Andal (Tamil: à®à®£à¯à®à®¾à®³à¯, Ãá¹ÉÄḷ ) or Godadevi is the only female Alvar among the 12 Alvar saints of South India. The Alvar saints are known for their affiliation to the Srivaishnava tradition of Hinduism. Active in the 8th-century,[2][4] with some suggesting 7th-century,[3][note 1] Andal is credited with the great Tamil works, Thiruppavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi, which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margazhi.
Andal at Pundarikakshan, Perumal Temple, Tamil Nadu
Srivilliputtur Andal Temple Tower in Tamil Nadu's Emblem
Saint Andal (14th Century, Madurai), at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
History of Andal[edit]
Periazhwar (originally called Vishnuchittar) was an ardent devotee of Perumal and he used to string garland to Perumal every day. He was childless and he prayed to Perumal to save him from the longing. One day, he found a girl child under a Tulasi plant in a garden inside the temple. The child was goddess Sri Mahalakshmi herself incarnated to test the devotion of alvars. He and his wife named the child as Kothai, who grew up as a devotee of Kannan, an avatar of Perumal. She is believed to have worn the garland before dedicating it to the presiding deity of the temple. Periazhwar, who later found it, was highly upset and remonstrated her. Sri Vishnudeva appeared in his dream and asked him to dedicate only the garland worn by Andal to him. The girl Kothai was thus named Andal and was referred as à®à¯à®à®¿à®à¯à®à¯à®¤à¯à®¤ à®à¯à®à®°à¯à®à¯à®à¯à®à®¿,or Chudikodutha Sudarkodi (lady who wore and gave her garland) to Lord Vishnu. The practise is followed during modern times when the garland of Andal from Srivilliputhur Andal temple is sent to [Tirumala Venkateswara Temple] on Garudotsavam during the Tamil month of Purattaasi (September - October) and [Azhagar Koyil] during Chitra Pournami.[6]
Dedication to Perumal[edit]
Kodhai was brought up by Vishnuchitta (Periyalvar) in an atmosphere of love and devotion. As Kodhai grew into a beautiful maiden, her fervor for the Lord Perumal grew to the extent that she decided to marry only the Lord himself. As time passed, her resolve strengthened and she thought constantly about marrying Ranganathar of Thiruvarangam (the reclining form of Perumal).[7][8]
Andal's Bhakti[edit]
In North India, Radha Rani is celebrated as the 'Queen of Bhakti (devotion).' Similarly, in Tamil Nadu Andal is remembered for her pure love and devotion. In the Thiruppavai, Andal, as a Gopi in Ayarpadi (Brindavan),[9] emphasizes that the ultimate goal of life is to seek surrender and refuge at the Lord's feet.
Andal's Garlands[edit]
It is also believed that Ranganatha of Thiruvarangam Ranganathaswamy temple married Andal, who later merged with the idol. Since Andal married Thiru Ranganatha, who came as king RajaSrimanAndhra Vishnu, the presiding deity is called Rangamannar.[10]
Andal garland and Tirupati Venkateswara[edit]
For Tirupati Brahmotsavam, garlands worn to Andal in Srivilliputhur temple are sent to Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. These traditional garlands are made of tulasi, sevanthi and sampangi flowers.These garlands are worn to Lord Venkateswara during Garuda seva procession.[11]
Every year Tirupati Venkateswaraâs garland is sent to Srivilliputtur Andal for marriage festival of Andal.[12]
Kallazhagar[edit]Remo Love Kavithai
Andal garland is being sent to Madurai Kallazhagar for Chithirai Festival day.[12]
Andal's Hairstyle[edit]
Andal's hairstyle and ornamentation are unique to Kerala. The tuft of hair is worn in front of the head similar to the Nambudiri priests of Kerala[13]
Andal's Parrot[edit]
Thiruvillipuththur Andal's hand-crafted parrot is made with fresh green leaves each and every day.This parrot is kept in the left hand of Andal.[14] It takes approximately four and half hours to make this parrot. A pomegranate flower for beak and mouth, Bamboo sticks for legs, banana plant, petals of pink oleander and nandiyavattai are used to prepare this parrot.[15]
Importance in South India[edit]
Andal Temple of the Hoysala period, Chennakeshava Temple, Belur
Andal is one of the best-loved poet-saints of the Tamils. Pious tradition holds her to be the incarnation of BhÅ«miDevi (Sri Lakshmi as Mother Earth) to show humanity the way to Lord Vishnu's lotus feet. Representations of her next to Vishnu are present in all vainava temples. During the month of Margazhi, discourses on the Thiruppavai in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi take place all over India.[16] The Andal Temple at Thiruvilliputhur consists of twin temples, one of which is dedicated to Andal. Most South Indian Vishnu temples have a separate shrine for Andal. There are a number of festivals dedicated to Andal, among the most notable being the Pavai Nonbu in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December â January), Andal Thirukalyanam in Panguni, Pagalpathu, Rapathu, Adi Thiruvizha, when Andal is depicted seated in the lap of Ranganathar.[17] Andal is known for her unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu, the God of the Gods. Adopted by her father, Periyalvar, Andal avoided earthly marriage, the normal and expected path for women of her culture, to marry Vishnu, both spiritually and physically. In many places in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Andal is treated more than a saint and as a form of god herself and a shrine for Andal is dedicated in most Vishnu temples.[18]
