That Andal was found in a Tulsi bush by Periazhwar and she wore the garland herself before adorning it on Lord Rangamannar is a story well-known to followers of mythology. But some other tales, like why the placement of the parrot is different in Srivilliputtur and Srirangam; Andal’s journey from a mere poetess to a goddess, or even the significance of Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar’s contribution to Thiruppavai, are still unfamiliar and unheard of. Uncovering this and more is temple historian Chithra Madhavan along with her co-authors in the latest book The Splendour of Srivilliputtur.
When friends collaborate
In 2017, Chithra was commissioned by Universal Publishing to do a series of books on temples. The first one was on Srirangam, and the second on Varadarajaperumal temple of Kanchipuram on the occasion of Athi Varadar festival. This book is the third in the series. “While I have written several articles on the Srivilliputtur temple in the past, each time I have gone there, I have found something new. Even after this book, when I go there, I am sure to find things which will make me think ‘I should have added that’. I began working on this book in November 2019. It was supposed to be out much earlier, but got delayed because of the pandemic,” notes Chithra.
In the book, Chithra’s focus is on the sthala puranam, temple architecture, sculptures and inscriptions, while five other contributors bring their individual expertise to the table. Among them, Dr Prema Nandakumar, whom Chithra calls “an authority on Vaishnavism” has curated four chapters, which has some aspects that were hitherto unknown. “I didn’t know that a Yakshagana on Andal Thirukalyanam was performed in the past, of which I got to know from Dr Prema. I immediately asked her to dedicate a chapter to this,” says Chithra.
This drama, which was written by the Telugus of Rajapalayam as Nachaaru Parinayam, must have been enacted in the temples many eons ago, notes Prema. “Though Rajapalayam is close to Srivilliputtur, people are not aware of this Yakshagana. That’s a tragedy. When Chithra asked me to write on this, I thought it would be a new aspect for many readers,” she says.
Unearthing tales
This aside, a detailed chapter on Arayar Sevai, gives readers an insight into who the Arayars are and what they do. “Arayar Sevai was a regular feature in temples at one time, but now it is practised only in certain temples including Srivilliputtur and Srirangam. The Arayars sing and dance to hymns, like Purandaradasa Kritis, and it is very colourful. I wanted to present something contemporary to the readers,” she says.
Calling herself a die-hard feminist, Prema details how Andal, a devotee and a poetess transformed into a goddess. “Andal coming into the Bhakti movement is an important aspect. She is the only lady who has been called an Azhwar, and continues to be considered so by the later generations as well. There have been great poetesses like Karaikal Ammaiyar or Akka Mahadevi. But they are not goddesses. Even Mirabai is considered a great devotee. But with Andal, she is wedded by the lord and is taken along with him. That is something unique and Tamil literature should have achieved this. If you see in Srinivasa temples, there is a separate temple for Andal and in some, she is considered the main goddess (Thayar) like in the Simmhachalam temple,” she explains.
Bringing yet another interesting aspect to the fore is Asha Krishnakumar, who writes on the significance of Andal’s parrot. “Having visited the temple since childhood, I have always been intrigued about why the placement of the parrot is different in Srivilliputtur and Srirangam. The parrot in the former is made of different materials, whereas in the latter it is made of gold. All along I thought it was a creative liberty taken by the idol makers. But as I read more, I made my own interpretations, which I have presented in the book,” she shares. While her curiosity got the better of her and motivated her to delve into this topic, Asha’s work as a producer of well-researched ballets on temples incorporating its history, folk lores and architecture, introduces the parrot, Shuka, as a messenger of love in Srivilliputtur and a symbol of knowledge in Srirangam.
Past, present, and prasadam
While Chithra goes on to mention the various festivals held in different months of the Tamil calendar, G Sankara Narayanan, a multilingual scholar, presents a chapter on the inscriptions in this temple, which he notes are well-preserved. “I have gone through some of the inscriptions scripturally, and for others that are inaccessible, there is a script-wise gist on Annual Report on Epigraphy. Inscriptions tell you the past heritage, glory of the temple, its significance as well as the social movements that existed during that epigraphic period. When documented like this, it will contribute more to society, particularly history,” he says.
Historian Sriram V offers his expertise in the form of a chapter titled Songs on Srivilliputtur, which informs readers of the first song on Andal that appears to be in Telugu composed by Tallapaka Annamacharya. The chapter goes on to introduce the renowned Carnatic musician Ariyakudi Ramanujam Iyengar, who set the tune for the verses of Andal’s Thiruppavai, which is sung in the same format years since its composition. “I venerate the Srivilliputtur temple and this was a good opportunity to put together what I know (about musical history),” he says.
The story of the temple is incomplete without talking about the prasadams, some which are made daily, monthly, fortnightly, and annually by members of a family belonging to a particular lineage. But, it is always the palkova that takes centrestage. “There is a lot more to the prasadams than the palkova. It was a recent addition whereas the list that I have mentioned in the book has been around for a very long time,” says food and culture raconteur Rakesh Raghunathan.
All the chapters have been translated to Tamil by Kannan Gopalan and runs parallel to the English version, making it a wholesome read for multi-lingual readers.
The book is available on Flipkart for Rs 900.
You can also place an order with the publisher.
For details, call: +919840789096.