HINDUISM

A festival of harvest and thanks - giving

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

In an agriculture based civilization the harvest plays an important part. The farmer cultivating the land depends on cattle, timely rain and the sun. Once a year he expresses his gratitude to these, during the harvest festival. With the end of the wet month of Margali (Mid December to Mid January) the new Tamil month of Thai beginning as January 15, 2012 heralds a series of festivals.

Pongal means the boiling over the milk and rice during the month of Thai

The first day of this month is a festival day known as Thai Pongal Day. Pongal means the boiling over the milk and rice during the month of Thai.

According to the calendar based on the Solar system the year is divided into two halves following the apparent movement of the sun northwards and southwards. The former is termed as “Little Ranarayanam” and the latter is “Dakshinanarayanam”. On the first day of Thai, the sun leaves the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius and enters that of “Carpricon.” The latter is known as “Makaram”. This event is celebrated as Mahara “San Jaranthi.”

In fact, it is a day of triple celebrations, the beginning of “Uttaranarayanam,” Mahara Sankaranthi” and the “Pongal”. Further, the Pongal marks a period of plenty, peace and happiness.

There is a Tamil saying “Thai Peranthal Vali Perakum.” This paraphrased means with the dawn of the month of Thai, there will be peace, happiness, prosperity, brightness and harmony in the life of everyone. “Thai Pongal” which is observed by Hindus generally includes rites and ceremonies that are expressions of mortification, invigoration and Jubilation over life's renewal.

The sun is the main object of worship and the Pongal made out of coconut milk, rice and jaggery is offered first to the sun. As the Mahara Sankaranthi coincides with the harvest season the farmers also express their gratitude to the sun by worshipping it and offering fruits, sugarcane and boiled rice with milk.

The Pongal rings in a year of warmth. The cold season ends, the flowers blossom and the songs of the birds fills the air. It is therefore no wonder that the ancients attached great importance to the sun and its movement. All the auspicious events such as weddings and festivals are conducted during the “Uttaranarayana” season.

During Thai Pongal Day Hindu homes are cleaned, colour washed and decorated. Usually the villagers cook the rice in the open in a pot at noon when the sun is directly overhead. It is that, the direct rays of the sun following over the month of the vessel will bring peace, harmony and prosperity.

The Day after “Thai Pongal” devoted to thanks giving to cattle. The farmers pay great attention to the animals which have ploughed the fields and drawn the carts throughout the year.

To express their gratitude for this invaluable service the animals are bathed. Their horns are painted in red, blue, yellow and green. Their foreheads are smeared with “turmeric” and “Kumkum”. Their necks are adorned with colourful garlands. Pooja is performed and pongal is given in plenty. This is called “Mattu Pongal.”

The Pongal is also an occasion for family re-union and get-together. Old enmities, personal animosities, rivalries are all forgotten. Estrangements are healed and reconciliation is effected.

The Pongal is also an occasion for family re-union and get-together

Indeed, “Thai Pongal” is a festival of freedom, peace, unity and compassion crystallized in the last hymn of unity in the Indian spiritual text the “Rig Veda”: “Let your aim be one and single. Let your heart be joined in one, the mind at rest in unison at peace with all so you may be.”

“Love and peace are the centered theme of Thai Pongal. As the ancients have said, “Whatever you love, you are its master, whatever you hate you are its slave.” Indeed we have in our midst the brilliant light of the sun, the mellow light of the moon and the stars, but in everybody's heart and mind, a different light burns - the light of knowledge and the warmth of human love and compassion. The clear beauty of purified wisdom which we carry in our hearts will undoubtedly strengthen ourselves for sacrifice, service and greatness and will dispel the gloom of poverty, superstition, darkness of ignorance and egoistic arrogance.

Indeed, this “Thai Pongal” festival makes us to realize that “Hatred will never crease by hatred, but will cease by love alone”, even “Lord Buddha,” said “Mind is everything.” “The way you think you become” Mahatamagandhi put it differently. Man is the product of his thoughts and what he thinks he becomes. In fact “Thai Pongal festival is significant to one and all since everyone is endeavouring to bring everlasting peace and eternal prosperity to Sri Lanka.

“It is very often said that “more flies can be caught by honey than by vinegar.” As such, on this glorious occasion of “Thai Pongal”, let us pledge ourselves irrespective of caste, creed and religion to bring about ethnic harmony, reconciliation and peace to make Sri Lanka a nation of paradise.

Glory of Land of Temples

Sinnathamby Rasiah

India has been called ‘Land of Temples’ in consequence of their number. The Dravidians were great temple builders. The Saivas predominatein South India but the Vaishavites are also numerous. In earlier periodSouthern part of India consisted of three kingdoms namely the Pandyas, the Cholas and the Cheras. The kings built temples and patronized them. Theprincipal part, the actual temple itself is called the Vimana. It is always square in plan and surrounded by a pyramidal roof of one or more storeys; it contains the cell in which the image of god or his emblem is placed.

The porches always cover and precede the door leading to the cell. Gate pyramids, gopuras which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures, which always surrounded the Vimanas, the pillored halls used for various purposes. Besides these a temple always contains tanks of wells for water to be used either for sacred purposes or the convenience of the priests or devotees. The most important temples in South India are Thirupathi, Kanchipuram, Chidamparam, Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Srirangam, Madura and Remeswaram.

Thirupathi

The temple of Thirupathi is about 90 miles north west of Madras. The town at the foot of the hill is known as lower Thirupathi and the temple on the hills as upper Thirupathi. The mountain has seven principal peaks. Near one of them named Seshachellam, stands the temple and the wholerange Thirumalai is often called after the particular peak. The hills are saidto have originally formed part of mount meru.

