From Today the holy month of Margazhi. Shaivites sing Thiruvempavai written by Saint Manicka Vasagar in the temple town of Thiruvannamalai.
The ancient Tamil Nadu saw two important Bhakti movements, which most probably preceded the philosophical movements of
Adi Sankara and Saint Ramanuja.
The sentinels Bhakti movement worshipping Lord Shiva were called Nayanmars and those worshipping Lord Vishnu were called Azhwars.
History records the story of 63 Nayanmars and their story is chronicled in a book called “Periya puranam” written by Chekizhar who was an eminent poet of those times.
Among those 63 sages, four Natyanmars were the most important and they were Appar, Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarsar and Manika Vasagar.
All of them were great poets and travelled through out Tamil Nadu visiting the shiva temples and composing poems on the deities in each Temple.
The work of Manika Vasagar who was a Kshatriya by caste is called as Thiru vasagam (Holy script).”Thiru Vasagathukku urugar Evvasagathukkum Urugar” meaning,” those who do not melt for Thiruvasagam will never melt for any other book”, is a famous Tamil Saying of those times.
Thiruvempavai is a part of Thiruvasagam and was composed in the temple town of Thiruvannamalai during the month of Margazhi(December-January) when the temple town was celebrating the Pavai Nolumbu.
This is a penance observed by unmarried girls of those times to get good husbands. The maids all wake up early, wake each other up and with song and dance go to the ponds and streams for bathing and then worship Pavai (woman goddess) and request her to bless them with suitable husbands.
Courtesy: PR Ramachander Mama
The ancient Tamil Nadu saw two important Bhakti movements, which most probably preceded the philosophical movements of
Adi Sankara and Saint Ramanuja.
The sentinels Bhakti movement worshipping Lord Shiva were called Nayanmars and those worshipping Lord Vishnu were called Azhwars.
History records the story of 63 Nayanmars and their story is chronicled in a book called “Periya puranam” written by Chekizhar who was an eminent poet of those times.
Among those 63 sages, four Natyanmars were the most important and they were Appar, Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarsar and Manika Vasagar.
All of them were great poets and travelled through out Tamil Nadu visiting the shiva temples and composing poems on the deities in each Temple.
The work of Manika Vasagar who was a Kshatriya by caste is called as Thiru vasagam (Holy script).”Thiru Vasagathukku urugar Evvasagathukkum Urugar” meaning,” those who do not melt for Thiruvasagam will never melt for any other book”, is a famous Tamil Saying of those times.
Thiruvempavai is a part of Thiruvasagam and was composed in the temple town of Thiruvannamalai during the month of Margazhi(December-January) when the temple town was celebrating the Pavai Nolumbu.
This is a penance observed by unmarried girls of those times to get good husbands. The maids all wake up early, wake each other up and with song and dance go to the ponds and streams for bathing and then worship Pavai (woman goddess) and request her to bless them with suitable husbands.
Courtesy: PR Ramachander Mama
