Jambukeswarar and Akilanda Nayaki provide Rishabha Vahana darshan around the four sacred streets of this historical Ko Chenganan Chozhan built temple
Ahead of the Theppam next Monday at the Ramar Theertham, Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari provided darshan atop the Silver Rishabha Vahanam around the four big Mada streets on the fifth day of the Thai Theppotsavam at Thiruvanaikaval, the Neer Sthalam among the Pancha Bhootha Sthalams, on Tuesday evening.
The Jambukeswarar temple in Thiruvanaikaval is one of the Pancha Bhootha Sthalams, where Lord Shiva manifests himself as ‘Water’ (among the five elements). Hence this is referred to as a ‘Neer’ sthalam (‘Appu’ in Sanskrit). Thiruvanaikaval is home to Nava Theertham and the belief is that those who bathe in the Nava Theertham on Chitra Pournami and invoke the blessings of Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari are said to attain Mukthi.
The temple dates back to the 5th century AD to the rule of Kochenganan Chozhan who ruled from Uraiyur and is an architectural marvel with high roofs, five huge prakaras south of the Coloroon, towering Gopurams in the East and the West and Nava Theerthams.
50 year old Othuvar Srinivasan Ramani has been all alone at this Paadal Petra Sthalam for almost three decades. Even as the priests were given the final decorative touches to Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari, he was seen explaining the distinctive features of this Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan, the first of the 71 he built and one specially designed so elephants cannot enter the sanctum. He told them that the inner most Gopuram could be seen only from where they were standing on the Southern side of the 2nd prakara.
கடல்வண்ணன் நான்முகன் காண்பரியார்
தடவரை யரக்கனைத் தலைநெரித்தார்
விடமது வுண்டவெம் மயேந்திரரும்
அடல்விடை யாரூராதி யானைக்காவே-Appar
As the clock ticked to 7pm, the big screen opened for the devotees to have a first glimpse of the grand alankaram of Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari, decked with beautiful flower garlands atop the Rishabha Vahanam. Othuvar Ramani, in a highly devotional pitch, presented the sacred verses on Thiruvanaikaval, one of the five Kka sthalams (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/08/thiru-nellikaval-nellivananathar-temple.html). He then asked the devotees to repeat a verse after him even as the devotional fervour shot up. After the deeparathanai and the presentation of Puliyotharai, the procession began around the third prakara.
நசையானை நால்வேதத் தப்பா லானை
நல்குரவுந் தீப்பிணிநோய் காப்பான் றன்னை
இசையானை எண்ணிறந்த குணத்தான் றன்னை
இடைமருதும் ஈங்கோயும் நீங்கா தேற்றின்
மிசையானை விரிகடலும் மண்ணும் விண்ணும்
மிகுதீயும் புனலெறிகாற் றாகி யெட்டுத்
திசையானைத் திருவானைக் காவு ளானைச்
செழுநீர்த் திரளைச்சென் றாடி னேனே – Thiru Gnana Sambandar
It is past 7.30pml soon after the temple elephant had paid its respect to Jambukeswarar when the Divine couple made his way to the fourth prakara to the loud beating of the Periya Udal by youngsters who for the next hour relentlessly played the drums.
On to the North Ul Veethi, devotees welcomed the pancha moorthies with large sized kolams. The Vedic students at the Sankara Mutt Patshala came out in good numbers along with their acharya, the eldest brother of Neelkantan Sastrigal of Pazhur Patshala (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/06/neelakanta-sastrigal-pazhur-patshala.html).
Devotees came out in large numbers through the North street to have darshan of the Rishabham procession. Half way into the East street in front of the now closed Eastern Raja Gopuram, Jambukeswarar, Akilandeswari and Murugar provided darshan together much to the delight of the devotees. Shivanadiyars in good numbers followed the procession and presented the sacred verses through the 90 minutes of the procession.
By this time, Othuvar Ramani (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/11/thiruvanaikaval-othuvar-srinivasan.html) reciting the sacred verses of Sundarar had gone far ahead into the South Ul Veethi away from the deafening noise of the Udal artistes. For well over 25 years, the Othuvar has been able to keep his devotional spirit going despite being the lone Othuvar at this historical temple.
In a chat with this writer on the South Ul Veethi, he said that he had realised long ago that Jambukeswarar had blessed him to be the designated one to present the sacred verses before him each day of the year in this lifetime and hence nothing distracts him from this honour to sing the sacred verses of the Saivite Saint Poets, not even the health issues that have troubled him in recent times.
Every time when the Udal noise gets loud, he remains calm and quiet and go well ahead to continue his recital on the street without ever complaining. He sees as his role singing the greatness of ‘Aanaikka’ and he devotionally says that nothing can stop him as it is Jambukeswarar’s decision.
செம்பொன் மேனிவெண் ணீறணி வானைக்
கரிய கண்டனை மால்அயன் காணாச்
சம்பு வைத்தழல் அங்கையி னானைச்
சாம வேதனைத் தன்னொப்பி லானைக்
கும்ப மாகரி யின்னுரி யானைக்
கோவின் மேல்வருங் கோவினை எங்கள்
நம்ப னைநள் ளாறனை அமுதை
நாயி னேன்மறந் தென்நினைக் கேனே.
In April 2018, this section had featured the devotional presentation of the Udal during the Pancha Prakara utsavam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/04/thiruvanaikaval-pancha-prakara-utsavam.html) but on this Rishabha Vahana evening, they were too close to the elephant and Murugar. Despite requests to move well ahead of Murugar and the elephant, the artistes continued to play the loud drums very close to the deities. Kainkaryapakas, who this writer spoke to on Tuesday evening at the procession, said that they have tried many times in the past to get the Udal players to move away from the idols but they have not been successful. The Mahout himself was not pleased as his elephant found the high levels of the drums too loud for its liking.
It was 8.30pm when the Divine Couple made their way back into the temple even as scores of devotees prostrated on the ground in a thanking gesture for having delighted them with the Rishabha Vahana procession.
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