Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai Worship at Perangiyur, Thimmachur, Jambai, Jambai Sri Jambunatheswarar Temple, Perani, Sendiyampakkam, Alagramam, Thiruvandarkoil and Melolakkur in Villupuram and Kallakurichi Districts, Tamil Nadu.

The worship of Jyeshta Devi started from the 3^rd Century BCE and continued till the 7^th to the 8^th Century. She was called Mootha Devi, Moodevi, Thavvai, Settai, Kettai, and Mamugadi. As per Sangam's literature, She was worshiped as a female deity after Kotravai and mentioned as Thavvai.   She holds the Crow flag and broom. She is shown with large pendulous breast, flabby belly, and thick thighs. These are seen and considered as the good sign of wealthyness ( வளமையின் சின்னமாக பார்க்கப்பட்டது ) and fertility. During the Pallava period, Thavvai was in a separate temple and donations were made for worship.

By the 7^th to 8^th Century  Aryans gained popularity and raised to the level of controlling temples. By quoting the Agamas and Puranas, Jyeshta is the elder sister of Lakshmi who came first while churning the milk ocean by Devas and Asuras to get the amrith. She came first with an Ugly face, flabby belly, and Thick thigh, holding crow flag and broom. They changed the people’s minds as that Thavvai is an  inauspicious goddess and those, who worship will be in poverty. 

By the 10^th century, the worship of Thavvai slowed down and the Deities were moved out of the temples. Even though She is not worshiped popularly, her son Mandhan with the bull ( some claim as buffaloe ) is worshiped to get relieved from the Mandhi dosha. In this article, we will see some of the Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai sculptures of Villupuram District. In that, some are still in worship.

Perangiyur, Sri Thirumoolanathar Temple, Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai…  Thavvai is shown with a flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag and broom are shown on her back. She wears ornaments in the ears, neck, and Yagnopaveetha. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both Sides. Thavvai is resting both hands on her two attendants. This Thavvai is in sitting posture, whereas Mandhan and Mandhi are in standing posture.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Thimmachur, Jyeshta Devi

In this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue,  Thavvai is in sitting posture on the throne and resting her leg on the ground. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. Her right hand is abhaya hasta and her left hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments in her ears, neck, and Yagnopaveetha. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her sons Mandhan and Mandhi are also in sitting posture on both sides.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Jambai, Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai

In this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue, Thavvai is in sitting posture. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. Her right hand is holding a lotus flower and her left hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments in her ears, neck, and Yagnopaveetha. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are in standing posture on both sides.

This Thavvai was worshiped in Allinathar Temple ( also called as Nagareecharathu alwar..? and the place was called as Valaiyur ) ( which was in dilapidated condition and now under reconstruction ) and now she is in the middle of the field.  There are two inscriptions inscribed on the rock/boulder near her. The inscription belongs to Kannaradevan's period and records the donations made to this temple. This area comprises Maladu Vanakopadi, Singapura nadu was ruled by the Vaithumba King, who helped Kannara Devan in the Thakkolam war. 

 

The Kannaradevan's 18th reign year, the Vaithumba King had given a gift of 20 Kalanju gold to Thiruvaiyar SankaraPadiar to burn lamp at Nagareecharthu alwar. 

The inscription under the above belongs to Kannaradeva's 23rd reign's year. One of the bodyguards of Vaithumba King who helped in Thakkolam War, who also belongs to Kaikolar sect Padai/ regiment called Anukkan Thoothuvan, established an endowment of burning a lamp at Valaiyur Nagareecharathu Alwar Temple. A gift of 15 Kalanju gold was gifted to the temple's Valanchiyar. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Jambai, Sri Jambunathar temple, Jyeshta devi / Thavvai.

This Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai is in worship along with other deities. It was told that this Thavvai belongs to Rashtrakutas. In this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue, Thavvai is in a sitting posture on the throne and resting her leg on the ground. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. She is holding a lotus flower in her right hand and her left-hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments on her ears and neck. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her sons Mandhan and Mandhi are also in sitting posture on both sides.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Perani, Thavvai ( Jyeshta Devi with Manthan and Manthi )

This Thavvai belongs to the Pallava period and is not in worship, lying as a loose sculpture in the outer praharam. Thavvai is shown with a flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag is shown on her back. She wears ornaments in the ears and neck. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both Sides. Thavvai’s right hand is holding something or abhaya hastam and the left hand is holding a water pot. This Thavvai is in sitting posture, whereas Mandhan and Mandhi are in standing posture. Since Thavvai's sculpture is in highly eroded condition, couldn’t obtain all the details.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Sendiyampakkam, Shiva Temple Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai.

This Thavvai belongs to the Pallava period and is in worship and installed in the praharam along with Murugan, Maha Vishnu, and Durga.  Thavvai is shown with a flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag is shown on her back. She wears ornaments in the ears, neck, and Yagnopaveetha. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both sides in sitting posture. Thavvai’s right hand is abhaya hastam and holding a water pot on the left hand.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Alagramam, Thavvai at Sri Chelliamman temple

This Thavvai is in sitting posture with with large pendulous breast, flabby belly, and thick thighs. Her hands are hanging, whether they are resting on something is not known. She wears ornaments in the ears and neck. She is sitting alone without his son and daughter. This Thavvai was made like a statue.

LOCATIONS OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Thiruvandarkoil 

This Thavvai is in sitting Posture. Her Crow flag is shown on her back. Her Son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both sides. This Thavvai may belong to the Chozha period.

 

LOCATION: CLICK HERE  

 

 

Melolakkur, Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai 

The Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai Thai is with her daughter Manthi and her son Mandhan. Local people call this a Durgai Amman or an Ellai Amman  (  Amman at the Limit point for the village ). Jyeshta Devi is in the form of bas-relief, which is not protruding much. She is in a sitting posture with her legs folded. A Big belly is shown and ornaments are shown in the ears and on the neck. Her crow flag and broomstick are shown on her back.  Mandhan is shown with a human face instead of the usual buffaloe’s head and holding a Dhandam in the right hand. This is very much similar to the relief found at Chunambedu. As per the historians, both reliefs are of the 6^th century Pallava period. 

LOCATION OF JYESHTA DEVI BAS-RELIEF:  CLICK HERE 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---