ஆயுத பூஜை

ஆயுத பூஜை

Ayudha Puja is an integral part of the Navratri festival (festival of triumph), a Hindu festival which is traditionally celebrated in India. It is also called "Astra Puja", the synonym for Ayudha Puja. In simple terms, it means “Worship of Implements”. It is celebrated in Karnataka (in erstwhile Mysore State) as “Ayudha Puje” (Kannada: ಆಯುಧ ಪುಜೆ), in Kerala as Ayudha Puja (Malayalam: ആയുധ പൂജ), and in Tamil Nadu as Ayuda Pujai (Tamil: ஆயுத பூஜை) and . The festival falls on the ninth day or Navami of the bright half of Moon's cycle of 15 days (as per Almanac) in the month of September/October, and is popularly a part of the Dasara or Navaratri or Durga Pujaor Golu festival. On the ninth day of the Dasara festival, weapons and tools are worshipped. In Karnataka, the celebration is for killing of the demon king Mahishasura by goddess Chamundeshwari. After slaying of the demon king, the weapons were kept out for worship. While Navaratri festival is observed all over the country but in South Indian states, where it is widely celebrated as Ayudha Puja, there are slight variations of worship procedure.

The principal Shakti goddesses worshipped during the Ayudha puja are Saraswati (the Goddess of wisdom, arts and literature),Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) and Parvati (the divine mother), apart from various types of equipment; it is on this occasion when weapons are worshipped by soldiers and tools are revered by artisans. The Puja is considered a meaningful custom, which focuses specific attention to one’s profession and its related tools and connotes that a divine force is working behind it to perform well and for getting the proper reward.

 In the cross cultural development that has revolutionized the society, with modern science making a lasting impact on the scientific knowledge and industrial base in India, the ethos of the old religious order is retained by worship of computers and typewriters also during the Ayudha Puja, in the same manner as practised in the past for weapons of warfare.

Two mythological legends relate to this festival.

The popular legend, which was also practiced symbolically by the Maharajas of Mysore, alludes to a historical legend. It is said that on Vijayadashami day Arjuna, third of the five Pandava brothers, retrieved his weapons of war from the hole in the Shami tree where he had hidden it before proceeding on the forced exile. After completing his exile period of 13 years including one year of Agyatavas (living incognito) before embarking on the war path against the Kauravas he retrieved his weapons. In the Kurukshetra war that ensued, Arjuna was victorious. Pandavas returned on Vijayadashami day and since then it is believed that this day is auspicious to begin any new venture.But in Karnataka Ayudh Puja is celebratorated by general public one day before of original festival day Vijayadashami(the Ayudh Puja Day).

Another legend is of a pre-battle ritual involving human sacrifice as part of the Ayudh Puja (considered a sub-rite of Dussehara festival that starts after the rainy season and is propitiated before launching military campaigns). This practice is no more prevalent. Now, instead of a human sacrifice, buffalo or sheep sacrifice is in vogue, in some Hindu communities. The past practice is narrated in the Tamil version of Mahabharata epic. In this ritual, prevalent then in Tamil Nadu, ‘Kalapalli’ was a “sacrifice to the battlefield”, which involved human sacrifice before and after battles. Duryodhana, the Kaurava chief was advised by astrologer (Sahadeva) that the propitious time for performing Kalapalli was on amavasya day (New Moon day), one day before the start of Kurukshetra war and Iravan (son of Arjuna), also spelt Aravan, had agreed to be the victim for the sacrifice. But Krishna, the benefactor of Pandavas smelt trouble and he devised a plan to persuade Iravan to be the representative of the Pandavas and also of the Kauravas. Krishna had suggested to Yudhishtira-the eldest of the Pandavas, to sacrifice Aravan to goddess Kali as a part of Ayudh Puja. After this sacrifice, Kali had blessed Pandavas for victory in the Kurukshetra war. Similar cult practices (considered as Draupadi cult practices) were prevalent in North Karnataka also but the ritual of human sacrifice was done one day after the Dasara on a stone altar outside a Kali temple.

