Vellimalai Kumaraswamy Temple, Kumarakoil – History
Kumarakoil
is also known as Kumara Kshetram and Subrahmanya Sthala in
Malayalam. The early Tamil epic Silapathikaram refers to the temple
as Chera Nattu Earagam. Kumarakoil is a very ancient temple, as attested by the
massive sculpture of Lord Murugan in a style dating from the Buddhist
period. Buddhism probably flourished from 650-850 CE in Kerala. However,
the available inscriptions about the temple dates from the 18th century
CE only. The ancient poetry Thirumurugattru Padai written by poet Nakkeerar refers
to the place unique in the sense that the devotees there wear only wet clothes
only in the lower part of their body and enter the temple with flowers to have
a darshan. This unique feature of worship is being followed there at Kumarakoil
till date.
The
Tamil epic Silapathikaram written by Illangovadigal refers four Kshetras
(temples) as Padai veedu of Lord Muruga. They are Thiruchendur, Kongu Nattu
Shengodu, Chola Nattu Venguntu and Chera Nattu Eragam (Thiru Eragam). Nachinarkiniyar
who had written meaning (arumpathavurai) for the poetry Thirumurugattupadai
asserted that Earagam is ‘Malai Nattu Oru Thirupathi’. Malai Nadu means
Cheralam now known as Kerala. Veli Malai was part of Travancore Samasthanam in
olden days. The place was part of Cherala Nadu when Silapathikaram was written.
After Independence too this place was part of the present Kerala State. After a
prolonged agitation under the leadership of great leaders like Nesamani Nadar,
Ponnappa Nadar etc., the taluks of Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam,
Vilavancode, and half of Neyyatinkarai were ceded to Tamil Nadu.
In the
intermittent period, when Earagam was with Cheralam, the scholars like
Arunagirinathar (15th century) a staunch devotee of Lord Muruga was probably
interested in creating one of the Padai veedu near Kumbakonam, one of the
temple cities in Tamil Nadu. In the belief that the people of Tamil Nadu had
lost track of Tiruveragam, one of the Padai Veedu referred to in ancient
scriptures, he had written that Earagam is Swami Malai, without considering the
fact, that Illangovadigal, lived thousands of years before him had written that
Earagam is in Chera Nadu. Swami malai is in erstwhile Chola Nadu. The temple
dedicated to Lord Muruga there is in the top of a man-made hillock and the
existing landmarks and practice referred to about Earagam in
Thirumurugattupadai is lacking there.
In the
history of the temple written by Shri Annalar Adigal, it is stated that, the present-day
Kerala was known as Malai Nadu. The present day Veli malai was known as Velvi
malai. Before that it was known as Merkadamalai, means last part of the western
Ghats. As an evidence, he refers to a stone carving found in Thirunanthikarai,
about ten miles from Kumarakoil wherein it reads ‘Rajaathitha Thevan Perumpadai
Nayagar Malai Nattu Nanthikarai Pudhur’ and another stone carving found at Thiruvidhangodu,
reads “Malaimandalathu Ravivarmaraya Kulasekaraperuman peruntheruvil chetti
Velayuthaperuman” These evidences conform to the assertion of Nachinarkiniyar
that Earagam is Malai Nattu Oru Thirupathi.
