Panniru Thirumurai Raja Raja Chozhan episode Kapaleeswarar Temple

As per the  Vaishnavite legend, it was after listening to the devotees' recital of Nam Azhvaar's sacred verse 'Aaraavamudhe' (Tiruvoimozhi 5.8) on Thiru Kudanthai (Kumbakonam) Sarangapani Perumal koil and after being totally swarmed by its content "Aayirathil Ippathe"( these 10 verses of the 1000) that Natha Muni wanted to listen to the 1000 verses of the Divya Prabandham (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/10/108-divya-desam-thiru-kudanthai.html).

The devotees themselves did not know the whereabouts of the other verses and not knowing where to go to collect the entire Prabandham verses, he invoked the blessings of Lord Aaraavamudhan of Thiru Kudanthai who directed him to go to Azhvaar Tirunagari, near Tirunelveli, to locate and compile the works of the Divya Prabandham. Having searched for the 1000 verses, Natha Muni managed to compile the entire 4000verses (Nalaayira Divya Prabandham).

Similarly in the Saivite legend as well, the Thirumurai had been lost. Raja Raja Chozhan, who built the Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/02/thanjavur-big-temple-kumbhabhishekam.html), was a great Saivite devotee and would often immerse himself in devotion while listening to the Thevaram verses presented in his court by devotees. Like the Vaishnavite legend, when he asked them for the entire collection, they said they knew only those select verses and were clueless about the remaining verses. 

He invoked the blessings of Lord Shiva who directed him to Nambi Andar Nambi, a great devotee of Pillayar. The ‘Elephant headed’ Lord pointed Nambi to Chidambaram and he took Raja Raja Chozhan to Thillai. When Thillai Moovaayiravars informed the king that they could open the Chamber only in the presence of the Saivite Saint Poets, Raja Raja Chozhan invoked the blessings of Thillai Nataraja placing the idols of the Saint Poets in front of the Lord (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/07/chidambaram-aani-thirumanjanam-2024.html).

The Chamber then opened and thus Raja Raja Chozhan was able to secure the Thirumurai for posterity. Like Natha Muni, it was Nambi Andar Nambi who compiled the entire collection of the Thirumurai – the first three of Thiru Gnana Sambandar, the next three of Thirunavukkarasar and the seventh one relating to Sundarar. He also added the compositions of Manikkavachakar and other Saivite Saint Poets and completed the Panniru Thirumurai with the composition of Sekkizhar.

Having thus secured the Panniru Thirumurai, Raja Raja Chozhan made copies of these and ensured that this reached the masses so Saivism was spread across the globe. He was keen that the recital is not restricted to a select few and wanted all the devotees to immerse themselves in devotion like he did in his court when listening to the recital.

This legendary episode was played out at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore on Sunday (August 18). Following an abhisekam, the four Saivite Saint Poets went around on a procession inside the temple at 9.30am before positioning themselves in front of Lord Nataraja.

Othuvar Sathgurunathan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html), who organised two dozen presentations of the Thevaram verses over the previous 12 days by Othuvars from across the state, presented a verse from each of the Thirumurais in front of Nataraja with devotees in good numbers glued to his recital. He has been organising this Panniru Thirumurai Vizha in a grand manner over the last two decades with the legendary episode being enacted on the first Sunday of Avani every year.

Othuvars this year included Tiruttani Swaminathan Othuvar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/12/othuvar-tiruttani-swaminathan.html) and Subramanyam Othuvar  who served for many decades at the Kutralanathar temple in Courtallam (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/07/kutralanathar-temple-hereditary-priests.html).

As a mark of respect to this great collection, the sacred Thirumurai books were taken out on a one of its kind procession on an elephant vahana around the four Mada streets starting at 10am.

Consultant to the PMO and ‘Sanyasi’ V Ramkumar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html), who has been carrying the Thee Pandham during every procession at the Kapali temple over the last couple of years, had been on official duty to temples around Kumbakonam this week. He returned in time to carry the Theevatti at the Sani Pradosham procession on an evening that saw a huge crowd at the Kapali temple till well past 9pm. Having spent 5 hours at the temple on Saturday evening, he was back again on Sunday morning to carry the Thee Pandham around the Mada Streets leading the Yaanai Vahana procession ensuring that vehicles were by the side during the hour long procession.

After a Maha Abhisekam of the Naalvar just after 4pm, hereditary priest Venkatasubramanian (Jayakanthan) Shivachariar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/kapaleeswarar-temple-jayakanthan.html), led his team for an hour long alankaram of the four famous Saivite Saint Poets. Just after 8pm, Sundarar led the procession from the temple complex followed by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and Thirunavukkarasar and then Manikkavachakar to the entrance of the 16 Pillar Mandapam where they were pooled together in a wheeled vehicle for the procession around the Mada Streets with a colourful canopy atop them. The procession was led by a new group of adiyars playing the Udal.

Naalvars' return to the temple at 9.30pm brought to an end this year's Panniru Thirumurai Utsavam with the devotees who witnessed the enactment of the legendary episode recalling the event from a 1000 years ago.

If the adiyars followed the Yaanai Vahana procession in the morning around the Mada streets reciting the sacred verses of the Saint Poets, they owe its compilation to the great Raja Raja Chozha and Nambi Andar Nambi. The first Sunday of Avani every year is a fitting tribute to those two for their great contribution to the Saivite World.