Nandhanar * - History of Nayanmars - Fierce Disciples of Lord Shiva

Nayanmars are the fierce disciples of lord Shiva and they have been given the divine status and they have been allowed to remain as the statues in the corridor of all the Shiva temples. in order to attain this stage, they had tried their best, which one could never even think in their mind.

Once there had been a place called Aathanur in ancient Tamil Nadu, India. Now it's been called as Melanallur. It's very near to a very famous isthala called Vaithishwaran Kovil, near Kumbakonam of Tamil Nadu.

There our hero Nandhanar was born in the family belonged to lower class community by birth. Those people were separated from others and were banned from entering into the residential area of other upper class community people.

Even they had been never allowed to enter into the temple premises. If they wanted to worship the god/goddess, they should be only allowed to stand in front of the temple and from there only, they should worship the god

Nandhanar, from his childhood onwards, had been showing great signs of pure devotion towards lord Shiva. Nobody could be at par with him in sincere devotion. He had maintained his living by the income incurred from the lands (paddy field) which had been lent by the upper class community people, in turn they had received major portion of paddy as their ransom.

Within his income, he had given the accessories of leather, rope and strings to the instruments, being used in the temples of lord Shiva. He had visited many temples of lord Shiva within his reach and only stood outside of the temple premises, from there only, he could worship the lord and he never had allowed into the temple, even he couldn't see the sanctum or the presiding deity of any temple. He often worried about his caste for, that had been the only cause to prevent him to enter into the temple.

When he had been in worshiping, having overwhelmed with the joy of devotion, often sang and danced like a mad man, all which had been due to the signs of expressing his serene love towards lord Shiva.

Nandhanar had his long term wish that he would one day visit Chithambaram very soon atleast once in life. Every night he had slept with that thinking only. Again he thought even if he had a chance to go there, would he be allowed to enter into the temple premises.

But the thought of visiting Chithambaram, had been fired up day by day at his mind and he told to himself that any how he would certainly go to Chithambaram one day. So later on, he had been called as 'Thirunaalai povaar' (tomorrow,i will go) by the devotees.

That day also had come in his life, he had left for Chithambaram and reached the outskirts of Chithambaram. From there he could able to see the residential places of 'Chithambaram-Anthanars' (usually called as 3000 chithambaram Anthanars),who were the meritorious and well versed upper class community of Brahmins, and the holy smoke that had come out from the 'Homaghundams' (fire-ritual place). He was very afraid,even to enter into that place.

He already heard about that Chithambaram had been noted for it's inhabitants of 3000 'Anthanars' and for them each, there had been three thousands 'homaghundams' (place of fire-rituals). Above all, while having remembered about his caste, ha pained so much, since it had been the main cause of prohibition to enter into the temple.

Having feared about the caste he belonged and with tears rolled on his cheeks, Nandhanar had raised his both hands touched together up above the head and had circumambulated the outskirts of Chithambaram, by simply thought that it might be the temple at his mind.

How long had he done that circumambulation that he couldn't count it. At last, he became tired and fell down on the ground and had fallen asleep. In his dream, lord Shiva had appeared and told him that whether to enter into that temple he had to undergo the fire-bath and could come out as 'Muppuri Nool Anintha Anthanar'.

By the mean time, lord Shiva also had appeared in the dreams of each 3000 anthanars and ordered them to grow fire-bath (in the blazing fire one should enter and come out), so that in which, His fierce disciple Nanthanar could take fire-bath and could prove his capability.

Having informed by lord Shiva in their dreams, all the 3000 anthanars had gathered in front of the temple and they had decided to invite Nandhanar to do the thing that lord Shiva had ordered them in their dreams.

All of them went as a procession and told Nandhanar that what they had seen in their dreams and had invited him to enter into that fire-path, as directed by lord Shiva. On having heard about that, overwhelmed with extreme ecstasy, Nandhanar jumped and shouted like a mad man and said to himself " Pilaithean... Philaithean..." (I survive... I survive...).