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Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 16:59:52 +0800
Subject: The Mysterious Vaaraahi of Thanjai - Re: [ambaa-L] Vaaraahi
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From: jaybee
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Dear Friends,
An English version of the Mysterious Thanjai Vaaraahi
with additional information.
Regards
JayBee
-----------Forwarded--------------
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 18:05:02 +0800
From: jaybee
Subject: The Mysterious Vaaraahi of Thanjai - Re: [ambaa-L] Vaaraahi
To: ambaa-l@yahoogroups.com
At 05:00 AM 12/13/01 +0000, you wrote:
>
>Jaybee,
> Can you tell us the mysterious events that happened?
>Subramaniam Sankaran
The mysterious events that took place have been
recorded by Dr.AV Jeyachandrun, a very great versatile
and many faceted scholar of the last century. He was a
District Information Officer of Tamilnadu State Government.
The Great Temple of ThanjavUr, otherwise known as
the BrhadhIswara Temple or PeruvudaiyAr KOyil was completed
by Raja Raja Cholzan and the kudamulzukku took place in
1012 AD.
But the Vaaraahi sannidhi has already been there
and scholars consider that it comes from an earlier temple
that must have been in existance somewhere around. During
the times of ThEvAram hymns, there is mention of a temple
called 'Thanjai ThaLikkuLaththaar'. Whereabouts in ThanjavuR
it was, nobody knows.
The figure of Vaaraahi of ThanjavUr belongs to the
6th century AD.
To have a look at Thanjai Vaaraahi, please visit the
following URL-
http://www.geocities.com/visva.geo/thanjai_vaaraahi.jpg
You will notice that She is two-armed. As a rule,
Vaaraahi figures are usually four-armed.
That was time when the worship of Vaaraahi,
Nisumbha Sudhini, Mahisha mardhini, Vaishnavi, Jyeshta,
Sapth Matrikas, etc., were popular. Ritualistic self-sacrifice,
slitting of one's own throat, etc., were rather in vogue.
If you are interested in knowing more about this
practice, please visit the following URL-
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Choir/4262/navkanta.htm
Many royal and feudatory dynasties had such deities
as their kula dEvathas.
The Vaaraahi must have been important to the
Post-Sanggam Age Cholza or the Mutharaiyars, or even the
Post-Sanggam Pandiyas who held the territory for sometime.
She must have been worshipped by them.
So the origin of the shrine of Thanjai Vaaraahi is
shrouded in mystery.
Twenty five years ago, a mandapam was erected for
the Vaaraahi of ThanjavUr. They had planned to hold a
kumbhabhishekam of that mandapam.
In 1975, KaruNanidhi, the Chief Minister of
Tamilnadu, wanted to erect a statue for Raja Raja Cholzan
in the Great Temple. But this became a problem between the
Archeological Department of the Central Government and the
Tamilnadu State Government. Because the temple was an
archeological monument, there was no article of law
allowing the building of new edifices.
This became a sore-point.
KaruNaanidhi raised an issue:
"We cannot erect the statue of Raja Raja Cholzan;
but can you build a new mandapam to Vaaraahi?"
So the Central Government ordered the mandapam to
be demolished.
On the same day that the mandapam was demolished,
the DMK government got dismissed by the Central Government.
In a few months, Emergency was declared which was
followed by a general election. Indra Gandhi and the
Congress Party lost.
Raja Raja Cholzar was born in the asterism(nakshatra) of
Sadhayam of the month of Aippasi(Thula). The year is not known.
He came to the throne in 985 AD. The date of his ascension
is not known.
Raja Raja's birth day has been traditionally celebrated
in the Great Temple every year. The Temple management used to
hold the the function throughout all these centuries.
In 1983, another critical event took place.
The State Government then, wanted to celebrate the
Millenium Celebration of the coronation of raja Raja.
But in fact, it was only the 998th year.
They wanted to hold a crowning ceremony to Raja Raja
in a public place outside.
This became another issue.
So it was decided to have the coronation within the
temple in front of the sanctum. It was decided that the
Prime Minister Indra Gandhi was to crown Raja Raja Cholzar.
During that ceremony, the then Chief Minister of
Tamilnadu, MGR fell fainting for the first time. It happened
in the entrance of the temple. In a few days, his condition
became worse.
Indra Gandhi was assassinated following that.
In that year, the Aippasi Sadhyam festival was not
celebrated.
The funeral procession of Indra Gandhi took place on
that Aippasi Sadhyam day.
Regards
JayBee
=============================
>
AUM shrImAtre namaH
AUM namaH shivAya
AUM namaH shivAbhyAm
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