Palani Murugan, The Paraiar Community And An Inscription At A New York Museum

In a Youtube video released on 2 November, 2024, Thiru Narayanamurthy, a non-affiliated citizen archaeologist, released the text of a hitherto unread copper inscription from Tamil Nadu that is now present in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

The museum description of the plate in question has the following to say:

In an interview published in The New Indian Express, dated 27 October, 2024, Narayanamurthy said the following about the discovery:

As seen the museum information does not say that it could not be deciphered but that it awaits reading. However, in the video published Narayanamurthy makes a complete reading of the inscription and brings out some important features of early 19th century Tamil society. These they defy the usual stereotypes and the imagery of the Scheduled Communities and their status.

He concludes that the inscription was made in the year 1832. The inscription speaks about the service-donations made by a network of Paraiyar communities across southern India to Palani Dandayudhabani Swami temple - one of the most famous Murugan temples to which pilgrims come from not only Tamil Nadu but also neighbouring Kerala.

At the start one finds a sketch of the Goddess seated in the centre and Her name is Pon-Kaliamman, a Goddess well known in Tamil Nadu. Worshipping Her with folded hands stands a male figure who is given the name Appachi - whom we meet in the inscription. On the right hand side of the Goddess is Her son God Murugan as Dandayudhabani - as He stands in Palani and in the extreme left is 'Swamiyar' who is sitting cross-legged and doing worship.

The inscription starts with a famous benedictory hymn from Periya Puranam, 12th century Bhakti literature: 'May the world prosper; May good rains be there; May the community devoted to Truth flourish; May the flawless Saiva tradition increase; May the divine bright holy ashes in glory glow!'

According to Narayanamurthy, all inscriptions from Palani have this benedictory verse. Yet here it acquires a special meaning as Periya Puranam played an important role in democratising spirituality across all occupational communities. In fact, the literature deserves to be regarded as one of the earliest literary advocacies of spiritual democracy.

Then the text continues with salutation of Skanda-Muruga. He is the son of Tripura Dahana Parameshwara and He is 'Akilhandakodi Brahmanda Nayakan'.

Murugan is hailed as the one who taught classical Tamil to the southern muni, Agastya. He was the one who liberated Tamil poet Nakeeran - reference to the legend that when Nakeeran was imprisoned by a bhoot, Murugan liberated him. More importantly, the inscription references the miraculous act of Thiru Gnana Sambandar healing "Koon Pandiyan" (the hunchbacked Pandiyan) and identifies Sambandar with Lord Murugan Himself. A tradition well attested in the hymns of Arunagirinathar.

Then as it proceeds to declare the date the inscription was made, it describes those who are making this inscription: they are the 'for Thiruvalluvars (clans) who are the Bhakta Jana of Dandayuthabani Swami'. It mentions Salivahana era year and Kaliyuga year and also 60-years-cycle Tamil year. Narayanamurthy considers that the former two years were not correctly given in the inscription.

The inscription essentially serves as an endowment deed documenting the sacred contributions made by the Paraiyar community to the temple. Pandaram gets an assurance from the community elders that they would give their 'body and soul' for conducting this sacred deed. This is clearly an expression of the community elders' deep spiritual commitment to this sacred work.

There are four groups of Pariar community and their names are given as Veda-muhan, Jala-Muhan, Puli-Muhan and Karadi-Muhan: meaning one with Veda-faced, one with water-faced, one with tiger-faced and one with bear-faced.

It is to be remembered here that the Sambavar community has a tradition of being related to Jambavan, the bear-clan leader in Ramayana and later in the Purana he gives his daughter Jambavati in marriage to Krishna.

It was the son of Krishna from this marriage who in Puranas built Sun temples throughout India. The gotra and kula are identified as 'Thiruvalluvar'. In fact the four clan/community leaders were themselves identified as 'Thiruvalluvans'. Valluvar is closely associated with Pariar community in Tamil traditions. The inscription clearly points to an ancestry association which is situated in a very Saivaite context.

The important community leaders and temple officials as well as the kulaguru of the Pariahs were all party to this endowment. Among them were Palaya Swamiyar, Pachha Kandaiyer, Chinnappa Nayackar and other 'Maha Janams' or prominent citizens/community leaders of Palani. Kulaguru of Paraiars was Gnana Sambandamurthy.

The Paraiar community would be thus contributing to daily 'thirumanjanam' or the daily ceremonial sacred bath - abhishekam to the Deity and 'thirumalaichathu' the flower garland with which God is adorned. They would received prasadam. The deed is honoured by the giving of double betel leaves.

The endowment support comes from the contribution of entire community. For instance, whenever there was a marriage in the community the family would contribute a small amount to the endowment.

There are the customary listing of punyas to those who promote these charities. They would get the punya of conducting an Aswamedha Yajna and the darshan of the inscription says.

Importantly, the inscription also mentions the construction of a Thanner Madam—a facility to provide water for pilgrims and devotees who traveled long distances and then had to climb the Pazhani hillock.

What are the significances of this inscription?

--It shows the Paraiar community clans as a well knit network with rich and empowered leadership. The organisational structure shows clearly not a downtrodden but a well respected community that could initiate endowments in a prominent temple like Pazhani.

--It shows the Paraiar community as having a proud tradition in which they are strong contributors not just to Tamil culture but to pan-Indian culture by being in the lineage of Thiruvalluvar - a great saint.

--It falsifies the pseudo-historical narratives of Paraiar as Buddhists, which are being so aggressively marketed as the only true history of the community.

--It challenges the pseudo-historical claims that the Naiyakar rule in Tamil Nadu was responsible for caste rigidities. The inscription clearly shows the Naiyakar, a Brahmin and a Nambiar - thus people of various communities being instrumental in making the endowment effective.

--It challenges the present socially stagnant views which may still facilitate untouchability. Water as a resource has been important in the phenomenon of untouchability. Dr. Ambedkar fought for the rights of Scheduled Communities to all the public water bodies in Mahad. This is a well known event.

--In Tamil Nadu, Gandhian leader Kakkanji fought for the right of Scheduled Communities to good drinking water in his own village Thumpaipatti (Madurai district). Even today this is a problem. In this social context the inscription speaking of a water-charity endowment maintained by Paraiar community for pilgrims and devotees becomes important.

--It will be a great exercise in bringing social justice and social history harmoniously together if the 'Thanner Madam' is revived in Palani and even an announcement can be made that the pilgrims who take water from this endowment would incur the punya mentioned in the inscription.

Courtesy:

--This is the Youtube link (Tamil) to the reading of the inscription by citizen-archaeologist Thiru. Narayanamurthy. Gratitude to him for bringing the focus to this important 19th century inscription.

--The New York Metropolitan Museum link is here.