Far away from the main thoroughfare of Nattarasankottai in Sivaganga district, where the cries of peacocks and chirping of birds fill the air, stands a small temple dedicated to Kambar, the author of Ramavataram, popularly known as Kambaramayanam. It is actually the memorial of the poet. A verse above the entrance of the temple, in a wooded complex, reads, “Let us be pleased to worship at this temple, wherein lies the sacred remains of Kamban, who was like a cool, divine breeze, spread the fame of Raghava, adding to the everlasting glory of Tamil.”
Leaving Chola land in despair
Though born at Therazhundur in the Chola country, the poet, who lived in the 12th Century, migrated to Nattarasankottai and spent his last days there. Legend has it that he left the Chola country in despair after his son Ambikapathy was executed by Chola King Kulothunga III. Ambikapathy was in love with Amaravathy, the daughter of the king, and the king agreed to give her in marriage only if he rendered 100 poems in praise of God. But he stopped after singing 99 since Amaravathy showed her face and he rendered a verse in her praise.
“He could not live in the Chola country after becoming an enemy of the king. He was also said to have spent some time in Andhra Pradesh before settling at Nattarasankottai. These are legends and we do not have historical evidence to support the version,” said T. Gnanasundaraman, an authority on Kambaramayanam and Vaishnavite literature.
It is also not clear whether Therazhundur was the birthplace of Kambar. “We know Kamban only through Kambaramayanam. There is no other evidence,” said Kambaraman, the grandson of Karaikudi Sa. Ganesan, who dedicated his life to spreading the fame of Kambar and was known as Kamban Adipodi.
No hint at his birthplace
The prolific poet, who penned Kambaramayanam in over 10,000 songs, had not dropped any hint at his birthplace, even though in Tamil literary tradition many poets had made reference to their place of origin. Therazhundur also finds no reference in his other works, including Sadagopar Andhathi, written in praise of Nammazhwar, the Vaishnavite saint.
There is a single verse supposed to be rendered by a dancer that asserts that the poet was, indeed, native of Therazhundur. To a question, she had said she was from Therazhundur, the birthplace of Kambar, the place where the Cauvery runs, and the place where the curse of Saint Agathiyar was removed (Kamban pirantha oor, Cauvery thangum oor, Kumbamuni sabam theertha oor...)
Mr. Kambaraman said his grandfather, with the help of late archaeologist R. Nagaswami, did an extensive research at Nattarasankottai and came to the conclusion that it was where Kambar was buried. “They were even said to have found an inscription making a reference to Kambar. It is for the government to excavate the memorial to establish the truth,” he said.
A report in The Hindu in 2015, quoting Pala. Palaniappan, secretary, Kamban Kazhagam, Karaikudi, said the ‘samadhi’ was first spotted in 1939 by Kazhagam founder Sa. Ganesan after seeing people reverently taking soil from the spot and giving it to their children. “People had been removing the earth for several years, but it seemed to replenish itself and this was seen as a miracle,” he said.
Ganesan, who organised Kambar Vizha at Karaikudi for four days, would perform pujas and conduct other events at the memorial on the last day of the festival, which falls on Panguni Astham. It was on that day that he released Kambaramayanam in Srirangam and earned the title Kavichakravarthi. A writing on the wall of the temple claims that Kambar earned the title on February 23, 886.
Uvachar priests
Pujas are performed at the temple by priests from the Uvachar community. According to Edgar Thurston and K. Rangachari, the authors of the Castes and Tribes of Southern India, “Kamban is a title of the Occhans, to which caste the great Tamil epic poet Kamban is reputed to have belonged.” “We have been performing the pujas for the last three generations,” said priest Kannananthan. His father Kasi Viswanathan and grandfather had also worked as priests. Inside the temple, built by the Kambar Ramanathan Chettiar family, there is a small stone structure on the place where Kambar was said to have been buried, and a small Nandhi stands before it. Behind the burial site was the statue of Sadayappa Vallal, the patron of Kambar. “The sand around the stone structure is believed to have divine qualities. If children cannot speak, parents collect the sand and mix it with milk and give it to them. They believe that it will not only give speech but will also make their children excel in education. A lot of people from Kerala are coming here. The sand is replenishing,” said Mr. Kannananthan.
