Kudamuzha or kudamudai Muzhavu is a huge pot shaped musical instrument, either made of clay or metal with mouth in the top covered by skin. This membranophone instrument is to be handled directly by hands and the tempo can be adjusted by tightening or relaxing the membrane. Kudamuzha is one of the ancient instruments of […]
Eru thazhuvuthal or bull-sport is one of the popular sport of Tamil Nadu, identified with Tamil culture. The sport is associated with harvest festival ‘Pongal’ that falls in the month of January and conducted on its fourth day. At present it is annually conducted as mega events in some of the southern regions of Tamil […]
IYARPAGAI NAYANAR Iyarpagai is the sobriquet of the Nayanar because he did things contrary to nature. Let us see the life of Iyarpagai Nayanar as described in the Periyapuram and as depicted in the panel of Airavatheswara temple. Iyarpagai was born in a wealthy merchant family in the famous city of Pumpuhar and was the […]
JYESHTA AT NIRPAZHANI Goddess Jyeshta is found in many of temples of Tamil Nadu, but as a deserted deity either kept in some corner of the temple as a thrown away sculpture, or just kept without worship, in some temples kept along with other deities as to demigod status. The presence of numerous sculptures of […]
Paṇṇārntha vīṇai payindrān Saint Appar hymned in a canto of Thirupoonthuruthi thandagam that he beheld the Lord of Poonthuruthi who in pleasure, abode under the banyan tree and strum the melodic Vina. குற்றாலங் கோகரணம் மேவி னானைக் கொடுங்கைக் கடுங்கூற்றைப் பாய்ந்தாந்தன்னை உற்றால நஞ்சுண் டொடுக்கி னானை யுணராவென் நெஞ்சை யுணர்வித் தானைப் பற்றாலின் கீழ்ங் கிருந்தான் தன்னைப் பண்ணார்ந்த வீணை பயின்றான் தன்னைப் […]
Lord Siva, the originator and expounder of yoga, jnana, vina and vyakhyana is represented in Dakshinamurti form. As a expounder of Music He is known as Vinadhara Dakshinamurti and quite commonly depicted in sculptural form either in asana or sthanaka postures handling the instrument ‘Vina’. However, it is quite interesting to see Lord Dakshinamurti depicted […]
A Chola period Ayyanar sculpture is found at Neerpazhani in a field that lies to the north east of the village near a tarn. Neerpazhani, a village in Kulattur taluk of Pudukkottai district is about 35kms from the headquarters Pudukkottai and the village is credited with a Chola period Siva temple known in the name […]
THIRUNEELAKANTA NAYANAR Thiruneelakantar was born in the Vetkovar clan (potters) at Thillai and was a man of great virtues; he shunned falsity and stood poised in piety. He was an ardent devout of Lord Siva and his desire was to serve the true devotees of the Lord. He made his living by making earthen vessels […]
‘MATHARPIRAIKANNIYANAI…’ Saint Sekkizhar in about fifteen quatrains hymned Saint Appar’s surfacing at the Thiruvaiyaru pond; beholding God and Goddess; the grand scene of Mount Kailash and Saint’s state of ecstasy. In that the grand and magnificent milieu of Mount Kailash is described in six quatrains. The silver lined Mount Kailash filled with the divine atmosphere, […]
SAINT APPAR’S KAILAYA DARSHAN continue… In the next panel, Appar is shown carrying a big bowl like thing in his raised hands, and to his right God and Goddess are standing. It seems like he received the Pothigai from God. The God and Goddess are in the same posture as seen in the previous panel. […]