The Nallathangal Temple, the Long-lost Heart melting Tragic story of the Tamil Folklore Female Deity

 

The Nallathangal Temple, the Long-lost Heart melting Tragic story of the Tamil Folklore Female Deity

 

 

          

 

Can women overcome sufferings and succeed in their struggle against oppressive forces?

 

 

                  

 

The Temple Location: 

 

The Nallathangal Temple is located in Arjunapuram, 8 km West of the village Watrap named Vatrayiruppu, in a small town Srivilliputhur, in the district of Virudhunagar, Tamilnadu.  It is the one and only temple in the state that is largely dedicated to God Nallathangal.  This temple is about 1000 years old.  The presiding deity of this temple is Nallathangal. 

 

The important festivals of this temple are the Navarathri held in September-October, Tamil New Year, Deepavali, Pomgal, all the days of Pournami and Amavasya and is kept open from early morning to evening without a break for darshan for the devotees.  Arjuna river is the lifeline of this place and is a place of perennial water sources and fertile green fields, full of paddy, sugarcane and coconut cultivation and is called as “Kutti Kerala.”

 

Even now, special poojas are performed at the temple. Nallathangal is the central subject of the traditional koothu form called ‘Paavai Koothu’. In Tamil folk stage, every actor is acknowledged as an accomplished theatre artiste only if he or she dons the role of Nallathangal,” he says

 

The Tragic story of Nallathangal:

 

                                

 

A couple named Ramalinga Sethupathi and Indirani ruled Arjunapuram and the surrounding areas. They had two children Nallathambi and Nallathangal.  After the demise of their parents, Nallathambi ruled the area and brought up his sister Nallathangal very lovingly, and got her married to Kasiraja, the ruler of Manamadurai, in Sivagangai district. After marriage the couple lived happily and she became the mother of 7 children, four sons and three daughters.

Unfortunately, Manamadurai was struck by a dreadful famine with no rains for almost 12 consecutive years. Many people died without food and livelihood.  She and her husband had to even sell all her dowry items given by her brother.  They all were nearly starving to death.  That time Nallathangal decided to go to her Brother’s place in Arjunapuram with her 7 children so that at least the children will not starve.  Her husband convinced her that he will set right things and join her soon. 

Alas, when Nallathangal reached her brothers house, he was not there as he had been to the forest for hunting, and his wife Muliyalangari who was at home did not receive Nallathangal and her children well, and instead ill-treated her.  They were not even given food to eat.  When Nallathangal requested her some grains to cook for her children, the sister-in-law gave her an earthern pot with a hole in it, and also some damp wood and also a broken cup that could not be of any use and asked Nallathangal to cook food.

 

Nallathangal was a devout woman, so she prayed to God that if she was indeed a chaste woman then the damp wood should burn, and immediately the wood started burning and she even cooked porridge for her children, but to her utter dismay, the wicked sister-in-law was so furious and jealous of Nallathangal that she kicked the pot and all the porridge was spilt on the ground and she and her children were driven away by her.  Nallathangal was heartbroken and helpless as her children were starving for many days. She expected that brother would come. She waited for her brother, but in vain.   She then walked back into the forest, along with her children who were crying in hunger and thirst and began to faint one by one.  There was nothing to eat or drink anywhere.  She felt so miserable and helpless over her pathetic state without any help.  Her condition was really pathetic.  That time, she came across a barren well in the forest which was immensely deep, and she could not even quench the thirst of her children, in utter sorrow and anguish she threw all her 7 children one by one into the well, after which she committed suicide by falling into the same well.

After some time, her brother Nallathambi who had reached home, learnt about the whole incident and comes in search of his sister, but to his utter dismay finds them all dead.  He was so furious with his wife, that he hatches a plot and killed his wife and stabbed himself with a knife and fell into the same well.

 

                                   

                                   Nallathangal Kinaru(well)

 

It is said that Lord Shiva and Parvathi appeared there and blessed them and told them live again in this world, but Nallathangal begged God to have them at their feet and not return them to earth. The God said that the time will come soon and asked her to protect people till then, from then on the brother and sister are worshiped as Gods in that place. The temple has statues of the 7 chidren too.  The remaining ruins of the palace where they lived, the well that they committed suicide, are seen as historical evidence even to this day.  Nallathangal temple structure is built differently unlike other temples. The statue of Nallathambi is beautifully designed in the womb of the temple. The statue of the 7 children is carved in a single stone and placed alone in another shrine.

 

                             

                         

Here every year Aadi month Pongal festival is held in a grand manner. Moreover, the relatives of Nallathangal, came here from Manamadurai and participated in the festival in the Pongal festival which is held every Aadi month. This festival lasts for four days. Also, the full moon pooja is conducted in a very grand manner every month.

Beliefs:

People offer a cradle with a lemon in it before the Deity of Amman and in the sannidhanam of seven children to fulfill their prayers for the good health of their children. People offer their hair to the Deity once their desires are fulfilled.  Some people name their new borns in the name of the the Goddess and her Brother.  There is a saying that if you come to this temple and pray, family relations will strengthen.  Unmarried women will be blessed with marriage.  Thus people believe that there will be prosperity if they visited this temple.  Ever since, Nallathangal has become a part of Tamil folklore. It is widely believed that praying to the deity would bring rain during times of drought.

                     

This tragic story of Nallathangal was a household story which our grandparents and great grand parents used to narrate to their little grandchildren, but has been long forgotten by the recent generations.   This story always brings tears when being narrated.  We often think why she killed the children and herself.  Why did her brother and her husband also kill themselves.   Well, this is the sequel of famine, poverty, and hunger, and above all the humiliation and deprivation meted out to a woman.  It shows the anguish of a mother whose children are dying of hunger.   This story teaches us that we should never let anyone go hungry or thirsty before our eyes.   There are so many people out there who may not have eaten a proper meal for many days due to the turmoil caused by various factors.  We can save lives by feeding the hungry and help the less fortunate among us. Together we can make this world a better place to live.