Wednesday 11 October 2017

Pamban Srimath Kumaraguru Dasa Swamigal Temple /Pamban Swamigal Temple / ஸ்ரீ பாம்பன் குமரகுருதாச சுவாமிகள் கோயில், திருவான்மியூர் / Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

07th October 2017.
After the Darshan of Sri Kasi Viswanathar and Sri Marundeeswarar, at Thiruvanmiyur went to this Pamban Sri Kumaraguru Dasa Swamigal Jeeva Samadhi temple, next to Kalakshetra dedicated to  a Siddhar and an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan who lived in 19th century.


The Complex consists of a 1941 CE Mayura Puram building where the office and the Madapalli functions, a shed in which a bronze  Murugan Statue worshiped by Pamban Swamigal and his statue are facing east, Jeeva Samadhi of Sri Pamban Swamigal and on  the back jeeva samadhi of his disciple Sri Subramaniya Dasar.

The brief history of Sri Pamban KumaraGuru Dasa Swamigal….. Pamban Swamigal was born in 1848 CE and Appavu was the name given by his parents. On  seeing his seeing his intelligence Sethu Madhava Iyer initiated him at Agni Theertham. At an appropriate age  his parents and Sethu Madhava Iyer arranged his marriage and was blessed with a son and two daughters.

His life was full of mysteries and miracles conducted Lord Murugan. Starting from his young age, he composed many hymns on Lord Muruga and Shanmuga Kavasam is an extraordinary one. He want to direct initiation of Palanimalai Murugan. For the same he constructed a small room in a grave yard and meditated for 35 days and Lord Murugan appeared before him and gave darshan. From then he led his life like a sanyasi. In 1895 CE came to Chennai and stayed at Bangaru Ammal’s residence. The transport, stay and food was arranged by Lord Murugan without his knowledge. In 1896 CE he travelled to Chidambaram and wrote a Upanishad called “Thakaralaya Rakashyam”. He travelled to many places and worshipped Lord Muruga. One such place is the Kumarakottam of Kanchipuram where Lord Muruga him self called to worship him. Pamban Swamigal travelled to Varanasi where he took the real sanyasam and started wearing kavi vasthairam.

He didn’t attend the funerals of his mother and his own son, even though he knew through his vision, before the telegram reaches to him.

In the year 1923 CE he met with an accident in which his left leg was broken and was admitted in the Chennai, the then Madras,  Govt Hospital. The British Doctors decided to amputate the left leg up to knee and operation date was also fixed. On that day night a peacock came in to his room and sat on his leg and waved its feathers on the broken portion. On the next day when the doctors inspected and to their surprise the broken knee was joined and wound also healed, due  to grace of Lord Muruga. On 30th May 1929 CE attained jeeva Samadhi at Chennai. He was also called as “Ahiyaserma Sudha Vithiga Saiva Siddhanta Ganabanu”

TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 21.00 hrs and night will be opened during pournami night / Full moon day.

HOW TO REACH:
Temple is just a KM from Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus and lot of many buses are there from various parts of the city.
Autos are also available from Bus terminus.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 Jeeva Samadhi of Sri Pamban Swamigal







 The Shed in which Lord Murugan statue worshiped by Pamban Swamigal is installed 


 Jeeva Samadhi  of Srimad Subramaniya Dasar, one of the Pamban Swamigal's disciple.
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Saturday 7 October 2017

The First School and Church at Kunnur of Kalrayan Hills, – A Heritage visit, Salem District, Tamil Nadu,

1st October 2017.
The visit to this School and the Church at Kunnur, near Karumandurai was a part of Kalrayan Hills Heritage visit organized by the Salem Historical Research Centre ( SHRC ). Mr Perumal, who is working as a teacher in this  Kunnur Middle School led us and explained the functioning of the school.

E C BRAND
The land to this school and Church was donated by E C Brand ( Evelyn Constance). Evelyn, a Christian preacher came to Chennai in 1907, worked at Senthamangalam and Kolli Hills. Six years latter in the Year 1913 she married Jesimen Brand at Senthamangalam. After the demise of Jesimen Brand in the year 1929, E C  Brand came to Kalrayan Hills and constructed  the first Church at Karumandurai in 1948. She devoted her whole life towards  education and providing medicine  to the Tribal and  backward community of Kalrayan hills. Hence the people of Kalrayan Hills and Kolli Hills  called her fondly as “Amma” and she passed way in 1974.

GOVERNMENT TRIBAL SCHOOL WITH BOARDING
The 2 acres of  land for this school was donated by E C Brand. The School was started in the year 1964 through Harijan beneficiary Department of Salem. Mr Perumal said,  about 150 Tribal village students are studying in this school.






S D DHASON MEMORIAL CHURCH C S I PATHIRAMANGALAM-  KUNNOOR 
The  C.S.I, Church was  constructed in the recent years adjacent  to the school. The  2 acre land for constructing this Church was donated by E C Brand. The Church is simple in construction with a simple cross alter. The out side is maintained beautifully with a variety of  flowering plants and rose garden. 


