Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Penang

Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple
Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Location in Malaysia
Name
Tamil	Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple
Geography
Coordinates	5°27′54.46″N 100°17′12.20″E / 5.4651278°N 100.2867222°E / 5.4651278; 100.2867222Coordinates: 5°27′54.46″N 100°17′12.20″E / 5.4651278°N 100.2867222°E / 5.4651278; 100.2867222
Country	Malaysia
State	Penang
Location	George Town
Culture
Primary deity	Murugan
History and governance
Date built	1854
Creator	Unknown

The Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple is a temple of the Chettiar community in Penang, Malaysia. Its full name is Nattukkottai Chettiar Thendayuthapani Temple, also called the Arulmigu Thandayuthapani Temple. It is originally located on Waterfall Road (Jalan Air Terjun, today at its rear), though today the road in front of it is Jalan Kebun Bunga. It was founded around 1854, after the Chettiar community in Penang Street bought the piece of land to build the temple.

Background

The word Nattukkottai is a compound noun of two words, "nattu" and "kottai", meaning "country forts". This refers to the Chettiar's acumen in amassing wealth and keeping it. Being astute businessmen and moneylenders, the chettiar build temples that are hallmarks of quality, and are usually well managed as well as financially secure. Within the chettiar quarters is the temple of Thendayuthapani, an incarnation of the deity Murugan. This temple was consecrated in 1857. It was built in the chokkatan or chequered design.

Thaipusam

A festival occurring in the Tamil month Thai (January-February), the day of the start of Pusam around Pournami (Full Moon) is celebrated as Thaipusam. The festival honours Lord Muruga, the son of Lord Shiva.

Legend

A rich legend lies behind the origins of Thaipusam. Popular narration goes that the great Saint, Agasthya, instructed his student, Idumban to uproot two hills called Sivagiri and Shakthigiri belonging to Lord Murugan and bring it back to him. As commanded, Idumban flew to Mount Kailai Range where the hills rested and picked them up ready to fly back. But alas, Lord Murugan had other plans. He wanted to test Idumban’s mettle and devotion to his master. He reduced his size, to that of a small child and promptly stood atop one of the hills. Suddenly Idumban found that he couldn’t carry the hills anymore. To his bewilderment, a child was standing haughtily on the hill. Idumban humbly requested the boy to get down. When the child refused, Idumban flew into a rage and tried to attack him, only to find himself falling like an injured bird. Lord Murugan then reverted to his original self and appeared before Idumban. "I am pleased with your courage and determination," he said. "Your devotion to your guru is admirable. I now bestow on you the honor of being my guardian" Lord Murugan then proclaimed that henceforth, those who carried kavadis to see him, would receive his blessings. Today, thousands of Hindus carry kavadis as offerings to the Lord during Thaipusam. The kavadis symbolize the hills of burden that Idumban shouldered.

The other version was a demon named Tharakasuran who was troubling the Rishis and Saints. Lord Muruga was called by his parents Lord Shiva and Parvati and given the job of destroying the asuran. Lord Muruga set off with the blessings of his parents, to destroy the demon. He carried twelve weapons, eleven of which were given by his father Lord Shiva and the 'Vel' given by his mother Parvati. Lord Muruga destroyed Tharakasuran on the Pusam Nakshatra day in the Tamil month of Thai and hence Thai Pusam is celebrated in all Murugan temples.

In another legend, that on a Thursday in Thai that also happened to be the day of Pusam star and pournami, Shiva and Parvati were engaged in an ecstatic cosmic dance, as Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and the Devas watched. This indicates that this is a day ideal for worship of Shiva.

According to another legend, as Shiva was imparting a mantra to Parvati, Subrahmanya eavesdropped on them. For that error, Parvati laid a curse on him, in line with the rule that even a son, if erring, must be punished. To be redeemed from her curse, Subrahmanya offered hard penance at Thirupparankundram. Pleased with his penance, Shiva and Parvati manifested before him and lifted the curse. The day on which Parvati's curse on Subrahmanya was lifted was a Thai Pusam. It is thus a special day for worship of Lord Subrahmanya. Yet another legend has it that Kaveri, grieving that she had not secured the eminence acquired by Ganga through her position atop Shiva's locks, sat under a peepul tree on the banks of Sara Pushkarini and offered penance to Narayana. Pleased by her penance, Narayana appeared as a baby in her lap. That day when he manifested thus was, again, a Thai Pusam.

No matter what the legend, the rites that are followed are fairly similar. On Thaipusam day, devotees make offerings to Lord Muruga for eradicating the ills that afflict us. Perhaps the most potent propitiatory rite that a devotee of Shanmukha undertakes to perform is what is known as the Kavadi. The benefits that the devotee gains from offering a Kavadi to the Lord are a million-fold greater than the little pain that he inflicts upon himself.^[1]

Festival

The main festival celebrated in the Nattukottai CHettiar Temple, Penang is Thaipusam.It is one of the main annual events in Penang. On the eve of Thaipusam, a silver chariot (purchased from Karaikudi and brought in via S.S. Rhona in January 1894) with the statue of Lord Muruga is led on a procession, accompanied by Chettiar kavadis or devotees, carrying peacock feathers. The procession usually starts at 6.00am departing from Kovil Veedu (Temple House) at Market Street and travelling through Chulia Street, Victoria Street, Prangin Road Ghaut, C.Y. Choy Road, Magazine Road(KOMTAR), Datuk Keramat Road, Irving Road, Jalan Utama and Waterfall Road on its route. It reaches the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road at about midnight, culminating a 15-hour journey . On the eve day, coconuts are smashed on the roads before the chariot to symbolize the shattering of one's ego in the pursuit of self-realization. In addition, devotees also make offerings of fruits, flowers and incense to the Lord Muruga in the Silver Chariot.

On Thaipusam Day, devotees undertake a paal kudam (milk pot kavadi) from the Sivan temple (Datuk Kramat Road) to the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Penang. Carrying kavadis can be an act of penance or fulfillment of a vow done to develop spirituality. On the next day, the silver chariot with Lord Muruga makes a return trip to Kovil Veedu at Market Street from the Nattukottai Chettiar Murugan Temple . The return trip lasts from 6.00 pm until dawn the next day. It takes a different route back, passing through Waterfall Road, Gottlieb Road, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Cantonment Road, Macalister Road, Anson Road, Burmah Road, Transfer Road, Sri Bahari Road, Penang Road, Campbell Street, Buckingham Street, Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Chulia Street, Queen Street, China Street, Beach Street and Market Street. On this day, the same activities that were carried out on the eve of Thaipusam are carried out again along the route of the procession.

During this three-day celebration, one can find over 100 beautifully decorated stalls erected along Western Road and Gottlieb Road. These stalls sell traditional Indian goods, souvenirs, decorative items and snacks and refreshments. Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums can be seen and heard from afar throughout the festival. This is a festival of rich culture and deep tradition in Penang.

Gallery

Map Locating Penang Nattukottai Chettiar Temple
The wooden chariot used in Penang Thaipusam by Nattukottai Nagarthar prior to 1894, which is currently in Medan, Indonesia.

References

↑ Chettiars' Temple Society, Singapore

External links

Hindu temples in Penang

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Penang Sri Aghora Veerapathra Temple Sree Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Temple, Butterworth Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Arulmigu Karumariamman Temple

Hindu temples in Malaysia

Historical related buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

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