Malainadu divyadesam - "Thirunavai" ~ நவையில் திருநாரணன்சேர்* திருநாவாய்*

Malainattu Divyadesam – Thirunavai

கலுழி   என்பது ஒரு அழகான தமிழ் சொல்.  இதற்கு - கலங்கல் நீர்,  காட்டாறு, நீர்ப்பெருக்கு , வெள்ளம், கண்ணீர், கலக்கம் - என பொருள்கள் உண்டு. அதீத துக்கத்தை குறிக்க 'கண்ணீர் வெள்ளம்' போல பெருகியது என்ற சொல்லாடலை கேட்டு இருப்போம்.  "கவையில் மனம்இன்றி*  கண்ணீர்கள் கலுழ்வன்* "  - கவை என்பது இரட்டை மனம்.  இப்படியும் அல்லாமல் அப்படியும் இல்லமால் பிறழும் மனநிலை.  சுவாமி நம்மாழ்வார் அவ்வாறான பிறழ்வு தமக்கு இல்லை; இன்றே இப்போதே கண்ணீர் வெள்ளமுற இவ்வூருக்கு சென்று இவ்வெம்பெருமானை  வணங்கவேண்டும் என்று பாடிய திவ்யதேசம் அறிவீரா ? - அதுவே "திருநாவாய் "  எனும் திவ்யதேசம்.  மலைநாட்டு திருப்பதி - கேரளா மல்லபுரத்தில் அமைந்துள்ளது.  குருவாயூரில் இருந்து சென்று சேவித்து வரலாம். 

The Malabar rebellion happened in August 20, 1921 – 1922 in the Malabar region of Kerala.  Also known as Moplah riots,   started as a resistance against the British colonial rule in Malabar region  but later turned into communal violence against the Hindus.  The  uprising was also against the prevailing feudal system   and in favour of the Khilafat Movement that occurred thousands of miles away. 

On a different note,  this film begins with a Mamangam festival (conducted every 12 years) which is conducted by the present Zamorin several years after the ownership of the festival was handed over forcefully from Valluvakkonathiri to the Zamorin. From that time onwards Valluvakkonathiri used to send his best Warriors from Valluvanad to confront the Zamorin and kill him. But the warriors would usually die by the hands of Zamorin's 30000 men even before they could reach the Nilapaduthara where the Zamorin used to sit. The eyes of such dead warriors are pulled out and their body is dropped into a well named Manikkinar with the help of elephants. During this Mamangam too, the Chaverukal led by Chandroth Valiya Panikkar has arrived to confront the Zamorin. They fight the Zamorin's army and everyone except Valiya Panikkar dies. But finally, Valiya Panikkar reaches the Nilapaduthara by his skills.

.. .. that was the storyline of Malayalam film released in 2019 – “Mamangam’   directed by M. Padmakumar, and produced by Kavya Film Company. The cast included  Mammootty, Unni Mukundan, Achuthan B Nair and  others. It was a movie  about the Mamankam festival of the 18th century in the banks of the Bharathappuzha at Tirunavaya, in the Malabar region. The film follows Chaaverukal who plot to overthrow the Samoothiri.  You can watch the theme song of the movie :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJRTDWF02KU

Bharathappuzha ("River of Bhārata"), also known as the Nila or Ponnani River,3] or Kuttippuram River, flows through parts of Kerala – with    a length of 209 km, it is the second longest river that flows through Kerala after the Periyar.  It flows through Palakkad Gap, which is also the largest opening in the Kerala portion of Western Ghats.  Nila has groomed the culture and life of South Malabar part of Kerala. It is also referred to as "Peraar" in ancient scripts and documents. River Bharathapuzha is an interstate river and lifeline water source for a population residing in four administrative districts, namely Malappuram and Palakkad districts, and parts of Palakkad-Thrissur district border of Kerala and Coimbatore, and Tiruppur of Tamil Nadu. The fertile Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands lie on its bank.

Tirunavaya, (Thirunavai), is a census town in Tirur Taluk, Malappuram district, Kerala. Situated on the northern bank of Bharatappuzha, it is one of major Hindu pilgrimage centres in Kerala. Tirunavaya, houses the Srivaishnavaite temple Tirunavaya Temple of Navai Mukundhan  and temples of Siva and Brahma (Cherutirunavaya Brahma Temple and Siva Temple/Tirunavaya Mahadeva Temple).  It was a part of the erstwhile Kingdom of Valluvanad before being conquerred by Zamorin of Calicut in the early medieval era.  River Ponnani assumes special sanctity, as it flows between the temple of Vishnu (Navamukunda) on its right bank and the temple of Brahma and Siva on its left. The village, situated on the fertile river basin, must have been one of the most prominent Brahmin settlements in Kerala. Tirunavaya hosts  the Mamankam, a grand festival once in 12 years.

