R. NAGAPPAN*

Ph.D. Research Scholar, P.G. Department of History and Research Centre, S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District

Abstract
Temples played a unique role in the social – cultural and political – economical life of the people of Tamil Nadu.  The Tamils had a grandiose tradition and a glorious past.  They were a God fearing people and believed in the existence of the supreme power, which they called Irai (supreme power) who protected and preserved them from all dangers and evil. In the temples pujas and festivals are of fundamental importance as they formed an integral part of worship.  A sacred house of Gods and Goddesses, the temple is the place where we think of God and pray to him.  It catered to the religious needs of the people and provides a link between man and God and earthly life and divine life.  This article deals about the pujas and festivals which were celebrated in the famous Thiruvithamcode Shiva and Vishnu temple.
The Sri Mahadevar Temple at Thiruvithamcode is situated at a distance of 54 kilometers from Trivandrum.  This area was once commanded historical and strategic importance.  The temple dedicated to Sri Mahadevar located here bestows on it the status of an important pilgrim center in Kanyakumari District.  The importance of this temple still continues to hold it as one of the Twelve Shivalayams of Kanyakumari District1 where devotees from various parts of district come during Shivaratri in the month of February or March.  Like the rest of its counterparts in and around the area, this temple claims an existence of many thousands of years.  Its puranic foundation helps to substantiate this stand.
The place name Thiruvithamcode commands much significance.  It is believed that Thiruvithamcore or Thiruvithamcoor was derived from Thiruvithamcode or Thiru Vaazhum-code meaning the codu (land) where Thiru (prosperity) vaazhum – (reigns).  Another historically important derivation invites the reader to take a peep into the past.  Thiruvithamcode when split up reads as Thiru – Aathan – codu, the domain of the illustrious  Athans.  ‘Aathan’ is identified as the hereditary title of the imperial Cheras.2  This acts as a supportive evidence that even before the ninth Century  A.D., this region was the seat of the Ay Kings  and then the capital of Venad after the decline of the second Chera Empire.  In olden times, the Venad Kings used to come here before assuming the throne, to take an oath that they would rule justly and well.  Though almost all famous temples of South Travancore and the rest of the Venad had considerable interaction with the Thrippappoor Swaroopam, even later on, this temple must have been of such significance in the scheme of affairs so as to warrant the assumption to the kingship of the land-Chiravayi Mooppu – by Adithya Varma in 1544 A.D., at this Sri Mahadevar Temple, Thiruvithamcode .3 A palace is said to have been constructed nearby.  The temple preserves an ornate swing, reminder of the past royal days.
The temple is situated in three acres of land, and it faces towards east.  Actually there are two temples standing in line and a little apart from one another when they are viewed from the front.4 The main one is of course dedicated to Shiva and the one to the South, to Maha Vishnu. These temples have their own tanks.
As is common to most of the South Indian temples, here too a lofty boundary wall encircles the complex.  The main entrance and parts of the wall carry many engravings of Sri Hanuman in various moods, as well as other designs.5 In front of these temples, stand this copper enclosed dhwajastambhas with the sapta rishies seated around them.  The Sri Mahadevar Temple is entered through an exceptionally arge belikkalpura6 in granite which possesses many pillars apart from the big belikkallu.  An inscription on the wall of this covered hall conveys that it was put up during the region of Maharaja Bala Rama Varma (1798 -1811 A.D). Attractive granite figures of girt and height including two Dhwarapalakas at the entrance of the belikkalpura, Bhishma and Karna on the outer sides and  engraved inner pillars each carrying some deity capture the attention.   One pillar with a Ganapathy sculpture has been singled out and wick is daily lit there.
