It was at this temple that Lord Kripapureeswarar asked Sundarar to praise him as the ‘Mad’ one
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The formalities began in right earnest with homams. The people of Thiru Navalur were delighted at having found such a beautiful girl for Sundarar. Just ahead of the important moment in his life, an elderly person with the sacred ash on his forehead, a bag on his shoulder, a rudraksham hanging on his chest, a stick in hand and sandals announced to the gathering that that the bridegroom is his slave and that he had to immediately follow his instructions. Angered at this direction, Sundarar hit back at the old man questioning his slavery to another human and called him Mad. The elderly man retorted that he had proof of his forefathers being slaves to him and that he too is now a slave as part of the historical agreement. When the old man presented the proof, Sundarar cut it and threw into the homam fire. Shouting out at Sundarar, the old man said that he had correctly predicted the reaction of Sundarar and thus as a proactive measure he had safeguarded the original document back home in Thiruvennainallur and called out for the society to gather there so he could show the proof.
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Following this, Sundarar went to Thiru Vathigai, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Tiruvarur and Tiruvottiyur singing praise of the Lord ( story on this follows shortly)
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At 80, his back and legs have become weak and he is not able to walk with ease anymore. In his lifetime, he has performed three Kumbabhisekams at this temple with the fourth one set to take place shortly. He is keen on completing the construction of the 7 Tier Raja Gopuram that is currently under way at the Eastern Entrance and soon after its completion, he is hoping that Kripapureeswarar will bless him with a 4thKumbabhisekam at this temple.
The legendary episodes from Sundarar's life are enacted during the two day Avathara Utsavam in Aadi
In a great devotional beginning, legendary Saint Poet Sundara Murthy Nayanar in his very first verse on Kripapureeswarar of Thiruvennainallur refers to the ‘ARULAALAA’ character of the Lord and gives one an indication how God is compassionate to this devotees, those that offer their sincere prayers to him. When Sundarar asks Kripapureeswarar inside the Thiruvennainallur temple as to how he can praise him and if he was fit at all, the Lord asks him to praise with the very same word (mad) that he had referred to the old man at the wedding mandapa. A delighted Sundarar reaffirms that the Lord of Thiruvennainallur is indeed a MAD one for how else would he shower his blessings on this devotee who had thrown abuses at him, one who had torn the Olai document into pieces and show his compassion by preventing this devotee from being bonded into a married life.
In his first verse, Sundarar begins with a reference to the Lord as Mad in providing arulaalaa to his devotees.
பித்தா பிறைசூடி பெருமானே அருளாளா
எத்தால்மறவாதே நினைக்கின்றேன்
மனத்துன்னைவைத்தாய் பெண்ணைத்தென்பால்
வெண்ணைநல்லூர்அருட்டுறையுள்
அத்தா உனக்காளாய்
இனிஅல்லேன்எனல்ஆமே
Lord Shiva wanted Sundarar, his ardent devotee in Kailayam to go to the Bhoologam to sing his praise and spread devotion among the people there and spread dharmic messages. When Sundarar went to pluck flowers in the Nandavanam as part of his every day process, his eyes fell on two young women, assistants to Parvathi, who too were there to pluck flowers from the same Nandavanam. When he went back with the garland, the Lord shocked him by informing Sundarar that he granting him what currently interested his devotee (as he was attracted to the two women that day). A shocked Sundarar asked if this was a blessing or a punishment. The Lord directed Sundarar to go to Bhoologam and sing verses that would serve as great life lessons for those who sway from Godly thoughts and that he would prevent Sundarar from bondage in his life on earth. Accepting this, Sundarar asked for his thoughts to be always of Shiva when in bhoolagam.
He was born to Sadayanar and Isai Gnaniyaar in a Shivachariar family in Thiru Navalur, about 20kms South East of Thiru Vennai Nallur and 20kms West of Thiru Vathigai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/12/thiru-vathigai-veerateswarar.html).
When Narasinga Munayarayan, the king who ruled from Sernthamangalam, on the Northern side of Kedilam, came to Thiru Navalur, he was impressed with the boy’s qualities of running a chariot at such a young age and expressed interest to bring him up in his kingdom. In the 16th year, his parents found a suitable bride for him at Puthur (near Panruti), the daughter of Sadankavi Shivachariar.
The people of Thiru Navalur and Puthur gathered at the Thiruvennainallur. The old man read out from the original document
“அருமறைநாவல்ஆதிசைவன்ஆரூரன்செய்கை
பெருமுனிவெண்ணைநல்லூர்பித்தனுக்குயானும்
என்பால் வருமுறை மரபினோரும்வழித்தொண்டு
செய்ய இவ்வோலைஅருமையாய்எழுதினேன்
இதற்குஇவைஎன்எழுத்து”
When the Panchayat asked for proof of this indeed being the signature of Sundarar’s forefathers, the people went back to Navalur and brought back the Olai Chuvadi and found that the signatures tallied and pronounced that Sundarar was indeed a slave to that old man and should now act as per his direction. When the curious people of Thiruvennainallur asked him as to he was and where he stayed for they had never seen him in the agraharam, the old man asked them to accompany him. At the entrance of the temple he left the sandals and went inside much. When Sundarar alone accompanied him into the temple, he disappeared much to Sundarar’s shock. Sundarar once again expressed his anger with the remark ‘you stopped the wedding, you said that I am your slave and now you disappear without disclosing your identity.”
