FESTIVAL TO REALISE GOD WITHIN US

SWEET PUTTU WITH GHEE AND SUGAR.
What will happen to a country if the leader just sit simply and enjoy the luxuries without taking care of the villages? Agriculture? Monuments?
Yes this happened in 7th century A.D in the PANDIYA KINGDOM. The Pandiya king ARIMARDHANA PANDIYAN felt that he is good and fulfilled all the needs of his kingdom. So he had good time just by seeing cultural events and other things. But his great Prime Minister THIRU VAADHA VOORAAR [ MAANIKA VAASGAR ] cannot be like that.
The minister was a great educator, doctor and spy. Always he was watching about the various evil sources from all 8 directions which can attack the sacred temple city MADURAI. Madurai was loved by every Indian king and they want to rule at least fro few years.
So he planned every thing perfectly for safe guarding the nation and he was also deeply attached to Goddess MEENAKSHI AND Lord SUNDERASHWARAR.
Every day he performed poojas to the deities in the temple complex and met the public and reported to the king. Slowly the king also became aware about his attitude and started caring the nation.
Both the king and the minister realized that the army must be strengthened with horses. So the king made agreement with ARABIAN TRADERS.
KORKAI which is 50 kilometers east to Madurai was the port town of Pandiyas. But today the sea has gone 5 kilometers away from the town. This port town was famous for the precious pearls. The pearls were celebrated much in European nations and many nations have imported the Pandiya pearls. Hence the Pandiya country is titled as ‘’ MUTHU NAADU’’.
History says that very rich women in Rome city wore slippers studded with Pandiya pearls. The Greek princesses used to dip them self in a tub filled with pearls.
So the minister was assigned to purchase good Arabian horses from the traders. He was given a very huge amount and he left the temple city.
On his way he crossed many villages and towns. One night he stayed in a village called THIRUPERUNDURAI. The village was very beautiful but there were no much crowd. People were poor and suffered.
Our minister was very upset and thought what can be done. That night he saw Lord Shiva in his dream. Lord advised him to spend that money to renovate the local temple, medical unit and school. He too was directed to dig a canal for irrigation.
So the minister accepted the commands of the Lord and started working to fulfill them. People felt happy and they too worked with him for the up liftment of their village.
This was brought to the notice of ARIMARDHANA PANDIYAN King. The king felt very upset and also angry. Immediately he arrested the prime minister and jailed him in Madurai.
The minister was not sad. He was just spending time inside the jail by thinking of Lord and also he got the power to compose songs.
After few days a trader from Chola kingdom came and reported to the king that the Arabian horses has arrived KORKAI. He too said that the minister have paid them the amount. He said that the horses will be arriving the capital city on AANI MONTH MOOLA STAR DAY AFTERNOON. [Mid July]
The king released the minister and he was not that much surprised about the news gave by the trader from Chola king. He knew that Lord can play any thing.
On Moola day noon 1000 horses came to Madurai city. They were very strong and white in color. The citizens have ever seen such strong horses. The king was very much impressed with them.
So they were placed in stables and the king left to sleep.
By midnight the citizens of Maduari heard foxes crying loudly from the stables. The king was scared. They saw 1000s of foxes instead of 1000s of horses. Yes the magic trader has brought foxes as horses and cheated the king. This is because the king was cheating his people with simple facilities and boasting himself as great. But the king has not realized this. He became very angry and again imprisoned the minister and gave 100 strokes with whip.
Within few days there came heavy storm and rain which flooded the river VAIGAI. The entire Madurai city was in danger. King ordered every citizen to participate in raising the bank shore across the river within 48 hours.
There lived a very old woman called VANDHI AMMAL in the suburb of the temple city which is called AARA PALAYAM. She was all alone in her life and sell PUTTU. Her puttu is very famous in that area. She could not get any mason for raising her part.
So she got scared of king’s punishment and prayed to Meenakshi sunderaswarar. There came a 15 year old boy and asked for food. Vandi said that she can offer puttu and he too ate many puttu with sugar and ghee.
Then he has accepted to work for her.
But he was just playing all alone in the river bank and there came the king to check the bank. He saw this boy just playing and eating puttu.
Every one saw this and got worried about him.
The Pandiya king gave a strong blow with a bamboo stick on the boy’s back. Immediately all the living creatures on this planet felt the pain of the blow.
The king was very much shocked and before his eyes the boy got vanished.
Then the king realized the presence of Lord in every creatures and he only made the minister to spend the money for the villagers.
So he went to the temple complex and surrendered to Lord and released the minister and started looking after his nation very well.
Our minister also retired from his position and travelled across the Tamil country and sang in praise of Lord.
His compositions are well known as ‘’THIRUVAASAGAM’’ which got translated into German in 15th A.D and today the famous musician ILAYARAJA has set his own style of divine tunes for this divine literature.
Every year Madurai celebrates this festival as drama in Vaigai River. When I was studying M.A in Madurai University, my tutors used to take us for seeing and give radio commentary. We too have tasted sweet puttu after the drama festival.
Today in Madurai the important prasadham getting offered to Lord Shiva is PUTTU.
THIS YEAR THE FESTIVAL FALLS ON JULY 9TH.