Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval – Literary
Mention
Appar:
The
Saivite saint 'Thirunavukarasar' who is also popularly known as 'Appar'
sung 'Thiruvanaikaa Thirukkurunthogai' to praise the Lord and Devi of
Thiruvanaikoil.
Kalamega Pulavar:
He was
one of the greatest Tamil poets, also called as “Kavi Kalamegam”. He then
sung 'Tiruvaanaikka Ula' praising Devi Akhilandeshwari.
Kalamega
Pulavar sung the 'Saraswathi Maalai' on Akhilandeshwari, envisaged her
as Goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of Wisdom).
Sundarar:
Sundarar
sung songs mentioning the Lord at Thiruvanaikoil is the form of the four
'Vedhas'.
Thiru Gnanasambandar (Sambandar):
The
child prodigy and one of the famous 'Nayanmar' Thiruganasambhandar sung many
songs ('Pathigam') praising the Lord and Devi of Thiruvanaikoil.
Arunagirinathar:
Arunagirinathar
sung many songs in his master piece 'Thirupugazh' (Thirupugazh was sung in
praise of Lord Muruga).
This
song tells the story of the construction of 'Thiruneetran Madhil' i.e. the
'Viboothi Praharam'.
Meenakshisundaram Pillai:
'Mahavithuvan' Thirusirapuram (Olden
day’s name of Trichy) Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai has
written 'Thiruvaanaikaa Akilandanayaki Maalai', praising Devi
Akhilandeshwari and Lord Jambulingam of Thiruvanaikoil.
Kachchiyappa Munivar:
Kachchiyappa
Munivar lived in late 18th Century. He was also known as 'Kavi Ratchasan'. He
was one of the 'Adhinams' (Saint) of Tiruvavaduthurai Mutt.
Kachchiyappa Munivar is the one to come up with the history of the
Thiruvanaikoil temple through his master piece 'Thiruvanaikaa Puranam'.
Muthuswamy Dikshithar:
This
shrine has been immortalized by one of the Trinity of Carnatic music Muthuswami
Dikshitar, with two unusual compositions in Sanskrit, one titled ‘Jambupate’ in
'Yamunakalyani' 'Raga' and the other ‘Akilandeswari’ in
'Dvijavanti' raga. Both compositions are in ragas that are not indigenous
to the south but borrowed from the music of the north (resembling Hindustani
music).
The
Dikshitar song, however, is a masterpiece of classical Carnatic traditions,
layered, slow and restrained, and yet magnificent and joyous; an outpouring to
Shiva in his manifestation as water, "Ambudhi Ganga Cauvery Yamuna
kambu-kantya Akhilandeswari Ramana", Lord of the oceans, and of the Ganga,
Cauvery and Yamuna, and of Akhilandeswari, She of the throat as smooth as a
conch.