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, Golu is the festival celebrated during the Navaratri period. On this occasion dolls, predominantly that of the Gods and Goddesses from Hindu Tradition are artistically arranged on a seven stepped wooden platform. Traditionally, 'marapachi' wooden dolls representing Perumal and Thayaar are also displayed together at a dominant location on the top step of the platform erected specially for the occasion. On the 9th day (Navami day), Saraswati puja is performed when special prayers are offered to goddess Saraswati - the divine source of wisdom and enlightenment. Books and musical instruments are placed in the puja pedestal and worshipped. Also, tools are placed for the Ayudh puja. Even vehicles are washed and decorated, and puja performed for them on this occasion. As part of the Golu festival, Saraswati puja is performed as Ayudh puja. This is followed by the Vijayadashami celebrations at the culmination of the ten day festivities. Apart from the golu pooja, Ayudah Puja has become very popular when business houses celebrate it ardently

The tools and all implements of vocation are first cleaned. All the tools, machines, vehicles and other devices are then painted or well polished after which they are smeared withturmeric paste, sandalwood paste (in the form of a tilak (insignia or mark) and Kumkum (vermillion). Then, in the evening, previous to the puja day, they are placed on an earmarked platform and decorated with flowers. In the case of weapons of war, they are also cleaned, bedecked with flowers and tilak and placed in a line, adjacent to a wall. On the morning of the puja that is on the navami day, they are all worshipped along with the images of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. Books and musical instruments are also placed on the pedestal for worship. On the day of the puja, these are not to be disturbed. The day is spent in worship and contemplation

Vinayagar Chaturthi

Significance of His name 'Ganesha'

            The term Ganesha stems from the root 'Gana' which means the hosts or troops of demigods especially referring to the retinue of Lord Shiva and the term 'Isha' means 'ruler' or 'lord'. Hence the term Ganesha means “the Lord of the demigods"It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born on a fourth day(chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Magh, as association between Ganesh and charturthi has been established. Thus the festival dedicated to the workship of Lord Ganesha on this chaturthi day is named as Ganesh Chaturthi It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the gods, barring Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.

Significance of the Ganesha Form

             Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.        The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.           There is also a story behind the symbolic snake, rat and the singular tusk. During one of his birthdays, His mother, Parvati, cooked for him twenty-one types of delicious food and a lot of sweet porridge. Ganesha ate so much that even his big belly could not contain it. Mounting his little mouse, he embarked on his nightly rounds. His mouse suddenly stumbled upon seeing a huge snake. To adjust His belly, Ganesha put the snake on as a belt around his stomach. All of a sudden, he heard laughter emanating form the sky.

History :

                    It is not known when and how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated. Ganesh Chaturthi was being celebrated as a public event in Pune since the times of Shivaji (1630-1680), the founder of the Maratha Empire. The Peshwas, the administrators of the Empire from 1749 till its end in 1818, encouraged the celebrations in their administrative seat Pune as Ganesha was their family deity (Kuladevata). With the fall of the Peshwas, Ganesh Chaturthi lost state patronage and became a private family celebration again till its revivial by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.                    In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event.Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesha as "the god for everybody", and popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order "to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervour among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesh in pavilions, and also established the practice of submerging in rivers, sea, or other pools of water all public images of the deity on the tenth day after Ganesh Chaturthi.Under Tilak's encouragement, the festival facilitated community participation and involvement in the form of intellectual discourses, poetry recitals, performances of plays, musical concerts, and folk dances. It served as a meeting ground for people of all castes and communities in times when, in order to exercise control over the population, the British discouraged social and political gatherings.

உலகை ஆண்ட தமிழர்களின் வரலாறு..!

வெளிக்கொண்டுவராத நம் வரலாற்றை, நாமே இந்த உலகிற்குப் பரப்புவோம். இனிமேல் நாம் 2000 வருடம் பழமையானவர்கள் என்ற பழங்கதையை விட்டு விட்டு 20,000 வருடத்திற்கும் பழமைவாய்ந்த உலகின் முதல் இனம் நம் தமிழினம் என்று பெருமையுடன் கூறுவோம்.

தமிழனின் பிறப்பிடமும் தமிழ் மொழியின் பிறப்பிடமும் குமரிக்கண்டம் தான். அக்கண்டம் நீரில் மூழ்கிப் போனது. முச்சங்க வரலாற்றாலும் சிலப்பதிகார உரைக

 ள் மூலம் தெரியலாம். திரு. இராமச்சந்திர தீட்சிதர் போன்றோரின் வரலாற்று நூல்கள் வாயிலாகவும், தேவநேயப் பாவாணர் எழுதிய “முதற்தாய் மொழி” வாயிலாகவும் நாம் நன்கறிகிறோம். தமிழன் தோன்றிய இடம் குமரிக்கண்டம் கையாண்ட மொழி தமிழ் மொழியாகும். பல்லாயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்குப் பின் படிப்படியாக வளர்ந்த தமிழும் தமிழனும் புகழின் உச்சக்கட்டம் எட்டினர், பழந்தமிழ் நாட்டை உலகிற்குச் சுட்டிக்காட்டினர்.

