Tamil Temple Consecrated In Myanmar

Source: www.tamilnet.com

MYANMAR, January 30, 2010: Tamils in Myanmar consecrated a renovated Perumaal temple in Yangon on Wednesday morning. Several thousand Tamils participated in the ceremonies. A 13th century Tamil inscription in Myanmar records that a Perumaal temple patronized by Tamils existed at the earlier capital at Pagan.

The temple for Kalyaana Vengkadeasap Perumaal (Thirumaal or Vishnu in his form found at Thiruppathi), accompanied by Alarmeal Mangkai (the lady on the flower: Thirumakal or Lakshmi), is situated 6 miles from Yangon at a place called Thirukkampai, which is known as Little Tamil Nadu.

Seven Paddaachchaariyaars, who came from Tamil Nadu performed the ceremonies. Paddaachchaariyaars are authorities in performing consecration of Vaishnava temples of the Dravidian style in the Agamic way of South India (it is Sivaachchaariyaars in the case of Saiva temples).

The interaction between Myanmar and Tamils go back to the times of the advent of maritime activities in the Bay of Bengal, as trade winds and currents were particularly conducive for swift and direct communication between Myanmar which was known in Sanskrit as Swarna Bhumi (the land of gold) and the ancient Tamil country.

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