Sakthi
Thamil Changam - English articles
Kannagi-4
Every inch of
Madurai city is embedded with a history and legend. If we start digging
the roads of Madurai city we can write new history and literature .
Kannagi's life has made very strong impact in Tamil nadu and Kerala state.
Madurai city is still reflecting her sad tunes.
The long wide
roads are making us to remember Kannagi. After her husband's death she
just rushed towards king's palace through these roads. Where was the
king's palace. May be near the Meenakshi temple.
While walking
along the streets of Madurai still I am able to hear the following
dialogues spoken by Kannagi.
'' Let
all the noble women of this Madurai listen to me! They must understand
that their king is not honest to his people. Let them be aware about their
country. Because of the Madurai king I am experiencing the worst tough
time in my life like death sentence to a criminal.
My poor
husband got punished by Madurai king without any court proceedings. But he
is not a thief. I am going to see him alive now. Otherwise let all the
great noble women of Madurai city abuse me.''
Listening to
these words people in Madurai were put into mental stress and sorrow ness.
They were even scared to see her. They thought that she was a goddess who
has entered into Madurai to punish the king.
It was evening,
slowly the sun rested in the west. Elango adikal says that the sun could
not bare the tragedy that has happened in Madurai city and went to hide
behind the western ghats.
When ever myself
and Pradheep went to the city we were just imagining all these happenings
and searching for the footprints of the great noble woman. We want to know
where Kannagi and Kovalan stayed in Madurai? The place where he was killed
, any temple for Kannagi? We just lived in dreams and devotion to
Kodungalloor devi to show her foot prints.
One fine Monday ,
I was waiting for Pradheep in University office . There was a big show
case with the sample copies of all the publications. I just looked into
them. My eyes saw a book called '' Puhar mudhal Vanji varai''. It was
written by Dr. Govindharasanar, a great Tamil scholar.
This book was my
Bible for Kannagi study. I believe he was the incarnation of Elango adikal.
The book was in my hand within few minutes. I just bunked the classes and
read the entire book and started peeping into Pradheep's tissue
culture lab to come soon.
Yes the book has
recorded every important places in connection with Kannagi. The great
professor Dr. Govindharasanar has just spend his entire life to explore
and excavate all places and monuments linked with Kannagi.
Throughout the
night our 361 number room was filled with talks and mini research talks
about Kannagi. We have to wait for next day evening to leave to the city.
Next day we both went to Simmakkal near Madurai railway station.
We peeped into
small streets of oil stores . There we saw the Sellath amman temple. It is
a local goddess of Madurai. But it is having a legend which is sleeping in
the research books of Dr. Govindharasanar.
The temple is
small. It is having an idol of Durga devi with 8 hands killing Mahisha
sura. The idol looks very old and anger. Out side of the sanctum , on the
right hand side we saw the small stone idol of Kannagi in sitting posture.
She has folded her one leg and sitting like a new bride and holding an
anklet. She has the hair style which is very very related to Madurai area.
Why she is here? Let us go to next article.
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