Research Article by london swaminathan

Date: 26 March 2016

Post No. 2666

Time uploaded in London :– 16-32

( Thanks for the Pictures)

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(for old articles go to tamilandvedas.com OR swamiindology.blogspot.com)

STORY OF FAMOUS TAMARIND TREES

1.There is a tamarind tree in Gwalior at the tomb of Tansen, the great singer of Moghul period. People believe that whoever chew the leaves of the tree will get a sweet voice. This, they believe due to the presence of the tomb of Tansen.

Nammalvar and Tamarind Tree

2.There is another famous tamarind tree at Azvar Tirunagari in the far south of Tamil Nadu. Maran Sadagopan, later known as Nammazvar, one of the 12 great Tamil Vaishnavite saints, was deaf and dumb from his birth. He became very eloquent after 16 years and sang the best verses among the Azvars. His fame was known to the world through another saint named Madurakavi. When he went towards North India in search of a Guru, a beam of light lead him to far south Tirukkurukur (Alwar Tirunagari) where he met Nammazvar. Like Buddha attained wisdom under the Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), Nammazvar attained wisdom under this tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica).

Tirumangai and Tamarind Tree

3.There is one more story of another tamarind tree linked with another Vaishnavite saint known as Tirumangai Azvar. He wanted to refurbish and build a new temple for Vishnu at Sri Rangam. He needed lot of money for it. Someone gave him an idea to plunder the golden Buddha statue at Nagapattinam. When he went there he sang a verse to change it into a statue of base metals and leave the gold cwith him. Thus he got the gold and on his way to Sriranagam, he was very tired and slept under a tamarind tree after hiding the gold under the bush. He ordered the tamarind tree not to sleep during night. Tamarind trees used to close their leaves in the night which the Tamils think they have gone to sleep. He overslept and the farmers came to their fields to plough the land. At once the tamarind tree shed all the leaves on him and woke him up. He thanked the sleepless tamarind tree and went on his way. This happened at Tirukkannankudi.

Ghost in Tamarind Trees

4.Like many cultures around the world Tamils also attribute lot of things to trees. There is a common belief that ghosts reside on tamarind trees. So people never sleep under these trees. Though there is no scientific evidence to suggest the bad effects of a tamarind tree, it is believed the acidic leaves never allow other plants to grow under it. Moreover it may emit more carbon di oxide than other trees. During day time it is other way round. Plants take carbon di oxide from the atmosphere and emit oxygen.

5.Tamarind Trees that never sleep!

Several temples in Tami Nadu have tamarind trees that never sleep i.e. they never close their leaves during night. Normally they should close. There are two explanations to it. One is that certain type of tamarind trees do not close the leaves like other trees. Another explanation is that it is a miracle of god of that particular shrine.

6.True Ghost story!

Sri Anantha Rama Dikshitar was the most famous religious speaker of yesteryears. He had created his own style of delivery which became very popular. He was a great devotee of Krishna of Guruvayur who cured his disease of leprosy completely. He wrote about the greatness of his forefathers in the 8^th part of his book Jayamangala Stotra. Here is a true ghost story:

If a Brahmin commits suicide or involves himself in big crimes he becomes a ghost known as ‘Brahmarakshas’. One of the wealthy families had a big problem from a Brahmin ghost. Wife of one of the rich men of Sengalipuram village was possessed with this particular ghost. The family underwent lot of difficulties due to this. Her husband spent enormous money to drive away this ghost. One famous magician did a big puja and threatened the ghost to leave with some ‘bali’ (sacrifice). Immediately the ghost told him that it did not want anything other than a blessing from the eldest in the family who is known as Big Muthanna. His actual name was Vaidhyanatha Dishitar. All of the family members went to him and begged to come to the spot and ‘bless’ the ghost so that it would be released from the bondage of ghosthood. Though he hesitated to do such non-religious things in the beginning, he came forward to save a family. The ghost immediately told him it would leave the house. The magician asked what proof they would get to know that it had left. It told him that it would leave the tamarind tree at the backyard in the night and they can hear the noise of breaking branches. To every one’s amazement, the ghost left with a big noise in the night and when they went to the garden in the backyard in the morning they saw a big broken branch of the tamarind tree. Then the lady of the house had no ghost problem at all. (This is a rough translation of what Sri Anantharama dikshitar gave in Tamil in his eighth volume of Jayamangala Stotra).