Thamra parni Maha Pushkaram (12th October to 23rd October 2018)

Thamra  parni  Maha  Pushkaram (12^th October to 23^rd October 2018)

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

   Thambra parni is a very ancient river  of Tamil  Nadu .

a.Valmiki Ramayana

In Valmiki   Ramayana  when Sugreeva tells his monkeys , the way to the soulth  of Kishkinda he says 

Then you will come across the divine river Cauvery  with its pure and scared waters  and in it you would see Apsara maidens playing.”                                                                                                                        41.15

“Then you would see the great  and noble sage Agasthya who shines like Sun God  sitting on the top of   the Malaya mountain.”                                                                                                                                  41.16  

“Then with the permission of that great sage who would be pleased with you, you have to cross the great river Tambraparni full of crocodiles.”                                                                                              41.17

 “With divine sandalwood forests and several covered  and wonderful islands , it goes towards the ocean like a wife happily goes to her husband.”                                                                                                 41.18

  b.Kamba Ramayana

 In the Tamil Kamba  Ramayana    , in the same situation  Sugreeva says

4477. Then if you reach   the south Thamizh Nadu  in   which there is  the podigai mountain,

In which the   great saint Agasthya   is  doing penance   where  the Tamizh  Sangam,

Is established   and where   the great sage  lives permanently, Salute that  mountain  ,

Go forward  and  then cross   the  pretty river Tamravarni    and  then see  ,

The  great Mahendra mountain  with its  big  valleys   where  the elephant  calves live

 And from there   you would be able  to see the southern ocean.

c. Mahabharatha

In mahabharatha   it is said  "Listen, O son of Kunti, I shall now describe Tamraparni. In that asylum the gods had undergone penances impelled by the desire of obtaining salvation".

 

    The  ancient sangam literature   refers to the river as  “Tan Porunai”  river

These  references clearly establish the importance  of the river in South India. There   are several   stories about its origin linking it   to sage Agasthya. One story    says that  it was the red  lotus garland  which Lord  Shiva wore  during his marriage. It seems   he gave it to  sage Agasthya    and requested him  to go to the South of India . This garland was brought to south India  by the sage    and she turned in to the river  “THamra parni(copper coloured leaves) “. On its shores   are the Nava  Kailsam temples (papa nasam,  Cheran Mahadevi, KOdaganallur, KUnnathur , Murappanadu  , THiru vaikundam, Then thiruperai, Raajapathy and Poomangalam) as well as  Nava  THirupathi temples(Sri Vaikuntam, Natham, Thirukolur, Thirupulingudi , Azhvar Thirunagari, Then THiruperai, Thirukulandhai , Tholvillimanagalur(2 temples) )

 .

    Like  most of the important rivers  of India , there  is also a Pushkaram(called  Kumbh mela  in north) in THamra Parni every twelve years and once in 144 years  the Maha Pushkaram. Since the normal   12 year pushkarams  were  not  celebrated  in a grand manner very few people know   about them. .

    THis Maha  pushkaram is  going to be held   at Kurukuthurai in Tirunelveli district, where Goddess Gandhimadhi Amman samedha Lord Nellaippar resides along with Lord Muruga and Goddess Anandavalli Amman.

  More information of the Maha Pushkram of THambbra parni river   of 2018  is available in 

https://thamirabaranipushkaram.webs.com/