---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Friday 6 October 2017

Sri Kariya Ramar Temple with 18th Century inscription Stone, at Kariya Kovil, near Karumandurai, of Kalrayan Hills, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

1st October 2017.
For Lunch, we stopped at Kariya Ramar Temple at Kariya Kovil 11 Km from Karumandurai. An excellent hot launch contains  Sambar rice, curd rice, potato chips with SHRC’s special VADA was served by SHRC, thanks to the organizers. After Lunch we had the darshan of Sri Kariya Ramar.


Moolavar : Kariya Ramar with Seetha and Lakshmanan.

Some of the important features of this temple are…
The temple is facing east with an old wooden dwajasthambam / Deepasthambham and a stucco Hanuman with Ramar and Lakshmana on his shoulders. There is a three tier Rajagopuram at the entrance of the maha mandapam.

In sanctum Ramar with Seetha and lakshmanan. Bronze statues are in front. Urchavars are in the antarala. Palipedam and Garudan ( Instead of Hanuman ) are in artha mandapam. Sanctum vimanam is like a rajagopuram.  There is a Chariot kept in side a shed on the right side of the temple.

ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, Artha mandapam and a maha mandapam. 

HISTORY  AND INSCRIPTIONS
Out side there are many statues of Nandi, rat, alien  like statues are scattered around. It was told that the rat was the symbol of Vanakovarayars who ruled that area. And also it was told the original temple might have been built during Vanakovarayars period. Moolavars belongs to 15th century ( Vanakovarayars period ).

The Historians also believed that this hill malayalis ( not the keralites ) came from Kanchipuram and settled in Kalrayan Hills during 7th Century to safe guard Kariya Ramar Temple.

INSCRIPTION STONES
There are two inscription stones erected in front of this Kariya Ramar Temple. In one tablet,  the inscriptions are damaged completely and not legible to read. The other one belongs to 18th century, which speaks about a land donated to this temple. The details are as follows.

Thallaaraiyak Gounder and Madurai Veeraiya Gounder donated a land to this Kariya Perumal temple situated at Melai Chemparakkai village.The inscription is also reproduced as given below…
முன்புறம்
1. (விரோகிறி வருஷம் மார்
2. கழி மாதம் 21 தள்ள
3. (ரயகவுண்டர் மேல்ம
4. வீரையகவுண்டர் மேல்ம யுள்பட 
5 (லைநாட்டாரும் கரிய
6 (பருமாளுக்கு மேலைச்
7. செம்பறக்கை திருவி
8. விளையாட்டாம்
9. படி நஞ்சை புஞ்சை
10. நாற்பாக்கெல்லை
11. யு(ம்சகலமும்
12. த்தி (சூரியர்வன ()
13.  (கு)தம் பண் (ணின)
14  வர் கெ (ங்கையிலே)
பின்புறம்
15. ()ராம் பசுவை
16. கொன்ற பா
17. வத்திலே (போ)
18. ()டைவர்கள்


Not legible to read

LEGENDS
As per the legend Kariya Ramar came from Kanchipuram to Kariya kovil with full of sandal wood trees. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Poojas are conducted as per tribal type and not as per agama. The pooja is being conducted by non Brahmin Malayali priest. During pooja,  the poojari covers his mouth with cloth / towel. Vibhuti was given as prasadam.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE







---OM SHIVAYA NAMA--- 

Nature's Treasure, Gift, treat, beauty of Kalrayan Hills, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

1st October 2017.
During August 2017, Mr Prumal took us to see the hero stones erected at the base of the Kalrayan Hills. Most of the hero stones are located in the fields and middle of the beetle nut farms. After seeing the picturesque location requested him to take us to Kalrayan Hills also. The Heritage visit to Kalrayan Hills organized by Salem Historical research center  gave me the opportunity of seeing and enjoying the Nature’s beauty, gift, treat, heritage value etc.,  of Kalrayan Hills on 1st October 2017.


Enjoyed the less traffic roads with number of hairpin bends, lush green hills,  stepped fields on the hill slopes, Coffee plants, pepper plants on the silver oak trees, Valleys with paddy fields, Medicinal plants,  fresh and not much polluted air which refreshed our mind and body....


The Kalrayan hills is a treasure of heritage values with ten thousand years old Neolithic tools worshipped as Pillayar and Perumal by the tribal Villagers, Dolmens erected for the dead - also called as Kulla Pandi houses by the local people, Karkuvai, Hero stones, Sati stones, a 11th century Rajendra Chozha –I, Period Kal Chekku with inscriptions, inscription tablets and of-course tribal temples too. This gives us opportunity to learn the heritage Values of the hill, the customs, culture of the Tribal villagers and their way of life etc,.


