For those 'who may be interested' to read on the "Kannaki (Paththini)" Worship in Kerala, Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, the following URLs are given which leads to my Research Article in same at Mayyam Hub Website.
1. Can the phrase Muththamizh nadu mean Chera Chola Pandya? Adhiya Kings were also strong and popula and were ruling Larger territory - Inscriptions wouch this. Can Muthamizh be Iyal Isai and Natagam.
2. While listing the religious denomination - Mayavadam also was practised. This Mayavadam means Advaitam. Any reason for missing that?
3. You date Manimegalai close to silppadikaram? Generally it is dated to 7th-8thC. Any idea?
4. Again - the inncidents/charectors of silambu are 1st and 2nd C but Silambu as an epic is dated to 5th C.
5. There is no single emntion of Ilango being the brother of Cheran but how this conclussion made?It is only a tradition.
Thank you very much for the valuable collection of inforamtions.
I read your article on today 07.03.2012. just yesterday I saw the aathukaal bhagavathi amman festival in TV and today's dhanakarannewpaper had a photo of this women pongal festival. On reading your mail/article, just after seeing the news in TV and newspaper,my feelings are unexpressable.....
I too pray my eldermost sister...Kannaki.
I read..."thera mannaa sepuvathu udayon..eluru serapen emaiyavar veyappa..puluru pongan therton andrium..vayal kadaimani naduna nadunga...avan kadai mani..masathuvan maganai agai...ninpaal kolaikalapatta kovalan manaive...kannaki enbathu en peyare.." in 10 standard tamil language subject...Still remember somelines in life (though I did not pursuit literature as my career)..thanks for my tamil master..Ezhancheliyan..(the name sounds interesting...related to Cholan king!!!)
Here Kudak-Ko Cheral i.e. the Chera king of Kuda Nadu was Cheran Senguttuvan, his Ilango i.e. young prince - undoubtedly the younger brother, Adikatku i.e he was called as Adigal a religious dignitory.
Adiyaarkku Nallaar too in his Urai on Sillappathikarem gives the meaning as follows:
Refer U.V.Saminatha Iyer's Edition of Silappathikaaram.
Your Question on why Mayaavaatham (Advaitham)practised was not mentioned the answer is as follows:
The Saaththanaar in his Epic "Manimekalai" has mentioned all the religions that existed in Chera Naadu (Kerala) of his time but he has not mentioned about "Mayaavaatham" possibly this theory didnot exist during that period. Mayaavaatham Theory (Advaitham) was formulated by Saint Sankaraachchariyar of Kerala of the nineth century - a contemporary of the two Tamil Saiva Saints Suntharamoorthi Nayanaar and Cheramaan Perumaal Naayanaar, who both died in Kodungalur Kerala.
Your Question re Chera, Chola & Paandiya Naadu my reply is as follows:
The major kingdoms of the first century A.D.and earlier - were the Chera Chola, Pandiya. There had been other Tamil kingdoms the Kongu Naadu, Thondai Naadu and other Tamil Sitrarasars ruling small territories. These three major Tamil Kingdoms were known as the MuthThamil Naadu. The antiquity of these three Tamil Kingdoms - MuthThamil Nadu goes much earlier and found reference in the Sanskrit Texts - of Ramaayana of Valmiki and Mahabharatha of Viyasa.
Your Question on Muththamil you are correct the Muth Thamil Iyal (Prose & Poetry), Isai (Oral Music & Instrumental Music), Naadagam which includes Naatiyam (Drama & Dance).
Date of Sankara has not yet been agreed on universal scale though the western historians dated him to be 688-720 AD. This date is totally invalid as thoroughly discussed by Swami Tapasyananda of Ramakrishna Mutt in his masterly introduction to Sankara Digvijaya. There is a school of thought that Sankara was born more than 2000 years ago. And strong evidence for this school comes from the fact that Kalidasa who was dated to be 3-4th century is now pushed back upto thousand years and now with Bhita medallion as explained by Ananda Coomaraswamy is the first scene of Sakuntala. The Terracota figure is about 180 BC and thus the date of Sankara also getssome credibility for been pushedbackwards , confirming the traditional account.
This is a useful information to me if found in Manimekalai, possibly I missed same. I have in my Research Article in Mayyam Hub on the "Period of Maanikkavaasaka Swamikal" proved with various evidences that this Tamil Saiva Saint lived during the period of late third century and early fourth century, as against the traditional view that he belonged to the period of nineth century. But the only stumbling block I had was that he refers to Mayaavadam. If the presence of same during the Manimekalai period is proved then the only stumbling block I had in concluding on the New Period of Tamil Saiva Saini Maanikkavaasakar too will be removed.
If it is found in Manimekalai could it be that the Mayaavadam theory was there in existance even earlier, but re-formulated by Saint Sankaraachariyar into its final form in later period, like Bhasiyams for Vedhas were given a final form by this great Saint.
I am pleased to know you enjoyed my article. In my Shrine Room too in addition to the Framed Pictures of all Deities both 'Saiva & Vaishnava' there is also a picture of Kannaki as deity.
At this instance I wish to mention again that the biggest Kannaki Festival of today is celebrated at Attukal (with Kannaki known as Attukal Amma)in Thruvananthapuram as "Attukala Pongala" - an all Ladies festival seeking the blessing of Kannaki, and the gathering of Ladies for this festival has reached as much as 30 Lacks (3 million)as per reports, and has entered the Guiness book of records. The second biggest festival is at Kodungallur where Kannaki is worshipped as Kodungallur Amma in a big way. But only thing some ugly practices which crept in this festival in the recent past must be done away with.
The other big festival is the Kandy Dalada Esala Perahara in Kandy, Sri Lanka in which too the Kannaki represented in the form of Silambu is taken in procession, in addition to processions of Lord Buddha, Vishnu and Natha. This Esala Perahara Festival is one of grandest pagentry procession in South-East Asia.
Kannaki is worshipped in many temples in Kerala as Bagavathy Amman. In Sri Lanka in the predominantly Sinhalese regions Kannaki is worshipped as 'Paththini Deviyo', and in the predominantly Tamil regions Kannakai is worshipped as 'Kannaki (or Kannahai) Amman' even today with many temple for her in both regions.
Some months back the Sun TV Nijam Programme featured an Amman Temple in Uraiyur in Tamil Nadu, which too is held as Kannakai Amman Temple which I have to verify get informations and include in Part - 2 of my article.