It was then that an invisible voice informed Sundarar the purpose of the event that preceded this disappearance and how Lord Kripapureeswarar had come to protect him by prevent his marriage thus helping him from bondage. The Lord said that Sundarar had served with great devotion in Kailayam and that he should now sing verses in praise of the Lord. An embarrassed Sundarar, who had called the old man Mad asked the Lord as to how he could praise him for he had only then referred to him as MAD. The Lord asked him to start the verse with that very same word. Thus Sundara Murthy Nayanar begins his praise of 10 verses on Lord Kripapureeswarar of Thiru Vennai Nallur with the same word ‘Pithan’ and refers to the Lord as ‘Arulaalaa’, one who showed compassion even on someone who had referred to him as being mad.
In his 9th verse, Sundarar says that the Lord gives relief to devotees who come here and invoke his blessings with sincere devotion.
முழுவாள்வலன்ஏந்தீமறையோதிமங்கைபங்கா
தொழுவாரவர்துயராயினதீர்த்தல்லுனதொழிலே
செழுவார்பெண்ணைத்தென்பால்
வெண்ணைநல்லூர்அருட்டுறையுள்
அழகாஉனக் காளாய் இனிஅல்லேன்எனலாமே
Sundarar took the Paathugai on his head and placed it in the sanctum. A special feature at this temple is that the sandals of the Lord is seen at the sanctum.
The Name Thiru Vennai Nallur
When Ambigai took the form of Durga to kill Mahishasura, she remained in an angry state subsequent to the event. With butter, she created a Shiva Lingam and performed Pooja here at this place invoking the blessings of the Lord. It was here that she regained her composure. As she created the Lingam with butter, this place came to be called as Thiru ‘Vennai’ Nallur. As she regained her beautiful form, she provides darshan here as ‘Mangalambigai’.
Periyava's Message and Seven Decades of Service
80 year old Gurukal has lived all his life at Thiruvennainallur. He has performing pooja at this temple for almost 70years almost single handedly. He began service at a salary of Rs.10 and for many decades that remained his salary. There was no power in those days. It was he who lit the lamp at the Sannidhis. During his teenage days, there was a long agraharam in the West Street with over 100 traditional families being an integral part of this historical town. But they all left the town in the 70s and 80s in search of jobs in cities and today there no traditionalists other than the Gurukal’s family in this ancient town.
80 year old Gurukal has lived all his life at Thiruvennainallur. He has performing pooja at this temple for almost 70years almost single handedly. He began service at a salary of Rs.10 and for many decades that remained his salary. There was no power in those days. It was he who lit the lamp at the Sannidhis. During his teenage days, there was a long agraharam in the West Street with over 100 traditional families being an integral part of this historical town. But they all left the town in the 70s and 80s in search of jobs in cities and today there no traditionalists other than the Gurukal’s family in this ancient town.
For a major part of his life, he and his family struggled to make both ends meet. Once when he met Maha Periyava in Kanchipuram, the great Saint passed by with these words ‘Do not leave the temple’. It is only for that reason that he has continued the devotional service without any financial returns from the temple. He officially retired in 2006, though for the last 15years he has still been active at the temple. His grandson who performs service as a temporary staff is now paid a monthly salary of Rs. 2000. It has taken over seven decades for the salary to move up from Rs. 10 to Rs. 2000.
The HRCE funded Uchi Kaalam Pooja, the morning pooja funded by Aatheenam, the evening pooja funded from the lands have all been stopped long ago. For the Artha Jaama pooja, he gets 25kgs rice once every quarter. Unmindful of these challenges, he has continued all the poojas through these decades. In those decades, the land titles clearly indicated the money to be paid to the temple and the tillers would pay on time. Over time, with the changed political scenario, he has not been able to get any revenue from the temple lands and has been left to manage the financials all by himself through the devotees.
Many devotees have experienced dramatic positive changes in their lives after his archanai and pooja at this temple. It was through one such devotee that he completed the full electrification of the temple. Through another devotee, he built an idol of Sundarar and the old man involved in the debate at the mandapam on the North Side of the Eastern Entrance. The entire flooring was converted to granite. He has done 100s of Chandi Homam at the temple.
Festivals
2 day Festival for Sundarar in Aadi – The episodes from his life are enacted during these two days
10 Brahmotsavam in Panguni
The temple is open from 6am to 12noon and from 4pm to 830pm. Contact Arthanareeswarar@ 96268 07015
How to reach
Thiruvennainallur is 20kms South West of Villupuram and 15kms West of Thiru Navalur, the birth place of Sundarar. Buses ply every half hour from Villupuram. One can get down at Arasur Cross Road and board the Cuddalore/Panruti- Thirukovilur bus to get down at Thiruvennainallur (10kms)