[S.T.D.]

My reply to the response of Thiru Jimano in my thread titled "Tamil Naalaayira Thivya Pirapantham of the Tamil Vainava Saints (Aalvaars)" - is also posted under this Thread due to it's relevance to same.


Dear Jimano repeating a section of your reply:

"....The Guru-parampara Prabhavam states, that Madhura-kavi alvar, the disciple of Nammalvar, manifested before Nathamuni and told him that after Nammalvar left his body, the local orthodox community fearing that the study of the Tamil hymns would be detrimental to the Vedic religion, threw them into the river Tamraparani......"

This has been the fate of the Tamil Saiva Thirumuraihal and Tamil Vainava Naalaayira Divya Pirapantham, due to the Sanskritisation of the Saivite & Vainava religions by the Vedic Priests from time to time in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Vainava Adiyar Nathamuni heard some Sri Vainavas reciting few Tamil Vainava Aalvaar's songs, and with great desire for same had to go in search of their complete Paadalhal - as they were not freely available - which have been suppressed by the Priests promoting the Sanskrit Vedic religion as seen in the Guru-parampara Prabhavam

Likewise the Chola Emperor Rajaraja Chola - 1 (A.D.985-1014) who is said to have accidently heard some Tamil Saiva Naayanmaar's songs, with much liking for same had to go in search of the complete lot of Tamil Saiva Naayanmaar's songs, and finally found a set of their Ola leaf copies kept in an old room in the Chithambaram Temple by the temple priests, which with their negligence resulted with many of the Ola leaves having perished beyond recovery. These have been earlier suppressed by the Chithambaram temple priests in preferance to the hyms of the Vedic Religion. It was the Nambiaandaar Nambi the Tamil Saiva Adiyaar, on the instructions of Rajaraja Chola - 1 recovered what was remaining, preserved and classified them into 7 - Thirumurais initially.

We can clearly see the distinct periods of the Sanskritisation of the Saivite & Vainavite religions in Tamil Nadu from history.

The first phase of Sanskritisation of the above religions in Tamil Nadu, took place during the Pallava period, who were strong followers of Vedic religion.

Then much resistance to same was shown in the 7th and 8th centuries by the Saiva Naayanmaars and the Vainava Aalvaars who in many of their songs have repeatedly mentioned - their great pride in composing songs of Divine Praise on Siva and Vishnu in Tamil - in their Thirumuraihal and Divya Pirapantham.

During the medieval Chola period this re-awakening received a further boost, but with a some resistance from the Vedic Priests. It was during this period the Thirumuraihal and the Divya Pirapantham Tamil Songs of Divine praise, were commenced to be sung in the Siva and Vishnu Temples in Tamil Nadu by Othuvaars and Araiyars.

The second phase of Sanskritisation of the Tamil Nadu Temples took place with the beginning of the Naayakkar rule, who were again great promoters of Vedic Religion.

During this period the Othuvaars & Araiyars were gradually moved out from the Temples of Tamil Nadu, with the Tamil - Thirumurai & Divya Pirapandam songs too gradually loosing their usage in these temples. The Tamil - Saivite and Vainavite Priests were replaced by Vedic Priests. The Temples were given Sanskrit names as against their original Tamil Names, and the presiding Deities in these temples too likewise were given Sanskrit names in place of their Tamil Names. Even some of the "place names" where these temples are situated, were also changed from Tamil to Sanskrit.

Further many Thalapuranams too were created in Sanskrit, with new "mythological" stories on the respective Thalams with Vedic background as against their Tamil - Saivite and Vainavite background, and in some cases the Tamil translations of same too came out subsequently.

The Tamil - Saivites and Vainavites of this century should make efforts to Tamilise all forms of religious worship and rituals in all Siva & Vishnu Temples in Tamil Nadu, and give the Tamil Language it's due place of pride in these Temples.

In these temples where the Tamils of Tamil Nadu go today for their Divine worship - the Temple Priests themselves should on their own come forward to conduct all forms of worship, poosai and other valipaaduhal entirely in Tamil, giving the due place to the Tamil - Thirumuraihal and Naalaayira Divya Pirapantham, complete with the re-introduction of the Othuvaar and Araiyar systems in these temples.