An idol found near Gangaikonda  Cholapuram confirms the ‘Thiruvarasu’ of Nathamunigal

On a narrow, unpaved lane astir a kilometre distant from the Gangaikonda Cholapuram-Kumbakonam Road stands a compound lodging 2 historically important temples, though some are of comparatively caller construction. The archetypal sanction of the spot is Ulagalantha Cholagam, but it is locally known arsenic Sorgapallam or Sembodai. The full country is overgrown with Prosopis juliflora, locally called ‘Velikathan’. One of the temples successful the compound occupies a pre-eminent presumption successful the Vaishnavite tradition. It is the ‘Thiruvarasu’, the memorial of Nathamunigal, the archetypal Acharya of Vaishnavism, who recovered each 4,000 hymns collectively known arsenic Nalayira Divya Prabandham, besides referred to arsenic the Dravida Veda. Enshrined successful the sanctum is an idol of Nathamunigal, revered arsenic an authorization connected euphony and depicted holding ‘thalams’ successful some hands.

“An idol of Srinivasa Perumal with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi was recovered lying half-buried nether a tree. This intelligibly indicates that a temple erstwhile existed present but was mislaid successful the people of time. Excavation revealed stones and remnants of the aged structure. Initially, we constructed a temple and installed the idols successful the sanctum. Around the twelvemonth 2000, different idol was recovered buried successful a field. It was that of Nathamunigal, and the ‘thalams’ successful his hands confirmed our belief,” said Komagan, president of the Nathamunigal Thiruvarasu Arakkatallai  (Trust).

Additional onshore bought

Mr. Komagan said the onshore primitively belonged to the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. Subsequently, the spot purchased further onshore and expanded the premises. The spot conducts regular poojas. While it is beyond uncertainty that Nathamunigal was calved astatine Kattumannarkudi near Chidambaram, the nonstop determination of his ‘Thiruvarasu’ remained unclear for long. Historian T. A. Gopinatha Rao, successful his publication History of Sri Vaishnavas, notes that during 1 of his visits to Gangaikonda Cholapuram, past the superior of the Chola kingdom, Nathamunigal  breathed his last. The publication is based connected the Sir Subrahmanya Ayyar Lectures delivered astatine the University of Madras successful December 1917. However, Gangaikonda Cholapuram did not beryllium during Nathamunigal’s lifetime. The metropolis and its temple were constructed successful 1024 to commemorate the bluish run of Rajendra Chola I. D. Gnanasundaram, writer of Vaishnava Uraivalam, states that Nathamunigal belonged to the 9th Century and lived betwixt 823 and 916 AD.

Mr. Gnanasundaram, a noted authorization connected Vaishnavite literature, citing S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, writes that aft Nathamunigal’s daughter told him that 2 archers and a monkey had visited their house, helium went successful hunt of them, believing them to beryllium Rama, Lakshmana, and Hanuman. “He went up to the gates of Gangaikonda Cholapuram. When the locals told him that they had not seen anyone, Nathamunigal, longing to spot them, collapsed and died,” Mr. Gnanasundaram records. These accounts corroborate that Nathamunigal was successful Gangaikonda Cholapuram during his last moments.

Recovering the ‘pasurams’

There are, however, aggregate accounts of the spot and circumstances nether which Nathamunigal recovered the 4,000 ‘pasurams’. Vaishnavites accept lone the Guruparampara narration. Gopinatha Rao writes that Nathamunigal once heard Vaishnavite pilgrims reciting 10 verses from Thiruvaimozhi, the enactment of Nammalvar, earlier the deity astatine the Kattumannarkoil temple. In contrast, Kalki Krishnamurthy, successful his humanities caller Ponniyin Selvan, presents a antithetic mentation to emphasise the quality Alwarkadiyan. In the novel, Alwarkadiyan  recites Nammalvar’s verses opening with Poliga Poliga Poyitru Valluyir Sabam at the Kattumannarkudi temple, wherever the clergyman was Isvaramunigal, Nathamunigal’s father. “Tears welled up successful the eyes of Isvaramunigal. As Nathamunigal listened to the recitation, helium wanted to cognize astir them. His begetter wiped his tears and asked Alwarkadiyan  astir the remaining verses of the thousand. Alwarkadiyan replied that helium knew lone immoderate ‘pathukal’ (sets of 10 verses). Isvaramunigal then requested him to thatch them to his son,” the caller narrates.

An brushwood astatine Kumbakonam

According to the Guruparampara account, Nathamunigal encountered Vaishnavite pilgrims astatine the Sarangapani Temple astatine Kumbakonam, wherever helium heard them recite 10 verses opening with Aravamudhe Adiyen. After proceeding them, Nathamunigal asked whether they knew the full Sathakopa, different sanction for Nammalvar, since the recitation ended with a enactment indicating that the 10 verses were portion of a thousand. They said they had not learnt each the verses but told him that helium could find them astatine Alwarthirunagari, known arsenic Thirukurugur, present successful Thoothukudi  district. At Thirukurugur, Nathamunigal met Parankusadasar, a descendant of Madhurakavi Alwar, who had composed verses successful praise of Nammalvar. He advised Nathamunigal to recite Kanninun Siruthambu, the enactment of Madhurakavi Alwar, 12,000 times earlier the tamarind histrion nether which Nammalvar had been placed by his parents. Legend holds that Nammalvar appeared earlier Nathamunigal and bestowed connected him not simply 1,000 verses but each 4,000. The Guruparampara confirms that Nathamunigal compiled the full corpus. A maestro of music, helium acceptable the prabandham to philharmonic metres. He besides standardised Vaishnavite temple worship and organised the Raapathu and Pagalpathu festivals.