Athri Hills, Alwarkurichi – Legends
This
place had once been a desert. Athiri Maharishi was performing his tapas here.
Once he asked Anusuya Devi to get him some water. Anusuya Devi prayed to Ganga
Devi and requested her to be in these hills always. Even today there is a water
source near the temple which always has the same water level even during summer
seasons.
Origin of the Name:
It was
around 2500 years ago, that the great sage Athiri travelled to the region of
the Athiri Hills with his wife Anusuya Devi and his disciples. He then
performed a penance for Lord Shiva. Heart-warmed by the unwavering devotion of
his disciple Lord Shiva appeared as a vision before the sage. Hence the
mountain range came to be known as Athiri Hills after the great sage. The idol
of Lord Shiva in the form of Athiri Maharishi was formed and a small Temple was
constructed at the place.
Lush Fertility of the Hills:
The
hills are lush with evergreen trees and rare medicinal plants and herbs. It
is believed that these hills served as the abode of several great sages
like Agasthiyar, Athiri Maharishi, Korakkar, Theraiyar, Sage Bodhi Dharmar and
other siddhars. The places where the sages and siddhars made herbal concoctions
stand untouched by time even today. The region is so lush and fertile that
streams and rivers that originate in these hills have never turned dry all
through the years.
As soon
as the cool breeze from these mountains touches us, we feel rejuvenated and
refreshed. This region is the home to mystical and divine herbs. Until four
hundred years back, yogis and siddhars and other commoners made use of these
medicinal plants. Sadly, the knowledge on how to identify and use the herbs has
got lost with further generations.
Legend of the Origin of Athiri Gangai:
The
river that flows through these hills is known as “Athiri Gangai”. This is a
perennial river and never dries even during harsh summer seasons. There are two
different legends that speak on the origin of the Athiri Gangai.
It is
believed that the Sage Athiri to quench the thirst of his disciple, Korakkar,
created the Athiri Gangai.
Another
legend says that the wife of sage Athiri, Anusuya Devi felt it time-consuming
to fetch water from the Kadana River at the foothills of this mountain. So she
prayed to Goddess Ganga Devi (Ganges River) and requested her to flow in these
hills forever.
It is an
astonishing fact that scientific tests carried on the waters of this mountain
stream prove that the water has the same characteristics of the water of the
holy Ganges.
Carpenter curing the disease of Travancore Queen:
Once,
the queen of Travancore was suffering from an incurable disease called
Rajapudai. The royal physicians were unable to ease her pain. Even tantric
magicians from all over were not able to find a cure. The King couldn’t bear to
see the royal queen suffering. So he announced a prize for anyone who cures the
queen. At this time a poor carpenter from Pottal Pudhur was returning from his
journey to Athiri. He was a true devotee of Ganga Devi.
Goddess
Ganga Devi wanted to help her devotee and also cure the queen’s disease. So she
sent the carpenter to the Travancore palace. The people at the palace
didn’t believe that the poor carpenter was a physician and he was denied entry
into the palace. So he decided to spend the night at the royal cow-shed. He
prayed to Goddess Ganga Devi to help in curing the queen. The Goddess appeared
in the King’s dream and instructed him to fetch the man sleeping in the
cow-shed to cure the queen’s disease.
The king
did just as instructed by Ganga Devi. The carpenter asked for a Bronze pot and
used the pot to heal the queen. The king was overjoyed and he gifted gold and
other treasures for the carpenter. The carpenter also asked for a Bronze pot, a
trident and a vessel for holding holy ash. Goddess Ganga Devi not only healed
the queen but also made her disciple rich at the same time. The joyous
carpenter constructed a temple for the Goddess at his village, Pottal Pudhur.
The goddess is worshipped even today as Ganga Parameswari.
The gifts
given by the King to the carpenter are worshipped at the temple. The temple of
Gangai Amman is at Sandhai Pottal in Pottal Pudhur. The annual festival of this
temple is celebrated on Thai Ammavasai (New Moon Day that occurs in the Tamil
Month of Thai). During this festival, the holy bathing of the idol is done only
with the holy water of Athiri Gangai flowing in the Athiri Hills.