Madurai Veeran
Encyclopedia
Madurai Veeran is a Tamil
folk deity popular in southern Tamil Nadu
, India
. His name was derived as a result of his association with the Soputher City of Madurai as a Protector of the City. The deity is also popular amongst certain segments of the Tamil diaspora
in Réunion
and the French overseas territories in the Caribbean
sea. He is known as the son of 'Amman' amongst the South African Tamils.
Thulasingam and queen Karpagavalli.
Having seen the new born child who was born as a result of divine intervention, with the umbilical cord wound round around the neck, the King was shocked as this would be a bad omen for the kingdom. As advised by the royal astrologers, the child was placed in a basket an let go in the river.
The child, we received by a childless pair (Chinnaan and chinni) who were cobblers by profession. they named the child Muthu Kumaran and reared him as their own, fearing the original parents might ask for the child, they left the country of origin and moved southwards and seeked refuge in the kingdom of Raja Bommu (Bommulu Raja)under Vijayanagaram. Raja Bommu/Bommannan appointed Chinnan as the Gatekeeper of his palace.
The boy Muthukumaran was sent to a Gurukul to learn the arts and graduated as the best in all. However, fate played a different role. According to tradition, girls, who come of age are placed in a secluded location for a period afterwhich shall only see the face of the man who is destined to marry her. In the case of King Bommannan's Daughter, Bommi, the gate keeper's son Muthu Kumaran turned out to be the person. As he was not know to be of royal birth, this was opposed by the royals and Muthukumaran and Bommi flees southwards.
Muthukumaran and Bommi reaches Madurai
, ruled at this time by Thirumalai Nayak
, who is immediately taken by the charming young man and appoints him to the Royal Army and also retains him as a close confidante and calls him Veeran (The Valient One).
Madurai
, in those days was troubled by armed robbery by the Kallar tribe of south. the king orders "Veeran" to quell the menace.
Fate again plays its part here. Veeran, meets with the Royal dansuse, "Vellaiyammal" (The Fair one)and being welll trained in all forms of arts and his looks, vellaiyammal is attracted to him and requests him to teach her the Natya Shastra
(The tenets of dancing).
The King, who was attracted to Vellaiyammal does not appreciate this development and views this as an affair, and in one occassion, some of his generals, who hated the closeness of Veeran to the King, uses the opportunity to inform the King, that the delay in suppressing the robbers was deliberate as Veeran was in connivance with the robbers themselves. Furious, the king orders a traitor's death to Veeran.
Veeran is taken to the gallows and his alternate limps are chopped off. hearing this, Bommi and Vellaiyammal reaches the gallows to see the severed limps and chastises the King for his injustice.
As the legend goes, Veeran, is brought back alive by the virtues of both these women and is vindicated by the presence of Gods. Veeran, thereafter retires to a cave beneath the now known Meenakshiamman Temple (The cave exists even now, though the path is closed for people)
A temple had been erected at the south gate of Meenakshiamman Temple later by Thirumalai Nayak
.
The Ballads of Madurai Veeran has been a folk tale carried out for many generations through village songs, known in Tamil as Gramiya Padalgal and Traditional Street Theater, known as Therukkoothu.in southern Tamilnadu.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
folk deity popular in southern Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His name was derived as a result of his association with the Soputher City of Madurai as a Protector of the City. The deity is also popular amongst certain segments of the Tamil diaspora
Tamil diaspora
The Tamil diaspora is a demographic group of Tamil people of Indian or Sri Lankan origin who have settled in other parts of the world. Significant Tamil diaspora populations can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Middle East, Réunion, South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Fiji, Guyana,...
in Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
and the French overseas territories in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
sea. He is known as the son of 'Amman' amongst the South African Tamils.
Origin
A legend says that he was born to Raja of Kasi Banaras.VaranasiVaranasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
Thulasingam and queen Karpagavalli.
Having seen the new born child who was born as a result of divine intervention, with the umbilical cord wound round around the neck, the King was shocked as this would be a bad omen for the kingdom. As advised by the royal astrologers, the child was placed in a basket an let go in the river.