I extend my sincere thanks to the Organisers Pon Venkatesh, Dr Ponnambalam, Periyar mannan, Kalai selvan, Jeevanarayanan, Our Guru Srinivasan, and the great Perumal ( the man behind this show ) and the advisers Mrs & Mr Veeraraghavan and Pandian, for given me the opportunity to join this Heritage visit with the hot and tasty afternoon lunch & SHRC’s special Vada. Thanks once again and will continue my journey in the forthcoming visits too…

 School children

ஆகஸ்டு மாதம் 2017, திரு பெருமாளுடன் கல்வராயன் மலை அடிவாரம் வரை நடுகற்களைக் காணச் சென்று இருந்தோம். மலையின் அடிவாரமே பாக்கு மற்றும் தென்னை மரத் தோப்புகளுடன் நிறைந்து மிகவும் அழகாக இருந்தது. மலையின் அடிவாரமே இப்படி இருந்தால் மலையின் மேலே இன்னும் எவ்வளவு நன்றாக இருக்கும் என் கருதி திரு பெருமாளிடம்  கல்வராயன் மலைக்கு ஒருதடவை அழைத்துச் செல்லுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொண்டு இருந்தேன். அந்த வாய்ப்பு சேலம் வரலாற்று ஆய்வு மையத்தின் மூலமாக அக்டோபர் மாதம் ஒன்றாம் தேதி 2017ல் நடத்தப்பட்ட கல்வராயன் மலை மரபு நடையின் மூலம் கிடைத்தது.

உயர்ந்த மலைகள்,, வளைந்து நெளிந்து சென்ற அதிக போக்குவரத்து அற்ற சாலைகள், கொண்டை ஊசி வளைவுகள்,  பச்சை பசேல் என்ற புல் வெளிகள், மலைகளின்  சரிவில் செயற்கையாக ஏற்படுத்தப்பட்ட படி போன்ற அமைப்புடன் விளை நிலங்கள், பள்ளத்தாக்குகளில் நெல் வயல்கள், காபி தோட்டங்கள், அதில் ஊடு பயிராக வளர்க்கப்பட்ட மிளகு கொடிகள், அவை பற்றி வளர நடப்பட்ட சில்வர்ஓக் மரங்கள், மூலிகை செடிகள், கடுக்காய் மரங்கள் அப்பப்பா இன்னும் எத்தனையோ… இவற்றிற்க்கும் மேலாக  மாசினால் அதிகமாக பாதிக்கப்படாத காற்று, மிதமான தட்ப வெட்பம்.. அஹா.. அருமையாக இருந்தது.

வழி நெடுகிலும் அங்கங்கே காணப்பட்ட குக்கிராமங்கள், அவர்கள் வாழ்க்கை முறைகள்,  கேள்விப்பட்ட அவர்கள் பிறப்பு, திருமண, இறப்பு சடங்குகள் ஒரு பிரமிப்பை ஏற்ப்படுத்தியது. இதற்கும் மேலாக சதி கற்கள், கல்வெட்டுக்களுடன் கூடிய சோழர்கள் காலம் 11ம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சார்ந்த கல்லில் செதுக்கப்பட்ட செக்கு, எழுத்துக்களுடன் கூடிய பலகை கற்கள், வீர கற்கள், குள்ள பாண்டி வீடுகள் என்று மலை வாழ் மக்களால் அழைக்கப்படும் இறந்த மனிதர்களின் ஈம கல்திட்டைகள், கற்குவைகள், மலை வாழ் மக்கள் பிள்ளையார் எனவும் பெருமாள் எனவும்  கடவுளாகக் கருதி வணங்கும் சுமார் பத்தாயிரம் வருடத்திற்க்கு முற்பட்ட கற்கால மனிதர்கள் உபயோகித்த கல் ஆயுதங்கள் என நம் முன்னோரின் ஒரு வரலாறே இந்த மலையில் புதைந்தும் கொட்டியும் கிடக்கின்றது. இன்னும் தோண்ட தோண்ட என்ன என்ன கிடைக்குமோ…. அவற்றில் சில வைரங்களையே நாம் கண்டவை…  கோவில்களுக்கும் பஞ்சமில்லை..

பல இன்னல்களுக்கு இடையே இந்த மரபு நடையை நடாத்திய நம் சேலம் வரலாற்று ஆய்வு மைய பொறுப்பாளர்கள் பொன் வெங்கடேசன், மருத்துவர் பொன்னம்பலம், தளபதிகள் கலைச் செல்வன், ஜீவ நாராயணன், எங்கள் குரு சீனுவாசன், அன்பு நண்பர் பெருமாள் ( இவரின் நட்பை பெற நான் தவம் செய்து இருக்க வேண்டும் ), பெரியார் மன்னன், , ஆலோசகர்கள் பாண்டியன், அய்யா வீரமணி வீராசாமி என அனைவருக்கும் என் நெஞ்சார்ந்த நன்றிகள்.. இவர்களின் விருந்தோம்பல் என் வாழ்வில் மறக்க முடியாத நிகழ்வுகள்.  கள்ளம் கபடம் அற்ற இவர்களுடன் தொடரும் என்பயணம். நன்றி.. நன்றி.. நன்றி... 










 Pepper plant 


 Still the native breed exists
 Cable & Dish TV too entered 

A simple function to release the Book on Kalrayan Hills by SHRC
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---