Celebrating Appar
The Pralayakaaleswarar temple where Saivite Saint Poet Appar was initiated with Soola and Rishabha Muthrai has received a big facelift and wears a fresh look
45 year old Karthikeyan Gurukal has been at the historic Pralayakaaleswarar temple for the last decade and a half. It is a temple where Saivite Saint Poet Thirunavukarasarar (Appar) received the Soola and Rishabha Muthrai and was anointed with the sacred white ash as he transformed himself into a great Saivite devotee who went from temple to temple praising Lord Shiva in his different forms. This is also a temple praised by Thiru Gnana Sambandar.
Karthikeyan Gurukal’s forefathers performed archaka service at this temple when the scenario was rather bleak. His appa served at the temple till he was 71 while his thatha had performed service till he was into his 60s, both having started out when they were young. He quit school at 15 and went to the Kanchi Patshala to learn the agamas.
Given the financial challenges and the poor devotee turnout at this remote temple and with his appa continuing his services, Karthikeyan Gurukal was roped in by his uncle for the Draupadi Amman temple in Pudur, Trichy. It was there that he learned the Pooja Kramas and supported his uncle for almost a decade.
With his appa getting old, he returned to Pennadam 15 years ago and has been performing the archaka service since then. It took him almost a decade to secure a permanent posting at the temple after the death of his father. As is the scenario in remote temples, the financial returns are meagre for someone who performs archaka service right through the year for 6hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening but it is something he has enjoyed right from the time he was a child.
"My appa and thatha performed service at this temple and I wanted to continue that tradition. As you can see, devotees keep coming in small numbers on weekdays and once in a while outstation devotees turn up at this legendary temple where Appar presented three verses and received the blessings of Swami” Karthikeyan Gurukal told this writer sitting in front of the Pralayakaaleswarar Sannidhi.
Chitrai Sathayam - Celebrating Appar
During his transformational phase to becoming a Saivite, Appar reached Pennaadam and sung three verses of praise. In celebration of the episode marking the anointing of Appar with Soolam and Rishabham Muthrai, the temple comes to life once a year in Chitrai when on the Mrigasheersham day the flag is hoisted for the big festival. On the fifth day, Appar goes on a procession in a grand alankaram along with Pancha Moorthies with Pralayakaaleswarar providing darshan atop the Rishabha Vahana. It is on the Sathayam day in Chitrai that Guru Pooja takes place for Appar.
An Othuvar who makes it specifically for this utsavam presents the sacred verses of Thirunavukarasar in praise of the Lord of Pennadam and after each verse, Appar is anointed with Soola Muthrai, Rishabha Muthrai and the sacred ash much to the delight of the Shiva Adiyars. It is the biggest event of the year and attracts devotees from across the region. While the Vahanas are in place following the restoration of the temple and the Kumbabisekam in February this year, work is currently taking place on two of the three chariots that have been damaged.
In the century gone by, there was also a grand festival for Aadi Pooram but given the financial challenges this came to a halt.
Legend has it that the residents of this town invoked the blessings of Shiva to save them from the floods that was threatening to destroy them. The Lord assigned Nandi on this task. He turned his face and absorbed the floods saving the people in this region. Hence, Nandi is seen with his face turned at this temple.
When Indra required flowers for his pooja, he asked Deva Kanni to go and bring flowers for him. She came to this place and found a wide variety of flowers. When her eyes fell on Pralayakaaleswarar, she lost herself in thoughts of him and forgot the purpose of her visit. With Deva Kanni not returning to Indra Logam, Indra assigned Kamadhenu on this task but so moved was the cow with this place that she provided milk for abisekam and stayed put. He then sent his elephant Airavatham but the devotion of this location moved him too and he too remained here. Hence this place came to be known as Penn- Aa- Kadaam which in course of time became Pennaadam. There are several historical inscriptions around the Moolavar Sannidhi.
Moolavar darshan from all four sides
A special feature of the Moolasthanam is that one can have darshan from all the four sides. Another feature at the Moolavar Sannidhi is that the two dwarapalakas are facing each other in a posture ready to permit devotees to have darshan of their swami.
Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan
The Vimanam of Prayalakalesawar is in the form of an elephant and is referred to as Ghaja Prishta Vimanam. There is a Sundareswarar Sannidhi atop the hill with devotees having to climb about 10 steps – referred to as a Mada Koil one built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan. It was from here that he gave darshan to Anandavalli moved by her unflinching devotion.
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
Kalikampar's birth place
This is the birth place of Kalikampar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, who lived in the street next to the temple. Every day, he would wash the feet of the disciples and treat them to a sumptuous meal, such was his great heart. Once, one of the disciples left this place only to come back later. When Kalikamper continued the service to this disciple, his wife questioned him as to why he would serve one who had left him earlier. In anger, he cuts her hand. Performing penance in front of Pralayakaaleswarar, she gets back her hand. Hence the Lord is also referred to as Kai Vazhangiya Easar.
Continuing the archaka tradition
Karthikeyan Gurukal is continuing the archaka tradition in his family. Over the last 100 years, his father and grand father had performed archaka service in a phase that was not financially lucrative for priests in remote temple towns. His appa had started out at a salary in the low 100s and ended up with around 1000 after several decades of service.
Once in a while, outstation devotees turn up at the temple for parikara pooja for this is now seen as one for Kettai Star. The good news is that Pradosham has gained importance in Saivite temples as has Krithigai star day in the month. Friday Rahu Kaala pooja is another weekly event that has caught the fancy of devotees. Every Panchami there is a sahasranamam and abisekam. There is a Go Pooja on the first Friday of every month as well as all the Fridays of Aadi and Thai. And these bring in the much needed additional income to the priest.
The financial returns are not big but he is doing this service to keep it going with his appa having handed it to him to continue this in his lifetime at a temple where Appa received the Soola and Rishabha Muthrai from Pralayakaaleswarar.
The temple is open from 6am to 12noon and 4pm to 9pm
Contact Karthikeyan Gurukal @ 9994088359
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