The child, we received by a childless pair (Chinnaan and chinni) who were cobblers by profession. they named the child Muthu Kumaran and reared him as their own, fearing the original parents might ask for the child, they left the country of origin and moved southwards and seeked refuge in the kingdom of Raja Bommu (Bommulu Raja)under Vijayanagaram. Raja Bommu/Bommannan appointed Chinnan as the Gatekeeper of his palace.
The boy Muthukumaran was sent to a Gurukul to learn the arts and graduated as the best in all. However, fate played a different role. According to tradition, girls, who come of age are placed in a secluded location for a period afterwhich shall only see the face of the man who is destined to marry her. In the case of King Bommannan's Daughter, Bommi, the gate keeper's son Muthu Kumaran turned out to be the person. As he was not know to be of royal birth, this was opposed by the royals and Muthukumaran and Bommi flees southwards.
Muthukumaran and Bommi reaches Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, ruled at this time by Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak ruled Madurai between 1623 to 1659 CE. He was the most notable of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. His contributions are found in the many splendid buildings and temples of Madurai. His kingdom was under constant threat from the armies of Delhi Sultanate and...
, who is immediately taken by the charming young man and appoints him to the Royal Army and also retains him as a close confidante and calls him Veeran (The Valient One).
Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, in those days was troubled by armed robbery by the Kallar tribe of south. the king orders "Veeran" to quell the menace.
Fate again plays its part here. Veeran, meets with the Royal dansuse, "Vellaiyammal" (The Fair one)and being welll trained in all forms of arts and his looks, vellaiyammal is attracted to him and requests him to teach her the Natya Shastra
Natya Shastra
The Natya Shastra is an ancient Indian treatise on the performing arts, encompassing theatre, dance and music. It was written during the period between 200 BC and 200 AD in classical India and is traditionally attributed to the Sage Bharata.The Natya Shastra is incredibly wide in its scope...
(The tenets of dancing).
The King, who was attracted to Vellaiyammal does not appreciate this development and views this as an affair, and in one occassion, some of his generals, who hated the closeness of Veeran to the King, uses the opportunity to inform the King, that the delay in suppressing the robbers was deliberate as Veeran was in connivance with the robbers themselves. Furious, the king orders a traitor's death to Veeran.
Veeran is taken to the gallows and his alternate limps are chopped off. hearing this, Bommi and Vellaiyammal reaches the gallows to see the severed limps and chastises the King for his injustice.
As the legend goes, Veeran, is brought back alive by the virtues of both these women and is vindicated by the presence of Gods. Veeran, thereafter retires to a cave beneath the now known Meenakshiamman Temple (The cave exists even now, though the path is closed for people)
A temple had been erected at the south gate of Meenakshiamman Temple later by Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak ruled Madurai between 1623 to 1659 CE. He was the most notable of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. His contributions are found in the many splendid buildings and temples of Madurai. His kingdom was under constant threat from the armies of Delhi Sultanate and...
.
The Ballads of Madurai Veeran has been a folk tale carried out for many generations through village songs, known in Tamil as Gramiya Padalgal and Traditional Street Theater, known as Therukkoothu.in southern Tamilnadu.
See also
- AyyanarAyyanarAyyanar is a Hindu village god, worshipped predominantly in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Tamil villages in Sri Lanka. He is primarily worshipped as a guardian deity who protects the rural villages...
- Kali Amman
- Kaval Deivam
- MuneeswararMuneeswararMuneeswarar or Muneeswaran is a Hindu god. 'Muni' means 'saint' and 'iswara' represents 'Shiva'. He is considered as a form of Shiva,although no scriptural references have been found to validate such claims. He is worshiped as a family deity in most Shaivite families.-Origin:Sati was the youngest...
- Sangilikaruppan
- Sudalai Maadan
- UrumeeUrumeeThe urumee is a double-headed hourglass-shaped drum from the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. Two skin heads are attached to a single hallow, often intricately carved wooden shell. The preferred wood is jackwood, although other wood may be used...