Nandanar, also known as Thirunalaippovaar, was a Nayanar saint and is eighteenth in
the list of 63 Nayanars. Like the other Nayanars, he was a great devotee of the
Lord Shiva.
Nandanar’s
exact date is not known, but he probably lived in the seventh or eighth
century. The story of Nandanar and his devotion appears in the Periya Puranam of Sekkilar [12th century],
which is the Tamil account of the sixty-three Nayanmar [Shaivite] saints.
Nandanar’s story was made famous by Gopala Krishna Bharati in his Nandanar-Charitra. In the nineteenth century this was
sung in every village in Tamil Nadu. Gopalakrishna’s version, which added
a few details to that of Sekkizhar, is given below.
Nandanar
was born in village Adhanur in Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu in a low
caste (Dalit) family. He worked as a bonded labourer for a land owner of
the Vedhiyar caste. Since their caste was engaged in making drums using
animal skin (called Parai in Tamil), this caste is also referred to as Parayar.
Apart from these Nandanar also made
string intstruments like Veena and Yaazh
and skin covering for instruments like Berigai. From very early age, Nandanar
was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, though his people worshipped village Gods
like Karuppan, Chamundi etc.
As an untouchable, Nandanar was not permitted to enter the village temple, but yearned to visit it. He used to play the yazh (an instrument) and sing devotional songs from some distance away. He desired to go to the temple in Tiruppungur to worship the deity Shivaloganathaswami and one day managed to reach there. Nandanar stood outside the temple and wanted to have a glimpse of Lord Shiva. The idol of the big bull Nandi which normally is in front of Lord Shiva, in Shiva temples was not allowing him to have the glimpse of the almighty. On Shiva’s command, the Nandi moved a few feet to the right, so that Nandanar could view the lingam. Nandanar was estatic. In Thiruppungur, he heard about the great Natraja temple in Chidhambaram and about the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva.
As an untouchable, Nandanar was not permitted to enter the village temple, but yearned to visit it. He used to play the yazh (an instrument) and sing devotional songs from some distance away. He desired to go to the temple in Tiruppungur to worship the deity Shivaloganathaswami and one day managed to reach there. Nandanar stood outside the temple and wanted to have a glimpse of Lord Shiva. The idol of the big bull Nandi which normally is in front of Lord Shiva, in Shiva temples was not allowing him to have the glimpse of the almighty. On Shiva’s command, the Nandi moved a few feet to the right, so that Nandanar could view the lingam. Nandanar was estatic. In Thiruppungur, he heard about the great Natraja temple in Chidhambaram and about the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva.
image courtesy: google images
Returning
to his village, filled with great joy, Nandanar was determined to go to Thillai
(Chidambaram). Every day he would say, ‘I will go tomorrow’, and thus he earned
the name Thiru Nalai Povaar, ‘The divine one who will go tomorrow’, and is
still known by that name. Finally he approached his Vedhiyar landlord for
permission, who told him to worship the gods of his own caste. Nandanar did not
give up. Once again he asked the landlord, who said he would permit him if he had
finished ploughing in 40 velis of land (250 acres) in one day, which was an impossible
task. Nandhanar was heartbroken and started to pray in desperation to the Lord.
The
next day, Nandanar went out to the fields to plough the land which was a humongous
task, but to his surprise the whole field was ploughed and ready for sowing
seeds. The Landlord was shocked and amazed and realised that Nandanar was not a
simple devotee of Lord Shiva.
By
the grace of Shiva this was done, so Nandanar was extremely excited and set off
for Chidambaram. But after reaching Chidambaram, he could see the smoke of the
fire rituals being done in every home. On hearing these rituals and Vedas sung
everywhere, Nandanar felt that he should not even go into the town as he would
make the place ‘unholy’. So he went around the town numerous times, felt very
sad and finally slept outside the town. He had a wonderful dream in which Lord
Shiva ordered him to walk through fire. Lord Shiva wanted to show the world
that Nandanar was like pure gold which comes out more shining when put through
fire.
image courtesy: Google images
Meanwhile
Lord appeared in temple priests' (dikshitars) dream and ordered them to create a
sacrificial fire at a place outside the town. The surprised priests went to the
place and created a sacrificial fire and Nandanar understood that this was the
fire the Lord Shiva had asked him to walk through. Nandanar walked through the
fire uttering Lord Shiva’s name. Everyone was surprised to see that he came out
with glowing figure with the sacred ash smeared on his body and he appeared
like a divine being, with a divine aura glowing around him.
On
witnessing this miraculous act, the priest took Nandanar inside the temple.
Nandanar with great devotion uttering Lord Shiva’s name, entered the garba griha
and just vanished into thin air. Shri Nandanar, the great devotee of Lord Shiva, amalgamated with almighty.
Nandanar image courtesy: Google images
He
has been praised by Ramalinga Swami, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Sivananda, and
several others, and is perhaps the most well-known of the Nayanars. In 1910
Swami Sahajananda established the Nandanar School and Nandanar Matha at
Chidambaram in his memory.
OM
NAMAH SHIVAYA
THIRUCHITRAMBALAM
