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The annual festival of Naguleswaram temple at Keerimalai, Jaffna, commences with the flag hoisting ceremony on February 17, 2011. Further, this temple near Kankesanturai has been declared by the eminent scholar and historian Dr E Pieris as being one of the five recognized ‘Iswaram’ of Lord Shiva, that were in Lanka long before the arrival of Vijaya (543 BC) and which claimed and received adoration even from India. However this temple, became to be known as Naguleswaram is attributed to it having been the residence of a Munivar ‘Nagulamuni’ whose abode had been a local cave inside which he lived. It is said that he got so shrunk by age and austerities, that he was likened to be a mongoose – nakula in Sanskrit and keeri in Tamil. Hence the name ‘Nakuleswaram’ for the temple and ‘Keerimalai’ for the rock with the cave in it.

In fact, a local myth states that a Pandian princess named Maruthapura Veeravalli built the nearby Maviddapuram Murukan temple after she was cured by the Keerimalai springs.

The entire temple complex seems to have been built around the cave and the curative springs indicate the pre-historic origin of the shrine.

The antiquity in this temple is evidenced by the writings in many Indian religious treatises such as Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Skanda Puranam and also it states that the temple was a pilgrimage centre for the South Indian Hindus.

Some traditions relating to the origins of Nakuleswaram were recorded in the Yal Panam Vaipavamalai. During the 18th century when Yal Panam Vaipavamalai was written, there was no temple at Keerimalai. The old temple at the site had been destroyed by the Portuguese, but memories of that temple had persisted in the minds of the people and the site where it had stood was venerated as a sacred one.

Though this temple was destroyed in 1621, the local Brahmin priests are said to have hidden the main idols before fleeing the temple.

After a gap of 400 years in 1894 local Hindus under the guidance of Srilasiri Arumuga Navalar built the present temple.

At Naguleswaram, the daily rituals and festivals are conducted according to the prescriptions of Agamav.

The activities at the temple commence during the early hours of the morning with Thirupallie Elicai and worship accompanied with rituals, are conducted six times daily.

The annual chariot at the temple is held at the beginning of the first week of February with the flag hoisting ceremony. A large number of pilgrims congregate at the temple premises during the festival season.

Indeed, the Hindu temples are intended to educate men in the art of removing the veil of attachment that covers heads. Thus, the renowned poet ‘Thiyagarajah’ cried in the temple at Thirupathi, remove the veil O! Remove the veil of attachment, the veil of pride and hatred.

The chariot festival at the Naguleswaram temple is celebrated in an elaborate manner where devotees belonging to different castes and religions participate in large numbers. The chariot symbolizes human body and the statue of Lord Shiva is the Soul. In front of the Chariot are the wooden horses depicted as galloping and the reins attached to their mouths are held in the hands of the image of Lord Shiva.

These horses represent human passions and the reins symbolize the necessity of restraining and guiding these passions. The journey of the Chariot through the streets symbolizes the progress of life. This shows that throughout his life, a man must control and guide his passions.

These passions are the motive powers, the driving force of life, but if unguided they will wreck a man’s life. This is the symbolic meaning of the chariot festival.

Ethnic and religious harmony

The historic city of Matale is blessed with many religious places. Arulmigu Sri Muthumari Amman, Hindu Kovil is situated in the far North end of this city. It is a very sacred Hindu shrine in Sri Lanka. This kovil was built about 200 years ago by the Hindu community, specially the South Indian traders, who came to Sri Lanka to do business in the town as well as in tea estates around Matale.

There is a wonderful story about this holy shrine. A cute little child was seen on this premises, one morning and on the following morning a beautiful dress worn by this child was found in this place. That very same night Goddess Pattini had appeared in a dream of a holy man, who lived close by named Nallamuttu, and Goddess Pattini had told this man that the cute little child who was seen at this premises was Goddess Pattini and requested Nalla Muththu to make this place religious shrine for Hindus to venerate. Since then this place had become a sacred Hindu Kovil not only to Hindus but also to Buddhists.

Every year in February or March this colourful “Ther” festival is held to evoke the blessings of Gods and specially Goddess Pattini. This year the festival started with the “Kap” planting ceremony on January 26th and the ceremony will go on till February 20.

Everyday early morning “poojas” start at dawn with the hoisting of flag and the “poojas” will continue till about noon. The evening “poojas” start at six and go on till midnight. Thousands of Hindus and Buddhists flock to this Holy shrine to offer “poojas”. Specially mothers bring their new-born babies to get the blessings of Goddess Pattini.

This year the “Ther” - the chariot ceremony will be held on February 18, the day after Navam Full Moon Poya Day. The statues of Gods Shri Ganeshan, Lord Murugan Sivan Ambal, Shandeshulary and Goddess Pattini are kept in five colourfully illuminated chariots decorated with banana trees, coconuts “thembili” and various kinds of fruits. These statues are drawn along the streets of Matale town in the day time, by devotees both Hindus and Buddhists. It is believed that Goddess Pattini visits the feeble and the sick who cannot attend the “poojas” in the kovil at their door-steps.

Long before the chariots were made the statues of Gods and Goddess Pattini were carried on the shoulders of the devotees around the Kovil premises. Later the Hindu community with the help of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians collected funds to build only one chariot to take Goddess Pattini around the town. Later three more chariots were made and now the Kovil has five chariots.

