Akhilanda Koti Brahmanda Nayaki Maa Shakti
The great divine mother, Ma Shakti Devi is frequently sending her divine aspects to the earth, in order to protect and preserve her devotees. She knows very well, that at this present Kaliyuga, people would suffer from lot of problems in their lives. Hence, in order to give at least some sort of relief to them, she is taking her abode in various parts of India. She has temples even in abroad. Shakti Devi is our divine mother, who takes much care than that of our own mother. Even if our own mother forgets us, but, she would never forget us, but would give her support permanently.
It is the duty of the Hindus to protect and preserve our ancient Hindu temples including Ma Shakti Devi Temples, by considering the temples as our own living places. We can also help a lot towards repairing and renovating ancient Hindu temples, to avoid its destruction. As per an ancient Tamil proverb, “Only if you take care of the Temples, your life would be taken care of by the deities. If you ignore them, then they also would simply ignore you, and thereafter your life would become a failure”.
Hence let us come forward to donate large sums of money towards maintenance of our ancient Hindu temples, and let us also help the poor temple priests, by donating sufficient money to them.
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