Srivaishna Acaryar Thirukachi Nambigal @ Kandakottam Chennai

'மாசி மிருகசீர்ஷம்'  - திருக்கச்சி நம்பிகளின் அவதார திருநாள்.   திருக்கச்சி நம்பிகள் - எம்பெருமானாருக்கு ஆசார்யர் ஆவார்.  

இவர் சௌம்ய வருஷம்,  1009 ஆம் ஆண்டு, வைசிய குல திலகரான வீரராகவருக்கும் கமலைக்கும் அவதரித்தார். இவரது அவதார ஸ்தலம் : பூவிருந்தவல்லி.  சென்னையில் இருந்து பெங்களூர் காஞ்சிபுரம், ஸ்ரீபெரும்புதூர்,திருவள்ளூர், திருப்பதி செல்லும் மார்க்கத்தில் இந்த ஊர் உள்ளது.   இவ்வூர் தர்மபுரீ என்றும் புருஷமங்கலம் என்றும் பெயர் பெற்றிருந்தது எனவும் திருக்கச்சிநம்பிகள் திருநந்தவனம் வைத்த  காரணத்தால்,  பூவிருந்தவல்லி எனும் பெயர் பெற்றது.  பூந்தமல்லி பேருந்து நிலையத்துக்கு மிக  அருகில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீவரதராஜ பெருமாள் கோவில் திருக்கச்சிநம்பிகள் சம்பந்தப்பட்டது. புராதானமான  இக்கோவிலில், திருக்கச்சி  வரதராஜர், ஸ்ரீரங்கம் ரங்கநாதர், திருப்பதி ஸ்ரீநிவாசர் என மூவரும் சந்நிதி கொண்டுள்ளனர். இங்கே உள்ள தாயார் திருநாமம் : புஷ்பவல்லி தாயார்.  திருக்கச்சி நம்பிகள் அவதரித்த ஆயிரமாவது ஆண்டு  2009ஆம் ஆண்டு  விமர்சையாய் கொண்டாடப்பட்டது.

Chennapatnam which is set to celebrate its birth in August, presents different flavours in different places.  In what is commonly known as Parrys area, there is the Pookkadai [flower bazaar] nearer Kothawalchavadi [once the vegetable hub] – and it was from here vegetable would be bought as it would be cheaper when bought in bulk quantities.  On one side is Sowcarpet touted as little North India, an old neighbourhood, having age old buildings and marriage halls in narrow bylanes.  Have read that trams used to ply in NSC Bose road in those days when it was known as Chinna bazaar [there is also the Rattan bazaar, Evening bazaar, Burma bazaar]  It was the hub of many activities – besides the mofussil bus stand, there was the Kothawalchavadi, the vegetable market; flower market at Badrian street, clothes at Godown Street, dry fruits and pulses at Govindappa Naick st, Devaraja mudali St for turmeric, kumkum, glasses, essences and perfumes; many jewellers nearer those twin pagodas of Chenna Kesava Perumal Kovil and Chenna Mallesswarar temple – Sri PrasannaVenkateswarar temple [famously Bairagi Mutt]; Kanda Kottam and more. Sowcar comes from the Hindi word sahukaar, meaning merchant or banker. A couple of centuries ago, this place flourished with diamond, pearl trade too.

This area known as Black town during colonial period came to be called as George Town from 1911 when King George V ascended the throne.  The colonial past and his statue still remain.  One can find lot of fruit sellers and other small time hawkers all along the road – it is a virtual paradise for sellers displaying so many wares…… .. and this post, is what I saw to my surprise at Sri Kandaswamy thirukovil (Kandakottam)

Poonamallee the place on way to Sriperumpudur, Kanchi, Bangalore, Thirumazhisai, Thiruvallur, Tirupathi is too well known to travellers. Near the main bus stand at Poonamallee  is the temple of Lord Varadharaja whose consort is Pushpakavalli, who gave this place the name ~ and this place is more significant to us for its attachment to our Acharyar who lived 1000 years ago and who had a great role in the life of our Greatest Acharyar Sri Ramanujar.

Acharyar Thirukachi Nambigal was born in ‘masi mirugaseerusham’  at this place to Sri Veeraghavachettiyar  and Kamalai.  He was the disciple of Aalavanthar and had association with Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal too.  Thirukachi Nambigal is reverred for his devoted committed service of  ‘thiruaalavatta kainkaryam **– (service of providing comfort – directing air by handfan) to Devathirajar, the Lord at Thirukachi.  Nambigal is reverred as acharyan of Swami Ramanujar.  In the Kaliyuga, Nambigal was blessed that Sri Perarulalar spoke to Nambigal in person and through him, Devathirajar gave message of ‘Six words’ to Ramanuja – of which ‘Aham Eva ParamThatvam’ – Lord Sriman Narayana is Supreme is the first message.  ‘Upayam prapthi’ – accept ME as the sole refuge is another.

This temple dates back to 10^th century of Paranthaka Chozha with inscriptions mentioning it as ‘puliyurkottampoonthamallee’.   It is from here, Nambigal visited Lord DEvathiraja of Thirukachi doing floral and ‘aalavattam’ service. Thirukachi nambigal was also known as Kachipurnar and Gajendra dasar.. our Emperumanar upon returning abruptly from Varanasi (escaping the attempt on his life) became attached to Thirukachi nambigal, a disciple of Alavandhar.  Udayavar wanted to become his disciple of the great person who conversed with Devathirajar.  

Sri Muthukumaraswamy Devasthanam popularly Kandaswamy temple or KandaKottam lies just a furlong and half from the Madras Central Railway Station.  The temple’s history dates back to many centuries. In the seventeenth century there were two ardent devotees of Lord Muruga - Thiru Mari Chetty and Thiru Kandapandaram, who used to visit Thiruporur Sri Kandaswamy Temple and guided by divine interference, this temple at Sowcarpet was constructed by the Maari Chettiar in the 1670s.   It has seen many renovations, and has a big temple tank  called  'Saravana Poigai.'  According to the stone inscriptions in the temple, the moolavar vigraham (main idol) of Murugan in this temple was discovered and brought from a tank bund near Thiru porur Sri Kandha Swāmi Temple.

This morning in the prakaram of the temple closer to the tank observed this small pillar statue of our Acaryar Thirukachi Nambigal.  Here are some photos of the temple and Nambigal

~ adiyen Srinivasadhasan

29^th July 2018.