CHENNAI : A day after the Meenakshi Thirukalyanam is the annual ‘Ther Thiruvizha’. Masi Street is filled with thousands of people queuing up to witness the extravaganza. The significance and history of the temple cars dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar is a story to be told. In the past, since certain sections of the society weren’t allowed inside temples, deities were taken out on processions, annually, seated in the temple cars. The temple car festivals were seen as occasions that brought together people from different castes and signified their unity.
Evidence suggests that the Therottam has been existent in Madurai even before King Thirumalai Nayak’s period. Ambai Manivannan, author of the book Potramarai, which has data about the same says, “From the book Thirupani Malai, it is understood that a person by the name Ariyanaadha Mudhiliyaar built a mandapam for the Meenakshi ther in the 16th century. Since the festival happens in the Masi Street, we could say it was originally conducted during the Tamil month of Masi.” The present temple cars are believed to have been built during the reign of Vijayaranga Sokkanadha Nayakkar, grandson of Rani Mangammal.
“More than a decade ago, the temple cars used to be cleaned thoroughly. It was during this time that I started studying the structures present in it. Like every other ther, these two have stories related to the temple, and its deities sculpted on it. I have done a detailed study on the Sundareswarar ther,” he adds.
Temple cars are usually built of wood. They have two to nine sets of wheel structures. The Sundareswarar ther has five sets of wheels. Scenes from Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam and Sivagama Puraanam are depicted through the sculptures present in it. The side of the temple car has figures of horses and soldiers sculpted on it. The front depicts the scene of Lord Azhagar handing over his sister Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Sundareswarar for marriage. “The style of work indicates that these temple cars must have been built during the Nayaks’ rule,” he says.
The sculptures have hints of Shaivism, but also houses figures of Venugopal, Vasthira Abakarna Kannan, Kalinga Narthanan, Sridevi, Boodevi, Gajalakshmi, and others. A sculpture of Dhanumalayaan which is a combined form of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma is also found. Three stories from Periya Puraanam also find a place in the temple car. They include stories of Kannapa Nayanar, Karaikal Ammaiyaar, and Sandesarar. Lord Muruga along with Goddesses Valli and Dheivaanai, and Lord Ganesha in Mushika vahana are also beautifully engraved in the body of the temple car.
Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam narrates the story of Shiva devotees, aka the Naayanmaars. The Sundareswarar ther depicts 47 out of the 64 stories from Thiruvilaiyaadal Puraanam. “The stories can be seen a series of structures in the temple car. The sequence where Goddess Meenakshi goes to Kailash and comes face-to-face with Lord Sundareswarar on the battle field is sculpted in a beautiful way,” he says.
Another notable sculpture is that of Thirugnana Sambandar. This stands as an ode to the history where he defeats Jains with his Anal Vaadham and Punal Vaadham at Thiruvedagam near Madurai.“There are structures in the Meenakshi ther that needs to be studied in detail in the future,” says Manivannan.