Abirami Andhadhi the full history.

Before three hundred forty years,Saraboji Maharaja was ruling Chola kingdom with Thanjavur as its capital.During that period  one brahmin pattar(priest) lived in Thirukkadaiyur,one of the "ashta  veerattana sthalagal"where Lord Siva killed the  God of Death "yama" to protect his devotee Markandeya.After getting the nectar from the ocean of milk(திருப்பாற்  கடல் கடைந்து  தேவர்கள் அமிர்தம்  பெற்ற  வரலாறு )lord Vishnu placed the pot of  nectar in this place before distributing it to the Devas.Also the temple sung by Appar ,sambandar & Sundharar.It is learnt that the  pattar was a devotee of Goddess Abirami of this sthala.He used to worship Goddess Abirami from his childhood days.He was totally immersed in worshiping Her(Meditation)that he would be sitting near Abirami's Sannidhi always when he was grown up.He would kneel before all the ladies coming to the temple treating them as  Abirami.What  a noble thinking.But many misunderstood this & called him a mad  man.                                                                                                                             During the Tamil month of  Thai(January )people used  to take  a holy bathe  in the ocean near by  in new moon day.Poompugar or Kaviripoompattinam is the near by famous place from the Sanga Kala Period(B.C), a famous harbour where foreign  ships came in large number & traders & business people used to flock. Later the harbour  submerged  in  tsunami .During King Saraboji's period  it was  only a small harbour nearby Thirukkadaiyur.King Saraboji along with his council of ministers had gone to Poombugar on a Thai amavasyai ( new moon day).After taking a holy dip in the ocean there,they were returning.As Saraboji is a great Siva Devotee,he came to Thirukkadaiyur on his way to Tanjore.King & his ministers went to Abirami & Amrudhakadeswar temple.He was given  a royal welcome by the temple authorities & priests.They went inside & worshipped.When he went to Goddess Abirami sannidhi ,he spotted a brahmin sitting with closed eyes.He was attracted by the calmness in his face.After going round the prakara,he again saw him & asked the priests about him.One replied  him as  a very good devotee of Goddess  Abirami where as some one described him mad about woman.     
 Saraboji was interested in talking to him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The king neared him & asked the brahmin what day was it.As he was sitting ,the king bent towards him  & spoke in his ears.As the brahmin was in deep meditation ,he was visualising Goddess Abirami in a bright  light form(ஜோதி வடிவில்) , he replied that it was a full moon day without looking at the King.King Saraboji became angry & how carelessly he was saying that it was a fullmoon day.He shouted at him , he would wait till night time & if moon does not  appear, he instructed his ministers to hang him the next day& left the temple to his rest house near the  temple in anger.Due to the noisy situation around  him the brahmin opened his  eyes & other priests around  him told about the king's  question to him& he has replied to the king it  as a full moon day in stead of new moon day & told him about the death sentence to him if moon  does n't appear on that day.They felt sorry for him & also afraid of talking to the King .                                                                                                                                                          Now  the brahmin realised his fault & thought of Goddess Abirami.He dig a big pit  in the ground outside the temple  ( யாக குண்டம் ) &  erected a wooden  pole supported on both sides above the pit.He placed a wooden plank tied by hundred  strings of co co  nut coir ropes. He created a large fire in the pit below the hanging wooden plank.He mounted the plank  &stood over the plank . He started singing Andhadhi songs about Abirami( பாடலின்   கடைசிச்  சொல் அடுத்த  பாடலின்  ஆரம்பமாக வரும்).After invoking Kalla varana Vinayagars blessing in  a prayer song,he  starts the first song about Abirami with the Tamil word  "உதிக்கின்ற".After completing each song,he began to cut one string of the hundred strings he is hanging from.He wanted Goddess Abirami to  appear before him & save from the dangerous situation   he is facing.( death sentence).He has been cutting one by one string after each song. Below him is a heavy fire burning.He started the 79th song.Only some 21 strings are supporting his Swing.&78 strings were already cut.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     விழிக்கே    அருளுண்டு   அபிராமவல்லிக்கு  வேதம்  சொன்ன ,                          வழிக்கே  வழிபட  நெஞ்சுண்டு எமக்குஅவ்  வழிகிடக்கப்                                       பழிக்கே  சுழன்றுவெம் பாவங்களே செய்து பாழ்நரகக்                                           குழிக்கே  அழுந்தும் கயவர்தம் மொடென்ன  கூட்டினியே.  (  7 9)                    People were looking at the battar   worrying that he may  have to face the death sentence tomorrow. Suddenly Goddess Abirami appeared before the  pattar & took one diamond ear ring from her ear & floated in the sky.The ear ring appeared like a full moon in the sky.She told the pattar that she made his  faltered words to the King, true now & he should complete the remaining 21 songs.Pattar completed the remaining songs& ended his last(100th) song as உதிக்கின்றவே.Now the full moon was shining in the sky.King Saraboji was standing in the top floor of his royal rest house.He saw the Full Moon  now & remembered  Pattar's reply to him.He climbed down & went to the site where  Pattar was standing.He folded his hands as a gesture of respect to the  Pattar & begged his pardon.He & the public realised what a great  man was him.The king immediately ordered his ministers to donate lot of  agriculture lands from his kingdom for the rest of his life.The  Pattar thanked Goddess Abirami & the king.From then onwards he has been Called as Abirami  Pattar .                    

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