Shakti Peethas
Most of the villagers in Tamil Nadu, used to fondly and respectfully call Amman as Aatha, and Lord Ayyanar as Ayya. The word Aatha is used by the devotees in order to share their love and attachment with the holy mother Ma Shakti Devi Amman. During the Tamil month of Aadi, villagers used to converse between each other, “AATHAVUKKU KOOZH OOTHIYACHA”, which means, have you offered Koozh to the holy mother, Ma Shakti Devi? And, “AYYAVUKKU PADAYAL POTTACHA”, which means have you offered the holy Prasad items to Lord Ayyanar?
In general, thinking about the deities and talking, reading and writing about them are considered to be a joyful act, since, during that time, the divine deity dwells in our soul.
The word Aatha comes under practice since 19th century, especially among the village people of Tamil Nadu. Ancient Tamil Hindu families, before taking food, would keep a certain portion of their food in front of the picture of Ma Shakti, and would sincerely worship her, by telling, “AATHA ENGALSAAPATTAI SAAPUDUNGA”, “Hey holy mother, come to our home, and eat your portion of our food”.
Lord Ayyanar though he is considered as a guardian deity, he is also considered be an aspect of Lord Shiva. Villagers of Tamil Nadu used to give good respect to Lord Ayyannar, by considering him to be their ancestral god, and hence they used to fondly invite them to their homes, especially during festival times, by calling, “AYYANAR AYYA, ENGAL VEETTUKKU VAANGA”, “Lord AyyanarAyya, come to our home and wish all of our family members, on this auspicious festival day”.
But nowadays, such type of practice exists only in few families, since people are slowly losing their faith on the deities, due to their own personal problems and also due to the changes in the technology. If the present generation children didn’t honour even their parents, then, how they would honour the deities like Ayyanar and Ma Shakti Devi. It is the duty of the parents to inculcate the faith about the village deities to their children from their childhood onwards, or otherwise, in future, after seeing the big sized statue of Lord Ayyanar, the village children might ask to their parents, “WHO IS THAT TALL LOOKING DEMON?”
“OM SHAKTI”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR