Anagha K Saralaya
Heritage Matters, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
anaghasaralaya@gmail.com
Raghuram S K
DHF India, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
raghuramiyer1603@gmail.com
Introduction
A set of seven temples in the Thanjavur region of Tamil Nadu, India constitute the septad responsible for ‘Saptasthanam Kannadi Pallakku’ (Trans.: Saptasthanam Mirror Palanquin), a festival rooted in Hindu mythology of Shiva and the wedding of his commander-in-chief, Nandi. The temples involved in the festival are from the towns of Thiruvaiyaru, Thirupazhanam, Thiruchotruthurai, Thiruvedikudi, Thirukandiyur, Thirupoonthuruthi and Thillaisthanam. Celebrated in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May), it is said that the procession which is taken through these seven towns across the river beds of Kaveri, as a re-enactment of the saptapadi(1) ritual of the Hindu wedding traditions. The festival involves taking Nandi and his consort, Suyasambigai through a procession, along with the chief deities of Thiruvaiyaru temple to begin with, who are received and joined by the deities at Thirupazhanam to travel to the next town in the circuit and so forth, to have deities of all the seven temples congregate at the end of the procession back in Thiruvaiyaru. A unique feature of the festival, the deities are carried in palanquins made of cut glass art work, a traditional handicraft of Thanjavur region.
Figure 1: Panchanadeeswarar Temple, Thiruvaiyaru (Source: Anagha K Saralaya)
Figure 2: Saptasthanam Kannadi Pallakku procession (Source: Raghuram S K)
Methodology
Methodology of the study includes contextual study and review of literature with the help of books, research papers and journal articles by identifying earliest extant references to grouping of the seven temples, and first mentions of the Saptasthanam festival. Site study through participating in the festival and local interviews leads the way to documentation of rituals involved in the festival and the placemaking phenomenon. Our study also looks into the relevance of the mirror palanquins which is ornate with the Thanjavur cut glass art work.
Literature Review
Bhattacharya (1977) addresses the case of equating Nandi and Vrushabha – two different entities, and points out the differences between the two – Nandi, the chief commander of Shiva, and Vrushabha, the bull who is the vahana of Shiva. He also mentions the instance of Nandi’s wedding taking place in Thiruvaiyaru. Peterson (1989) has translated select hymns of Shaivite saints, which includes references on the seven temples of the Saptasthanam septad. Pillai (1994) gives a detailed account on the septad and the historicity of the festival, including records of endowments made during the Maratha period for the festival and the mirror studded palanquins. Ghose (1996) examines the meaning and form associated with the cult of seven temple-circuit around Thiruvarur, and touches upon similar circuits such as the Thiruvaiyaru Saptasthanam septad. Dehejia (2024) focuses on the epigraphical records of the seven temples of the septad. From the literature review, however, the clarity on when the festival has originated, and transformed into its present format, is not found. There is also little information found on the material culture of the mirror palanquins.
Findings
Figure 3: Wall mural at Sri Panchanadeeswarar Temple, Thiruvaiyaru, depicting the Saptasthanam procession (Source: Raghuram S K)
Figure 4: Mirror palanquin carrying the main deities in the Saptasthanam procession (Source: Raghuram S K)
Figure 5: Vetiver palanquin carrying Nandi-Suyasambigai idols in the Saptasthanam procession (Source: Raghuram S K)
References suggest that the seven Saptasthanam temples, which were built most likely as brick structures, were later rebuilt in stone by the Early Chola Monarchs around the 9th century CE. Inscriptional records mentions that deities from the Thiruvaiyaru temple have visited Thiruchotruthai and endowments have been made. The Shaivite hymns, Thevaram sung by the Nayanmars mention the Saptasthanam temples together at various instances. The septad has long been grouped together in literature in one or the other perspectives. Thus, it can be inferred that the festival could have begun from somewhere around 15th Century CE, when Thanjavur regained its glory as administrative capital under the Nayakas. In 1887, during the rule of Thanjavur Marathas, Durgabai Ammani established a charity endowment for the annual maintenance of the palanquins which has been continued till early 20th century. There are mural paintings seen on the walls of these temples depicting a scene from the festival, which date back to the Nayakas’ time. These paintings feature the kannadi pallakku or the mirror palanquin as the central theme with devotees flocking the procession. Another substantial symbol of the festival’s significance is its ability to be replicated. Sapthasthanam festival is being replicated in various parts of the Thanjavur region.
An interpretation drawn from the study implies strong ties between the towns from the septad to the festival. It is understood from the mythological texts that each of these temples were selected to comply with contributing specific requirement for the wedding of Nandi, which are reflected directly in the nomenclature of the towns. To expand, fruits were sought from Thirupazhanam(2), rice from Thiruchotruthurai(3), Vedic priests from Thiruvedikudi(4), ornaments from Thirukandiyur(5), flowers from Thirupoonthuruthi(6), and ghee from Thillaisthanam – also known as Thiruneithanam(8). This deems an elaborate study on etymology of the towns essential.
The transformation of the towns, especially the smaller towns of the lot such as Thirupazhanam, is visually evident; These towns barely see tourists all year round, and come Saptasthanam festival, they see a high influx of tourists from all across Tamilnadu. A sizable amount of devotees follow along the festival procession, and complete the Saptasthanam circuit on foot. The tourists are offered shelter on the thinnai’s(8) of the larger houses of the towns. Housefronts bedecked with kolam welcoming the deities are a common sight during the festival. This temporal transformation leads to placemaking phenomenon through Saptasthanam festival.
Conclusion
In the process of bringing Hindu mythology to life by re-enactment, ‘Sapthasthanam Kannadi Pallakku’ festival connects the seven towns by the temporal thread of religious belief system and community participation. Thereby, the festival brings about the connection between old and new, people and places, movement and static, natural and the built fabric, leading to the placemaking phenomenon. The paper strives to study the way the ritual practices from this festival can create and transform places involved, thereby changing the place narrative.
References
- Bhattacharya, Gowriswar. Nandin and Vrsabha. Journal of the German Oriental Society, 1977.
- Dehejia, Vidya. The Sapta Sthala Along the Kaveri: Among the Earliest Chola Temples Epigraphy as a Tool. South Asian Studies 40, no. 1 (2024): 108–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.2024.2338987.
- Ghose, Rajeshwari. The Tyāgarāja Cult in Tamilnāḍu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation. Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1996.
- IGNOU. Myth Ritual Theory. New Delhi: IGNOU, n.d.
- Peterson, Indira. Poems to Siva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989.
- Pillai, Shanmugam. Seven Temples and the Palanquin Festival of Thiruvaiyaru. PhD diss., Bharathidasan University, 1994.
- Segal, Robert A. “The myth and ritual theory: an overview.” The Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy 6, no. 1 (1997): 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1163/105369997790231441
- Subramaniyanar, Pulavar Ko., and Pulavar Padma Subramaniyam. Tiruvaiyaru Yezhoor Thalangal Varalaru. Tiruvaiyaru: Iyarappar, 1998.
Footnotes
- Saptapadi (trans.: seven steps) refers to the seven steps a couple takes together during their wedding ceremony in the presence of Agni, symbolising the seven vows of marriage.
- From Tamil’s pazham (trans.: fruit)
- From Tamil’s choru (trans.: rice)
- From Tamil’s vedikudi (trans.: brahmin settlement)
- From Tamil’s kandi (trans.: ornament/necklace)
- From Tamil’s poo (trans.: flower)
- From Tamil’s nei (trans.: ghee); thiru–nei–sthanam
- Thinnai: a verandah at the entrance of a traditional South Indian home, built to provide seating
