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Home > Devotees
chaNgiliyAr
chaN^giliyAr lived a life dedicated to the fragrant glory of
the Lord of thiruvoRRiyUr. She was one of the attendants by
name anin^thidhai of the Goddess at kayilai. When she got
attracted to AlAla chun^dharar, she was born as chaN^giliyAr in
thiruvoRRiyUr to lead the loveful life with him.
chaN^giliyAr was born to thirunyAyiRu kizavar who was
a peasant near thiruvoRRiyUr. She grew with a divine feeling by the
radiance of which she was quite distinguishable with others. She grew
up as a beautiful young girl and as one who has the Imperishable
Eternal Beautiful God and Goddess in her mind. Her parents wanted
their virtuous pretty daughter to be married soon. chaN^giliyAr wanted
to lead a life in which the focus was on the divine. She asked them to
leave her in the abode of the Lord of thiruvoRRiyUr in the Almighty's
service. They were quite shocked to hear this and found difficult to
digest the fact that she did not want to lead the normal life in the
young pretty age. One of the relatives without knowing her inclination
sent the proposal to marry her. But something bad happened to him. The
relatives were quite worried. They left her as she wished in the temple
of thiruvoRRiyUr where the Lord of all sacrifices reside. They made a
monastery for her to perform austerities.
Young paravaiyAr without allowing the dirties of the external
world staining her chaste service minded thoughts, stayed in the
kanni mAdam closed behind the curtains. She with the feeling of
the Feet of the divine parents constantly overwhelming in her mind,
served the Lord making the garlands for the worship of the Lord of
thiruvoRRiyUr. She used to come outside the curtains to give the
garlands to be offered to the Lord and immediately go back. She was in
this service of the Lord for a long time. One day when she appeared
as a lightning to give the garlands chun^dharar(1) saw her while
returning from the abode. The old time acquaintance at kayilai bringing
in the love for her, he requested the Lord.
The Lord appeared in the dream of the chaste devotee
chaN^giliyAr. He told her the very great devotion of chun^dharar and
asked her to get married to him. She replied that as He ordered she
would get married to him. The Lord said He would get an assurance from
chun^dharar that he would not leave her. chun^dharar was reluctant to
give the assurance because he wanted to sing the fame of the Lord in
many abodes. So he asked the Lord to stay outside under the makizam
tree when he makes the assurance to chaN^giliyAr at the abode !
But the Lord indicated this plan to chaN^giliyAr and asked her to ask
for the pledge under the makizam tree. Blessed is her chaste
devotion !
As the Lord advised she took the promise from chun^dharar under
the tree though she was feeling bad that she was coming in the way of
the wish of the devotee. By the grace of the Lord Who is the Union
of male and female, the devotees arranged the wedding of this
dedicated couple. They lived praising the glory of the Supreme. After
chun^dharar left on his desire to salute the Lord of thiruvArUr, she
continued her service to Lord shiva to reach in His abode back in her
original position as the attendant of the Goddess. Great was her
austerely devotion and love for the God and Goddess !
See Also:
1. chun^dhara mUrthi n^AyanAr
2. Mention of changiliyar in various thEvaram thirumuRais
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