Thiruvanaikaval Ko Chenganan Maasi Sathayam

Celebrating the Chozha King’s first Mada Koil in a Grand Style with a Royal Procession around the four streets 

On the occasion of Maasi Sathayam, the great Chozha King Ko Chenganan, who built the first of the Mada Koils at Thiruvanaikaval, was taken around on a royal two hour procession around the four streets of Thiruvanaikaval on Friday evening. The recognition of his contribution to Thiruvanaikaval was seen this evening in the way the Sripatham Thangis decorated the palanquin befitting the king who ruled from Uraiyur, where co-incidentally it was the last evening of the ten day Adyayana Utsavam at the Kamalavalli Nachiyar Divya Desam. 

The Jambukeswarar temple dating back to the 5th century AD 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. Thiruvanaikaval is the first of the ‘Maada Koils’ built by Ko Chenganan Chozha. In recognition of his great contribution to temple architecture and as the one who built the Thiruvanaikaval temple, Ko Chenganan’s idol is seen inside the temple.

அம்பரமும் பெருநிலனும் திசைகள் எட்டும் 

அலைக்கடலும் குலவரையும் உண்டகண்டன் 

கொம்பமரும் வடமரத்தின் இலைமேல் பள்ளி கூடினான் 

திருவடியே கூடாகிற்பீர் 

வம்பவிழும் செண்பகத்தின் வாசம் உண்டு 

மணி வண்டு வகுலத்தின்  மலர் மேல் வைகு 

செம்பியன் கோச் செங்கணன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் 

திருநறையூர் மணிமாடம் சேர்மின்களே -Thiru Mangai Azhvaar

High Devotional Fervour on Friday evening

The entire temple complex wore a celebratory look on Friday evening. Grand decorative lights drew an inquisitive enquire from outstation devotees. The Shiva Adiyars gathered at the temple just after 6.30pm and began their recital of the Thevaram verses even as the Sripatham personnel were giving the final touches ahead of the procession. The Udal contingent was present in large numbers at the Western entrance as they began beating the drums even as Ko Chenganan Chozhan made his way from the Vahana Mandapam just after 7pm. As the procession gathered pace, they went into a bliss with their vigour increasing manifold after having a look at Ko  Chenganan in a grand alankaram and the decoration of his palanquin as they beat the udal repeatedly without a break over the two  hours of the procession.

A Royal Procession amidst a huge devotee turnout

Hundreds of devotees raised in chorus the name of this Chozha King praising his greatness. At the Western entrance, Ko Chenganan was moved into the colourful palanquin driven by horses. It is not often that one sees such a huge crowd at Thiruvanaikaval but on this Friday evening, devotees congregated at the western entrance. Young boys presented the ring fire play through the entire procession. 

Even as Ko Chenganan Chozha made his way from the Vahana Mandapam, the Sripatham Kainkaryaparas had climbed on to the roof of the temple and showered flowers from atop on the Chozha King as he passed by each Gopuram.The streets of Thiruvanaikaval were decked with white pulli kolams as residents came out of their homes to pay their respects to Ko Chenganan for his contribution to build the temple with the huge walls similar to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar building the tall walls at Srirangam. After having presented the sacred verses ahead of the procession, Othuvar Srinivasan Ramani, as has been the case in recent times, made his way far ahead of the Udal to present the sacred verses all alone around the four sacred streets.

 

The First Maada Koil

Devotional excitement was palpable among everyone present this evening including a large bunch of overseas visitors who were thrilled to hear the legendary story of Ko Chenganan as to how he built this first Mada Koil at Thiruvanaikaval. 

The story goes that two devotees – Pushpavana and Mayavana were involved in the process of plucking flowers from the Nandavanam and presenting to the Lord. One day, an argument arose between the two as to who had presented more flowers and they ended up killing each other in the fight that ensued. But having been true devotees through their lives, Lord Shiva provided them darshan at Kailasam and blessed them into a birth as a spider and elephant in this Gajaranya Kshetram. Provided with an opportunity to serve the Lord, the Spider provided shade to the Lord through its cobweb, while the elephant performed pooja removing all the dirt around the lord, bringing water for Abhishekam, plucking flowers and fruits and providing sandalwood.

