All about Nammazhwar
SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARY
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Anusha’s singing lent a musical touch to Pradeep’s presentation.
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Photo: K.V. Srinivasan
Foil for each other: Pradeep Chakravarthy and Anusha Pradeep.
Nammazhwar and his birth place, Azhwar Tirunagari, were the themes of a multi-media presentation by Pradeep Chakravarthy at the TTD centre. The presentation was in two parts, the first dealing with the life, time, and works of the Azhwar, and the sec
ond half about the history, inscriptions, layout and festivals of the temple.
Talking about Nammazhwar’s life, Pradeep quoted verses that showcase the tenets of Visishtadvaita. While speaking of the Madurakavi-Nammazhavar relationship, one wondered whether the catholicity of outlook in Srivaishnavism should not have been highlighted. Also, the fact that of the 4,000 verses in the Prabandhas, only the Tiruvaimozhi is honoured with the words “Bhagavad Vishayam” was not mentioned.
Pradeep was really in his element in the second half of the lecture. There were interesting references to the population of Azhwar Tirunagari in 1911. The population that was 68,200 has now dwindled to only 12,000, epidemics and migration being the possible reasons.
Not many would have known that the Sankhanithurai mandapam is shaped like a triangle at the back, to save it from the fury of the Tamiraparani river in spate. The triangle splits the water current into two, protecting the mandapam.
Pradeep dwelt at length on how the inscriptions in the temple throw light on the social and economic life of the people. For instance, one inscription shows how the temple sustained the rural economy. If a lamp was donated to the temple, the donor also had to donate goats. Suppose a man donated, say, 10 goats, these would be auctioned off, and the highest bidder got the goats. However the goats were only ‘leased’ to him, and if one of them died, he had to replace it. If they procreated, the new arrivals became his property!
It was commendable that Pradeep did not gloss over uncomfortable facts. He said, for example, that the stone steps in many of the houses in Azhwar Tirunagari are believed to have been taken from a Jain temple. Anusha’s rendering of Azhwar’s pasurams in tunes set by Suguna Varadachari was melodious.
A couple of observations: Spellings were not consistent. It is Satakopa, not Sadagopa. Is it Naathamuni, Nathamuni or Nadamuni – rather confusing to the aspiring Visishtadvaitin. Mixing English and Tamil did account for spontaneity but it also diluted the quality of the presentation.
With some fine-tuning Pradeep Chakravarthy can make his show a lot more absorbing.
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