Festivals[edit]
Thousands of people from the state participate in the 'Aadi Pooram' festival celebrated in the Andal Temple. After early morning special pujas, the presiding deities, Shri Rengamannar and Goddess Andal are taken in decorated palanquins to the car. The festival marks the adoption of presiding deity, Andal, by Periyazhwar after he found her near a Tulsi plant in the garden of Vadabadrasai Temple at Thiruvilliputhur on the eighth day of the Tamil month of Adi.[19][20]
Women groups inspired by Andal[edit]
In poetry, 9th-century Andal became a well known Bhakti movement poetess, states Pintchman, and historical records suggest that by 12th-century she was a major inspiration to Hindu women in south India and elsewhere.[21] Andal continues to inspire hundreds of classical dancers in modern times choreographing and dancing Andal's songs.[22] Andal is also called Goda, and her contributions to the arts have created Goda Mandali (circle of Andal) in the Vaishnava tradition.[22]
Goda Mandali[edit]
Goda Mandali (circle) which was named after Andal was formed in 1970 and reorganized in 1982 spreads Andal songs widely through TV and radio programs[23][24]
Literary works[edit]
Andal composed two literary works, both of which are in Tamil verse form and express literary, philosophical, religious, and aesthetic content.
Thiruppavai[edit]
Her first work is the Thiruppavai, a collection of 30 verses in which Andal imagines herself to be a Gopi, one of the cowherd girls known for their unconditional devotion to Lord Krishna. In these verses, she describes her yearning to serve Lord Vishnu and achieve happiness not just in this lifetime, but for all eternity. She also describes the religious vows (pavai) that she and her fellow cowherd girls will observe for this purpose. It is said that Thiruppavai is the nectar of Vedas and teaches philosophical values, moral values, ethical values, pure love, devotion, dedication, single-minded aim, virtues, and the ultimate goal of life.[25][26]
Nachiar Tirumozhi[edit]
The second work by Andal is the Nachiar Tirumozhi, a poem of 143 verses. 'Thirumozhi' literally means 'Sacred Sayings' in a Tamil poetic style and 'Nachiar' means Goddess. Therefore, the title means 'Sacred Sayings of the Goddess.' This poem fully reveals Andal's intense longing for Vishnu, the Divine Beloved. Utilizing classical Tamil poetic conventions and interspersing stories from the Vedas and Puranas, Andal creates imagery that is possibly unparalleled in the whole gamut of Indian religious literature. However, conservative vainava institutions do not encourage the propagation of Nachiar Tirumozhi as much as they encourage Thiruppavai because Nachiar Tirumozhi belongs to an erotic genre of spirituality that is similar to Jayadeva's Gita Govinda.[27][28][29][30][31]
Contemporary commentaries and inspired poems[edit]
In contemporary commentaries on Tamil bhakti poetry, A.K. Ramanujan's work remarks on how many other religious traditions would keep and treat passionate love and devotion to God as separate, while in the bhakti tradition, they can be in resonance with one another:
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'All devotional poetry plays on the tension between saguna and nirguna, the lord as person and the lord as principle. If he were entirely a person, he would not be divine, and if he were entirely a principle, a godhead, one could not make poems about him. The Vaishnavas, too, say that the lord is characterized by both 'paratva, 'otherness' and soulabhaya, 'ease of access'; he is both here and beyond, both tangible as a person and intangible as a principle-such is the nature of the ground of all being. It is not either/or, but both and; myth, bhakti and poetry would be impossible without the presence of both attitudes'. Prentiss, Karen Pechilis (1999). The Embodiment of Bhakti. OUP. p. 25. ISBN9780195128130.
Feminist interpretations look at some of Andal's verses as her open acknowledgement of her love for Lord Vishnu, written with bold sensuality and startlingly savage longing, hunger and inquiry as widely found in Tamil Sangam literature that express women's longings and their separation from their men; even today, her most erotic poems are rarely rendered publicly.[32] In one such verse Andal dispenses with metaphor and imagines herself lying in the arms of Krishna, making love to him:[33]
My life will be spared
Only if he will come To stay for me for one night If he will enter me, So as to leave the imprint of his saffron paste upon my breasts Mixing, churning, maddening me inside, Gathering my swollen ripeness Spilling nectar, As my body and blood Bursts into flower.
William Dalrymple- In search of Tamil Naduâs poet-preachers[34][35]
tell him I will survive
only if he will stay with me for one day - enter me so as to wipe away the saffron paste adorning my breasts
Vidya - The Body Adorned: Sacred and Profane in Indian Art(p. 140)[36]
Andal admiring herself whilst wearing the garland that was meant for the deity:
the guilt glazed love lay on Andal's breasts.
thick and heavy as him. frightened with force and locked away, she conjured him every night, her empurumaan, her emperor-man.