The chief temple is six miles distant from lower Thirupathi but the outer entrance begins about a mile from the town. There are 31 pools of water, all more or less sacred, Pilgrims generally come with the cry Govinda. Bathing in the sacred tanks is said to purify all sins. Sickness and the desire of male offspring are the chief causes which induce persons to make a vow to thirupathi idol.

The temple is surrounded by three stone walls and rising in the centre of the space is seen a rather insignificant dome. The shrine is a small chamber containing the idol a standing representation of Vishnu in stone seven feet in height. The building of the temple is attributed to Tondima Chakravarti.

Conjevaram temple

Conjevaram of kanchipuram is 46 miles south west of Madras. It was an important city of Chola kingdom and in the 14th century the capital of Tondamandalam. Kanchipuram is one of the seven holy cities of India,a pilgrimage to which is supposed to confer happiness in heaven.

The two towns of great and little Kanchpuram posses a group of temples, choultries and all other features of a place frequented by pilgrims. The huge saiva temple at Kanchipuram has some noble Gopuras, large mandapas the usual 1000 pillared halland some fine tanks with flights of stone steps. The largest Gopura has 10 storeys, Its height being 188 feet. It is nearly as possible square at the base, each side being about 74 feet. The summit affords a fine bird’s eye view of the entire temple and surrounding country. The hall said to contain 1000pillars, number only 540. Most of the columns are beautifully carved. In the centre of the hall area, are a number of grotesque wooden figures used for processional purposes. The Vishnu temple of little Kanchipuram is about two miles distant from the great temple. Here is a very remarkable hall of pillars, 96 in all carved at the bases into horsemen and fabulous animals.

The temple of Chidamparam

Chidamparam (or more correctly Chittambalam, “the atmosphere of wisdom”) is about 150 miles south of Madras and seven miles from the coast. It is chiefly noted for its temples. The great temple is sacred to God Shiva and His Consort Parvathi. The magnificent temple in this place is considered one of the most important in South India and devotees from all parts of India visit the temple all the year round.

The idol of Nadarajah, Shiva in the dancing aspect is separated from the holy of the holies by a veil, which is removed only on special occasions of worship. Behind the veil is revealed mere space, out of which the blissful Nadarajah is said to have emerged. Chidamparamis famous for the simplicity of its object of worship, which consists of Ahasa(ethereal space) and Rahasya or Chakra on the wall to the rear of the idol.

The temples at Chidamparam are the oldest in south India and portions of them are gems of dravidian art. The outer enclosure in which this temple stands is very elaborate with two storeys of pillars.

There are four courts at Chidamparam temple. The third contains the famous thousand pillared hall 350 feet by 260 feet from which a good view of the inner shrine is obtained. The second has a shrine of LordShiva and other deities. Nritha Sabha has the sculptural representation in its base. Kumbakonam Temple

Kumbakonam (The water-jar-mouth) is situated in Tanjoredistrict, about 190 miles south west of Madras. It was one of the capitals ofChola kingdom and noted for its learning. The Gopura of the largest temple is in 12 storeys and is fully 160 feet high. The temple of Shiva is approached by a curious arched passage, 330 feet long, lined with shops on either side.

The Mahamaham tank has its bank studded with temples, flights of steps and a very large temple of red brick. There are a large number of huge idol cars, which at annual festival are drawn by hundreds of devotees.

Tanjore Temple

Tanjore is situated in what is called the Garden of SouthIndia. It is the delta of Kaveri and surrounded by a network of irrigationcanals. Tanjore was the last capital of Chola dynasty and was afterwards ruled by a Naik governor from Vijianagar. Between 1656 and 1675 it fell into the hands of Mahratas. The state was acquired by the British in 1779.

The great temple consists of two courtyards, the outer 250 feet square and the inner about 500 feet by 250 feet in which the templeitself stands. The buildings date from the beginning of 14th century. The central tower of the temple is the finest in India of its kind. Its base is a square of 96 feet and the height 208 feet. The huge circular domeat the top is formed of one mass of granite. The gateway tower is one of the oldest portions of the temple. It is dedicated to God Shiva. It was built about1300 AD by one of the kings of Conjeeveram. Halfway between the entrance gate and the temple is the famous Nandi. The bull is 16 feet long and 12 feet high sculptured out of a solid block of rock. A specularity of the temple is tha tall the sculptures on the gopuras belong to Vishnu, while everything in the courtyard is dedicated to God Shiva.

Srirangam Temple

Srirangam is a town on an island of the kaveri, two miles north of Trichinopoly. The town is noted for the temple of Vishnu, the largest in India. The double walls enclose an area 960 yards long by 825 yards wide. The great northern Gopura is 130 feet wide at its base by 100 feet in depth. The passage through it is 21 ½ feet wide and 43 feet high.

The next enclosures however more magnificent. It includesthe hall of columns which measure some 450 feet by 130 feet.

Madura Temple

Madura is situated on the south bank of the river Vaigai. It is one of the most ancient and celebrated cities in India. The Pandyas were established at Madura at least as early as the fifth century BC and their empire lasted till the end of the 11th century AD. The great Madura temple dedicated to Sundareswara and His consort Minakshi is 28 yards long and 248 yards broad with nine gopuras, one of which is 152 feet high. The thousand pillared hall was built by Arya Nayak about 1550. The tank is surrounded by arcades and is very beautiful.