Tirunavaya Temple (in full Tirunavaya Navamukunda Temple) is an ancient Hindu temple   on the northern bank of the Bharatappuzha (River Ponnani).  ed to Navamukundan (Narayana-Vishnu). The temple has no pond or well, and water from the river is used for all rituals. The presence of Cherutirunavaya Brahma - Siva Temples across the River Ponnani at Tavanur makes it a Trimurti sangama. The river bank in the temple are considered as holy as Kasi and the ritual offering practices for forefathers (bali tarpana/sradha puja) are similar to the ones done there. In the Thirunavai Mukundhan temple, there is separate sannadhi for thayar Mahalakshmi. 

                  The temple building was attacked and destroyed during the invasion of Kerala by Tipu Sultan of Mysore (18th century AD), and later attacked in 1921 during the Mappila Rebellion. The present temple building is constructed  the indigenous Kerala Temple Architecture style. Presently, the Tirunavaya temple   is administered by Samutiri of Kozhikode (Zamorin of Calicut) as the managing trustee under Malabar Devaswom Board, Government of Kerala. The temple is open from 05.00 am to 10.00 am and 04.00 pm to 07.00 pm on all days.

The nine spiritually enlightened sons of 'Hrishabha', the King of Ayodhya, known as 'Navayogis' (Nine ascetics), were constant travelers. During their sojourn, they reached the confluence of the rivers 'Bagmathi' and 'Gantaki' from where the eldest son, Kavi, got a Salagrama of Vishnu. Salagramas are stones found in the Gantaki river basin in Nepal, with special marks like spiral, chakras, thread, etc. formed on them and considered as sacred with the presence of God Vishnu. "Install this Salagrama at the most holy place for the welfare of mankind", Kavi heard an 'asareeri' ( the divine prompting voice).  Kavi travelled all over India in search of the befitting place for the installation of the salagrama and placed it on the north bank of Bharatappuzha at Thirunavaya, where Sriman Narayana  himself, whom the salagrama represented, had stayed during a 'Yaga' conducted by Brahma on the South bank. Kavi left the place complacent that his duty was over, but the salagrama sank into the earth. Then his seven brothers brought other salagramas of Vishnu and repeated the process and these also sank deep into the earth.

At last, the youngest of the brothers, Karabhajanan, came to the same place and knew of the futile attempts of his brothers. He knew that this happened because, the proper rituals that should have been performed at the time of the installation were not performed. He installed the Salagrama, as Mukunda bestowing 'Moksha' to the departed souls with all necessary rituals. This time the installation was successful. Later these nine brothers (Navayogis) came to this place and performed a 'Yaga' for the appeasement of the gods and the welfare of the people. The place was thus known as 'Tirunavayogi', in memory of the nine brothers, and the word transformed, as time passed, to the present form 'Thirunavaya'.

This temple, 'The Navamukunda Temple' is one of the oldest Vishnu temples in Kerala. It dates back to the last period of the 'Dwaapara Yuga'.The main daily offerings for worship are Nei Vilakku (lamp lighted with ghee), Thaamara maala (Lotus garlands) and Paal paayasam (Porridge/Dessert or Kheer made of rice cooked in sweetened milk).  The temple and the surrounding region were under the rule of 'Cheraman Perumals' and later under 'Vettathu Rajas' who owed allegiance to Perumals. After demise of the last Vettathu Raja in 1793 AD, The British East India Company who, by this time became the rulers of this region, handed over this temple to Kozhikode Samoothiri Raja (the King Zamorin of Calicut) for its administration as 'Ooraalan'.

 

Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple, Kerala The temple building was attacked and destroyed during the invasion of Kerala by Sultan of Mysore Tipu. The structure standing today is not the same as original one This place, Kadavallur was a Sanskrit and Vedic University from the Panniyur faction (Thrissur Brahmaswom madom) and Thirunavaya representing Sukapuram used to compete chanting 10472 Rig vedic mantras in 7 stages as part of anyonyam .. .. but sadly, after invasions and attacks has lost its pre-eminence. 

திருநாவாய்  ஸ்ரீ நவ முகுந்தன் கோயில் என்பது 108 வைணவத் திருத்தலங்களில் ஒன்றாகும்.   திருமங்கையாழ்வார் மற்றும் நம்மாழ்வாரால் பாடல் பெற்ற இத்தலம் கேரள மாநிலம் மலப்புரம் மாவட்டத்தில் திருநாவாய் என்ற ஊரில் அமைந்துள்ளது. இத்தலத்தில் திருமாலைக் குறித்து 9 யோகிகள் தவம் செய்ததாகவும் அதனால் இந்த தலம் நவ யோகித்தலம் என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டு காலப்போக்கில் நாவாய் தலம் என்றாகி தற்போது திருநாவாய் என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

