the five functions of His in the same manner as He does. This view is not correct.
If a ghost possesses a blind or dumb or lame man, it cannot make him see or speak or walk; similarly, the omniscient grace of God which possesses the soul can only develop its innate powers and will not make it do the functions of God, which He does by taking any form He pleases.
The soul, should understand the nature of the knowledge which it gets in its embodied state, through kalai and other Tatwas, and, reaching the state in which the base bonds are got rid of, it should take shelter under the grace of God so that it does not contact the said implements, and stay there with its intelligence illumined by It alone. Then the great gain of the omnipresent Bliss of God will be within the sight of the soul.
There is a theory that the soul becomes God himself. According to it the question is why God should appear to the soul as distinct from itself. The soul, in its state of bonds, cannot see itself. Even in the freed state if it cannot see itself in the light of grace, rarely secured, it is not possible to the soul to realize the wisdom which will enable it to reach the feet of God, and it will not attain the goal.
