The Visit to this
Mangala Devi Kannagi Temple was a part of “Mangala Devi Kannagi’s Adichuvattil
Heritage Walk” - organized by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatrua Ayvu Sangam, on
22nd – 23rd April 2024.
The temple is
situated on the VinneRRiparai also known as Neduvel Kundram as per Silapathiharam (from where Kannagi was taken by Kovalan through flower chariot
to the Vinnulagam), which is about 4380 Meters above MSL.
The presiding Deity: Sri Kannagi
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple complex consists of the Durgai Amman/Bhagavathy Amman temple (built in Kerala
style) facing east with a Vinayagar Shrine, An old platform/foundation/adhistanam of the temple where a damaged statue in which the left leg is folded and
right leg is touching the ground. The right leg has the ornament- Silambu ( it
is believed that this was the old statue of Kannagi ), the Kannagi shrine facing
South in which Utsavar is kept and poojas are done, and the Shiva Temple, which
is also facing East. All the temples and mandapas are in dilapidated condition.
Shiva temple is the biggest one in the complex. The entrance to the complex is
through a Rajagopuram base, which is on the North side, facing Madurai.
ARCHITECTURE
The
Shiva temple is on a kapota bandha upanam. Bas-reliefs of Cow milking on a
Shiva Lingam, Birds and creeper designs,
Dwarfs, etc are in the upanam kanda portions. The outer wall had fallen
down. The superstructure/Vimanam is missing only the center portion is
visible like a heap of stones and bricks.
The
Rajagopuram was built on upanam and pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam.
The structure above the adhistanam is missing.
Rajagopuram Base
Rajagopuram Base
Rajagopuram Base
The
Compound wall was found around the complex and Kannagi's Sannidhi is at the center.
Kannagi Sannidhi
Kannagi shrine
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
is believed that the original temple belongs to Chera King Cheran Senkuttuvan
and the Kannagi idol was made out of stone brought from Himalayan Hills.
Chozhas and Pandyas rebuilt the temple with stones. Based on the inscription
stones found in the temple in various places, it is presumed that the temple
was reconstructed once again. Now the temple is in dilapidated condition, and couldn’t
rebuilt due to various reasons like forced occupation by the Kerala Government
from the Tamil Nadu Government, not willingness to reconstruct the temple by both Governments, formation of approach roads, etc,.
There
are 8 inscriptions recorded from this temple under ARN 277 and 284, in addition
to this a Pandya period inscription was also recorded from the Northeast corner of
the Compound wall, in 2017. Out of nine inscriptions 7 belong to Pandyas and 2
belong to Chozhas. Outside this temple, Samandipuram and Gudalur Azhagar
temple inscriptions mention this temple.
Rajaraja
Chozha and Kulasekara Pandya’s inscriptions record Kannagi’s name as Sri
Poorani.
The
Kulasekara Pandya’s (1268 – 1308 CE) 29th reign year inscription
on the inner side stone of North side entrance,
records the hill as Pooranagiri and Deity’s name as “Pooranagiri Nachiar”.
From
Kambam to Angur Palayam road, the place called Samundipuram, the Padipurakottam
of Mangaladevi existed. The same is called Chamundeeswari. A 13th-century Pandya period inscription (not in readable condition ) is available in
this temple. The temple tank is called Udaiya Nachi kulam. This Kulam/Tank is on the Peru vazhi (Ancient route). Fearing the wild animals, the
people worship Mangala Devi at this place.
The
1658 CE Chera King Kulasekara Nayanar’s period inscription at Gudalur Azhagar
Temple, records the lands gifted to the 6 temples for Poojas. In that, one
temple Deity's name is mentioned as “Mangala Devi”. This inscription mentions the
periphery limits of lands. The lands gifted are 15 kalam from Mangala Devi
Amman’s Pooja, Azhagar temple 60 Kalam, Vanmiga Nathar 10 kalam, Periyathu Sastha temple 15
kalam, for Brahmana’s bhojanam / food
for Brahmins 5 kalam, Ettuma Nallur 50,
for 6, temples Brahmana Bhojanam 200 kalam.
Note
The
inscription mentions the year and date as 1658 CE, August 9th ( Ref
Madras Epigraphical Reports 288, 1928-1929). The already-found inscriptions
refer to deities such as Pooranu, Aludaya Nachiar, Udaiya Nachiar, and Mangala Devi. But the
new incomplete inscription found in the temple is an important one. The
Gudalur, land donation inscription mentions the deity name as Aludaiya
Nachiar.
For
the inscriptions, the Deity's name is found as Poorani, Aludaiya Nachiar, Udaiya
Nachiar, and Mangala Devi. None of the inscriptions mentions directly as Kannagi is
to be noted.
The
Srilanka Mattakilappu, a local poem that praises Kannagi as
“காரணி நாரணி காளி கங்காயி
கண்ணன் சகோதரி வண்ண மாமாரி,
பூரணி முக்கண்ணி வேத நாயகியே
புகழான மானாகர் மகளான திருவே
ஏரணி முக்கண்ணி வேத நாயகியே
ஏழையடியார்கள் வினை ஈடேற்றுவாயே
வீரமா காளியே தெட்சிணா காளியே
மேவரிய கல்லாறு வாழும் நாயகியே”
In
this local song Poorani, one of the names of Kannagi mentioned is to be
observed.
Ref:
The
inscription details are from the Book: கண்ணகி கோயிலும் வைகைப்
பெருவழியும் - எழுதியவர் பாவெல் பாரதி.
