Tiruvannamalai

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

Tiruvannamalai (तिरुवन्नामलई) is a city and district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a part of the Tondaimandalam (Tondai Nadu) region.

Variants

  • Trivanamallai (त्रिवनमल्लाई) (मद्रास) (AS, p.418)
  • Thiruvannamalai
  • Trinomali
  • Trinomalee (during British times)
  • Trivanamallai (तिरुवन्नामलई) (तमिल: திருவண்ணாமலை )

Origin

In Tamil, the word Arunam means red or fire and Asalam means hill. Since Shiva manifested himself in the form of fire in this place, this name Arunachalam came to be associated with Annamalai hill and the town.[1] The first mention of Annamalai is found in Tevaram, the seventh century Tamil Saiva canonical work by Appar and Tirugnanasambandar.[2]

Tiruvannamalai is named after the central deity of the Annamalaiyar Temple, Annamalaiyar. The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during the day of the full moon between November and December, and a huge beacon is lit atop the Annamalai hill. The event is witnessed by three million pilgrims. On the day preceding each full moon, pilgrims circumnavigate the temple base and the Annamalai hills in a worship called Girivalam, a practice carried out by one million pilgrims yearly.

Apart from other temples, there are 8 important shiva temples facing 8 important directions on the (side) path of Girivalam. All the Shivlings of these 8 temples are believed to have formed naturally.

History

Located on the foothills of Annamalai hills, Tiruvannamalai has been ruled by the Pallavas, the Medieval Cholas, the Later Cholas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Carnatic kingdom, Tipu Sultan, and the British. It served as the capital of the Hoysalas. The town is built around the Annamalaiyar Temple like other Nayak capitals.

The history of Tiruvannamalai revolves around the Annamalaiyar Temple. The recorded history of the town dates back to the ninth century, as seen from a Chola inscriptions in the temple.[3][4]Further inscriptions made before ninth century indicate the rule of Pallava kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram.[5] The seventh century Nayanar saints Sambandar and Appar wrote of the temple in their poetic work, Tevaram. Sekkizhar, the author of the Periyapuranam records both Appar and Sambandar worshiped Annamalaiyar in the temple.[6] The Chola Kings ruled over the region for more than four centuries, from 850 to 1280, and were temple patrons. The inscriptions from the Chola king record various gifts like land, sheep, cow and oil to the temple commemorating various victories of the dynasty.[7]

The Hoysala kings used Tiruvannamalai as their capital beginning in 1328.[8] There are 48 inscriptions from the Sangama Dynasty (1336–1485), two inscriptions from Saluva Dynasty, and 55 inscriptions from Tuluva Dynasty (1491–1570) of the Vijayanagara Empire, reflecting gifts to the temple from their rulers.[9] There are also inscriptions from the rule of Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529), the most powerful Vijayanagara emperor,indicating further patronage.[10]Most of the Vijayanagara inscriptions were written in Tamil, with some in Kannada and Sanskrit.[15] The inscriptions in the temple from the Vijayanagara kings indicate emphasis on administrative matters and local concerns, which contrasts the inscriptions of the same rulers in other temples like Tirupathi. The majority of the gift related inscriptions are for land endowments, followed by goods, cash endowments, cows and oil for lighting lamps.[11] The town of Tiruvannamalai was at a strategic crossroads during the Vijayanagara Empire, connecting sacred centers of pilgrimage and military routes.[12] There are inscriptions that show the area as an urban center before the precolonial period, with the town developing around the temple, similar to the Nayak ruled cities like Madurai.[13][14]

During the 17th century, Tiruvannamalai came under the dominion of the Nawab of the Carnatic. As the Mughal empire came to an end, the Nawab lost control of the town, with confusion and chaos ensuing after 1753.[15] Subsequently, there were periods of both Hindu and Muslim stewardship of the temple, with Muraru Raya, Krishna Raya, Mrithis Ali Khan, and Burkat Ullakhan besieging the temple in succession. As European incursions progressed, Tiruvannamalai was attacked by French Soupries, Sambrinet, and the English Captain Stephen Smith. While some were repelled, others were victorious. The French occupied the town in 1757 and it came under the control of the British in 1760.[16] In 1790, Tiruvannamalai town was captured by Tippu Sultan, who ruled from 1750–99.[17] During the first half of the 19th century, the town came under British rule.[18]

त्रिवनमल्लाई

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[19] ने लेख किया है ...त्रिवनमल्लाई (AS, p.418) प्राचीन शिव तीर्थ जहां 5 ज्योतिर्लिंगों का स्थान माना जाता है. कार्तिक तथा चैत में मंदिरों के निकट बड़े मेले लगते हैं.

तिरुवन्नामलई

भारत के तमिलनाडु राज्य स्थित जिले में बसा तिरुवन्नामलई एक तीर्थ शहर और नगरपालिका है। यह तिरुवन्नामलई जिले का मुख्यालय भी है। अन्नमलईयर मंदिर इसी तिरुवन्नामलई में बसा हुआ है, जो कि अन्नमलई पहाड़ की तराई में स्थित है और यह मंदिर तमिलनाडु में भगवान शिव के प्रसिद्ध मंदिरों में से एक है। लम्बे समय से तिरुवन्नामलई कई योगियों और सिद्धों से जुड़ा रहा है, और सबसे हाल के समय की बात करें तो अरुणाचल की पहाड़ियां, जहां 20वीं सदी के गुरु रमण महर्षि रहते थे, वह एक प्रसिद्ध आध्यात्मिक पर्यटन स्थल के रूप में चर्चित हो चुका है।

तिरुवन्नामलई पंच भूत स्थलंगल में से एक है, जो चिदम्बरम, श्री कालहस्ती, तिरुवनईकोएल तथा कांचीपुरम के साथ अग्नि तत्त्व को दर्शाता है, जिनमें ये चार क्रमशः पंच भूत तत्वों- आकाश, हवा, जल और पृथ्वी का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हैं।

वैसे तो चार ब्रह्मोत्सवम हर वर्ष मनाये जाते हैं, लेकिन सबसे प्रसिद्ध वह है, जो तमिल महीने कार्तिकेय (नवंबर / दिसंबर) में पड़ता है। दस दिनों तक चलने वाले इस कार्यक्रम की समाप्ति कार्तिगय दीपम से होती है। इस संध्या को एक बड़ी कड़ाही में तीन टन घी डालकर इसे दीप के रूप में अन्नमलई पहाड़ के सबसे ऊपरी हिस्से पर रख कर जलाया जाता है।

हर पूर्णिमा की रात करीब दसियों हज़ार तीर्थयात्री भगवान शंकर की पूजा करते हैं और खाली पैरों से अरुणाचल पहाड़ी की परिक्रमा करते हैं। इस परिक्रमा की कुल दूरी तकरीबन 14 किलोमीटर है।. तमिल कैलेंडर के अनुसार, इस वार्षिक चित्र पूर्णिमा की रात हजारों श्रद्धालु विश्व के कोने-कोने से इस पवित्र शहर में आते हैं।

अद्वैत वेदांत गुरु रमण महर्षि ने तिरुवन्नामलई में अंतिम 53 वर्ष यहीं बिताए और उनका देहांत सन् 1950 में यहीं हुआ। उनका आश्रम, श्री रमणाश्रम, अरुणाचल पहाड़ी के निचले हिस्से में स्थित है, जो शहर के पश्चिम में है। शेषाद्री स्वामीगल और योगी रामसूरत कुमार दो ऐसे गुरुओं के नाम हैं, जो इसी शहर में रहे।

संदर्भ विकिपेडिया

अरुणाचल पर्वत

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[20] ने लेख किया है ...अरुणाचल (मद्रास) (AS, p.39) विल्लुपुरम-गुडुर रेल-मार्ग पर तिरुवण्णमलै स्टेशन के निकट एक पर्वत है. इसके निकट अरुणाचलेश्वर शिव का अति विशाल मंदिर है. इसके चतुर्दिक दस खंडों वाले चार गोपुर हैं. अरुणाचल का वर्णन स्कंदपुराण में है-- 'अस्ति दक्षिण डिग्भागे द्राविडेषु तपोधन, अरुणाख्यं महाक्षेत्रं तुरुणेन्दु शिखामाणे:, उत्तराखंड 3,10

External links

References

  1. "Tiruvannamali Historical moments". Tiruvannamalai Municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  2. "Arunachaleswarar Thirukoil". Government of Tamil Nadu. 2012.
  3. "Tiruvannamali Historical moments". Tiruvannamalai Municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  4. Southern Circle (1903). Epigraphy. Madras: Archaeological Survey of India. p. 5.
  5. Mack, Alexander (2002). Spiritual journey, imperial city: pilgrimage to the temples of Vijayanagara. New Delhi: Vedam e-books Pvt. Ltd. pp. 88–90. ISBN 81-7936-004-0.pp. 88–90
  6. "Arunachaleswarar Thirukoil". Government of Tamil Nadu. 2012.
  7. Aiyar, P.V.Jagadisa (1982). South Indian Shrines: Illustrated. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 191–203. ISBN 81-206-0151-3.
  8. Aiyangar, Krishnaswami S. (1991). South India and Her Muhammadan Invaders. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 174. ISBN 81-206-0536-5.
  9. Mack 2008, p. 82
  10. Mack 2008, pp. 88–90
  11. Mack 2008, pp. 88–90
  12. Mack 2008, pp. 71–72
  13. Mack 2008, pp. 71–72
  14. "Tiruvannamalai – About the town". Tiruvannamalai Municipality.
  15. Hunter, Sir William (1908). Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18. Calcutta: Superindent of Government Printing. pp. 129–130.
  16. Aiyar, P.V.Jagadisa (1982). South Indian Shrines: Illustrated. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 191–203. ISBN 81-206-0151-3.
  17. Hunter, Sir William (1908). Imperial gazetteer of India: Provincial series, Volume 18. Calcutta: Superindent of Government Printing. pp. 129–130.
  18. Aiyar, P.V.Jagadisa (1982). South Indian Shrines: Illustrated. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 191–203. ISBN 81-206-0151-3.
  19. Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.418
  20. Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.39