Pulikkal Munivar.

Pulikar munivar was the son of Madiyanthina munivar. he was also called Bala munivar as he became a rishi at a very young age. he lived in Chidambaram and worshipped Nataraja there. he used to pluck flowers from various trees in the surrounding areas to worship the Lord. he prayed to Lord Shiva that he may be given the feet like that of a tiger so that he could easily climb the trees in pre dawn and also eyes so that he could see in the dark. his prayers were answered and so he came to be known as Pulikal munivar. he was also know as vygra tiger in Sanskrit. he usually plucked four types of flowers kodin poo from the creepers, neer poo found in water, nila poo found on earth and kotta poo the flowers that shed on their own eg. parijata. what a great devotion he had. The Lord appeared and advised him to go to Aruma Kadal Amudham stays and pray to him for Moksha. so he searched and searched for Krupa samudra perumal and could not find him he reached a place now called puliyur. here all of a sudden Lord siva in the form of a Linga appeared before him and showed him the place where the Krupa amudra Perumal in Bala sayana murthi was. even today in the field opposite the temple one can find the Siva linga.

muniyodhana.The manasik offering.

Muniatharaiyan Pillai a great devotee was a chieftain in the Chola kingdom. He was responsible to collect taxes in the area Thirukannapuram. he lived in a big mansion and regularly gave gifts and undertook work on behalf of the temple. His lady love was Viragadhibogam, she too loved the chieftain. One year during the drought he diverted the tax amounts collected towards the welfare of the poor and the upkeep of the temple. When the Chola king learnt of this he imprisoned the chieftain. Viragadhibogam knew that Muniatharaiyan was just in his action she waited patiently but when the king did not show any compassion she approached the Lord Sowriraja in the temple and threw a challenge that if in five days he was not released she would immolate herself. That night the Lord appeared in the kings dream and asked him to release the chieftain. the next day the chieftain was released. M went straight to V house to meet her it was quiet late at night. She had prepared a pongal which she offered to M, as per regular practice as he could not offer the good food to the Lord so late at night he just mentally prayed of the offering and had his fill of the good pongal.
The next morning when the temple priest opened the temple he sees the Lord is completely covered in pongal and there are morsel spilling every where and a line of the same leading to V house upto M. on enquiry and learning of what had happened every one was wonder struck. M and V realised that they were the blessed lot and the Kalyana gunas of the Lord. That day onwards this special preparation is made as offering to Lord Sowriraja at around 9 p.m. and offered to devotees who are present in the temple at that hour.
How important is the mental attitude. one must apply thought word and deed in the surrender to the Lord.

Songs of Thirumangai alwar.

Thirumangai alwar belonged to a place called Thirukkuraiyalur. (No he belonged to the mankind.)place one belongs to is usually the place one is born in. He composed beautiful songs in praise of the scenic splendour of Nangoor. the thick groves the verdant fields the dancing peacocks dark rain bearing clouds, the chirping of birds he sings the place is full of tanks on whose banks are lined with beatle nut trees surrounded by coconut groves. he sings even the trees are full of coconuts hanging heavily from the trees and are ripe. likening it to the auspicious and prosperous place the lord resides in he sings sometimes the ripe coconuts fall into the ponds and the fishes scarry away in fright jumping in a wild manner.
more to come.