Thiru maal irum sOlai - part 7 - chithra thiru vizhaa

[Guest guest]

Thiru maal irum sOlai - part 8 - chithra thiru vizhaa

for kaLLazhagar

 

The most important festival for Sri KaLLazhagar is the

one that is celebrated during the chithra month powrNami

(full moon). This is chithra festival celebrated with

vakravar. The chithra thiru vizhaa that starts in

madurai meeNaakshi temple and this chithra festival of

Lord kaLLazhagar start on the same day and time. Prior

to King Thirumalai naayaakar's rule (He was ruling in

Madurai as his capital for sometime) these festivals

were celebrated on 2 different time of the year

separated by months. It is noted that Lord Azhagar's

chithra festival took place always in chiththirai as per

the current schedule and meeNakshi kOil's festival used

to take place during the month of "maasi". The street

where meeNakshi's car plies around during the car

festival is thus named after the month maasi and is

known as maasi veethi. Prior to King Thirumalai

nAyakkar's rule Lord Azhagar will travel (even now ?!)

passing through "azhaga"nalloor, thEnoor, and reach

madurai and step down in river vaigai and stay in

"vaNdiyoor" and reach azhagar malai in chithra month. It

is reported in history that King thirumala nAyakkar

combined both the festivals to bring those mass momentum

and speciality and add to the religious sentiments of

his public.

There is also another story that's reported in the

later day shaivite's tradition. It is said that Lord

Azhagar came here to see the marriage of HIS *younger

sister* meeNAkshi's marriage. While travelling from HIS

azhagar malai, HE stopped at several places

(ILaippaaRuthal ie in modern words taking a break during

the long journey of 12 miles all by foot). It is seen

even today that large amount of water is pumped in and

sprayed through huge hoses on the public who are

gathered all along the way of this 12 miles from all

over in hundreds of thousands, to quench the heat and

also the holy water of silambAru is sprayed on the Lord

as his procession walks down and the battars constantly

do sAmaram that is visiri or fan to blow some cool air

on the Lord. It is also said that the entire town of

madurai come to receive this Lord azhagar whom they

worship as Lord Vishnu and param and "aathimoolam"

personally with complete mariyaathai (protocol of

respects offered to Lord all through out the way) and

poorNa kumbam. (Many madurai district vaasis even now

name their sons as "aathimoolam" and this is next best

name in madurai as compared to many pAndiyans). Such

ethir mariyaathai is known as "ethir sEvai" in popular

terms during this festival. However the story of azhagar

coming here for the sake of HIS sister's marriage is not

reported in purAnams and hence don't have purAnic

backing. It is widely considered by Historians that king

thirumalai nAyakkar attempted to bring harmony among

shaivaite and srivaishnavite followers and hence moved

the meeNAkshi temple festival from mAsi and combined it

with the ever prominent azhagar festival in chiththirai.

Even today it is believed that the state government of

Tamil nadu provides some support for this festival as it

inherited from the raj, and celebrates it as one of the

official festivals as similar to srimushnam festival

that is also being celebrated as a state festival for

srimushnam Lord to promote Hindus and Muslim unity. The

lord of srimushnam stops on his way to killai while

"kanu" festival when the prayers are offered to this

lord from the mosque and the lord is accepting it for

centuries now.

 

Sri ANDAL samEtha Sri parimEl KaLLazhagar thiruvadikaLE charaNam

Sampath Rengarajan