Many people are in search of the Native temples in Tamil Nadu. How to discover and reconnect the native temples of ancestors?

 I understand the timing of your question. You missed Maha Shivratri worship of your Kula Deivam.

1.Ask your parents, in which village your fathers’ ancestors lived.

2.If they are not knowing, ask someone in your kulam - uncles / aunts, grand uncles/ aunts, some elder know your family from your region.

3.If you find out your ancestors village, go to the village, meet the persons in your community, tell your family name if there is one.

4.You will get the name of the deity and the location of the temple.

Kuladeivam is believed to have some attributes or bodily memories of your lineage. By visiting his temple atleast once in a year, you will be getting the energy vibrations of your lineage which will clear of all your obstacles in life.

It is a custom to visit the temple before your marriage; before constructing a house; with your parents; with your children; with your brothers. You go with your problem, you will get a solution.

Why is there a sudden hype to Shivaratri in Tamil Nadu in the past few years?

 Vijay C

I do not know, which city you born.

For centuries, Shiv Ratri is a hyped festival in Tamil Countries. When a family man faces challenges or frozen what to do - he thinks of his father or his lineage and his village.

Always, Tamils who migrated from their villages, its a hyped festival. Locals always look for meeting their dear and relatives.

Roots.

You may further read-

Why Tamil Hindus celebrate Maha Shiv Ratri?

1. It is a tradition in Tamil Nadu to visit Kula Deivam temple in their ancestral villages on this auspicious day.
2. Though every month has Shiv Ratri, the one coming in Feb-Mar is called Maha Shiv Ratri.
3. On this day, it is a belief, that the moon to earth, earth to sun positions enhances the energy levels to the soul which otherwise will be possible only with rigorous spiritual practices.
4. Many spiritual masters in this holy land, found the cosmic relation of moon position to earth affects our mind and sun position to earth creates seasons.
5. On this day, a common man who fasts, does not sleep, sitting with his spines erect is open for tremendous cosmic energy which otherwise will be possible only with rigorous spiritual sadhana.
6. On this auspicious day, if he stands in front of his Kula Deivam along with his extended family of brothers and their families who shares their bodily memory and unconscious mind - you are standing in a space where your ancestors also worshipped there, the entire lineage is in line with the cosmic energy pull.
7. Yes.Maha Shiv Ratri is an annual Cosmic Time Space Event which benefits individuals bodily memory in line with Cosmic wisdom.
8. This is tapping the cosmic energy to our advantage as we believe in “ANDATHTHIL ULLATHU PINDATHTHIL”

What are ways Sivaratri is observed? What are most commonly practiced ways by masses versus what Shiva devotees do on Shivaratri?

 How Masses Practice Sivaratri in Tamil Nadu?

Maha Shivaratri is an important festival in Tamil Nadu.

The origin is not known.

This year it falls on Wed, Tomorrow, 11.3.21.

People alongwith their family, visit their “Kula Deivam” temple in their ancestral village on that day.

It is a Space Time Event. It aligns the energy of you and your lineage with that of your ancestors who worshipped at the same place.

It is a strong belief, by visiting their Kula Deivam temple on that day, your pending wishes will be fulfilled.

You are also happened to meet, few forgotten souls in your lineage on that day, to refresh relations.

We are brought to the moment of interval between destruction and regeneration; when we must contemplate on that which watches the growth out of the decay.

Tamils strongly believe their ancestors are foreseers and each and every celebration is related with social harmony.

Visit your Kula Deivam Temple tomorrow on this auspicious day, and leave the Shiva Worship to his devotees.

What are the historical and cultural reasons for why there are no Divya Desams in Kongu districts (Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Dharmapuri) when there are a lot of Divya Desams in Chola Nadu to its east and Kerala to its west?

 Historic Reasons:

1.Tamil Kingdoms were captured by Kalappirayars (read as Biharis/ Northern Kingdoms) by revolt and Shramanic religions (Buddhism, Jainism, Ajvika) were imposed. The Brahmins were executed, the Princes were Jailed and Endowments to temples were stopped. The period from 3rd to 7th century is the darkest period in Tamil History.

2.Bhakti Movement by 64 Nayanmars and 12 Azhwars revived Saivism, Sri Vaishnavism and replaced Shramanic Religions.

3.What are Divyadesams? During Bhakti Movement from 7th to 10th Century, Azhwars visited many Vishnu Temples and sung the glory of the Lord and those temples are called Divyadesams. The sacred text is Nalayira Divya Prabandham (4000 Sacred verses on Perumal).

4.Ganga Dynasty was ruling Kongu region from 5th to 10th century. They were supported by Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas who are foes to Chozhas during that time. Azhwars never visited these regions.

5.Kongu region came under Chozhas during 11th century. Ramanujar, founder of Vishistadvaitam did visit many Sri Vaishnavism Temples in Kongu region during Chozha regime.

6.Karamadai Perumal Temple, is visited by Ramanujar during 11th century and it follows rituals of Thenkalai Sri Vaishnavism sect, head quartered at Nanguneri. The temple was built by Chozhas and expanded by Tirumalai Naicker in 17th century.Maasi festival is an important festival.

7. In otherwords, Kongu is a Punya Bhoomi, came under Chozhas in 10th century onwards and hence no Divyadesam.

Hope I answered your question with the best of my knowledge.

