Aiyanar
Ayyanar | |
---|---|
Guardian deity | |
Weapon | chentu (whip), sceptre, sword |
Mount | White elephant, horse, bull[1] |
Consort | Puranai, Puskalai |
Ayyanar (
Etymology
The
Development
There are very few pieces of evidence to reconstruct the origin and development of Ayyanar. Some researchers assume Chattan could have entered the Tamil country with
Sanskrit Sources
Sastha started to appear in Sanskrit sources from the 7th century CE after
Tamil Sources
According to Fred Clothey, Aiyanar is a Tamil adaptation of Aiyan, the chief deity of
Tamil epic
Kanda purānam, 14th century Tamil version of
Iconography
The famous iconography of Aiyan shows him alone, carrying a Chentu (செண்டு, crooked stick) in his right hand. Sometimes a whip, stick, sword or scepter can be seen in his hand. While he manifests in a squat position, A meditation band known as Yogapaţţam or Vāgupaţţai will present around his knees and waist.[25] Pingalantai Nighantu, Kanda Puranam and Chola bronzes describe his mount as a white elephant. The horse is another mount abundantly seen in his local temples. Some texts have mentioned the blue horse and bull as his mount as well.[1] After the popularity of the Ayyappan cult, the tiger is also identified as the mount of Sastha.[26]
According to Cūṭāmaṇi Nighaṇṭu, Sastha wears black garments and reddish garlands. His body is smeared with yellow paste and he carries a sword in his hand. In Kārana Agama, he sits on a throne with his right leg folded while his left leg is hanging down. He is usually depicted having blue or black complexion. Although his two armed form is common, some texts describe his forms with four or eight arms. Amsumadbheda Agama describes his four arms carrying Abhaya, Varada, sword and shield. In Ishana Siva Guru Paddhati, he is visualized as carrying an arrow, bow, knife and sword.[1]
Other records on Ayyanar tell that he is accompanied by his two wives popularly known as Purana and Pushkala.[13] Purna (on his right) is dark complexioned and carries Varamudra in her right hand and blue lotus in the left. Pushkala (on his left) is yellow complexioned and holds a noose in her right hand. Shilparatna describes him with only one wife called Prabha and their eight years old lad known as Satyakan[26]
Folklore regards Aiyan as the guardian of the villages, riding on either an elephant or horse. He carries a bow and arrow to save his devotees.
Connections with Ayyappan
A deity named "Ayyappan" is not recorded in any early Tamil/Sanskrit sources though the name Ayyappan appears as synonymous with (Vediya) Sastha in
It has been claimed that the above mentioned Dravidian tribal god is none other than Ayyanar.
Legend suggests that the image of Sabarimala Ayyappan was consecrated by Parashurama. However the Sanskrit inscription in the image says that it was installed in Kollam Era 1085 (1910 CE) by Prabhakaracharya.[1] Tamil devotees did not discriminate Ayyappan with Ayyanar and they believe that Ayyappan is the avatar of Ayyanar.[4] It can be noted that Sri Lankan Ayyanar temples are being converted into Ayyappan temples following the outbreak of Sabarimala pilgrimage of Sri Lankan devotees in recent years.[38]
Worship
Many temples are dedicated to Ayyanar can be seen all over South India as well as Sri Lanka. Almost all villages of Tamil Nadu would have an Aiyanar kovil. Ayyanar shrines are usually located at the peripheries or boundaries of rural villages and the deity is seen riding a horse with a sword or whip. Ayyanar has both types of temples - temples constructed in Agamic style and non-Agamic open air shrines. Ayyanar in Agamic temple is usually called Sastha or Dharma sastha.[17][39] Kerala retains its Ayyanar temples as Sastha temples.[40] The attendant priest for Aiyanar is generally from the potter caste who fashions idols and clay horses, although it is not uncommon for priests from other castes to officiate in the Ayyanar temples.[25][41][42] Many castes of Tamil Nadu worship Ayyanar as their Kula deivam.[citation needed]
Image gallery
-
Front view of an Ayyanar Kovil, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu.
-
Ayyanar and his two consorts, 15–17th century CE,Châlons-en-Champagne French Museum
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Ayyanar sculptures atGopichettipalayam
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Ayyanar on horse, Madurai
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White elephant mount at Agamic Ayyanar temple, Mampatti
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Kattuvalli Ayyan Kovil, Kerala
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Ayyannar Car festival, Thungapuram
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A name board of an Ayyanar Kovil atBatticaloa
See also
- Ayyappan
- Karuppu Sami
- Village deities of South India
- Shasta (deity)
- Ayyanayake
Notes
- ^ Rao, S.K.Ramachandra(1988). Pratima Kosha : A Descriptive Glossary of Indian Iconography. Bangalore: Prof.S.K.Ramachandra Rao Memorial Trust. pp. 206–210.
- ^ Narayanan, Gita; Thiagarajan, Deborah (2001). DakshinaChitra: In southern district thanjavur, place called Sathanur where old temple for ayyanar is in place( Palankulathu ayyanar).A Glimpse of South India. Madras Craft Foundation. pp. 40–41.