விமானம் வேதவிமானம் என்ற வகையைச் சேர்ந்தது. இக்கோவிலில் மாமாங்கத் திருவிழா வெகு விமரிசையாகக் கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது. 18 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் திப்பு சுல்தானாலும் 1921 இல் மாப்பிள்ளைக் கலகம் நடந்த போதும் இக்கோவில் தாக்குதலுக்கு உள்ளானது.  மூலவர் நாவாய் முகுந்தன் என்ற திருநாமத்துடன் நின்ற திருக்கோலம், கிழக்கே திருமுக மண்டலத்துடன் ஸேவை சாதிக்கின்றார். தாயார் மலர்மங்கை நாச்சியார், ஸ்ரீதேவி ஆகிய திருநாமங்களுடன் தனி சன்னதியில் சேவை சாதிக்கின்றார்.    திருமங்கையாழ்வார் 2 பாசுரங்களும், நம்மாழ்வார் 11 பாசுரங்களுமாக மொத்தம் 13 பாசுரங்கள் பாடியுள்ளனர். இக்கோயில் காலை 5 மணி முதல் 11 மணி வரையிலும், மாலை 5 மணி முதல் இரவு 8 மணி வரையிலும் திறந்திருக்கும். திருநாவாய் திவ்யதேசம் பற்றி ஸ்வாமி நம்மாழ்வார் ஒரு பதிகம் அருளிச்செய்துள்ளார்.  இதோ இங்கே அவரது திருவாய்மொழி பாசுரம் ஒன்று :

எவைகொல் அணுகப் பெறுநாள்?'*  என்று எப்போதும்*

கவையில் மனம்மின்றிக் *  கண்ணீர்கள் கலுழ்வன்*

நவையில்  திருநாரணன்சேர்*  திருநாவாய்*

அவையுள் புகலாவது  ஓர் நாள் அறியேனே

 

மலைநாட்டிலே திருநாவாய் என அமைந்திருக்கும் அற்புத திவ்யதேசத்திலே உள்ள மஹா கோஷ்டியிலே சென்று சேர்ந்து அநுபவிக்கும் நாள் எதுவோ? அறிகிறிலேன் என்று அலமருகின்றார் ஆழ்வார்.  இந்த ஸ்தலத்தில் சென்று நான் எம்பெருமானை சேவிக்கப்பெறும் நாள் எதுவோ  என்று  இதையே எப்போதுஞ் சொல்லிக் கண்ணீர் சோரவிருக்கின்றேன். துர்லபத்வம் முதலான தோஷங்களின்றிக்கே திருநாவாயிலே வந்து பராமசீலனான  ஸ்ரீமந் நாராயணன் அங்குப் பெரிய திருவோலக்கமாக இருக்க அத்திரளிலேசென்று கூடப் பெறாமலிக்க என்னாலாகுமோ? அடியார்கள் குழாங்களை யுடன் கூடுவதென்று கொலோ என்று ஆசைப்பட்ட நான் அத்திரளிலே சென்று கூடப் பெறாதிருப்பது தருமோ? என்றாராயிற்று. இருதலைப்பட்ட நெஞ்சு இல்லாமல் . ஏகாதரசித்தனாய் கொண்டு என்பது தாத்பரியம். இங்கே உள்ள பெருமானை சேவிக்க நினைத்து ஆழ்வார்கள் திருகண்களில் கண்ணீர் வெள்ளமாக பெருகி ப்ரவாகமாயிற்றாம்

Before, concluding the Temple and its culture were further wiped out by the Malabar riots.  It is now the centenary year  of the infamous Moplah rebellion, an almost forgotten chapter of Indian history, a major ideological debate is brewing following the announcement in June of a Malayalam movie on the issue.  Variyamkunnan is set to be a biopic on Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji, one of the key controversial figures in the rebellion. The movie, expected to be released in the centenary year of Moplah rebellion  will be directed by Aashiq Abu, with actor Prithviraj in the titular role.  Criticising the attempt “to glorify Haji” and by extension the Moplah rebellion,  historians and Nationalists state that  the rebellion was nothing but Hindu genocide and should not be glorified.

“The protagonist of this Islamist project, Kunjahammed Haji, belonged to a rabidly iconoclastic family. His father was earlier deported to Mecca for engineering a slew of communal riots,” a spokesperson  said.  “He spearheaded the Hindu genocide of 1921, which led to the massacre of thousands of Hindus, forcible conversions, rape of Hindu women and children and destruction of Hindu properties and places of worship. “Reportedly, in the biopic, Kunjahammed is projected as a paragon of communal harmony and Hindus as villains who sided with the British. And that his ‘valiant efforts’ led to the flight of the British from that part of the country and he established an independent Malayala Nadu (land of Malayalis) for a few months,” he added. “In reality, what he established was Al-Daula (Islamic State) where he imposed jizya (religious tax) on the Hindus of his territory.” The violence in the region began at Tirurangadi in Kerala’s South Malabar on 20 August, 1921, and lasted for over four months, resulting in the imposition of martial law in six out of 10 taluks in the then Malabar district. More than a lakh Hindus were displaced. 

“It was the Marxist historians who first appropriated the communal pogrom as a peasant uprising to suit their ideological narratives and requirements and win over a large organised vote-bank for the Left parties,” and was a not a peasant as it was later projected to be.   Unfortunately, Gandhi supported Khilafat movement to which Mophah was linked to – but denounced patriots like Bhagat Singh.

~adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
20^th June 2021.