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Re: Digest bhakti.v002.n422

From the Bhakti List Archives

Raghavans • January 5, 1998 


This is in reply to the following comments.
""Tamil. The 63 Nayanmars (many of them from the fouth varna) praised Lord
Shiva
 and most of their songs were in centamizh. There were other buddhist
and Jaina works. Fortunately, Sri Nathamuni, Sri Alavandar, Sri Ramanja
and other
acharyas recognized the beauty, essence and importance of 4000 and
incorporated
them into our sampradhaya. This did not happen to other works."



In many Saiva Agama temples, like those in Chidambharam,
Tanjore,Madurai, and Myuram, the tamil poems are routinely
recited during all the pujas and utsavams.  There is a
whole set of people called "OduvArs", who recite these hymns,
in fact sing them in a particular way, during almost any utsavam
even today. Saivite temples in Tinnevely district employ "Oduvars"
for reciting Nayanmaar's hymns and in fact there are many utsavams dedicated
to Nayanmaars.  Tiruppugazh is being popularized by
Tiruppugazh anbargals not only in India but also in this country, which are
set to beautiful music.

In Sri Venkateswara temple, for the last 3 years, Tiruppugazh is sung
very beautiffully, during Mahaskanda Shasti.

Unfortunately due to lack of familiarity of "Odhuvaar's Tamil", to many
priests employed in Temples in this country, who are essentially
purohits or Adhvaitins trained in household puja, this part of the
temple worship is unfamiliar or unknown to even many devotees attending
to Siva Puja in this country.

Raghavan


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