Lighting the Temple Lamp

Tamasoma  Jyothir gamaya …..

Lead me from Darkness to Light  - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

செவ்வி அரும்பின் பைங்கால்

பித்திகத்து

அவ்விதழ் அவிழ் பதம் கமழப் பொழுது

அறிந்து

இரும்புசெய் விளக்கின்

ஈர்த்திரிக் கொளீஇ

நெல்லும் மலரும்

தூஉய்க் கைதொழுது....... (நெடுநல்வாடை 40-43)

Beautiful women, in the evenings, when the fragrant flowers bloom, light iron lamps with wicks and oil, offer paddy and flowers and pray with folded hands….

    It is a tradition in this civilization to make a graceful transition from dusk to darkness, by lighting the lamp with devotion and prayers. It insists on adding something more than just lights to manage darkness.

Travelling through the towns and villages of Tamilnadu, in the evenings closer to sundown, one can see oil lamps being lit in temples, including the tiny ones, as we pass by, along with the electric lights.

Traditional homes have a built-in niche called Pirai close to the door, exclusively for lighting the lamps.

Apart from priests who serve in the temples, millions of people get themselves involved every day, in temples closer to their homes. It is due to such volunteers that this ancient beautiful tradition continues to survive.

Temple Lamps in Ancient Times

In the ancient times, donations were made in the form of land, cash, or cattle.  Ghee obtained from cattle was important in those days for lamps. Donation of cattle entrusted to families, in exchange of a measure of ghee every day served two purposes. It provided livelihood, contributed to the economy and kept the temples lighted.

Information from the Inscriptions

It had been customary to donate a herd of 96 Sheep, or 48 Cows or 16 Buffaloes for one Uzhakku measure of ghee per day to be given to the temple.

The herdsmen were obliged to maintain the same number of animals in the herd with the young animals replacing the old ones. This number of cattle was found to be sufficient for the maintenance of a family over a thousand years ago.

It was also customary to entrust the herds to persons residing elsewhere so that all the herds were not concentrated in a single place. The decision was taken after due consideration of sustainability, economics and distribution of livelihood.

Inscriptions of the Thanjai Periya Kovil

Four Inscriptions at the Thanjai Periya Koil (63,64,94,95) speak of the donation of cattle to the temple by Raja Raja Chola, his Queens, Officials of his government, people serving at the Palace and others.

The inscriptions also reveal the cost of cattle over a thousand years ago in the Chola empire. The prices have been –

For One Kaasu – 2 Sheep

For Two Kaasu – 1 Cow

For Three Kaasu – 1 Buffalo

In all, about 4000 sheep, 4000 cows and over a hundred buffaloes had been donated as per these inscriptions to the Thanjai Peruvudaiyar Temple.

The temples in the Thirupporur Taluk

Numerous inscriptions on the donation of Land, Cash and Cattle for lighting lamps since the Pallava times are seen in the temples around us. A look at some of them reveal an interesting picture of those times.

For a continuously burning lamp, regular herds of sheep or cows had been donated.

To burn the Sandhi Vilakku in the evening, 3 or 5 cows had been donated.

Inscriptions on the donation of land / cash are too numerous to be enlisted here but we can take a quick look at the donation of cattle in some of the surviving ancient temples around us.

Padur 

Era Pallava King Nandivarman II

A Slab in the Mettu Theru as seen in 1934-35, was ascribed to the period of Pallava King Nandi Varman III. It registers the gift of 96 sheep by the shepherds to the Vishnu Temple that existed here in the Pallava (AR No 8/1934-35)

Mambakkam 

Muruganedheswarar Temple - Era Raja Raja Chola I

During the 26th year of reign of Raja Raja Chola I, donation of sheep for lighting of lamp to Puliyur Kottathu Kaalvaai Naattu Mambakkam (AR No 19 / 1944-45)

Kaayaar

Aderiswara Temple

Era - Raja Raja Chola I

1.      Begins with the intro - thirumagal Pola…Registers the land of sale by the assembly of Kaayaar in Kumuli Nadu - Aamoor Kottam to senneelathulaan Maaran Singan who set apart the land for burning the perpetual lamp to the God Aaderideva.  AR No 440/1922

2.     Registers a gift of land by purchase for offerings, and for burning a lamp day and night to Kuttapperuman Adigal in the Aaderipidarar Temple by the resident of Vandalanjeri in Tenkarai naraiyur nadu (AR No 442/1922)

 

Kamalanarayana Perumal Temple

Stone near the image of Kamalanarayana Perumal Temple as seen in 1922

Era - Rajakesarivarman Rajadhiraja deva

3.     A Fragment had survived in 1922. – It Registers a gift of land for perpetual lamp for Urudaipperumal Thirumerralideva (AR No 442/1922)

 

Kilambakkam

Era – Raja Raja Chola I – Stone seen near the Chelliamman Kovil in 1934-35

        Donation of 45 sheep - one Aazhaakku ghee every day (AR No 32/1934-35)

 

Thiruvidanthai

Era Parthivendra Varman

Gift of 93 sheep for a lamp to the temple of Varahadeva at Tiruvidavandai by a resident of Talaisayanapuram alias Taiyur. (AR No 265/1911)

 

Thirukkachur

This bigger temple needed more lamps, so we find many inscriptions of which some are:

 Era of Kulothunga Chola Deva

1.      * (AR No 266/1909) Year around 1114-1115 CE.  It records a gift of a Nanda lamp, and 90 sheep to meet its expenses to the temple and the deity… by a certain Eyinangudi - Kilavan Nambi …. In Urrukkaattu Kottam in Jayankondachola Mandalam. It appears the sheep were left in charge of someone belonging to Manimangalam in Nedunkunra Nadu in Selumur Kottam. 