குமரிக்கண்டமும் அதன் எல்லைகளும் பழந்தமிழ் நாடாகிய குமரிக் கண்டம் அளவில் மிகப் பெரிதாக பரவியிருந்தது. ஆஸ்திரேலியாவையும் தென்னாப்பிரிக்காவையும் இந்தியாவையும் இணைத்துக் கொண்டிருந்த பெரும் நிலப்பரப்பே குமரிக் கண்டம் அல்லது பழந்தமிழ் நாடு அல்லது இலமூரியா கண்டம் என்கிறார் ஹிராடடஸ், இக்கருத்தை பேரறிஞர்கள் திரு.ஓல்டுகாம், திரு. எக்கேல், திரு. கிளேற்றர், திரு. கட்டு எலியட், திரு.தேவநேயப் பாவாணர் போன்றோர் ஏகமனதாக ஏற்றுக் கொண்டனர். மேலும் ஹிராடடஸ் அவர்கள் குமரிக்கண்டத்தின் எல்லையைக் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

1. தொலைமேற்கில் – கிரேக்க நாடு
2. மேற்கில் – எகிப்து மற்றும் ஆப்பிரிக்கா
3. வடமேற்கில் – மென் ஆப்பிரிக்கா
4. தொலை கிழக்கில் – சீன நாடு
5. கிழக்கில் – பர்மா, மலேசியா, சிங்கப்பூர்
6. தெற்கில் – நீண்ட மலைத் தொடர்

இம்மலைத் தொடர் ஆஸ்திரேலியாவில் தொடங்கி தென்னாப்பிரிக்காவில் முடிவடைகிறது என்பதை மனதில் கொள்ள வேண்டும். இவற்றின் மையத்தில் அமைந்த மிகப் பெரிய கண்டமே குமரிக்கண்டம் அல்லது பழந்தமிழ் நாடு அல்லது இலமூரியா கண்டமாகும்.

இக்கண்டத்தை பதினான்கு மாநிலங்களாக அதாவது ஏழு தெங்கு நாடு, ஏழு பனை நாடு என பிரித்திருந்தனர். அந்நாட்டில் வாழ்ந்தவன் தான் தமிழன். அவன் கையாண்ட நாகரிகம்தான் திராவிடநாகரிகம். அவனுடைய வரலாறும் நாகரிகமும் தான் உலகிலேயே முதன்மை வாய்ந்தது. இவனுடைய மொழி தமிழ், தமிழர்கள் தமிழ்நாட்டிலிருந்து கடல் வழியாகவும், தரை மார்க்கமாகவும்உலகெங்கும் சென்று குடியேற்றங்களை அமைத்து தமிழ் மொழியையும், தமிழ்ப் பண்பாட்டையும், தமிழ்க் கலாச்சாரத்தையும் பாரெங்கும் பரப்பானர் என்பதே உண்மை. இதற்குச் சான்றாக பினீசியர்களின் நாணயங்களும் கல்வெட்டுக்களும் உதவுகின்றன. கம்போடியாவில் உள்ள உலகின் மிகப்பெரும் கோவிலையும் இதற்கு சான்றாக எடுத்துக்காட்டலாம்.

இங்குதான் உலகின் முதல் மனிதன் பிறந்ததாக வரலாற்று ஆய்வாளர்கள் தெரிவிக்கிறார்கள், இங்குதான் நம் மூதாதையர் வாழ்ந்தனர். இங்குதான் நாம் இன்று பேசிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் நம் தாய்த் தமிழ் பிறந்தது. இங்குதான் இன்னும் பல வரலாற்று அதிசயங்கள் நிகழ்ந்துள்ளன. ஆம், இதுதான் ” நாவலன் தீவு ” என்று அழைக்கப்பட்ட “குமரிப் பெருங்கண்டம்”.

கடலுக்கடியில் இன்று அமைதியாக உறங்கிக்கிகொண்டிருக்கும் இது, ஒரு காலத்தில் பிரம்மாண்டமாக இயங்கிக்கொண்டிருந்த ஒரு மாபெரும் தமிழ்க் கண்டம்! இன்று தனித்தனி நாடுகளாக உள்ள ஆஸ்திரேலியா, மடகாஸ்கர், தென்னாப்பிரிக்கா, இலங்கை,மற்றும் கிழக்கில் உள்ள சில சிறு, சிறு தீவுகளையெல்லாம் இணைத்தவாறு இருந்த ஒரு பிரம்மாண்ட நிலப்பரப்பு தான் “குமரிக்கண்டம்”. ஏழுதெங்க நாடு, ஏழுமதுரை நாடு, ஏழுமுன்பலை நாடு, ஏழுபின்பலை நாடு, ஏழுகுன்ற நாடு, ஏழுகுனக்கரை நாடு, ஏழுகுரும்பனை நாடு என இந்நிலப்பரப்பில் நாற்பத்தொன்பது நாடுகள் இருந்துள்ளன! பறுளி, குமரி என்ற இரண்டு மாபெரும் ஆறுகள் ஓடியுள்ளன!

குமரிக்கொடு, மணிமலை என இரண்டு மலைகள் இருந்துள்ளன! தென்மதுரை, கபாடபுரம், முத்தூர் என பிரம்மாண்டமான மூன்று நகரங்கள் இருந்தன. உலகின் தொன்மையான நாகரீகம் என்று அழைக்கப்படும் சுமேரியன் நாகரீகம் வெறும் நான்காயிரம் வருடங்கள் முந்தையது தான்.

நக்கீரர் “இறையனார் அகப்பொருள்” என்ற நூலில் மூன்று தமிழ்ச் சங்கங்கள் 9990 வருடங்கள் தொடர்து நடைபெற்றதாக கூறியுள்ளார். தமிழின் முதல் சங்கம் இந்த கடலடியில் உள்ள “தென்மதுரையில்” கி.மு 4440இல் 4449 புலவர்களுடன் , சிவன், முருகர், அகஸ்தியருடன் 39 மன்னர்களும் இணைந்து நடத்தப்பட்டது. இதில், “பரிபாடல், முதுநாரை, முடுகுருக்கு, கலரியவிரை, பேரதிகாரம்” ஆகிய நூல்களை இயற்றியுள்ளனர். இதில் அனைத்துமே கடற்கோளில் அழிந்துவிட்டன. இரண்டாம் தமிழ்ச் சங்கம் “கபாடபுரம்” நகரத்தில் கி.மு 3700இல் 3700 புலவர்களுடன் நடத்தப்பட்டது.

இதில், “அகத்தியம், தொல்காப்பியம், பூதபுராணம், மாபுராணம்” ஆகிய நூல்கள் இயற்றப்பட்டன. இதில் “தொல்காப்பியம்” மட்டுமே நமக்கு கிடைத்துள்ளது. மூன்றாம் தமிழ்ச் சங்கம் இன்றைய “மதுரையில்” கி.மு 1850 இல் 449 புலவர்களுடன் நடத்தப்பட்டது. இதில், “அகநானூறு, புறநானூறு, நாலடியார், திருக்குறள்” ஆகிய நூல்கள் இயற்றப்பட்டன.

வெளிக்கொண்டுவராத நம் வரலாற்றை, நாமே இந்த உலகிற்குப் பரப்புவோம். இனிமேல் நாம் 2000 வருடம் பழமையானவர்கள் என்ற பழங்கதையை விட்டு விட்டு 20,000 வருடத்திற்கும் பழமைவாய்ந்த உலகின் முதல் இனம் நம் தமிழினம் என்று பெருமையுடன் கூறுவோம்.

வரலாற்றுத் தேடல் தொடரும்..!

Sources:
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32,000 year old underwater city found - Dwarka:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgtk1mxgWDU&feature=related


Lemuria (continent):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuria_%28continent%29

Ancient Period of coimbatore

Coimbatore is not just a mere province in the Kongu area but also the birth place of the Cholas. The history of the city dates back to the 12th century, when the region was ruled by the aboriginal Irula tribe, before the place was seized by the Chola Empire. The Kongu area served as the parliament of the Chola kings until the 9th century. Durng the later years, the place became the hub for many cultural activities in the region. With its stunning shrines, amazing architecture and literary feats, the city soon became a popular attraction for the royalties. By the medieval period, the city underwent a power struggle. The Cheras, the Pandyas and the Cholas did their best to dominate the region. When the Pandya kings lost their power to the Vijayanagar kings, the lost fame and glory of the city was restored. However, the stronghold of the Vijayanagar Empire was short lived. Soon Coimbatore was yet again amidst a political war between the Mysore Kings and the British Raj. 

