In search of imprints of Buddhism : Mangalam

May 1998

From The Hindu of 8.5.1998 (10th century Buddha statue to get separate shrine) I came to know about the prevalence of a Buddha statue in my study area. So far I had books and articles as source material for my research. This is the first time that a newspaper clippping became a source. From it I came to know that, according to historian Mr K.Sridharan, a 10th century CE Buddha was found in Aravandiamman temple in Mangalam, Musiri taluk, Trichy district of Tamil Nadu and a separate shrine was being built there for the Buddha statue.

June 1998

After one month, I went to the All India Radio, Trichy, to record my talk entitled Buddhism in Thanjavur district (in Tamil). After the assignment, as I planned to go to Mangalam, I went to Musiri from Trichy. 

It was noon. I enquired for the bus, I was informed that buses plying through Thatthayangarpettai and some buses to Mettuppalayam would go through Mangalam. In order to not to waste the time I had my meals there. After some time a bus meant for Thatthayangarpettai via Jamnbunathapuram, Puthur, and Mangalam arrived. I started my trip and during the journey I was thinking of seeing a Buddha first time, in the study area. 

I got down at Mangalam bus stand. From there I went to Aravayiamman temple. It was also known as Aravandiamman temple. To the right side Araviyiamman shrine, the presiding deity, Poraikkalaruamman shrine was found. To its left a Buddha was found in sitting posture. I felt happy to see a big Buddha statue, the first time. 

Near to the statue I found a separate shrine for Buddha, which was mentioned in the news report.  The construction work was nearing completion. 

Locals informed that in this temple except on Saturdays and in some cases on Mondays there would not be animal sacrifice. In order to not to see it they would place a screen in front of the Buddha statue. They also told me that they knew about a Buddha temple near Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district. To them Aravayiamman is their kuladeivam, family deity . They said as Buddha would not like the animal sacrifice a separate shrine was built for him. As it was getting late, I could not able to take photograph.  

After conveying my thanks to them, with the full satisfaction of seeing Buddha, I left and reached Musiri. From there I went to Kadampavaneswarar temple, a temple eugolised in Tevaram, in Kulittalai. From there I returned to Thanjavur via Trichy. 

April 1999

As I had been to other places on field study, I was not in a position to go to Mangalam, to take the photograph of the Buddha. On one trip to Pettaivaittalai, I planned to go to Mangalam and complee my work. After seeing Pettaivaittalai Buddha and left for Mangalam. 

I saw the Buddha now once again. Four lions were found sitting on the peetam. When I was photographing the Buddha, I noted a rare phenomenon, which was not found in other Buddhas of the Cholanadu,  in it.  It had moustache. Though I wondered if Buddha would have moustache, I thought that it might have been sculpted in order to represent him as king or to show the valorousness, or because of the wish of sculptor. When I enquired about the villagers nearby, they said that they did not know about it.  They added that they were worshipping the Buddha as Chettiar.  He came to steal and the Amman of the temple cursed to become a stone.  They did not know anything more. They proudly said that there only a separate shrine for Buddha was built.   

After thanking them I returned to Thanjavur via Musiri-Kulittalai-Trichy. I thought of moustache Buddha. After arriving Thanjavur I informed Mr Sridharan about my trip and the speciality of Buddha which had moustache. He surprised to hear it and told that it was a new information. He congratulated me and asked me to prepare a news report and give them to the dailies. 

June 1999

After some days I typed the draft of the news report in Tamil and English typewriters and showed it to my guide Dr G.Bhaskaran and historian Mr Kudavayil Balasubramanian. Then I took 15 xerox copies of the newsitem and alongwith the photograph of Buddha I delivered them in person in the office of dailies. This was the first new finding  of my research. It appeared in many dailies. I also enclosed a copy of the news clipping in my Ph.D. thesis submitted in Thanjavur, Tamil University.  (The following newsclippings pertaining to this finding were from The New Indian Express, and Tamil dailies Dinamalar, Dinamani, Murasoli, Malai Malar, Tamil Murasu, Dina Boomi, Dinakaran, Dina Thanthi, and Makkal Kural)

February 2009

When I went to attend the kumbabishegam of the family deity of my co-brother Tirumurti at the Masi Periyasamy Temple Kurukkatti near Vellakovil, Kangeyam taluk, Erode district of Tamil Nadu, I went to Karur. Moustache Buddha came to my mind. On the first day of the festival I went to Mangalam and met many villagers, who I already met during my earlier field trips. I saw a mandapa, having an inscription as built in 2002, before the shrine already built for Buddha. In its facade a sitting Buddha in stucco was found. The locals informed that attempts were being made to keep the Buddha in the newly built shrine. The worship was continuing there. The locals are eagerly awaiting eagerly to see the Buddha in the shrine.  

May 2022

When the English version of my book Chola Nattil Bautham [Buddhism in Cholanadu] was in print, I went to Mangalam and saw the Buddha. 

The entrance of Aravandiyamman Temple

The newly built shrine for Buddha (To its right, Buddha statue is kept)

2023

This Buddha image is documented in the Tamil and English editions of my book (Chola Nattil Bautham,  Pudhu Ezuthu, 2022, p.117), (Buddhism in Chola Nadu,  Pudhu Ezuthu, 2023, p.104).

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Thanks: Mr K.Sridharan, Mr Aravanan, Mr Aravan, Mr Sankaranarayanan, 

Mr Mallan, and dailies

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தமிழில் வாசிக்க : பௌத்த சுவட்டைத் தேடி : மங்கலம்

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