[Paul Bunyan]

Brief ‘historical study’ of Chithamparam Aadavallaan Thirukkoyil - Part 4
(Chithamparam Nadarajar Temple)
continued from Part - 3 - under construction

(7) The period of Vijayanagara rule in Tamil Nadu

It was during the Vijayanagara and Naayakkar periods, not only Thillai Aadavallaan Thirukkoyil but also many other Saivite & Vaishnavite Temples too met their 'second phase' of intense Sanskritisation of temple worship and rituals in Tamil Nadu.

During this period the God Siva at Thillai Aadavallaan Thirukkoyil was referred to 'for the first time' as Chithambareswara and Thillai Muthoor was known as Chithambaram.

The Vijayanagara king Virapratapa Krishnadeva Maharaaya (A.D.1509-1530) in the year A.D.1510 gifted three villages with an income of 1,400 rekai for the 'Mahapuja" in the temple of Alakiya Thiruchchittrambalamudaiya Thambiraanaar (at Chittrambalam) and for the maintenance of a feeding house. The king Krishnadeva Maharaya after his victory in the war over the region Simhadri Pottunuru, on his return visited Ponnambalam at Chithambaram and worshiped God Siva. Some time thereafter he arranged and built the northern Gopura of this temple.

His successor to Vijayanagara throne king Achyutadeva Maharaaya (A.D.1530-1542) in the year A.D.1538 're-constructed' the Govindaraja Perumal temple (celebrated by earlier Tamil Vainava Alwars) at Chitrakuuda within the Chithambaram temple.

In the year A.D.1576 a king of Kerala (from the region Cochin) named Ramavarma Maharaja of the family (a decendent) of Cheraman Perumaal Naayanaar (A.D........) (one of the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints) in the year A.D.1578 provided 33 thalikai (offerings) to be offered to God Anandathandava Perumaal Naayanaar (God Siva at Chittrambalam) and to be distributed among Brahmanas, Mahesvaras and the temple cooks.

(8) The period of Naayakkar dynasty in Tamil Nadu

It was during this period the Theetchithar (Deekshithar) from the Andhra country (tracing their early ancestral origin in North India) were brought in to officiate the temple ceremonies and rituals at the Chithambaram Nadarajar temple with the patronage of the Naayakkar kings. The Saiva Agamic rituals were gradually replaced with the Vedic Rituals, and the recitation of the Tamil Saivite (Thevaara) Thirumurailkal were replaced by Sanskrit Vedic hyms. Deekshithar (Deekshits) in Sanskrit means Vedic Priests who were scholars in Sanskrit Vedas.

Notes on Chithambaram Aadavallaan Thirukkoyil Priests from earliest times:

"Thillaivaal Anthanar" = 'Tamil Saivite Priests' practicing Agamic Rituals and Forms of Worship - Thamil Anthanar

"Thillaivaal Anthanar Muvaayiravar or Muvaayiravar of Thillaiambalam" = 'Tamil Saivite Priests' practicing Agamic Rituals and Forms of Worship - Thamil Anthanar (upto the time of Hiraniyavarma Pallava)

"Thillaivaal Anthanar Muvaayiravar or Thillai Muvaayiraver" = A mix of original Tamil Saivite Priests and Sanskrit Vedic Priests from Gauda Desa (present Orrisa) - Thamil Anthanar & Vedic Anthanar [From the time of Hiraniyavarma Pallava in A.D.750 - father of Nanthivarman Pallava - 2 (A.D.710-775) up to the death of Aparajithavarma Pallava (A.D880-900)]

"Thillaivaal Anthanar Muvaayiravar or Thillai Muvaayiraver = Entirely of Vedic Priests from Gauda Desa (present Orissa) - Vedic Anthanar [After the death of Aparajithavarma Pallava]

Theetchithar = A mix of 'Vedic Priests' from Gauda Desa and Vedic Priests from Andhra Pradesh - Vedic Anthanar [With the commencement of Nayakar rule over Thillai renamed as "Chithamparam" around the year A.D.1535 under the king Sevappa Naayakkar ruling from Thanjavur].

--------------

"Anthanan" was one of the names used to refer 'God Siva' - that is God Supreme of no form or name represented as "Siva" from the early periods of Tamil Nadu, which is confirmed from the following:

"Pirai mudi Anthanan"
Kallaadam by Kallaadanaar, chapter 44, line 16

"Piramanum Thirumalum kaithola peralall aya pemmaan
aravam 'Ser sadai Anthanan" Ananginodu amarum idam"
1st Thirumurai - by Thirugnanasambanthar, Thirukatchiehambam pathikam,
verse 9

"Piravaa neri thantha per arulaalan
maravaa arul thantha maathvan Nanthi
"Aravaali Anthanan" Aathi Paraaparan
uravaaki vanthu en ulam puhunthaane"
Thirumanthiram by Thirumoola Naayanaar, 7th Thanthiram, verse 1803

In the last reference God Siva is specifically referred to as "Aravaali Anthanan" meaning the Anthanan of the ocean of Aram (Virtue) by Thirumoola Naayanaar of the third century A.D. in his religious work Thirumanthiram in Tamil.

Incidently it should be noted that Sage/Poet Thiruvalluvar who belonged to the period first century B.C. too uses the term "Aravaali Anthanan" in his great Tamil work on Code of Ethics namely the Thirukkural, in the first chapter on Adoration of God as follows"

"Aravaali Anthanan thaal senthaarkku al-laal
piravaali neeththal arithu"
Thirukkural - by Thiruvalluvar, chapter on Kadavul Valththu, verse 8.

meaning: Only those who submit at the feet of the God of Virtue it is possible to overcome the ocean of births.

During the early periods of Tamil Nadu 'Tamil Saiva Priests' who officiated the 'Agamic rituals' of worship to "Anthanan" (the "God Siva") in the Siva temples were known as the "Anthanar". At subsequent periods the term "Anthanar" were also used to indicate the 'Vedic Priests' who performed Vedic rituals of worship to God Siva in Siva temples. Thus the term 'Anthanar' became a common name for both "Tamil Saiva Priests" and the "Sanskrit Vedic Priests" in Tamil Nadu, indicating that they were 'those who performed religious rituals to God Siva', irrespective of whether it was Agamic or Vedic or combined rituals.

The following URLs lead to 'YouTube' Videos on Chithambaram Aadavallaan (Nadarajar) Thirukkoyil at Cudalore (Kadalur), Tamil Nadu, India.