Post No. 12,683
Date uploaded in London – – – 7 November , 2023
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
https://www.pustaka.co.in/home/author/london-swaminathan
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Part two of my speech:
Pasupathy Chettiyar in Tirukketiswaram
C S Navaratnam in his book A short history of Hinduism in Ceylon (1964) writes,
December 13, 1893 is a Red Letter Day in the history of the Ceylon Hindus for on that day the jungle land to the extent of 40 acres, the old site of the temple of Tirukketiswaram ,was bought in public auction by the Nagarathar of Jaffna in spite of the opposition of Catholics. The Saiva Paripalana Sabhai through their treasurer S M Pasupathy Chettiyar spent large sums of money in 1894 to trace the old site of the temple and its premises. In 1903 a temple was built and the images were installed. From thence the temple was managed by the Nagarathar of Matota and from 1919 by the Nagarathar of Jaffna. Subsequently the temple came under the management of old and new Kathiresan temples of Colombo. Thus, the Chettiyars saved the most important Siva shrine of Hindus. (Tiukketheeswaram Shiva Temple was praised in Thevaram by Tiru Jnana Sambandar 1400 years ago. Later the Portuguese invaders destroyed over 1000 Hindu temples in Sri Lanka)
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Nallainatha Chettiyar
Nallainatha Chettiyar’s name is associated with Chitra Velayutha Swami Kovil at Verugal near Trincomalee.
The story of how Nallainatha Chettiyar came to build this temple later is faithfully recorded in local tradition. The Chettiar , a merchant from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, was making his pilgrimage to Kadirgamam, through Trincomalee, when he stopped for a night at Verugal, as all pilgrims do, even now.
During the night Murugan appeared before him and told Chettiyar to build him a proper temple. The Chettiyar was overjoyed at this divine manifestation; he soon became aware, where a hidden treasure could be discovered by him, with the proceeds of which a temple of Muruga Vel was erected in Verugal. On hearing about this through the Chettiar, the King of Kandy made endowments to the temple. And enriched Chettiyar also. Then the temple grew very fast.
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Tirunelveli Chettiyars & Colombo Muthumari Amman Temple
The origin of Colombo Muthumari Amman Shrine commences in the year 1856, when some members of the Thiruvilanga Nagarathar Chetty community brought some token soil from their village at Irukkankudi in Kovilpatti area in Tamil Nadu, India and commenced the temple work. After vast improvements Kumbabishekam ceremony was done in 1954.
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A priest from the temple shooting arrows at the tree
Request to Chettiyars
London Swaminathan, before concluding his speech requested the chettiyar community to record their forefathers’ achievements abroad. A Facebook page lists over 50 towns in Burma and said that Hindu temples were built by Nagarathars in those towns. Except Yangoon (Rangoon) neither the town nor any Hindu temple is traceable oday. So it is very important that everything must be documented. If the elderly in a family can’t write anything, at least oral history must be recorded and posted in Nagarathar website or You Tube. This will perpetuate their memories and would help future researchers. Now there is more negative propaganda about chettiars and the interest rate they charged 100 or 200 years ago. At least the Brahmins repeat names of the family’s three generations in wedding ceremony and monthly ancestor ceremony. Tracing Family History is a big business in Western countries. I see lot of people coming to British library to trace their English parents. So, every family must draw a family tree, write down their community service or at least record Oral History by video or audio devices.
Earlier Mr Manikandan of London Nagarathar Sangam (L N S) introduced London swaminathan and welcomed him. At the end Mr Nachiappan thanked him. And swaminathan was adorned with a shawl.
The event was attended by about 150 people including children and women. Makara Nonbu was celebrated in the temple on behalf of L N S. Chief Priest Sri Naganatha Sivam performed Puja and began shooting the first arrow at the Banana tree in the hall. The tree was used instead of the traditional Vanni Tree. All the children and elders tried their hands with the arrows. The event began with a sumptuous lunch and Puja to goddess.
–subham—
Tags- Nagarathar, contribution, Hindu religion, in Sri Lanka, swaminathan talk
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