KARAIKKAL AMMAIYAR

-THE AUTHOR OF ARPUTATTIRUVANTATI

  

Childhood of Punitavatiyar:  

     In the prosperous town, Karaikkal belonging to the Chola kingdom, there lived many honest, law-abiding, god fearing business people.  One Tanotattan was the leader of that business community.  Punitavatiyar was born to him as sole heir-apparent.  Her beauty was like that of goddess Lakshmi.

   Growing like a lovely plant, Punitavatiyar had great love for Lord Shiva.  Even while playing with her little girl friends she was repeating the names of Siva.  She used to pay respect and worship devotees whenever she saw them.

   When Punitavatiyar came to age, a prominent businessman by name Nitipati of Nagappatinam sought her as bride for his son Paramatattan.  Elders of both the families met and settled the marriage.  The marriage was celebrated as per vedic rities in the presence of relatives and friends.

Married Life of a Punitavatiyar:

    After the marriage, Punitavatiyar, being his only daughter, Tanatattan did not allow the couple to go to Nagapattinam.  Instead he made them stay in Karraikkal and provided all comforts and facilities to the couple.

    Paranatattan stayed in Karaikkal with great pleasure and with growing love towards his life-partner lived a happy domestic life.  His business also was prosperousing.  Punitavatiyar with constant love for God Shiva was also leading a domestic life.  She took pleasure in feeding Saivite saints and giving them clothes.

    As the couple was living happily in this fashion, one day a business friend of Paramatatattan gave him two mangoes.  Paramatatattan gave him two mangoes.  Paramatatattan sent the fruits to his wife through his servant.  Punitavatiyar received them and kept them.  A little later a hungry Saivite Saint came to her house.  As she had not then prepared side-dishes, she served rice and one of the two mangoes.  The saint old in age and very hungry, ate the rice with the tasty mango fruit and left her house blessing her.

    A little later, her husband Paramatatattan came for lunch.  Punitavatiyar served rice and vegetable curry with the remaining mango fruit.  Paramatatattan, much pleased with taste of the mango fruit, asked her to bring the other fruit also.  For a moment she was perplexed and went in as if to bring the other fruit.  She thought of the sacred feet of Lord Shiva and for a while was weary in her spirit.  

   

 

By the grace of lord shiva, a very sweet mango-fruit was placed in her hands. Happily praising Lord Siva for his grace towards her, she gave that fruit to her husband. He ate it and found it sweeter than the other fruit. 'This fruit is like sacred ambrosia. This is not the mango fruit I sent you. You cannot get a fruit like this in all the three worlds. From where did you get this?' He asked her.

     For a moment punitavatiyar was dazed and fear-stricken. She though it best to speak the truth as it was her duty to do so ; she told him what had happened actually , all the while thinking of the grace of lord Siva.

   Paramatattan refusing to believe her, asked here to bring another fruit if the previous fruit was given by Lord Siva. Punitavatiyar going inside again appealed to Lord Siva thus : "If you donot bless me with another fruit, what I have told my husband just now becomes false. " Again by the grace of Siva she got another fruit in her hands. She gave it to her husband. He received the mango fruit with much surprise, but the fruit disappeared from his hands immediately. On seeing this Paramatattan trembled with fear. He though that Punitavatiyar who has received the grace of God was not a human-being but a heavenly being and thinking like this he was struck with fear. He decided that it was no longer possible fir him to live with heran ordinary domestic life. Without revealing his mental reaction to her to anyone he left on a vovage saying that he wanted to do good businessand earn wealth from abroad.

   As he desired, he toured abroad, and earning good earning good money there, he boarded ship again and settled in a town in pantiya kingdom. After making friendship with people there, he married again a beautiful lady from his community an dled a peaceful dometic life. Then he got a female child. He named the child as 'Punitavati' by way of giving respect to his first wisf at Karraikkal.

Attaining Celestial Life :

   Punitavatiyar continued to live in karraikkal expecting the return of her husband. After sometime her relatives heard about Paramatattan's married life with another lady. They though it proper to take Punitavatiyar to her husband and leave her there. Taking punitavati with them, they reached Paramatattan's place and sent for him conveying the news of their  arrival. On hearing this Paramatattan got frightened. Somehow comforting himself he came to them with his second wife and child. He fell at the feet of Punitavatiyar and said, " I hava been living because of your grace to me and hence I have given your name to my child ". So saying, agaimn he fell at her feet. Punitavatiyar shocked by this action, was standing near her relatives. Her people not understanding his peculiar behaviour towards Punitacati, asked him the reasom for his action. He said to them , " She is not a human-being. She is goddess, to whom you should also give respect. On knowing this fact I lefther and for this child I face her name. Like me you must also worship this lady".

   On hearing her husband speaking like this, Punitavatiyar worshipped the feet of lord Siva in her mind and appealed to him to take away her physical frame which was united in wedlock to Paramatattan and bless her with the form of a ghost. Her prayers were answered and in front of the relatives and friends she got the form of a ghost. relatives wondered abd worshipped her in fear and left that place.

   Punitavatiyar who got a ghostly form by the grace of God says with.'I also became one of the ghosts she sang 'wonderful Tiru-antati. Then praising the qualities of Lord Siva she sang 'Tiru-Irattai-Manimalai'.

   Ever growing in devotion, she started journeying towards Tiruk-kalai, the abode of Lord Siva. Those who saw her went away from her in fear. But she thought thus : "It is sufficient if my Lord knows me, when these people do not know the truth of my having become ghost by the grace of Lord Siva. yet mebe seen in any form". So thinking she craseed many northern states and turned her steps to kailas, and reached it. Not willing to place her feet on the sacred place, she moved along on her head.

   When she thus reached the top of the mountain, Goddess, Uma wondered and asked Lord Siva about the approaching figure's infinite love towards him. lord Siva said, "she is our devotee. She got ghostly form by my grace on her request to me.

   When Punitavatiyar, in ghostly form reached him, Lord Siva called her 'Ammai' meaning mother. With joy she cried oh / Father / fell at his feet and worshipped him. From that moment, Punitavatiyar came to be known as the 'Mother of Karaikkal.'  The Lord asked here what boon she wanted from him.  She pleaded with God, "Oh Lord I pray for constant devotion to you.  I must not have birth again, then I must be granted remembrance of you without lapse.  I wish to stay at your feet always witnessing your cosmic dance"

   Lord Siva granted her wishes and said that in Tiru-Alankatu she would see his dance can remain singing happily about him for ever.  Accordingly she reached that place Tiru-Alankatu by walking on her head.  Seeing the celestial dance of the Lord, she sang patikam(decade) beginning with the words 'Konkai tiranki'.  Enjoying the dance of the Lord and growing in devotion she sang another patikam, begining with the words 'Konkai tiranki' Enjoying the dance of the Lord and growing in devotion she sang another patikam, beginning with the words 'Etti elavam' How to praise Punitavatiyar who was called as mother by Lord Siva, the Father and Mother of all creation, and who was blessed to be at the lotus feet of Lord Siva for ever witnessing his divine dance? None can describe her ardent love towards Lord Siva.