One day, angered at finding a cobweb above the Lord, the elephant swung his tail and hit out at the web as he saw it as dirt. In retaliation, the spider entered the nose of the elephant. Stung with unbearable pain, the elephant died. The spider caught inside elephant’s body too died of suffocation. And thus for the 2nd time, they entered Kailasam. When asked for a wish, the elephant asked for this place where he performed pooja with sincerity to be named after him. Hence this place came to be called Thiru ‘Aanai’ Kaval. The spider asked to be born as a King who would build everlasting temples.

The spider was thus born as Ko Chenganan Chozhan. Ahead of his birth, an astrologer had suggested that if the child was born during a specific time slot, he would become a great king and serve the Lord through his lifetime. Unfortunately, his mother Kamalavathi was slated for a pre delivery. Determined to have the child only during the specified slot, she asked her maids to tie her and hang here upside down till the specified time arrived. And thus she ensured that her son was born only at that specified time. As the blood circulation had been disrupted, the child was born with red eyes. The mother called him ‘Ko’ ‘Chenganan’ (the one with red eyes) and died immediately after his birth. 

Ruling from Uraiyur, the then capital of the Chozhas, Ko Chenganan crossed the Cauvery and found an idol of Shiva beneath the tree. He also remembered his life as a spider when he had provided shade right above. His devotion touched a peak and he built Thiruvanaikoil as his first Saivite temple. With two life time incidents of having fought with the elephant, he carried his anger into this life as well. All of the Saivite temples built by him either had a narrow entrance into the sanctum or a high rise that an elephant could not climb. 

Navarasu is just 20 years old and is in his final year of his learning of the sacred verses at the Patshala in Moolathoppu in Srirangam. He is keen to don the role of an Othuvar soon after he graduates. But on this evening, he donned a prominent and proactive role as a Sripatham during the procession especially when Ko Chenganan was mounted on to the palanquin at the start of the procession and when he alighted well past 9.30pm at the Western entrance.

  

On to the South Ul Veethi, Shiva Adiyars presented fruits and sweets to the devotees in celebration of Ko Chenganan Chozhan. 

Thiru Mangai Azhvaar delighted with Ko Chenganan

So delighted was Thiru Mangai Azhvaar by the architectural beauty of Thiru Naraiyur that he dedicated a complete decad to praising Ko Chenganan.Ko Chenganan's anger against elephants is reflected not just in Saivite temples but at the Naraiyur Nambi Perumal Temple. In his praise, he refers to the Srinivasa Perumal temple as the first Vaishnavite temple built by Ko Chenganan after the construction of 70 Saivite Maada Koils.

இருக்கு இலங்கு திருமொழி வாய் என் தோள் 

ஈசற்கு எழில் மாடம் எழுபது செய்து உலகம் ஆண்ட 

திருகுலத்து வள சோழன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் 

திருநறையூர் மணிமாடம் சேர்மின்களே 

The elephant may not have been allowed into the inner mandapam of the temple due to Ko Chenganan’s anger but on this special evening for the Chozha King, the elephant seemed to have forgotten the past and led the procession blessing the devotees on the way.

Interestingly, a couple of Shiva Adiyars were delighted to hear the story of Ko Chenganan even building a Mada styled construction in a Perumal Koil. In 2023, when the consecration took place at Nachiyar Koil, the first Perumal Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan, the Shiva Adiyars from Thiruvanaikaval had the privilege of presenting garlands and other Kainkaryams in memory of Ko Chenganan and their presence at Nachiyar Koil was well received the priests of the Divya Desam.

Voyali - The Culminating piece

Devotees continued to stay in good numbers till almost 10pm when Ko Chenganan made his way back to the temple presenting the Voyali near the Dwajasthambam. This procession on Maasi Sathayam has been a great revival at Thiruvanaikaval and on Friday evening to many it brought back memories of Ko Chenganan Chozhan and his contribution to this Paadal Petra Sthalam.