A deviation to the set pattern is evident in the placement of the Vishnu Temple which is located to the right of Shiva instead of the left.  Opinions vary regarding its age investing it with equal or later origin when compared to the Shiva Temple. It is of less majestic than its neighbour, however, its own stature is established by the fact that it operates as an independent7 temple possessing its own dhwajastambha and belikkallu both standing exposed in the grounds.  At the entrance to the Vishnu Temple, the place of the Dhwarapalakas is occupied by an unusually fierce Hanuman with long side teeth and a big Garuda. Both are well built and stand looking at each other instead of facing the east.
Generally, people believed that if Gods and Goddesses were appeased, there would be rain and prosperity. Therefore, elaborate rituals and ceremonies were rapidly evolved and the heavenly beings were pleased with offerings of abhishekhas (sacred bath), oblations, rituals and festivals.8  To maintain the divinity of the temples, the deity is provided with royal paraphernalia of a throne, umbrella and fly-whisk and the worship of the deity is attended by royal pageantry, together with music, dance and a variety of lighting of lamps. In this way, in the temple, the potentially divine becomes visibly manifested and therefore approachable by man.9 The ritual and worship, which the priests performed in temple on behalf of the society are believed to promote happiness and enabled them to obtain absolution and various other favours and privileges. Hence, pujas and festivals were regularly conducted. This not only maintained the divinity of the temple for ever but the sanctity of the people too.10
The daily worship in a temple is known as nithyapuja whereas the occasional ceremonies in connection with the special festival are called as naimithika. Usually, the ritual in the temple consists of four celebrations which takes place at sunrise, noon, sunset and midnight. However, the number of times the ceremonial worship has to be conducted depended on the traditions and agamas which governed the respective temples.11  In the Thiruvithamcode  Shiva and Vishnu temples the ceremonial worship takes place five times a day, early in the morning, twelve in the noon, in the evening at six. at eight in the night and the last one at night after which the temple closed.12
Worship is of two types, vizatmurthapuja and parathapuja. The former is performed by an individual for his own salvation.  The latter is done for the general welfare of all.  Moreover, attention is paid to the comfort of the divine presence by bathing and dressing the sacred images, adorning it with jewels, flowers and garlands13 and by the offering of refreshments. The sacred abulation (tirumanjanam) was an important rite in the temple worship.  The sacred bath of the deity was usually performed daily.14 The image is anointed with oils, camphor and sandal-paste and entertained with moving flames.  Bedecking the image is referred to in inscriptions as Sethupadi. The food offerings known as amudupadai are next presented very considerably and the priest bows and offers a handful of flowers. At last, the door of the sanctuary is closed as the deity is again considered to be asleep.  This ceremony is repeated at the other appropriate times of the day.  This kind of rites and ceremonies are known as sodosopacharas.15 The worshippers offer garlands, flowers, fruits and other archana things and the priests distributing the prasadam, sandal-paste, basil-leaves or flowers did not bother whether the devotees belonged to high or low castes and treated all of them equally in the present days. Apart from pujas, rites and rituals impressive celebrations of various festivals too brought vast concourses of people to take part in the ritualistic perambulation of deities. Shivalaya Ottam is an important festival celebrated in this temple.  It will come in February or March every year.  The ten days Shivalaya Ottam is the famous of Thiruvithamcode Shiva and Vishnu temples. According to the temple inscriptions, turmeric powder would be pasted on the holy rope used to hoist the flag in the temple.
Temples formed the nucleus of social life in medieval Tamil Nadu. They integrated the various segments of the society from diversity. Pilgrims and devotees from various places visited the temples, offered worships, participated in festivals and integrated themselves with the culture of the land. Daily, weekly, monthly and annual festivals were conducted with much paraphernalia.16  The car festivals celebrated with much éclat were a time for physical exercise to the devotees, especially those in the lower ladder of the society. The procession of various deities through the streets of the temples gave them an opportunity or dharshan of the deities to all in the society alike. The people found in then a time to entertain their feelings and emotionally integrate themselves with the deity. Most of these temples imparted education,  recited religious texts both in Sanskrit and Tamil and conducted religious discourses of great importance which gave them ample scope for intellectual contemplation.17 The sculptured and painted scenes from mythologies about the deities and other scenes of dance, music and other fine arts are rich feasts to the eyes. Variety entertainments such as dance, drama, music and other physical exercises held within the temple precincts not only attracted the masses, but eased their tension. A hierarchies of servants including both artists and artisans employed in temples earned their daily bread, and found a way to express their excellence.18 Besides, temples as courts of justice and banks preserved communal harmony and saved the people from distress and difficulties. Thus, all these charitable and benevolent activities enabled the temples to integrate the people from disunity and disintegration.
