Colombo, July 27, 2013: K.T.Rajasingham, Editor of ‘Asian Tribune’ yesterday, presented Sandalwood young trees to Thirukethieswaram Temple, located in Mannar .

The ‘Asian Tribune’ Editor was in the Thirukethieswaram Temple yesterday and after peforming religious rituals, he met Pulavar ‘’Aiya’ Mr. Arunasalam Thirunavukkarasu, the Secretary of the Tirukethieswaram Temple Restoration Society and handed over two young Sandalwood Trees to him.

Mr.Rajasingham also gave necessary instructions as to how the young trees are to be planted and nursed.

The Secretary of the Temple Restoration Society profusedly thanked Mr. Rajasingham for the presentation of those young trees, which were very holy and precious to the Temple and religion and assured that those young trees would be planted in the ‘Nandavanam’ (Flower garden of the temple) of the Temple and he would take personal care in the propagation of those two young trees.

Thirukethieswaram

Thirukethieswaram, is one of the ancient temple in Manthottamam, in Mannar District, is about seven miles north of the Mannar Town.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on January 2010, has declared Thirukethieswaram as a sacred city for the Hindus.

According to legend, it was at this ancient temple that Kethu Bhagavan worshipped Lord Easwaram (Shiva).

Hence the shrine acquired the name of Thirukethieswaram. Iravana's father-in-law Mayan built the temple at Thirukethieswaram North of Mannar.

December 13, 1893 was a red-letter day in the history of the Hindus of Sri Lanka. On that day the jungle land in the extent of 40 acres , the old site of Tirukethieswaram was brought in for public auction by the Nagarthar of Jaffna in spite of the opposition of the Catholics.

The Saiva Paripalana Sabai through their treasurer S.M. Pasupathy Chettiyar spent a large sum in 1894 to trace the old site of the Temple and its premises.

From thence the temple was managed by the Nagarathar of Matota, and from 1919 by the Nagarathar of Jaffna.

Subsequently the temple came under the management of the Old and New Kathiresan temples of Colombo.
The present temple Tirukethieswaram was renovated without any addition in August 1952 at the instance of Tirukethieswaram Restoration Society which was formed at the meetings of the Hindus of Colombo in October 1948.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. Essential oils are also extracted from the woods for use. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, the slow-growing trees have been overharvested in many areas.

Sandalwoods are medium-sized hemiparasitic trees, and part of the same botanical family as European mistletoe. Notable members of this group are Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) and Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum); others in the genus also have fragrant wood. These are found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia, Hawaii, and other Pacific Islands.

Sandalwood paste is integral to rituals and ceremonies, to mark religious utensils and to decorate the icons of the deities. It is also distributed to devotees, who apply it to the forehead or the neck and chest.[4] Preparation of the paste is a duty fit only for the pure, and is therefore entrusted in temples and during ceremonies only to priests.

The paste is prepared by grinding wood by hand upon granite. With slow addition of water a thick paste results is Chandanam

Chandanam powder is very popular in North India and is also used in Nepal. In Thirupathi after religious tonsure, Sandal paste is applied to protect the skin. Sandalwood is considered in Hinduism and Ayurveda to bring one closer to the divine. Thus Sandal is one of the most used holy elements in the Hindu and Vedic society.

Thirukethieswaram has been in hymns of Nayanmars.

St. Sambanthar who lived in the seventh century has sung the glory of this temple. St. Sundarar who lived in the eight century has sung of Tirukethiewaram alone. St. Appar who was contemporary of St. Sambandar has referred to in one of his inimitableThiruthanadakam.

Seikilar in his immortal work the Periyapuranam has given description as also the historic importance of Thirukethieswaram.

The groves of plantain trees in Mantota
gave delights to the Monkeys therein – St. Samabandar

The Lord Ketiswaram geat
Where the bee doth music make
In the fertile groves that lie therein -- St. Sundarar

The Holy Ash shines on His golden hue ;
He doth wear the Sacred Thread;
The fiery serpent adorns His form;
He our Lord, Shankar by name;
In one year He wears the earing white;
He dwells in Ketiswaram there,
He of Ketharam and Veeradnam in the North – St. Appar

He reached that town and dwelt in comfort
In Ila, surrounded by the raging sea
He enjoyed the sight of the Konesar Hill
And praised and worshipped and sang
The glories of the Lord of the bull.
In Matotam famous for its sky-scrapers
He worshipped the Lord of the Thirukketiswaram
There in the presence of the devotees
He received with joy a present of boundless wealth.
In Rameswaram he prayed to the glorious Lord
And offered in song in Tamilian tongue
The praise of Him that dwells therein.
And again he goes to Tirukketiswaram in Matotam
The domain of the Lord whose crest the serpent adorns;
He offers the deity garlands of words
And rises after prostration and prayer
From a distance quite afar. – Seikilar Swamigal

- Asian Tribune -

Source: Asian Tribune, DT. July 27, 2013.