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  BEHIND THE NAGAMALAI MOUNTAIN.

Madurai Kamarajar University is located under the foot hills of a long mountain which stands like a compound wall between Vaigai river and  Theni highways. The mountain looks very long and beautiful. The mountains is covered by stunted trees and bushes. The foot  hill land scape is a swampy area. Kamarajar University is located approximately a kilo meter says that  from the Nagamalai. Very often university students have an adventurous trekking.

The legend behind Nagamalai:

Madurai city is surrounded by 8 hills. Every hill has its own beauty and historical legend. They were occupied by Jain and Buddist monks in early Christian centuries. Still we can see the caves with stuccos of Mahaveera and Buddha. There are many interesting very old stone inscriptions.

In 7th century A.D there was a competition among various  religions.  Once the Jain monks became jealous of the Shivism [ part of Hinduism which worship lord Shiva] monks and send a huge  magical cobra to kill all the monks.

The Shiva monks surrendered  to lord Sunderaswarar [ Lord Shiva is called as Sunderaswarar in Madurai temple]. Shiva send a missile and  killed the magical snake and changed it as a long mountain.

The term ' naga' means cobra and beauty. The mountains looks like a long anaconda and also looks very beautiful.

Kannagi's foot print:

Our literary- historical character Kannagi has traveled across this  mountain. She has walked all along the bank of river Vaigai .The informations given in Silappathikaram  that Kannagi walked all along the bank of Vaigai river with a pride, frustration and braveness.

Very often we used to just stare at Nagamalai and ask, '' dear mountain why you have failed to take Kannagi's photo? Why you have not recorded the Silappathikaram incidents in Madurai? Hoe she looked? How she walked? How Madurai people admired her?''

But the mountain never talked, but radiated the past incidents inside our mind. Centuries have passed away, Vaigai river has changed its path many times. Every year it got flooded and dried. But the truth that Kannagi has walked after completing a very important task in her life. This truth has never changed. So we felt very very special to live under Nagamalai mountain . Nagamail is the witness of all incidents which happened in Madurai when Kannagi and her husband Kovalan stayed for 24 hrs.

The horrible 24 hrs. What has  happened? Make your mind to travel behind the ages. Before 2000 years........

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