Is Krishna or Vishnu the main deity in Vaishnavism

 Krishna is the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

1. South India worship Vishnu or Narayana as their founder, and are followers of Mayonism or Sri Vaishnavism.
2. While North regard Vasudeva-Krsna as their founder and are followers of Brahmanic Vaishnavism.
3. The Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana is essentially a Sanskrit "translation" of the bhakti of the Tamil alvars.
4. Early writings in Tamil culture Sangam literatures, Tholkappiam and epics as Manimekalai and the Cilappatikaram present Mayon / Vishnu. References about Krishna can be only found in Manimekalai and Cilappadikaram, later kappiams.
5. The Alvars, whose name can be translated "sages" or "saints", were devotees of
1. Mal -
2. Tiru Mal-
3. Sri and Mal-
4. Sri and her Pati-
5. Tiru and her Pati -
6. Tirupati. and there are 108 Tirupatis.
6. Vaishnavism in the 8th century came into contact with the advaidya doctrine of Adi Shankarar.
7. Many of the early Sri Vaishnava scholars such as Nathamuni, Yamunacharya and Ramanuja, contested the Advaita Vedanta doctrines and proposed Vishnu bhakti ideas instead.
8. Sri Vaishnavism flourished in predominantly Shaivite South India during the seventh to tenth centuries CE with the twelve Alvars, (many are non brahmins, including kings and others from all communities) saints who spread the sect to the common people with their devotional hymns. The temples that the Alvars visited or founded ( ritual certifications - present day ISO) are now known as Divya Desams and there are 108 TiruPatis or Divyadesams.
1. Tirumala Tirupati is one among them and
2. Yes, worlds largest functioning hindu temple Sri Rangam also one among them and
3. Richest temple Tiru Anantha Puram included.
4. Worlds Tallest Temple Gopuram in 1956,(Sri Rangam since 1987) and Tamil Nadu State Emblem, Tiruvilliputtur Andal (who wrote Tiruppavai) temple also one of Divya Desam.
5. One can find Vishnu in any of these three, lying, sitting and standing positions in Divyadesams.
9. Their poems in praise of Vishnu in Tamil language are collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabandham(4000 divine verses).
10. Many of the Vijayanagara Emperors and their feudatory kings of Madurai, Tanjavur, Checking, Chandragiri, Mysore who ruled South for over three centuries from 14th till 18th century are predominantly Sri Vaishnavites.
11. Sri Vaishnavism has two sects, Vadakalai (head quartered Kanchi) and Thenkalai(head quartered Nanguneri, Tirunelveli Dist).

How come most of the CMs of Madras Presidency were Telugus, be it from Andhra or present TN? How did Telugus come to dominate Tamils with a lesser population? And they still demanded a separate state!!

 

1. There is no ethnic identity, in the history- atleast from 3rd century. 1800 years is too long to differentiate.
2. In traditional Chera, Chozha and Pandya - only Pandyas before 14th century can claim 100% Agmark Tamils of today.
3. Malayalam of Chera country got separated 1000 years before.
4. Chozha except Great Raja Raja and his son Rajendra (he is the emperor who ruled vast Tamil Empire across the Globe), the area is limited.
5. Kalabhras rule which is the “darkest period of Tamil country” brought it with new religions and new languages.
6. The Pallava dynasty was an Indian dynasty that existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a portion of southern India. They gained prominence after the eclipse of the Satavahana dynasty, whom the Pallavas served as feudatories.
7. They ruled Chozha, Thondai Mandalam, Muluvai or Arcot, and some Chalukya territories.
8. The common languages of the region are Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Prakrit.
9. Pallava dynasty - Wikipedia.
10. Before 10th century, Northern Tamil Nadu had Telugu, Tamil, Sanskrit and Prakriti speaking people.(there is one more language called Manipralava). Tulugus are the sons of the soil, living with Tamils over 1800 years. Due to Tamil imposition in Schools, post independance, they cannot read and write Telugu.
11. After 13th century, Pandya Nadu also has Telugu people due to Vijayanagara Rule.
12. History cannot be changed. North of Kaveri saw frequent changes/ invasions. 15th century saw Ganpaths of Odisha occupied it for brief period.
13. Are you going to deny, Kalappirayars rule followed by Pallavas, Chozhas, Vijayanagaras, Maraththas, French and British in the region?
14. Are you going to deny, Buddhism, Jainism, Aseevagam, Saivism, Kaumarism and Sri Vaishnavism, Islam, Christianity in our history?
15. Are you going to deny Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Prakritis, French and English were Court languages at some point in time?
16. These are the anonymous questions intentionally raised by separatist forces to divide us ethnically like they did it in tiny island. Beware.

Summary: There is no ethnic identity, in the history- Telugu presence in North TN dates back to 3rd century and in South TN dates back to 13th century.

It is foolish to classify them as Tamils and Telugus as all of them are from the same soil, son of the soils, they have been living for last 700 to 1800 years.

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End note: I would like to quote the answer from Ravi Malhotra here:

How Tamilnians became President and Vice President of the country, although Tamilnadu is a small state of the country? Every Indian has the right to live anywhere in India and contest elections from there and become not even CM but PM of the country also.

Kamarajar did not opt to become PM. Will any Tamil fulfill that?

Why Guruvayur is omitted in the list of Divyadesams?

 I think, Guruvayur temple is not an ancient one like other Divyadesams and its Garbhagruh constructed in 16-17th century only to be destructed and reconstructed later several times.

Guruvayur came to light due to three invasions and destructions met during 18th century.

Many may not be aware that Dutch Ceylon occupied Tiruchendur temple, looted treasures, set fire and run away with the idol to ceylon in 1650. The current Tiruchendur temple is reconstructed in 17th century in Tirumalai Naicker regime.

Once tasted looting, Dutch Malabar did the same thing in 1710 to Guruvayur Temple. It looted treasures, destructed Gopurams, Shrines and set fire.

This is followed by Hyder Ali 3 decades later.

And again his Son, Tipu avoided destructing it by collecting huge sums of money from Temple administration.

Guruvayur is popular and cornered public attention due to these invasions.

Other Malai Nattu Divyadesams, could avoid these. This is my view and may not know locals version, which must be authentic.