2.     * (AR No 269/1909) Contains the prashasthi of the king commencing with pugalmadhu vilanga and mentions his queen Bhuvanamuludhudaiyaal. It records, a gift of 90 sheep to provide ghee for nanda lamp for the temple of Tiruvaalakkoilaandaar of Thirukachur by Tiruvarangadevan alias Virudarajabhuyamkara Chola Vaniyan of Iruppakkalakkudi of Venkunra Kottam in Jayamkonda Chola Mandalam. It is stated that the 90 sheep were divided amongst three or four persons for maintenance, who had agreed to carry out perpetually the object of the gift. 

3.     * (AR No 275/1909) This inscription records a gift of 32 cows and a bull to provide daily one ulakku of ghee for burning a nanda lamp in the temple of Tiruvalakkoyiludaiyar at Tirukkachchur as occurring in No. 289 above, by one Kulottungasolak-Kannappan-Adinayan Panchanadivanan alias Rajaraja Nilagangaraiyan of Tiruchchuram in Kulottungasola-valanadu in Puliyur-kottam in Jayangonda solamandalam.  The cows and the bull were received by some Sivabrahmanas of the temple, who had agreed to burn the lamp perpetually.  

4.     * (AR No 43/1932-33) Era of RajaRaja III - Registers gift of 5 cows for lighting a twilight lamp in the temple by the temple watchman at Thirukkachchur in Sengunra Nadu, sub division of Kalathur Kottam, Jayamkonda Chola Mandalam 

5.     * (AR No 47/1932-33) Era - Pandya Kulasekhara Deva - Registers a gift of 32 cows for a perpetual lamp in the temple 

Madambakkam

Dhenupuriswarar Temple

Era – Sundara Pandya

1.      Records the acceptance of 17 cows and calves for supply of ghee for burning 6 sandhi lamps in the temple by the Bhattas of the temple. (AR No 192/1961-62)

Era – Vira Kumara Kampanna

2.     Gift of the village of Medanpakkam to the temple by a Vittappar, with the permission of the king. A number of Obligations and limitations have been imposed on the temple.(AR No 324/1911)

Vittappar was one of the able generals of Kumara Kampanna who liberated Tamilnadu from the oppressive Madurai Sultanate established by Ulugh Khan

Nookanpalaiyam – A Hamlet of Perumbakkam

Ruined Temple of Agastiswara, Era Vira Rajendra Chola

1.      Records a gift of 3 cows for the purpose of buring a Sandhi lamp in the temple of Tiruvagattiswaramudaiya Nayanar of Perumbakkam, Puliyur Kottam ( Kulothunga Chola valanadu ) Jayankonda Chola mandalam by Vallaikaappaan Somanathan Taluvakkulaindaan of the same village. The Sivabrahmana Bharadvaji Devakumar Bhattan Chindai Udaiyan Sadasiva Bhattan is stated to have taken charge of the gift of cows and agreed to burn the lamp. (AR No 207,208/1961-62)

2.    Records gift of 6 cows for burning 2 sandhi lamps in the same temple by the same donor of Ins 207 to the same recipient Devakumara Bhattan. Here the village of Perumbakkam is stated to be situated in Kalvay Nadu. (AR No 209/1961-62)

 

Vandalur

1.       On the Walls of the deserted Vishnu Temple, recorded in 1934-35, are inscriptions AR No 35-36 of Immadi Narasingha Raya of the Vijayanagar Era.

2.     It states that the temple of Tiruveerattanamudaiya Nayinaar was without worship. Kondaiya Nayinar, son of Nagama Nayaka of Kallur, who was administering Vandalur, situated in the territory of Baamu Nayaka, the dalavay of Swami Narasa Nayaka, made a fresh gift of 2000 kuli of land, for renewal of worship and burning of the lamp.

 Thiruvidaichuram / Thiruvadisoolam

Temple of Gnanapureeswarar /Idaichuranathar

1.     Era of Koperunchingan 1257 CE

Donation of three cows for a Sandhi Lamp (AR No 335/1908)

2.    Era of Vikrama Cholan

Donation of 12 sheep to Shepherd Nakkan Seerangan of Puliyur Kottam Pallavapuram. He agreed to supply 12 Naazhi Ghee per year (AR No 341 / 1908)

Thiruvanakkoil

1.     Era of Jatavarman Sundara Pandya

Gift of 6 cows for 2 Sandhi lamps by a certain Pushpagiri Jiyar (AR No 290 / 1910)

2.    Era Rajanarayana Sambuvarayar

Gift of 15 cows by Mallinaadan Rajanarayana Sambuvaraasan (AR No 354/1911)

Cattle considered as wealth, nurtured the earth providing manure and bulls were vital for ploughing and transportation.

Organic farming, much talked about today, was already practiced with excellent productivity. More on that in the next blog.

References

ASI Reports

Rajarajeswaram by Sri Kudavayil Balasubramanian