A Study On The Role Of Sivagangai Region Temples In Social Integration

Social integration is very important in today's India. This is because religious and caste-based conflicts are common and social integration is essential to prevent them. A society is a collection of human race comprising of different religions, races, languages etc. Navratri is a festival which was celebrated in North India and introduced by the Nayaka kings of Madurai in the 16th and 17th centuries. This festival was celebrated by the royal family within Tamil Nadu after the Vijayanagara Empire conquered Tamil Nadu. Thirukoshtiyur Saumiya Narayana Perumal Temple is one of the 108 Vainava shrines located near Sivaganga. Ramanujan stayed to study Vainava philosophy. In this situation, Thirukoshtiyur Nambi told Ramanujar that he would tell Ramanujar the eight letter mantra to attain God after death. He said "if you tell this mantra to others, your head will explode". On hearing this, Ramanujar told Thirkoshtiyur Nambi to enshrine the mantra to him.. Thirkoshtiyur Nambium narrated the mantra to Ramanujar. Hearing this, Ramanujar ascended the Thirukoshtiyur Soumiya Narayana Perumal temple and recited the eight-lettered mantra “Om Namo Narayana” to the public and by doing so, benefited all the people gathered there. Thus, the religious monks associated with the temples also led to social integration regardless of caste and social disparity. Thandavarayan Pillai, who was the Talavai and Pradhani during the Sivaganga kings Sasivarna Devar and Muthu Vaduganathar, undertook various spiritual works. He was an astrologer, so he built a Theppakulam near the Thirkoshtiyur Soumiya Narayana Perumal temple and started the Theppam festival on Masi Magam. Those who are not married in the festival of theppam festival will carry the doused lamps that were lit by people. Later on after they get married they will come to the theppam festival and light the lamps. In this way, this Theppam festival is believed to remove the ban on marriage for all the people of the community without caste and discrimination.This Theppam festival during the Masi Maham is to unite all the castes and religions.