Tamilmanam Journal

Temples form the soul of India, representing a source of pride and cultural heritage on a global scale. The deities, festivals, profound philosophies, intricate arts, and significant cultural monuments intrinsically linked to these temples contribute to a worldwide awareness of our nation's greatness. Divine power is believed to reside within these sacred spaces, offering protection and fulfilling the desires of devotees who seek solace and blessings. Those who have experienced this divine power have composed devotional hymns, capturing their spiritual experiences in verses filled with devotion, philosophical insights, and personal encounters with the divine. Nakkeerar, in his Tirumurukatruppatai, shares his profound divine experience towards Lord Murugan. This article explores the activities and significance of the six faces of Lord Arumuga as depicted in this revered Tamil hymn, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of Nakkeerar's portrayal of the deity.

Sangam literature, a treasure trove of poetic and grammatical works, stands as a testament to the distinct cultural identity of the Tamil people. These literary and grammatical masterpieces offer invaluable insights into the long-standing culture and unique civilization of the Tamils, providing a window into their ancient traditions and values. The way of life during the Sangam period was deeply rooted in a natural and organized social structure, reflected in the themes and settings found within the literature. Sangam literature is broadly classified into two main collections: Ettutogai (The Eight Anthologies) and Pattuppattu (The Ten Idylls). While both offer rich perspectives on Sangam society, Pattuppattu is particularly notable for its frequent depiction of arts and artists. This article aims to explore the role and contribution of various artists, specifically focusing on the Panar, Viraliyar, Koothar, and Porunar, renowned for their mastery of dance, song, and music, within the broader context of Sangam art and culture. By examining their presence in Sangam literature, we can gain a deeper understanding of their artistic practices and their significance within the social fabric of the Sangam period.

In ancient times, humans, wandering as nomads, formed communities to fulfill their life's needs. Ashokamitran is one of the writers who portrays both present and past societies through narratives in his novels. In his novel "Water," he discusses water scarcity, and through "Water Lily of the Sky," he depicts poverty. Both of these constitute problems within society. Therefore, this article attempts to analyze these issues. The article progresses under the headings: Society and Human Life, Societal Functioning, Poverty in Society, Plight of Women, and Humanitarian Sentiment. Furthermore, the objective of this article is to understand how Ashokamitran approached and presented the problems that have existed in society from then until now through these themes.

From the time of the Tamil Sangam to the present day, Tamil literature has undergone many evolutions. From Sangam literature to contemporary literature, each one reflects various aspects of human life. These are not just entertainment features, but are treasures that contain lifestyle norms, philosophies, and social values. These literatures deeply highlight various lifestyle elements such as individual morality, family relationships, social justice, virtue, materialism, pleasure, and home, and life in harmony with nature. This research article examines the important lifestyle elements that Tamil literatures teach.

Meditation in the Upanishads is a spiritual practice that aims at self-realization and union with the divine. It is a journey from the external to the internal, from the finite to the infinite, from the temporal to the eternal. The Upanishads provide profound insights into the nature of consciousness, the self, and the ultimate reality, and meditation is the tool to realize these teachings. Through meditation, one can transcend the physical and mental realms and experience the state of pure consciousness, the state of blissful birth, as described in the Upanishads.

The twelve Tirumuraigas, considered to be the main texts of Saiva religion, explain the philosophies of Saiva religion in a simple way. These Tirumuraigas were composed by 27 authors. The first three Tirumuraigas were composed by Thirugnanasambandhar, the fourth, fifth, and sixth Tirumuraigas by Thirunavukkarasar, and the seventh Tirumuraigas by Sundaramurthy Swami. The eighth Tirumuraiga was composed by several authors, the tenth Tirumuraiga by Thirumoolar, the eleventh Tirumuraiga by several authors, and the twelfth Tirumuraiga by Sekkizhar Swami. Each Tirumuraiga approaches the deep concepts of Saiva religion from different angles and provides the devotees with wisdom and divine experience. Thiruvasakam is the eighth Tirumuraiga of the twelve Tirumuraigas. Composed by Manikkavasaka, it occupies an important place in Saiva religious literature. The deep devotional feeling and poetic style of the Thiruvasakam have attracted devotees for centuries. Many have written texts on it. Each text explains the meaning of the Thiruvasakam in a different way. Explanations are given from different angles according to the understanding of the readers. The Shiva Puranam is the first of the 51 parts of the Thiruvasakam. The Shiva Puranam describes the origin of Lord Shiva, his qualities, and his grace. It also talks about the birth, death, and liberation of man. Each line of the Shiva Puranam sheds new light on the devotees. This article examines the differences found in the first part of the Thiruvasaka Shiva Puranam texts. That is, the variations in the opening lines of the Shiva Puranam, the differences in the words, and the differences in their interpretations are compared. Only the first part of the Shiva Purana of the three texts, namely the Dandapani Desikar text, the Thiruvavaduthurai Atheena edition compiled by Srikali Thandavaraya Swamigal, and the Dharmapura Atheena edition, is taken for comparison. These three texts are important in Saiva religion. Because, all three were written in different periods. Also, they were written by different scholars. Therefore, these texts reveal different dimensions of the Shiva Purana. Through this comparison, the deep meaning of the Shiva Purana can be understood. Also, the different approaches of the commentators can be known. This study highlights the importance of the various texts in the Shiva Purana of the Thiruvasakam and highlights the philosophical and literary richness of Saiva religion. Moreover, it serves as an incentive to study the Thiruvasakam in depth and understand its content.Keywords : Devi Fort, Architectural Heritage, Tamilnadu.

Tamil Nadu has been considered for its unique art and architecture since the Sangam period. The temples, palaces and other structures found here help in understanding the architectural techniques of the Tamils. The Indian architectural tradition is generally divided into two categories: one, the palaces, palaces, palaces, shops, buildings in cities and dwellings in rural areas related to documents; the other, the temples related to devotion. In modern times, temple-centric studies in Tamil Nadu have mostly been done in the eastern period, but it is recognized that studies on fort structures should not be overlooked. For this reason, this article is written based on the data available in an attempt to fully reveal the history of Devikottai in Nagapattinam district.