- ISBN 9781475936735.
- ^ a b c Mãrg, Volume 37, Issues 3-4. Marg Publications. p. 67.
- ^ Pal, Pratapaditya (1986). "American Collectors of Asian Art". Marg Publications. 37: 67.
- ISBN 9781457990106.
- S2CID 191627473.
- ^ ISBN 9780143414216.
- ^ Indian Antiquary, Volume 2. Popular Prakashan. 1873. p. 168.
- ^ Indrapala, K., The evolution of an ethnic identity: The Tamils in Sri Lanka C. 300 BCE to C. 1200 CE, p.#
- ^ a b Smith, B. L., Religion and Legitimacy of power in South Asia, p.6
- ISBN 9789556131086.
- ^ ISBN 9789004064980.
- ^ Cutantiran̲, Ā Vēluccāmi (2001). Temples of Nannilam Taluk: as iconographical masterpieces Volume 225 of Tamil̲p Palkalaik Kal̲aka veḷiyīṭu. Thanjavur Tamil University. p. 205.
- ISBN 9788176481700.
- ^ Annals of Oriental Research, Volume 24. University of Madras. 1972. p. 380.
- ^ a b Pestman, P. W. (1971). Acta Orientalia Neerlandica: Proceedings of the Congress of the Dutch Oriental Society Held in Leiden on the Occasion of Its 50th Anniversary, 8th-9th May 1970. Brill Archive. p. 116.
- ^ Velu Pillai, A. (1980). Epigraphical Evidences for Tamil Studies. Ulakat Tamil̲ārāycci Nir̲uvan̲am. p. 113.
- ISBN 9788185692203.
- ^ Subramanya Aiyar, V.M. "Songs with description of twelve holy composition". Thevaaram.org. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
- ^ Williams, J., Kaladarsana, p.62
- ISBN 9788179503973.
- ^ Harper, Katherine Anne, and Brown, Robert L. (Eds) (2002). The Roots of Tantra. Albany: State University of New York Press.
- ISBN 978-0140190816. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ a b "'A Folk Deity of Tamil Nad' by L. Dumont, in Religion in India ed. T.N. Madan". Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
- ^ a b Tattvāloka, Volume 16. Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Educational Trus. 1993. p. 246.
- ISBN 9788120605558.
- ^ Kajaerholm (1984), p.3
- ISBN 978-0-8156-5225-0.
- ISBN 1137054808.
- ISSN 2249-1937.
- ISBN 9780199895465.
- ISBN 9781594775376.
- ISBN 978-3-447-03811-9.
- ISBN 978-1-888789-04-1.
- ^ Miller, Roland E. (1976). Mappila Muslims of Kerala: A Study in Islamic Trends. Orient Longman. p. 22.
- ISBN 9788190052030.
- ^ Shutharsan, S. "Arikaraputtira aiyaṉār (Tamil)". Ourjaffna.com. Analaikkumaran. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ISBN 9788128830280.
- ^ Menon, A. Sreedhara (1978). Cultural Heritage of Kerala: An Introduction. East-West Publications. pp. 17–28.
- ^ Mudumby Narasimhachary (Ed) (1976). Āgamaprāmāṇya of Yāmunācārya, Issue 160 of Gaekwad's Oriental Series. Oriental Institute, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
- S2CID 191627473.
References
- Kajaerholm, Lars (1984). "Aiyanar and Aiyappan in Tamil Nadu: Change and Continuity in South Indian Hinduism" (PDF). Folk. Dansk Ethnografisk Tidsskrift Kobenhavn. 26: 67–92. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - Valk, Ulo (2007). "Village deities in Tamil Nadu:Myth and legends". Asian Folklore Studies. 66: 179–199.
- Smith, B. L. (1978). Religion and the Legitimation of Power in South Asia. ISBN 90-04-05674-2.
- Mark Jarzombek, "Horse Shrines in Tamil India: Reflections on Modernity", Future Anterior, (4/1), pp 18–36.
- Bayly, Susan (2004). Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700-1900. ]
- Clothey, Fred (1978). Many Faces of Murakan: The History and Meaning of a South Indian God. Walter De Gruyter Inc. ISBN 90-279-7632-5.
- Karthigesu, Sivathamby (1995). Sri Lankan Tamil society and politics (PDF). New Century Book House. ISBN 81-234-0395-X.
- Morris, Brian (2005). Religion and Anthropology: A Critical Introduction. ISBN 0-521-85241-2.
- Bastin, Rohan (2002). The Domain of Constant Excess: Plural Worship at the Munnesvaram Temples in Sri Lanka. ISBN 1-57181-252-0.
- Williams, Joanna (1981). Kaladarsana: American studies in the art of India. ISBN 90-04-06498-2.
- Roberts, Michael (2008). "Tamil Tigers: Sacrificial symbolism and 'dead body politics'". Anthropology Today. 24 (3): 22–23. .
- Indrapala, K. (2007). The evolution of an ethnic identity: The Tamils in Sri Lanka C. 300 BCE to C. 1200 CE. Vijitha Yapa. p. 374. ISBN 978-955-1266-72-1.