Coimbatore History

Ancient Period

Coimbatore has an early history that still remains a mystery to the historians and the epigraphist. Although there is not much information available on the prior history of the original settlers, it's assumed that Coimbatore was once home to the Irula tribe, who dominated this part of the territory during the 12th century. Soon the Irula clan lost its independence to the powerful Chola Empire. Coimbatore was ruled by Kulothunga Chola. His kingdom comprised of parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. During his reign, the place was commonly referred to as Kongu Nadu or Chola Nadu. Under the rule of the Chola kings, the city reached great heights.

Medieval Period
During the medieval period, the Kongu province was dominated by several dynasties like the Cheras and the Pandyas. By the 9th and the 10th century, Kongu had reached the pinnacle in the field of art and culture with beautiful temples being built in the Chola style of architecture. Popular literary works were also composed during this time such as 'Perumkatai', 'Purap-porul' and 'Venbamalai'. In the medieval period, the Chola kings lost their control over the region. They were overthrown by the Chera monarchs who governed the place for almost 300 years, after which the dynasty declined. Soon the Pandya rulers annexed the city of Kongu. However, their rule was short lived as the Vijayanagar rulers started to extend their boundaries and eventually captured the Kongu region. By the 15thcentury, major sections of the city slipped into the hands of the Viyayanagar kings. In 1550, under the rule of Vijayanagar kings, the Kongu town was populated to a large extent by large groups of settlers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Once the power of the Vijayanagar dynasty began to weaken in the region, the city saw a shift in the local governance. The Madurai Nayaks took over the administration and introduced the 'Palaiyakkarar system'. The Palaiyakkarar system introduced feudal system in the territory. From 1623 to 1672, the city staged the internal political differences between the Thanjavur and Madurai Nayaks.

British Raj

Soon after the decline of the Vijayanagar Empire in the 17th century, Coimbatore came under the dominance of the Kings of Mysore. Hyder Ali and his son Tipu took over Coimbatore and ruled the territory until the 18th century. With the advent of the 18th century, the East Indian Company became the undisputed lord of this region. Tipu Sultan was overthrown by the British in the fourth Anglo-Mysore War and the city soon amalgamated under the Madras Presidency. During this time, Coimbatore had already started its very own Quit India movement when Dheeran Chinnamalai started a campaign against the British India. The Polygar War was fought between Polyars and the British Raj. The war began on March 1799 but did not end soon as the Polyar warriors refused to give up their on going protest against the British. In May 1802, the British army took control of the region by seizing all anti-British activities in the area. During freedom struggle the city took active part in the country's independence.

G. D. Naidu

v G. Duraisamy Naidu

He born on 23rd of March, 1893 in kalangal, a hamlet in CBE district in Tamil Nadu.

He was irresponsible and naughty and therefore dropped out of school.

Aftre sometimes he started a business selling 'pain balm' imported from USA.

vHe worked as a waiter in a hotel for a monthly for a sum of three rupees

vHe was fascinated by machines. With his savings  he bought an old motorcycle from a Britisher.

v

vIn 1920, G.D.Naidu met British businessman Sir Robert Stanes

vHe died on 4th of January, 1974.

• In 1937, the first motor produced in India, was brought out from G D Naidu’s UMS group company. 

• They started  a bus service between Udumalpet to Coimbatore.

 Two-Seater Petrol car

• In 1952, the two-seater petrol engine car (costing a mere Rs 2,000/-) rolled out.
• Some of his inventions were weighing machines, testing machines and sheet-making machines.

Two seater petrol car production was stoped because of the government refuse to grant the neccessary license.

He wanted to make cersion blades/knives but the govt gave license to some other people.
 A permanent industrail exhibition has been set up in memory of the industrialist and visionary in coimbatore.


               

Money had a lot of value

• People  paid half–an-anna tax every six months to the corporation for a seal to allow them to use cycle .
• You cloud have a coffee or masala dosai.
• Bus fares were inexpensive from clock tower to ondipudur ,the charge was one anna!
• The plate of kozha puttu costed just one anna in 1955.
• Two anna you got a maand of jaggery.
• You could buy enough groundnut for two boys.
• For  36paisa full meals including rice,sambar and butter milk

Even in the 1920s , we had money transfer only it was done differently.

Rupee notes(Rs.50 and Rs.100) would be cut into two and sent through different handlers.the receiver would stick the notes together and deposit it in The Madras Bank.

Samikannu Vincent

Samikannu Vincent had a fleet of cars that included a Studebaker, a Ford, a Chevrolet and an Austin.