IYYAN

We are a quality INTACH Heritage Team from TVS Matric Higher Secondary School 

We have choosen DIVINE GUARDIANS as our topic

SHRINE

Most of these village deities have their shrines on the periphery (border or outskirts) of the village as a representation of their Village Guardian position. Hence they are referred as "Peripheral Folk Deity". 21 associate deities and 61 servant deities are located in either the same premises or located in different places of the locality, for e.g.: Amman deities may be installed in the centre of the village but the Sonai, Sudalai or the Formless Nadukkal deities may be installed close to graveyards (cemeteries or burial and sometimes, also near memorial centres).
These Village deities are either represented in the form of a huge, fierce statue or as a simple stone. Most of these temples are not closed premises but are simple and small worship areas. Weapons such as a trident or a lance or sickles are also associated with these shrines.
We also see lots of terracotta horses, elephants, clay dolls & birds and bells. Most officiating priests are pandarams and derive from the local ancestral lineages that had initiated the cult centres generations ago. In ancient times most of the City priests were pandarams.Before Nayakkar rule Madurai Meenakshiamman temple pujas were performed by them.
The worship pattern is non-vedic through Folk tale, Folk Song and Folk arts (Villupattu, Karagam, Koothhu, etc). The local priest might offer flowers or Veeputhi (holy ash) or Holy flowers to the worshippers and may play the oracle role for shamanism.

                                     A shrine to a village god in the Madras Presidency, c.a. 1911

Guardian deities
The worship pattern is non-vedic through Folk tale, Folk Song and Folk arts (Villupattu, Karagam, Koothhu, etc). The local priest might offer flowers or Veeputhi (holy ash) or Holy flowers to the worshippers and may play the oracle role for shamanism

• Ayyannar
• Madurai Veeran
• Ondi karuppanna samy of Sholanganallur and Puthur Village In Tiruchi District of Tamil Nadu
• Kulumayee Amman Ellai Pidari Amman of Sholanganallur And Puthur village
• Maha Kali Amman of Sholanganallur Village
• Karuppanaar swamy (“Karuppu” means black in Tamil and is associated with dark, night, etc). The typical varinats of Karuppu or 18 steps Karuppu, Sanglilikarupan, Maarnatu karuppu, Manda Karuppu, Munnadi Karuppu, Samaya Karuppu, Sinna Karuppu, Peria Karuppu, Sappani Karuppu, sonehkarupu etc.
• Kaateri amman (“Kaateri” means vampire)
• Sudalai Maadan swamy (“Sudalai” means burial ground/ pyre and “Sudalai maadan” means guardian of burial ground)
• Kali or Kali Amman was considered as the causative force for cholera
• Mari was considered as a causative force for smallpox, chicken pox, mumps and measles (Maari in Tamil means rain. Since the rainfall cooled the otherwise hot area and protected people from summer sicknesses like viral infections, people started worshipping the rain goddess as Maari Amman)
• Periyachi Amman: Guardian of children and mothers
• Ellai amman or Ellai Maari Amman worshipped in many villages is actually a mile stone which demarcated the boundaries of two villages. In olden days, people when they travel from one village to another village started relaxing near these stones and in due course started praying to them for safe journey. Thus, slowly these milestones attained the position of village gods and goddesses.

There are other various Natural energy worship in the form of Muthaaramman, Muthalamman, Pachai Thanni Amman, Pachaiyamman, Pal Pazhakkari amman MADAN: it is the drgula on indian version most belived in ramanathapuram dist villages than most horror stories also there.

                                                                   AYYANAR


Hero Stones and Sati Stones

Hero stones (Nadukkal or Veerakkal) are the stones provided for the males who sacrifice their life for good causes. Sati stones are the stones provided for females who sacrificied their life for certain specific purpose, especially for chastity and purity.
This category includes people who lived and lost their lives for their community and hence their community members still remember them and worship them. This group also includes persons who were killed by injustice and hence were worshipped in order to save the village from their wrath. The worship for the fallen brave warriors is one of the popular forms of worship. The early Tamil poetry 'Tolkappiyam' gives an elaborate description in six stages in the planting of such a stone: beginning with looking for a suitable stone, until the institution of formal worship.
The portrait of the hero is often decorated with peacock feathers. Some poems refer to spears and shields erected around the planted stones. Offering of Naravam (toddy = alcohol) to the spirit of the fallen hero, represented in the planted stone, is mentioned in some verses. In time these “nadukals” became Ayyanar shrines. Other warrior gods include Madurai Veeran (who lived near Madurai), Kaathavarayan (who lived near Tanjavore) and Annammar swamigal (who lived near Coimbatore).
The "Thee paanch amman" temples in the northern part of Tamil Nadu were basically built to worship widows who were burnt along with their husbands' funeral pyre as part of the "Sathi" or "Saathi" or "Sati".
The “Maachani amman” temple at Polaachi was built to worship a young girl who was killed by a “Kongu” king since she unknowingly ate a mango from his garden.
The “Palayanoor Neeli” was a girl who was betrayed and cunningly killed by her husband and who took revenge by killing him in her next birth. Further, several love pairs who have lost their lives due to caste animosity are also being worshipped as village deities in several villages.
Seelakari amman in various parts of South Tamil Nadu and Kannagi worship are considered as a part of Sati stone worship system. These goddess are most revered female deities for their purity and chastity as they are considered as the prime focus of the way of Tamil women. Kanni amman and Pachai Amman are more common variants of female deities representing the characteristics of Purity and Chastity.
In general, Sati stones have not become part of the 21 sub-deities of Ayynar but at some places Seelakari amman is considered as part of 21 sub deities. A more detailed research is required to identify clear clarity on various sub-deities including Isakki Amman, Sonai or Sonai Karuppu and others.
Any person who stood for justice and valiantly fought for justice or lost life for the cause of justice have become part of Hero Stone worship. The more prominent are Pandian Nedunchezhian of Silappadhikaram fame, becoming Pandi Muneeswar along with the support of Samayakaruppu. Maduari veeran and so many other stories run parallel to becoming Folk Deities worshipped by large following and becoming part of Kuladeivam cult.THANK YOU