Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 14,915

Date uploaded in London –  29 August 2025

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are takn from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

Lord Ganesh with Erukkam flowers

Research article by London swaminathan

Tami name of Lord Ganesh is PILLAIYAAR.

We have very clear proof for Ganesh worship in 2000-year-old Sangam Tamil literature.  One must understand that there are two stages in the worship of Hindu Gods. In the first stage, they are not part of popular worship and so the evidence is hidden in literature. When they become popular, we see them clearly in literature, statues and paintings. Ganesh is found around the world in statues. Sri Lanka Buddhist Viharas have Ganesh. Tallest Ganesh statue is in Thailand. Largest Muslim country in the world Indonesia has Ganesh image in their currencies. Roman God Janus is none other than Ganesh. Japanese also worship Ganesh.

Let us look at some examples. In the works of Kalidasa and Sangam Tamil literature we come across Lord Siva in the first verse, that is the Invocation or in praise of God. Four out of seven works of Kalidasa have Lord Shiva in the invocation. In Tamil at least five works have Lord Shiva in the invocation. After ninth century we have Ganesh instead of Shiva.

In the Vedic rituals , they do Ganesh puja first with image made with turmeric powder or clay idol. Tamils just wrote the letter u உ (Tamilஉ Vowel) to symbolise Ganesh. From fifth century onwards  we see big Ganesh statues in South India. Now in Tamil Nadu Ganesh Festival has become more popular like Maharashtra. Even in Maharashtra B G Tilak only made it a grand festival to arouse Nationalism.

Now let us look at some examples:

Because of actors Mookambika, Santoshi Mata, Ayyappa, Ragavendra- all became popular. But the worship of those have been in vogue for centuries. Now Brahmins only worship Vedic Gods thrice a day at home. Others go to Shiva and Vishnu temples also Skanda/Muruga and Ganesh.

Another example of how Gods become popular come from the life of Chaitanya. He popularised the worship of Krishna with street dance and music. Bhakti Vedanta Parabhuapada took it to western countries and now devotees of Hare Krishna movement are doing the same street dance and music around the world. But Krishna worship has been there for more than 2000 years. Ancient Tamils worshipped Balarama along with his younger brother Krishna. But now several ancient Tamil temples have some empty space next to Krishna. Balarama has disappeared. He has lost popularity.

1

Ganesh in Sangam Literature

There is one clear reference to Ganesh in Tiru Murugaatrup Padai , but not in the main verse. So scholars consider it as an appendix. But they forgot to see other references. Face with one hand is found in this book.

2

Kabilar, a Brahmin poet, has contributed the highest number of verses in Sangam Literature. His name itself is the name of Ganesh. Priests in India do Ganesh puja with 16 names of Ganapathy and one of them is Kabila. That poet sys in Purananuru verse 106, “God  wont reject a devotee’s offering even if it just grass or Erukkam flower. Here we see more evidence. A poet who entered Hindu Book of Records by listing 99 flowers at one go, refers just erukkam flower. That is Calotropis gigantea or Arka in Sanskrit. Nowadays this flower is associated with Lord Ganesh only. There is a very big demand for this flower in Tamil Nadu during Ganesh Chaturthy or Vinayaka Chaturthy. Kabila not only used this but also used Pul for grass. Arukam Pul is the only grass used to worship Ganesh on all days like Tulsi for Vishnu and Vilva for Lord Shiva.

And Kabila’s Puram verse 106 is nothing but an echo of Bhagavad Gita

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति |

तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मन: ||9- 26||

If one offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that item offered with love by My devotee in pure consciousness.

patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayachchhati

tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

So, we know Hindu worship with flowers, leaves (Tulsi, Bilva, Dharba, Dhurva/ Arka grass) and water has been there from Mahabharata days, i.e.. for at least 5000 years.

Hindus showering God with water. Hindus invented this shower.

3

Modakam in Sangam Literature

The longest of the 18 Sangam books is Maduraik Kaanchi by a poet named Maangudi Maruthanaar. He mentioned MODAKAM by using the same Sanskrit word. Modakam is associated with Hindu Gad- Ganesh only.

(Modakam or Modak refers to the Sanskrit word for “a small portion of bliss” or “sweetmeat,” and it also refers to a type of sweet rice dumpling, which is a favourite food of the Hindu deity Lord Ganesha. The term also appears in a devotional hymn by Adi Shankaracharya, where the first line, “Muda Karaatta Modakam,” describes Lord Ganesha joyously holding this sweet.)

4

Adi Sankara divided Hindu worship into six main sects and one of them is Gaanaapatyam, i.e. Ganesh worship. If we go by the date of Sankara given by Kanchi Paramacharya (1894-1994), then Ganaapatyam came into vogue in the first century BCE or earlier.

Modakam with Coconut jaggery inside. Adi Shankara mentioned it in his Ganesa Pancharatanam.

5

The reference to Modaka, sold in Madurai shops along with Appam , (Maduraik Kanchi lines 625-629) another sweet dish, show that there existed Ganesh worship in Tamil Nadu. Because Appam (Fried sweet pan cake) is also associated Lord Ganesh. About 500 years ago , famous Tamil devotional poet Arunagiri Natharbegan his book Tiruppugaz with an invocation to Lord Ganesh, he mentioned Appam as a favourite dish of Lord Vinayaka.

Siruthondar, commander in Chief of the Pallava army, defeated the Chaukya king and brought the famous Ganesh statue from Baadaami (correct name Vaataapi). Then Ganesh became popular in Tamil Nadu.

Conclusion

Evidence from Nakkirar’s T M Padai, Kabila’s Puram verse, and Maduraik Kaanchi’s Modakam reference may be taken as a very clear evidence for Ganesh worship during Sanam Age. His worship became popular from fifth century CE.

–Subham—

Tags- Ganesh worship, Pillaiyar, Sangam literature, Kalidasa, Modakam, Kozukkattai, Kabilar, Erukkam flower, Puram 106