During this holy month devotees from all parts of Sri Lanka as well as from South India visit this kovil to offer “Poojas” and get the blessings of Gods. The Hindus decorate their shops and houses with traditional decorations. The Buddhists too, decorate and illuminate their shops and houses in the town.

Kovil Management Board President S Chandrasekaram, said that, as there is peace in the country a large number of devotees from North and East will visit this kovil. He said about half a million will come on the final day. He said that highly educated and religious dignitaries have been entrusted to conduct the traditional Hindu rituals. This kovil has a newly-built “Raja Koburam” 108 feet tall which has 1,008 statues of Hindu deities and it is one of the tallest and most beautiful of its kind in Sri Lanka.

The kovil authorities have made elaborate arrangements to provide food and other refreshments to those who visit the temple, free of charge. There will be an almsgiving on February 17 and the water-cutting ceremony will be held on February 19 and Mal Onchillawa Flower-swing will be on February 20 and the ceremony will come to a close.

The “Ther” festival of Sri Muthumari Amman Hindu Kovil in Matale shows the unity among Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians and it is called “the kovil of ethnic and religious harmony.”

The Concept of ‘I am that’

‘I am that” is the fundamental philosophy of Hinduism. All Hindu sages and saints have explained that basics. One of the 20th century religious thinkers who expounded the Hindu Philosophy was the late Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Marati speaking Maharashtran born poor in Mumbai. Thanks to my son, Raam Siva, I came across several books relating to the exponent in his private library in Melbourne. One of them is just called “I am That” published by Chetana (P) Ltd.,34, K Dubhash Marg, Mumbai 400 023, India. First published in 1973, the book in hand is a reprint in 2006.

Described as “a modern spiritual classic”, this book is really a translation from the Marathi taperecordings by Maurice Frydman and revised and edited by Sudhakar S Dikshit. The recordings include talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.

The book carries a very clear explanatory Foreword by Prof Douwe Tiemersma of the Erasmus University in Holland. This 536 page book includes a note on the thinker, notes by the translator and the editor besides very useful three Appendices, one of which is the Glossary of terms used.

Since there is Copyright restrictions, the gems of thought cannot be given per se in this review, except perhaps retell what is common understanding in Hinduism which is stressed by the Maharaj. Even the present century sage, my idol, Shri Sathya Sri Sai Baba says the same thing while stressing the recurring theme of “LOVE”

But there may be many readers who might have not heard of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. We shall therefore glean some facts about him.

We learn that this sage was a teacher “who did not propound any ideology or religion but gently unwrapped the mystery of the ‘Self’.

He was merely a storekeeper selling ‘beedis’ in a shanty area in Mumbai and died in 1981 at the age of 84.

We know from the ancients -from the Greek philosophers to the great sages of the East- the perrenial questions had been: Whence am I, Who am I, Whither am I?

In other words, this Sage also guides us to understand our true nature and the ‘timelessness of being’.

As we gather he is teaching us that our mind must recognize and penetrate its own state of being and not ‘being this or that, here or there, then now’, but just timeless being.

The key finding by this sage who had ‘felt experience’ and guidance from his own Guru appears to be hope for all of us: ‘beyond the real experience is not the mind, but the self, the light in which everything appears... the awareness in which everything happens.”

The great Sankarchrya put it succinctly that “That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman - That Thou Art

The Upanishad says; That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings, who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the Universe, the limitless being - I am that”

In fact as the sage has declared that at the end of a search by us of ourselves we come to the realization that we are the limitless being.

Those of us who want to know the essence of Hinduism should also read books like this to widen our understanding of our true nature which is the Self “not the body, feelings, thoughts, time, space, this or that, nothing concrete or abstract.”

Thiruvembavai festival was celebrated at Kovils and Hindu societies islandwide last week. Here the special pooja “Aruthira Tharisanam” conducted by the priests to mark the Thiruvembavai at Arulmigu Sri Ponnambala Wanesuarar Kovil Kochchikade Colombo 13. Pictures by A Maduraveeran

The Sri Narayana Guru Samajayam Colombo branch conducted a special pooja and a cultural program at the Narayana Guru Mandapam Layards Broadway Grandpass Colombo 14 to mark the 156th birth anniversary of Ven Narayana Guru. Here Indian High Commission Counsellor, Sunil Achaya, lights the oil lamp to inaguruate the ceremony. Samajayam President A K Rahulan CMC Special Commissioner Omar Kamil, and other members were present

The 156th birth anniversary celebration of the Saiva Saint Sri Narayana Guru Swamigal organised by the Sri Narayana Guru Samajayam Sri Lanka branch took place at the Sri Narayana Guru Memorial Hall Layard’s Broadway Grandpass Colombo 14 last week. Here Samajayam President and co-ordinator for the President M K Ragulan, Secretary K Jayakumar and the members at the special pooja.

In the annual 10 days festival of Vavuniya Town Kandasamy Temple, the ninth day chariot festival took place. Large number of devotees participated in the chariot festival.
Picture by T Vivekarasa – Vavuniya Spl corr

Temple of spirituality

Ethnic and religious harmony

The Concept of ‘I am that’