But it is also told Sastha Thirukalyanam at Aryankavu does not happen and that why she is kept alone at mampazhathurai and so she is angry? is it right.
The serial "Swami Ayyappan" gave a diiferent version. What is the actual fact.
V.R. Rajaraman
Senkottai
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Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi..
This is a very big doubt iam having for a very long time. I dont find the direct relationship of Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi with Sastha Thirukalyanam at aryankavu - except the fact that the sourashtra people go and worship there before commencing the marriage.
As per the local lengend of Aryankavu if it is Pushkala.... there are 2 stories around this... let me first present these stories...
Story 1:
Ayyappan married this Girl at Madurai and brought her to Aryankavu / Achankovil... once Ayyappan hunted a deer and to his shock this girl started cooking it... Since Ayyappan is "VEGETARIAN" he ordered her to stay out of his temple premises and thus She stayed here.. and so she is angry because her husband neglected her... (this story style itself says it is too much Folklore.....)
Story 2 :
This sourashtrial Girl fell in love with ayyappan at Aryankavu and The Lord accepted to marry her.. the Marriage date was fixed and exactly the day before her marriage this girl had her periods and so marriage was stopped.. Ayyappan was very angry and understood that it was a test to his celibacy and so decided not to marry and asked her to stay at Mampazhathurai as a deity.. (The marriage would have taken place at subtle plane like Andal and definitely not as stated in this story... this infact pulls down the divinity of Sastha.. this Episode was further treated with all Garam Masala with Malayala Manthereekan etc in "Swamy Ayyapan" serial and made the girl Pushkala almost to an extend of a Ghost )
I'l give 90% discount to the depictions shown in Swami Ayyappan serial... It is very much clear that, with one line information they have developed screenplay to drag the episodes... (if you can remember the serial, please recollect.....
* they picturised Achankovil as Sastha sitting alone without devis
* there was hardly a mention about Poorna pushkala and only once - they gave a wonderful statement that Poorna and Pushkala -both are same
* The marriage at Aryankavu doesnot takes place.. only the engagement takes place...
this was carried out to "ESTABLISH" sastha is a bachelor, a famous notion in Kerala...
Both these stories are absurd according to me. The marriage happened at Aryankavu between Sastha and the Sourashtra girl is not on physical plane but pure merger - "Aikyam" of the devotee with the Lord. This can be compared to Andal and Ranganatha's marriage. This is an ultimate state of supremeness and so the question of running a household and cooking vegetarian/nonvegetarian does not arise.
This story is further treated with salt and pepper by some more people. Also there is a romour spread that only the engagement happens there and not the marriage. But this is not true. The marriage very well happens every year and the devi is very very happy always. Remember the devi with Sastha at Aryankavu is benign-sowmya swaroopini; (carriying a lotus) whereas Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi is ugra swaroopini. The form itself varies completely.Please understand, the Thirukalyanam between Sourashtrian Pushkala and Sastha at Aryankavu is an example of supreme devotion and the state of oneness with the Lord, something similar to Radha Kalyanam.
According to my findings, Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi must be Yakshi who is an important parivaram of Sastha.
You can see she carries Trishoolam and kapalam which exactly fits into the dhyanam of yakshi.
I have deciphered the incident (in the following manner) with my very little knowledge and observation : (I have heard that there is a detailed mention of Aryankavu in Mahothra Purana or Mahendra Purana... but i could not even get any trace of the book.. Iam still searching it)
Aryankavu is a shrine which was installed by Parasurama as Prabha Sathyaka Samedha Sastha...(as Swambhu Stones like Kulathupuzhai).. The Panchaloka idol which is there today may be of a later date... Very much later... after the Sourashtrian settlement in Madurai (maybe maximum within 5 or 6 centuries ago), this Girl who was highly devoted to Sastha came to this temple along with her father.. (her name is not clear in the available versions of the stories) Exactly like Andal, who married Ranganatha in the subtle plane and merged with the Ranga idol in the Shrine, this devoted girl married Aryankavu Sastha and merged with him...
In memory of this divine leela, this marriage celebration by the Sourashtrian community would have originated...
Just because she is seated in the left side of the Lord she may be called Pushkala....(considering her as an amsha of original Pushkala) or by a remote chance - her original name itself maybe Pushkala.
Bagawathi is a very common name given to any female deity in Kerala.. this necessarly need not be her name...
I've heard about the rowdra Swabhavam of Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi... one of the disciples of my Grandfather told me the following incident about his personal experience...
Some 2 or 3 decades ago, he met my grandfather(Chaami Anna) and casually informed that he is also planning to go to this temple. Knowing that he is always hyper active, my Grandfather warned them about this temple and advised them just to have the darshan and donot do anything of their own without proper guidance. When their group reached this place, it was all alone and no one was there... and the temple gate was also closed.. they thought of doing Lalitha Sahasranama Kunkumarchana and so they opened the gate and entered there...
So they sat in front of the temple... placed a leaf and started the archana... even before they could complete 3rd nama, a Monitor Lizard (udumbu) fell exactly on the Trisulam which was planted nearby and it blood splashed all over the area, including the Puja place... They felt this as a bad omen and immediately vacated the place...
Mampazhathura is near Nagamali Estate in Kazuthuruthi near Punaloor. The local people claim her as Madurai Meenakshi. (You may be aware that Yakshi is often identified with Meenakshi or Rajamatangi in most of the Varavu songs clearly attributed in his songs by Manidasar.. who is the Supreme court - with respect to Sastha) Inscriptions on the stone is surprisingly in Tamil only and the temple is pretty old one from its look.
Remember Mampazhathurai Bhagawathi is also related to Achan kovil.
These fact give us an idea that Mampazhathurai may be a Yakshi Kavu - a favorite parivaram of Sastha
Iam just presenting my view here and I'l never pass any Jugdement with Swami...
Who can give judgements with our Swami's vaibhavam?
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