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GOD- WORSHIP in Ancient Tamilian-Culture.

Generally the Tribals and Savages considered Nature by its indications of Sun, Storm, Rain, Fire etc..as the Super-Human-Power... they regarded them.... as the objects of FEAR.

Whereas ...quite contrary to them... the ancient Tamilians regarded Nature including Sun as the objects of FAITH (the Opposite Spirit to "Fear")....

...and Nature as the Super-Human-power... as their Life-Support..

... .whereas the Natural-calamities...considered as the Punishment from God for some ills or Sins committed by the Society...

...So they were more Social-spirited to ensure none of them commit anything sinful ... even within ones own family... which may eventually lead to the detriment of the Society on the whole due to wrath of the hidden God.

Besides they felt... that Sun is the Supervisory-Leader of Nature which makes their Life...in several ways...and so.... out of Gratitude they regarded the Sun... as the Supreme-power, ...alongside the Nature in the overall sense.

At their initial stages... they had No Religion ... nor any such means of Worship... but only Faith that there exists One Supreme-Human Power which organises Nature.. But later on they started worshiping Sun as God.

Only with such a spirit towards Sun-God-Faith... we see in Silappadhikaaram...

... "Gnjaayirhu poatrudhum.."... meaning... "Oh ! the Sun God !!... Our obesance to you.!!!"

Such an impled Faith continues even now .. in the Tamilians culture... in various ways.... by their Calendar... Festivals.. Customs etc.

Basically Tamilians' main occupation being Agriculture... all their Festivals and Customs are related with it... intertwined with Sun and Nature.

(1) Tamilian Calendar is based on Soorya-maana...(Astronomical calculations based on the movement of Sun in relation to Earth).

(2) Tamilian months relate to the same period of its traverse within the specific segment of 30 degrees circle(Horoscopic House). Months are named after the Star coinciding with the Full-Moon-day (Pournami)... So to say... in Chiththirai month, the Pournami falls on the day of Chiththirai star... and in Vaikaasi, the Pournami falls on Visaakam day... and so on.

(3)The Great celebration of the year is Pongal.. the day Sun enters Makara Rasi on the first day of the month of Thai... so to say the commencement of Uththaraayana.... in relation to Sun. .. which day is celebrated for initiating the first Food out of newly harvested crop.

(4)Next prominent celebration falls on the Tamilian New Years day.. which coincides with its entry into Maesha Rasi...Sun's exalted House..This day is celebrated as the Symbolic DAY OF PROSPERITY ...with Fertility of Fruits... while Pongal is celebrated with the Fertility of Grains. Chiththirai month is the only month... when the Sun rays are abundantly available for the Crops and Fruit-Trees... because of clear-sky.. with the minimum amount of clouds... coupled with the least days of overcast sky. Consequently the Agriculturists get the maximum benefit out of Sunshine during Chiththirai month.

(5)Aavani is the month...of Simma Rasi.. the Ruling House of Sun... when the sowing seeds are completed... and their prayer to Nature's co-operation commences.

(6) Purattaasi is the month when.... NATURE is worshipped.... in the form of Navarathri Kolu.

(7) Aippasi is the Idle-month of the year for the Farmer... with minimum activity in the Farm ... It is the month of Weak-Sun... being debilitated in Thula Rasi... It coincides with the month of Heavy Rains.

Thus... SUN and NATURE .. .. play the great role and influence on the Festivals and Celebrations of.... Tamilian-Culture.