During worship, the people get together with a spirit of oneness forgetting caste and other differences. Impressive celebrations of various festivals too brought together vast concourse of people to take part in the ritualistic perambulation of deities. Named mostly in the Tamil months, festivals like chithirai, vaikasai, ani, adi, avani, purattasi, aippasi, karihikai, margazhi, thai, masi and pankuni are celebrated in the respective months. Tamil epigraphs bear evidences to the fact that each and every month was made auspicious for the conduct of festivals. Different festivals like chittiraibarani, chittiraitiruvonam and chirtiraivishu were celebrated in the same month.19
From this study we come to know that the temple is the pivot around which the entire society revolved. The daily pujas and festivals brought tens and thousands of people together, irrespective of caste, creed, status and colour. A visit to any temple is not only a powerful exercise in sensory stimulation but makes the worshippers pure in thought and action. These are indicative of the humanizing and harmonizing force of temples in bringing about unity in diversity, a legacy to be emulated by the future generation.

References
1.    Brahmi Inscription or Pukaloor Inscription, The Hindu, 7.03.1965.
2.    Rajaraja Varma Raja, M., Matilakam Records.- Some Travancore Dynastic Records, 1544-1677.
3.    Rama. Kannan, Shivalaya Ottam (Kumarimavatta Kovil Vizha), Tirunelveli, 2001. p.23
4.    Princess Gowri Lekshmi Bai, Thulasi Garland, Mumbai, 1998, p.58.
5.    Reports on the Condition of the Major Devaswom Buildings in the Eraniel Taluk, submitted by the Dewan Peishkar, Padmanabapuram, P.W.D. File. No.316/14, Vol.IV.
6.      Princess Gowri Lekshmi Bai, op.cit., p.58.
7.     Ibid., p.64.
8.    Varadachari, V., Agamas and South Indian Vaishnavism, Madras, 1982, pp.381-384.
9.     George Michell, The Hindu Temple, New Delhi, 1977, p.20.
10. Burton Stein, (ed), South Indian Temples, New Delhi, 1978, pp.46-48.
11.Desayar, M., Temples and Social Integration, Nagercoil, 2000, pp.8-9.
12.Personal Interview with Mr. Velappan, Puthoor, Near Tirvinthancode Shiva  Temple, dated 30.4.2015.
13.Venkataramanayya, An Essay on the Origin of the South Indian Inscriptions (Published by the Archaeological Survey of India), Madras, Vol. XIII, No.88, 1979.
14.South Indian Inscriptions (Published by the Archaeological Survey of India), Madras, Vol. XIII, No.88, 1979
15.Natana Kasinathan  and Nagaswamy, R., (ed.), Kanyakumari Kalvettuka1, Vol. 5, Madras, 1972.
16.Ragava Varier, Temple Festivals in Medieval Kerala, Journal of Kerala Studies, Vol. I, Part. I,  Thrivananthapuram, 1975, p.63.
17.Desayar, M., Temple Administration under the Pandyas, [A. D. 600-1300], Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, 1987, pp.108-109.
18. Han Rao (ed.), Koil Olugu, Madras, 1961, pp.86- 87.
19. Subramanian, S.V., and Rajendran, G., [ed.], Heritage of the Tamils-Temple Arts, Madras, 1985, p.230.

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