- Meena Kandasamy, Ms Militancy[37][38][39]
In one of her poems, Andal says that her voluptuous breasts will swell for the Lord alone, and scorns the idea of making love to mortal beings, comparing that with the sacrificial offering made by Brahmins being violated by jackals in the forest,[40] and in another verse she dedicates her swelling breasts to the Lord who carries a conch.[35]
My surging breasts long to leap to the touch of his hand which holds aloft the flaming discus and the conch.
Coax the world-measurer to caress my waist, to encircle the twin globes of my breasts
[41][42]
Krishnadevaraya's Amuktamalyada[edit]
Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagar Dynasty composed the epic poem Amuktamalyada in Telugu, which is considered as a masterpiece. Amuktamalyada translates to one who wears and gives away garlands, and describes the story of Andal or Goda Devi, the daughter of Periyalvar.[43]
Amuktamalyada describes pain of separation (viraha) experienced by Andal, who is described as the incarnate of Lakshmi the consort of Vishnu. Further the poem describes Andalâs beauty in 30 verses written in the keÅÄdi-pÄdam style, starting from her hair, going down her body till her feet.[44][45]
Mangalasasanam[edit]
Andal has sung in praise of eleven holy sites:[46]
See also[edit]Notes[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andal&oldid=897762391'
Kadhal Kavithai (English: Poem of Love) is a 1998 Tamil languageromance film directed by Agathiyan and produced by Murali Manohar. The film features Prashanth and Isha Koppikar in the lead roles, while Kasthuri, Manivannan and Srividya play other supporting characters. The film had music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, while duo Lancy-Mohan and Ravi Yadav handled the editing and cinematography respectively.
The storyline revolves around a classical dancer who, while touring Europe, visits Princess Diana's memorial at Althorp. Browsing through the various messages left by the public, she comes across a poetic, poignant epistle in Tamil that captivates her and impels her to scribble a response. While returning a few days later, she finds the author of that note has left another one, prompting her to begin to search for the author. After opening in December 1998, the film went on to gain success critically and became a commercially successful venture.[1]
Plot[edit]
Vishwa (Prashanth) spends his time hanging out with Anandham (Charlie) to avoid his mother (Ambika), who always quarrels with his dad (Manivannan). To find peace, he plays tricks on others. Among the victims is Jothi (Isha Koppikar). The story moves to London, where Vishva visits Princess Diana's grave and leaves a beautiful poem behind. At the same time, Jothi too visits the grave and leaves a note after reading the poem. Then begins a warm relationship between Jothi and Vishwa without seeing each other. Whether the two are united form the rest of the story.
Cast[edit]
Production[edit]
After the success of Shankar's 1998 romantic film Jeans, the co-producer Ashok Amritraj agreed to work with actor Prashanth again in his next film and thus signed on to finance a film to be directed by Agathiyan.[2][3] The film was initially titled Adhisayam (Wonder) and shooting began in Tamil Nadu in August 1998.[4] The film went through a change of title to Kaadhal Kavithai, reminiscent of Agathiyan's yesteryear film Kadhal Kottai and Amritraj sold the project to Sunanda Murali Manohar of Cee I TV Limited.[5]
Isha Koppikar made her debut as an actor with this film, despite signing on to appear in K. S. Ravi's En Swasa Kaatre before Kaadhal Kavithai.[6]Raju Sundaram choreographed a belly dance song shot in Rajasthan featuring actress Kasthuri.[2] Part of the film is shot in London, with locations including near the River Thames, the Houses of Parliament, Piccadilly Circus and Althorp, where the memorial to Princess Diana was located.[7][8]
Release[edit]
A critic from Indolink.com gave the film a positive review mentioning that Kaadhal Kavithai 'is handled neatly and that Agathian manages well with dialogues and a fresh mix of characters', describing it as 'the must see movie of the year'.[9] The Deccan Herald mentioned that the film is 'visually a delight, the songs and music are pleasant, especially when they harmonise with the locations, which they donât always.' The reviewer adds that 'Prashanth is alright though he seems a little narcissistic, you always feel that heâs looking at a mirror someoneâs holding up. The heorine is new, and not unpleasant. Srividya is wanted, though brightening.'[10]
Prashanth with Kaadhal Kavithai capped off a hat-trick of hit films in 1998 after the successes of Shankar's Jeans and Ravichandran's Kannedhirey Thondrinal.[5]Isha Koppikar won plaudits from critics for her performance with Rediff.com stating that with her 'strong screen presence, and acting skills that belie her newbie status, she could be the latest to storm the TN industry'.[2] The film won her further offers and Vijay signed her on for his next Nenjinile after seeing her performance in Kaadhal Kavithai.[11] She went on to win the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut in 1998.[12]
Soundtrack[edit]
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, his only collaboration with Agathian, was well received by the audience and became one of the most sold albums in 1998.[13]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaadhal_Kavithai&oldid=894207863'
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