LEGENDS
The
story of Kannagi Kottam
As
per the Sangam literature Silapathiharam written by Ilango Adigal, Kannagi who
was the daughter of Masathuvan, a merchant, and Kovalam, who also belongs to a
Merchant Chettiar Group, got married and lived together till Kovalam found
Madhavi a dancer. After losing all his wealth came back to Kannagi and wanted
to do business again, somewhere. They came to Madurai to sell one of her
anklets, where Kovalan was branded as a thief for stealing Queen’s anklet and
killed. Knowing this Kannagi came to Pandya Kings’s Court with anger and proved
that her husband was not a thief and cursed Madurai to destroy due to fire.
With anger not subsided and dismay, Kannagi walked along the Vaigai river and
reached the VinneRRi parai also known as Neduvel Kundram. Kovalan came in a
pusbha Vimana, tied the mangal sutra again, and took her back. Hence Kannagui is
called Mangala Devi.
This
incident was narrated to Chera King Cheran Senguttuvan, by the Kundra Kuravas.
Seethalai Sathanar also said that he had seen the same. Cheran Senguttuvan and
his Queen decided to build a temple for Kannagi on the place where She went to
Vinnulagam. He also brought the Stone for the Kannagi idol from the Himalayas after
conquering the north Indian Kings and built this Kannagi Kottam.
Kannagi
Kottam identification...
It
was proved that the Sangam Literature Silapathikaram, written by Ilango Adigal,
is a real story of Kanngi, by Prof Dr Govindarajan. He traveled from Poompuhar
to this place, as described in the Silapathikaram Literature. He started his
journey in 1945, through the footpaths of Kannagi and Kovalan, and reached this
Hill where the Kannagi Kottam was constructed on 17th November 1963.
For his lifetime achievement, he was conferred with the Tholkappiyar award, by the
then-Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in 2012.
Based
on the temple construction, Pandya and Chozha period Tamil and Vattezhu
inscriptions available, and the damaged Kannagi Idol, it was concluded that this
place is the Kannaki Kottam mentioned in the Silapathikaram. The idol was in
three pieces and he took the head and compared the rock available on the hill
and the idol rock. As per the analysis result the idol rock does not belong to
this hill, but, belongs to the Himalayan Hill region. It was told that the head
of the Kannagi idol was handed over to the then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and
after that, the whereabouts are not known. It was told that the center part also
missing in a court.
Prof Dr Govindarajan
The
Conflict of the Temple’s Location
As
per the East India Company’s 1817 CE survey, this place was in Tamil Nadu’s territory.
Later the Surveys were conducted in 1893, 1896, and the 1913 & 1915 boundary
limits of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The 1976 survey conducted jointly by the Tamil
Nadu and Kerala government officials also confirmed the same. In the meeting, it was agreed that the temple was about 40 feet from the Territory limit inside
Tamil Nadu. In 1976 the Mangala Devi Kannagi Kottam trust was formed at Gudalur
to rebuild the Temple. Tamil Nadu Government agreed to lay a road inside the Tamil
Nadu Territory and fund was also allocated. In the meantime, Kerala Government had
laid a road from Thekkadi and claims Kannagi kottam is in its territory. The
sad part of this episode is the Tamil Nadu Government, had not taken any steps to solve this issue nor raised any objections.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Poojas
are done only on Chithra Pournami day, that too from 06.00 hrs. to 18.00 hrs. Devotees
are allowed to climb up both on vehicles and trekking from 06.00 hrs to 14.00
Hrs. A lot of restrictions are imposed by the Kerala Government. Only one Pongal
can be prepared by the Mangala Devi trust and offered to Kannagi and the food supply
is restricted to 7 tractors.
As a part of the Chitra Pournami Celebration, The Mangala Devi Trust will bring Holy water
from the river Kaveri. The same will be handed over to the Descendants of the
Pandya’s Poonjar, who took care of these areas for nearly 800 years. The same
holy water will be handed over to the trustees of Mangala Devi for
abhishekam.
The pooja schedule
05.00 hrs to
05.30 hrs Palli Unarthal
05.30 hrs to
06.00 hrs Worship with flower
06.00 hrs to
06.30 hrs Yaga Sala Pooja
06.30 hrs to
07.00 hrs Mangala isai
07.00 hrs to
16.30 hrs Food distribution to
devotees
07.30 hrs to
09.00 hrs Pongal, distribution of
Prasad
09.00 hrs to
10.00 hrs Pal kudam
14.30 hrs to
15.00 hrs Music Program
15.00 hrs to
16.00 hrs Aval Prasad distribution
17.00 hrs to
18.00 hrs Poomari celebration
06.00 hrs to
17.30 hrs Devotees offering,
distribution of Mangala
thread and bangles
The
poojas are conducted at the Durgai Temple / Bhagavathy Temple by the Kerala
Thantris/priests. Aval, Pongal,
Turmeric powder. Kumkum and sandal paste are given as Prasad.
Believed to be the idol of Kannagi
Believed to be the idol of Kannagi
HOW
TO REACH
This
temple on the hill is situated on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and may be
approached from Thekkadi / Kumily and Kambam. Those who are desirous of going
by trekking from Tamil Nadu can go through Kambam – Gudalur – Lower camp –
Paliyankudi by vehicle, and then by trekking to VinneRRiparai, about 10 km, this
route will be tough.
Alternatively
Before Paliyankudi- can reach Nayakar Thozhuvu – Kannagipuram, from here the
trekking distance will be 3.5 km.
10
km from Gudalur Paliyankudi and about 17 km from Kumily / Thekkadi. People will
also trek from Kumily/Thekkady. Jeeps are available from Kumily Bus
stand (has to wait in the looooong Q from morning 04.00 Hrs).
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Maybe for Sobanam side/Steps
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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