article on Tirukoilur (an account of Saiva and Vaishnava history)

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Abode of peace and tranquillity

 

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08-12-1995 :: Pg: 31 :: Col: d

 

Cl: Religion

 

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Tirukoilur promises solace and succour to spiritual seekers. An

account...

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Tirukoilur, located within the spiritual aura of

Arunachala, the hill of the holy beacon, beckons spiritual

seekers, promising solace and succour.

 

This area, where the Vaamana avataara is said to have

taken place, is known for its divine bards, revered saints,

spiritual ambience, ancient shrines, and Vijayanagara

architecture. Peace and tranquillity reign supreme in Tirukoilur.

 

The meeting of the Mudal Alwars (Poygai, Bhutam and Pey)

in the house of sage Mrigandu in Tirukoilur is well known. This

holy town has also the samadhis of three revered saints Sri

Raghothama Teertha of the Srimad Uttaradi Mutt (1557-1596), Swami

Gnanananda Giri, a Mahayogi and Gnanasiddha, who attained

salvation in 1974, and Gnaniyar Swamigal, founder of the

Tirukoilur Tamil Sangam. The Sangam period poet Kapilar attained

jeevanmukthi by fasting on a rock here, in the south Pennar

river.

 

Tirukoilur is also the birthplace of renowned

personalities such as the first Raja Raja Chola's mother

Vanavanmaadevi, Tamil poet-scholar Athi Madhura Kaviraayan who

lived during the period of Kavi Kalamegham, (13th century), King

Meyporul Nayanaar also known as Milad Udayar (seventh century)

saint-poet Kapila Deva Nayanaar, who authored the 11th

Thirumurai, historical story writer Chandilyan...

 

Sri Raghottama Theertha chose Tirukoilur as his

headquarters to spread the Dwaita Siddhanta in the country while

Gnanananda Giri Swamiji established `Tapovanam', to encourage the

study of Vedanta. Also a Gnanasiddha, he cured diseases through

his Siddha medicines. Jeeyar Madom was founded here by Sree

Emperumanaar to spread Vaishnavism during the 16th century.

 

The poet who wrote Tirukoilur Sathakam (a collection of

100 poems) Kavimamani Uthiyan (38) is incidentally, the present

president of the Tirukoilur Tamil Sangam. He has authored seven

novels, 400 dramas and around 2000 poems. He is the Indian

representative to the ``World Tamil Poets Organisation''

headquartered in Malaysia.

 

Unique are the temples here, so too the idols. The ten ft

tall idol of Varadaraja Perumal in Manam poondi, built in stone

during the Pallava period is in meditating sitting posture. The p73

Sreedevi and Bhoodevi idols are six ft tall; the Sthalapuranam

reveals that both goddesses had meditated here. The Vamana idol

in the Ulagalanda Perumal Temple is one of the three such rare

idols in the country. The second is in Srirangam, the third in

Rishikesh. The Vishnu's idol in the Ulagalanda Perumal temple is

16 ft tall. The Ten ft tall Sivalingam of the Pallava period

carved in stone, in the Vellai Ganapathy temple is yet another

attraction. The Rajagopuram of the Trivikrama Temple is the

fourth largest heightwise in Tamil Nadu. The 1300 year old Siva

temple stands as a memorial to the killing of Andhakaasura by

Lord Siva. The marriage hall just outside the temple was

constructed during the Vijayanagara period, in the 14th century.

Ganesha, seated south west of this temple has been worshipped by

poetess Avvayar (seventh century) ``Seetha kamala poom porpada

kamalam''.

 

History reveals that one among the eight Veerateshwara

(Siva) temples, in the country, is in Tirukoilur, also worshipped

by Appar and Tirugnanasambandar and saints such as

Arunagirinathar and Ramana Maharshi.

 

The Aathulyannatha temple (Siva) with Goddess Arul Nayaki

built in the seventh century during the Pallava period is

situated on the northern bank of the River South Pennar on a

flattened rock. The Rajagopuram faces south while the main temple

faces west. Five caves beneath and a temple tank are other

features of this temple.

 

Srivilliputhur Alwar, lived here during the 14th century.

Swami Shanathananda Saraswathi had his schooling in Tirukoilur,

before becoming the disciple of Swami Gnanananda Giri, who

directed him to take sannyas from the Himalayan sage Swami

Sivananda.

 

Sanskrit scholar Krishna Premi predicts that Varadaraja

Perumal at Manam poondi will have a great temple in the days to

come. The idol is at present under a temporary shelter. The

temple built in the eighth century is believed to have been

destroyed in the 12th century by floods. ``Nowadays, poojas are

offered on a daily basis. We are also planning to construct a

temple'' says Dr. T. S. Jayaraman, a homeopathic doctor, one of

the trustees of this temple.

 

The Tirukoilur Cultural Society has been conducting

``Kapilar Vizha'', an annual affair (May 1 to 4) with unabated

regularity for the last 19 years. Mr. T. S. Thiyagarajan

president of the Society, which has 100 members, says that top-

notch artistes, scholars and musicians have performed spoken

during the vizha. ``Kapila Vaanar'' title is also presented by

the society to up and coming poets, annually.

 

``With better roads, more informative literature in

English, the Tourism Department can attract more tourists to

Tirukoilur'' remarks Mr. K. Natarajan, a school teacher, at

present doing research on the cultural heritage of the Tirukoilur p73

area.

 

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R. KESAVA MALLIA

 

 

 

 

 

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