January, February, March, 2003

TEMPLES

New Life

A rare ceremony of renewal restores South India's famed Arunachaleswarar temple

BY KESAV MALLIA, CHENNAI

I remember it vividly. it was 9:47 in the morning on June 27, 2002. That moment was perfectly still like a calm before a storm. What followed was a devotional frenzy that all good Tamil Nadu temple-goers know only too well.

Three hundred thousand devotees were packed around a 217-foot rajagopuram (one of four main outer temple towers) at the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai, South India. They had been there all morning some since the night before. Suddenly, as if in response to some orchestrated cue, everyone roared, "Annamalaikku Haro Hara," "Glory to the Lord of Annamalai." Six eagles circled over the temple's sanctum sanctorum and abhishekams (water ceremonies) were simultaneously performed in nine towers and nine shrines throughout the temple complex. The 1,300-year-old temple was experiencing its fifth known Maha Kumbhabhishekam. It was history in the making. The last such ceremony occurred in 1976. The two before that were in 1944 and 1903.

A Maha Kumbhabhishekam is held either to formally consecrate a new temple or reconsecrate an old one, which usually occurs at twelve-year intervals, following renovation, extensive cleaning and renewal. The rites culminate with the priests' pouring sanctified water over the temple spires, each of which resembles an inverted pot, or kumbha. Leading up to the consecration, a number of rituals are performed by the sthapati (main temple architect) in charge of the construction or renovation.

The temple at Arunachaleswarar is the second largest in India. Throughout its long history, it has enjoyed extraordinary popularity among wealthy patrons. This remains true today. Just before the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of 2002, more than a million dollars was spent on temple renovation and repair. Although a great deal of this money came from affluent donors, much was also solicited through pamphlets, posters and "door stickers" as well as on television.

All nine gopurams were repaired, renovated and repainted. The 1000 - pillared mandapam (main temple hall) was completely cleaned and even outfitted with electricity. The temple's entire collection of ceremonial utensils were scrubbed and polished. And much of the old ornamentation was refurbished with new, intricately designed carvings and designs all gold-plated.

During the ceremony itself, more than five thousand policemen were on hand to keep order. The water and fire rituals commenced in coordination with the conclusion of a nine-day annual festival featuring worship of the Hindu Goddesses Durga, Amman and Pitari. The inaugural puja was held in the newly constructed yagasala (a place of fire worship) on the evening of June 22.

During the next six days, grand homas (fire ceremonies) were conducted at 102 agni kundams (fire pits) built in the yagasala just for this purpose. Each of these homas was dedicated to a God or Goddess. Thirty-three were for Annamalai (a form of Lord Siva), 25 for Amman (a form of Goddess Shakti), and five each for Gods Vinayagar, Murugan, Somaskander and Venugopal. The remaining 24 were committed to the parivara devathas (canonized saints devoted to Lord Siva).

Three hundred Sivacharyas, 15 oduvars (traditional temple singers) and 120 Vedic scholars from all over India orchestrated the homas while 108 tavil players (temple drummers) and nadaswaram masters (temple horn players) provided appropriate festival music. The grand procession around the temple was led by Tyagaraja Gurukkal (69) and Alasyanatha Gurukkal (54), both long-time chief priests at Arunachaleswara Temple.

Doordarshan, Jaya TV and a local television channel beamed the Kumbhabhishekam live as it occurred. All India Radio also broadcast a running commentary. Dina Malar, a renowned Tamil daily, hired seven photographers to cover the event. All in all it was a grand event in Tamil Nadu, a gracious gift of upliftment to its motherland of India, otherwise deeply troubled by the darker events of 2002.

For hundreds of years, the town of Tiruvannamalai and the temple Arunachaleswara have stood foremost among South India's most sought-after spiritual destinations. Successive South Indian kings always gave great importance to them both. They dug ponds and wells—built gopurams, compound walls and prakarams (temple courtyards) and donated jewels and gold. Famous Indian kings down through history—like Rajaraja Chola, Rajendra Chola, Harihara Bukkar, Krishna Deva Rayar, as well as the kings of the Chera, Pallava, Pandya, Rashtrakotta, Hoysala and Naik dynasties—were proud to have Tiruvannamalai as part of their kingdom. Some of them even made it their capital. Even when caught in political crisis, they held onto Tiruvannamalai.

