A unique incident, call it a miracle, happened during the recent Solar Eclipse in a small village Thepperumanallur in Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu. A Naga serpent (Cobra) had been observed visiting the ShivaTempleIndia, mostly of the Saivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu, who professed and practised an unorthodox type of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, to attain liberation. Yogic powers called Siddhis are acquired by constant practice of certain yogic disciplines. Those who acquire these Siddhis are called Siddhas. Siddhars are people who are believed to control and transcend the barriers of time and space by meditation (Yoga), after the use of substances called Rasayanas that transform the body to make it potentially deathless, and a particular breathing-practice, a type of Pranayama. Through their practices they are believed to have reached stages of insight which enabled them to tune into the powers hidden in various material substances and practices, useful for suffering and ignorant mankind” Some of the Siddhars are reputed to leave their body and enter any other body even dead ones to protect their identity. during Solar Eclipses. The temple priest and other locals in order to photograph these visits had offered milk during the last Solar Eclipse in July 2009 but failed to see the Cobra last time. But their abiding faith were amply rewarded during the recent annular eclipse on Jan 15th, 2010 when to the pleasant surprise of the priest on opening the Sanctum Sanctorum he saw the Cobra entwined on top of the Siva Lingam idol. He immediately called Mr. Thenappan the photographer who lives in Thrunagesvaram. Meantime a dozen or more people had assembled to witness this miracle. In front of their eyes the Naga went back to the “Vilwa tree" (Aegle Marmelops) plucked the leaves and came back all the way to drop it on the Siva Lingam.
Cobra Picking leaves
Cobra bringing leave to Lord Shiva
Cobra with leave on the way to shine Lord shiva
Snake doing Lord Shiva Pooja
All these have been photographed by Mr. Thenappan (photos received directly from the photographer enclosed). Incidentally most men in the Agraharam (Brahmin’s colony) village are called Nagarajan (king of cobras) Nagalingam or Naganathan for a few generations now and the presiding deity in the nearby (1Km) ThiruNageshwaram is called Naganathaswamy. Perhaps there is a divine link between all these facts and happenings. Could it be a Siddhar? Wikipedia says “Siddhars are saints in India, mostly of the Saivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu, who professed and practised an unorthodox type of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, to attain liberation. Yogic powers called Siddhis are acquired by constant practice of certain yogic disciplines. Those who acquire these Siddhis are called Siddhas.[1] Siddhars are people who are believed to control and transcend the barriers of time and space by meditation (Yoga), after the use of substances called Rasayanas that transform the body to make it potentially deathless, and a particular breathing-practice, a type of Pranayama. Through their practices they are believed to have reached stages of insight which enabled them to tune into the powers hidden in various material substances and practices, useful for suffering and ignorant mankind” Some of the Siddhars are reputed to leave their body and enter any other body even dead ones to protect their identity.
You can see the Hood of the Cobra on top of the Sivalinga and the body on the left side.
Dinamalar (Tamil daily) – Miracle on January 15, 2010 – Solar Eclipse day [Translation]
Kumbakonam: At the SivaTemple in Thepperumanallur, large numbers of devotees witnessed a miracle of a Cobra doing Archana for Siva Lingam with Vilvam leaves. In Thanjavoor district of Tamil Nadu, near Thirunageswaram, there is a SivaTemple at Thepperumanallur. Here Vedhanthanayagi [Sakthi] with Viswanathaswamy [Siva] are the main Deities. In this Temple, it has been customary to do archana with Rudhraksha only. Yesterday morning, just before Solar Eclipse, at about 10:30 AM Sivachariar Satish, priest of the Temple, noticed a Cobra lying on top of the Siva Linga. The snake slowly descended from there and went towards the Vilvam tree which is the Sthala Viruksham– (holy tree) of the temple. It climbed the tree and picked a Vilvam leaf and came back and entered the Sannadhi (sanctum). It hissed at any devotee trying to get near it. It climbed onto the Siva Linga and opened it hood and dropped the Vilvam Leaf. This miracle was witnessed by all devotees who were excited. Then the Cobra went again and again to do the same repeated 2 or three times. As the news spread all over the village, hundreds of villagers rushed to the Temple to have the Dharshan of this event of Cobra with Siva.
[ Note: Vilvam leaf is holy and special for Siva Pooja]
At least 15,000 buffalo and "countless" goats and birds were sacrificed in a temple in southern Nepal, organizers said Wednesday, a ritual billed as the single biggest animal slaughter on earth. Hindus in Nepal routinely offer animals for sacrifice to appease deities, especially power goddesses, for good luck and prosperity.
Villagers bringing goats to the slaughter field.
KATHMANDU, Oct 4: Animal welfare campaigners have initiated a coalition with the Indian NGOs and networks of animal rights activists, including Hindu and Buddhist leaders, especially from the Indian state of Bihar, for a joint action to halt animal sacrifices at the the Gadhimai festival in Bariyarpur, Bara district. The festival falls on November 24 this year.
During the festival each year, over 350,000 animals are slaughtered as sacrifice to the deity Gadhimai.
“The Gadhi Mai fair has a cross-border linkage which dates back many years. Since it is participated by Indian people as well, we are initiating a joint-campaign against this barbaric fair,” Pramoda Shah of Animal Nepal, a local NGO, told Republica.
Many Indian nationals travel to attend this festival and offer animal sacrifice.
“It is ironical that such practices have been stopped in India, but in our own Land of Buddha, people are taking to violence in such cold-blooded manner in the name of religion,” Dr Govinda Tandon, a culture expert and former member of the Pashupati Area Development Trust said.
He added, “The festival is baseless too as it started when a priest dreamt of the Goddess asking for sacrifice.”
In the carnival, which is observed every five years, over 350,000 animals, mainly buffalos, piglets, chickens, rats, goats, baby goats, roosters, and pigeons, are to be sacrificed to please the deity Gadhimai.
The first day of the festival, which sees the largest animal sacrifice in the world, is panchbali when five black goats are sacrificed followed by killing of seven buffaloes. But the festival takes a worse turn when some 250 local men, who officiate sacrifices, ruthlessly take to slaughtering of the animals.
“The men are made to consume alcohol before and are let loose to hack the animals in one of the worst form of animal killings,” Shah said, adding, “Superstition is perpetuating violence in Nepal and it is difficult to counteract, especially in bringing about a behavioral change in the educated ones.”
Psychiatrists have long pointed at the health hazard caused to the humans by such unorganized killings and the mental trauma/illness caused by it. Those locals who have been involved in the sacrifice over the years are said to be suffering from acute form of mental disorder.
“One man had to be permanently tied by a rope as he started murdering people. In the people he saw animal images,” Dr Tandon said.
The activists believe that such a cross-border campaign will draw the attention of the international community toward such inhumane treatment meted out to the innocent animals. However, they also feel that the campaign may have an adverse impact on the country´s tourism.
“The festival has invited international criticism and is portraying Nepal in bad light. If activists make an issue of the fair it will have an adverse impact on tourism,” Shah said.
The organizing committee of the carnival has already begun disseminating information about the ´celebrations´. The committee is organizing the event on a hefty budget.
A number of religious groups in Nepal are opposing the mass sacrifice. The campaign will also be joined by the famous ´Buddha boy´ of Nepal, Ram Bahadur Bomjon. “He will be visiting the temple to bless the animals as a symbolic protest,” Lucia de Vries of the Animal Nepal said.
The animal rights activists are also protesting a similar festival in Khokhana, Lalitpur. In one fair in Khokhana, a baby goat is thrown into a pond and some local men tear the goat to death. The one who kills it and comes out victorious is then named a ´hero´.
