Sakthi
Thamil Changam - English articles
KANNAGI TEMPLES ACROSS TAMIL NADU
AND KERALA
When Chera king started Kannagi worship
, slowly the entire Chera country adopted the cult. After constructing
Kannagi Kottam in Kambham valley , Chera kings found hard to leave
their capital city to visit the temple all the time. So Chera Senguttuva
constructed the Kodungalloor Bahavathy shrine. With his royal influence ,
he must have brought the remains of Kannagi to his capital and placed
inside the secret chamber.
Kannagi's curse made Pandiya country to
suffer without rain for 12 years. Today Sreelanka is siffering with wars
and blood sheds because of Seetha's negative mind vibrations. Similarly
Kannagi's vibrations brought famine, drought and sickness to Pandiya
country.
So Pandiyas decided to adapt Kannagi
cult. They started worshipping her as goddess of monsoon rain. She was
named as '' Maari amman''. The term ''maari'' means monsoon rainfall. So
Pandiyan kings established Maari amman shrines all over the country.
The most famous Maari amman shrines
in Pandiya country are,
1. Vera paandy - Gowmaari amman
2. Erukkan gudi - Maari amman
3. Thiruchendur - Sandana Maari amman
4. Ponamaravathy - Ponalagi naachiyar
amman
5. Madurai - Shimmakal Selli amman
6. Shankaran koil - Veeri amman
7. Dindigul - Kottai Maari amman
There are various other shrines across
Tamil nadu and even in Andra and Karnataka states.
The 3 most famous Maari amman shrines
in Tamil nadu are,
1. Trichy - Samayapuram Mahamaari amman
2. Tanjavoor - Punnainalloor Muthu maari
amman
3. Chennai - Thiruverkaadu Sreedevi
Karumaari amman
How Maari amman looks?
* Today there is no town or village in
this state without Maariamman temple. There are villages where there is
worst famine and drought, but they never stop in worshipping and
celebrating Maariamman festivals once in a year. Maari amman has been
celebrated with many adjectives like muthu maari, sandana maari, seethala
maari . She is believed to be the goddess of small and chicken pox also.
These 2 diseases are believed to be her physical presence in our
body. The anti viral neem tree, turmeric paste and lemon fruit are
believed to be her residing places.
She is usually seated on an altar. She
folds any one of her leg and hangs another leg, which will be placed on a
lotus. She wears a crown which has flames . They represents her chastity ,
honesty and power. She has 4 hands. The uppers arms holds a small drum
tied to a snake and a trident. But some idols holds an anklet. The lower
hands holds a sharp sword and a bowl with honey . But Samayapuram and
Dindigul Ammans have 8 hands.
Disease with fear and devotion:
Some idols has a 5 hooded snake like an
umbrella on the crown. Lion is considered as her mount. Usually she is
placed under neem trees. She is decorated with lemon garlands just
to cool her body and mind. Ash is her prasadham. It is believed that she
threw all the pearls from the queen's anklets as pox globules. The pox
globules are always named as '' muthu'' meaning pearls. The home and
person where the pox prevails is respected with devotion and fear for her.
Every day the house member visits her shrine and offer special
poojas to her. Especially the women pours water mixed with neem leaves and
turmeric to the sacred altar in the shrines. The sacred water will be
given to the patient also.
In Coimbatore area Kannagi is celebrated
as most important goddess as Maariamman. Elango adikal has mentioned
specially this . He said that she is the most important goddess in
Coimbatore zone and Western part of the Tamil country which means present
Kerala.
Important Kannagi shrines in
Coimbatore zone:
* Coimbatore city - Kone amman, Dharnu
maari amman
* Bhavani - Sellandi amman
* Erode - Kongu aal amman [ The goddess
who rules Kongu nadu] or Kongai alladha amman [ the goddess without one
breast]
* Thiruchengodu [ mentioned by
Elango adikal ] - Ardha naari
* Raasipuram - Nithya Sumangali maari
amman
* Salem city - Kottai maari amman
So Kannagi is getting celebrated as a
powerful , kind mother but at the same time one who stand against
injustice by Tamils. In Kerala most of the Kannagi has transformed as
Goddess Bahavathy. Special article will talk about it later.
So now we are back to our journey
towards Kambham valley to see Kannagi kottam. Dr. Govindharasanar only
discovered this spot after 14 years of research. But the dispute between 2
states has made this spot to get spoiled more and more. I feel very sorry
to say this. When we reached Kambham people said that we need to take a
bus and climb the mountains to reach Kumuli town. From there we need to
take a jeep into deep forests to Kannagi kottam. We liked to climb the
mountains , but every one laughed and teased our eagerness. It was raining
when we took the bus and started climbing the mountains. Our minds were
just imagining how she would have climbed?
The greatest disappointment:
When we got down in Kumuli town we were
flying as if we have achieved a great task. Then we started asking the
local auto drivers about the route. They all laughed at us. There we came
to know the spot is very very long and the route is very tedious to go.
Few jeep drivers asked 1000s of rupees to take to that spot. Then we
approached the Kerala state police to guide us. They asked many questions
about us and about the motive of our journey and finally said that
they need the permission letters from governments of both states.
The spot where Kannagi kottam exists is under the dispute. Than that the
monsoon was very heavy and elephants were expected to trouble us. I was in
tears and prayed Kodungallor amma to show her foot prints. Then a police
said that the place will be cleared and opened for the people only in May
month to celebrate Chitra poornima day. We were very much disappointed.
Pradheep pampered me a lot and I almost cried. Then we bought jack fruit
and left back to university.
Later in 1998 Kodungalloor amma
permitted me to visit her Kottam without Pradheep. The next article
will talk in detail about my sacred but fearsome trip to Kannagi kottam.
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