Historical details about the Arunachaleswarar Temple are revealed in stone inscriptions on the prakara walls and copper plates of the temple itself. These inscriptions, which refer to a period of time spanning a thousand years starting from 750 ce, indicate that the greatness of Arunachaleswarar was made known to the kings of the times primarily through important South Indian devotional literature like the Thevaram and Thiruvasagam.

A Maha Kumbhabhishekam is held either to formally consecrate a new temple or reconsecrate an old one, which usually occurs at twelve-year intervals, following renovation, extensive cleaning and renewal. The rites culminate with the priests’ pouring sanctified water over the temple spires, each of which resembles an inverted pot, or kumbha. Leading up to the consecration, a number of rituals are performed by the sthapati (main temple architect) in charge of the construction or renovation.

Aruna literally means “force” and achala means “that which cannot be moved.” So, Arunachaleswarar Temple represents Lord Siva as indomitable power. The Arunachaleswarar Siva Temple is located 125 miles from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu. Its day-to-day administration is currently controlled by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department of the Tamil Nadu Government.

Tiruvannamalai and its famous temple are attracting an increasing number of pilgrims every year. On a single festival day, it may accommodate as many as a million devotees. And that was before the million-dollar renovation and Maha Kumbhabhishekam of 2002. Certainly, the best is yet to come.

The Legend of Endless Fire

A mythical story of three Gods

The long-lived fame of the great Arunachaleswara Hill is inextricably connected to an ancient Hindu legend recorded in an important Hindu literary work entitled Skanda Puranam. According to this story, two Hindu Gods Lord Brahma, the creator, and Lord Vishnu, the preserver each claimed superiority over the other. Somewhat embarrassed that distinguished Gods of the celestial realm should be engaged in such a puerile altercation, Lord Siva, the Lord of the Universe, appeared before them as a pillar of fire, known as Sthanu or Lingodbhavamurti in Sanskrit. In an effort to somehow arbitrate or at least ameliorate their discord, He boomed forth in a deep voice, "Whosoever should find either the beginning or the end of this light of mine shall be considered, now and forever more, the superior of you two."

Upon hearing this, Vishnu took the form of a boar and dug into the depths of the Earth, seeking the beginning of the light. Alas, he returned disappointed. Brahma became a swan and flew up and up, seeking the light's top. He too was about to give up in despair when, by chance, he happened upon a falling flower who embarked upon a conversation with him.

The flower which by name was a pandanus odoratissimus, more commonly known as a screw pine asked the God what in the world he was doing flying so high. Brahma replied that he was just seeking the end of the light but had been thus far unsuccessful in finding it. Upon hearing this, the screw pine not knowing the light had no beginning or end delightedly struck upon a mischievous plan: They would tell Siva they found the end of the light and be each other's witness to the fact. Brahma liked the idea and so they returned and reported their story.

Siva, of course, was upset. He had no patience with liars. Hence, He decided and so decreed that Brahma and the flower should be provided a lesson in humility, by which they might learn the error of their ways.

Lord Brahma, He proclaimed, would not be deified in temples, and the screw pine would never be used in worship. This has indeed come to pass. There are no Brahma temples (save one), and nobody ever worships with screw pine flowers. It goes without saying that Vishnu was judged superior to Brahma. So the story goes.

Now, there is an epilogue to this which applies specifically to Arunachaleswara Hill. Apparently, Siva, who was really upset with Brahma and the flower over this lying incident, was scorching all three worlds with the roaring flames of His righteous indignation so much so that the celestials were impelled to ask Him to stop. Siva obliged by cooling down and manifesting as Arunachaleswara Hill. Both Brahma and Vishnu prayed to Siva that He take the form of a Linga on the east side of the hill and, in remembrance of the blazing fire, appear as a light further up toward the top each year on the Hindu holy day of Karttikeya Dipam. According to the legend, Lord Siva granted this prayer.

Today, the 2,668-foot-tall Arunachala Hill is regarded as Tejo Lingam, Lord Siva as a pillar of fire. Some even say that traditional worship of the Sivalingam as it is currently practiced commenced on Arunachala. The eight-mile circuit around the base of the hill is itself a pilgrimage destination. Along its way are more than 360 tirthams (holy tanks) and 400 Lingams. Ramana Maharishi's ashram is situated here on this circuit, making it all the more famous.