During the month of July 2012 when the monumental discovery had taken place in search of the Elementary Particle or God Particle in the world of physics called Higgs Boson, I had done a series in Cycling Yogis called "Higgs Boson Must See # 1 - # 7" it was about how our ancestors who had lived hundreds of years ago also thought if not precisely on those similar lines of Scientific Reasoning and I identified around 7-8 places which I felt had in them those attributes of Scientific Reasoning going beyond the barriers of caste or creed. After personally visiting these places the thought of our ancestors quest for scientific reasoning became a source of pride about our glorious past and thus came forward a clarion call to all my cyclist friends as "Must See" places to Ride in Tamilnadu. Now I am compiling these short tit bits into one condensed article.
Higgs Boson - Must See # 1
Tiruvellarai near Tiruchi Swastika well, also known as Marpidugu Perunkinaru, was dug by Kamban Araiyan. One inscription found in this well is in poetical form and describe the immortal life of man. It belongs to 8th AD. This is also called locally as the Mamiyar-Marumagal Kulam (Mother-in-law Daughter-in-law Tank) since when taking bath in this tank both of them are not visible to each other.
 |
| Swastika Well |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 2
Mahabalipuram, the Krishna's Butterball in this place is a giant natural rock perched on a hillside, seemingly in defiance of all laws of physics it's a common sight to see visitors placing hands under the stone posing for pics, which looks as though they are holding it.The rock provides welcome shade if you dare to sit underneath it, and local kids have discovered that the slippery nearby hillside also makes a great natural slide.
 |
| Krishna's Butter Ball |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 3
Nachiyar Kovil near Kumbakonam the Kal Garudar which is the vahana for this temple at Nachiyar Kovil . A magical event during Garuda Sevai, Garuda increases in weight manifold. During street procession (Margazhi and Panguni), an unbelievable event takes place at the Nachiyar Koil. While only 4 people carry Garuda out of his Sannidhi, as the Lord goes out of each Layer and prakaram, he is said to increase in weight, that 8 people, 16 and then 32 people are required to carry Garuda out of the temple. Finally, when the Lord is taken outside the temple, Garuda increases in weight so much that 128 people are required to carry the Lord. On his way back, it is said that Garuda mount decreases in weight and finally when he is back in the Sannidhi, only 4 people are required to carry him.
 |
| Kal Garudar, Nachiyar Kovil |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 4
Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple also called the Big Temple, its widely believed that the shadow of the Gopuram (pyramidal tower usually over the gateway of a temple) never falls on the ground.
 |
| Thanjavur Big Temple |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 5
Iyengar Kulam near Kanchipuram, the Mandapam in the basement (underground) was filled with water on its sides during the festival days. The famous Nada Bhaavi Utsavam (festival) of Kanchipuram Sri Varadaraja Perumal takes place here during Chitira Pournami (April/May)
 |
| Iyengar Kulam near Kanchipuram |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 6
Sri Rangam, here its widely believed that the physical body of Bhagavad Ramanuja is preserved even today in a sitting posture in the Sannidhi (Sanctum Sanctorum) dedicated to him on the southwest corner on the fifth round opposite to Sudharshana Alwar Sannidhi, within the Srirangam temple Complex as ordered by Lord Ranganatha himself. The whole world is wonder struck at the feat of preservation of the mummies of Egypt and the body of St. .Xavier in GOA in India. There is no Thirumanjanam (bath) for this Idol. Yearly twice it is Thirumanjanam of Pachai Kalpuram and Kumkuma Poo (Saffron).
 |
| Bhagavad Ramanujar at Sri Rangam |
Higgs Boson - Must See # 7
Thirukazhikundram near Chennai at Vedagiriswarar temple in Thirukazhkundram the priest feed a pair of eagle like bird every day. Exactly at noon, the birds would fly down from the sky to partake of a prasadam of wheat, rice, ghee and sugar from the temple’s priest.The pair of birds have been fed many generations of priests counting years to many centuries.It is still a real puzzle for the Scientists about this unusual fare for the vultures, at Thirukazh. Specially the fact that and only two birds used to show up, although vultures are fond of gathering in goodish numbers to feast on corpses is a mystery to the scientists. As the tradition continued for centuries, many generations of vultures must have been involved int the fair, passing on the tradition, perhaps from mother to son, or husband to wife. Zoologists define this culture as an imitation of patterns of behaviors of one animal by another. Viewed from this perspective, the vultures of Thirukazhkundram certainly qualified as rather unusual animals of high culture.But it is really sad the centuries long tradition is lost and probably never be recreated as the unusual vulture also must have fallen prey to the human civilization since 1998.
 |
| Priest feeding the Eagles at Thirukazhikundram |
The eighth Must See could be the Statue of Sri Atti Varadar placed inside the Kanchipuram Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple Tank which is taken out for worship once in every 40 years. There could be many more such Must See in our wonderful Tamilnadu which I have not overcome or heard perhaps if you have a story to furnish its always a welcome. Trust my cycling friends would pose with some lovely photographs at these locations in the days and years to come. With this I conclude these little tit bits that came as a series in Cycling Yogis during July 2012 which is now been compiled as a single article. Till next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment