>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

2021-05-24T09:34:45Z

removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
'''Idangazhi''' (Idangali), also known as '''Idangazhi Nayanar''' ('''Idankali Nayanar'''), '''Idangaliyar''' ('''Idankaliyar''') was a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the fifty-fourth in the list of 63 Nayanars.<ref name="Dalal2011">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2011|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=281}}</ref> He was an [[Irukkuvel|Irukku Velir]] chieftain, who is described to not only have pardoned a devotee of the god [[Shiva]], who stole from the royal granaries, but also distributed rice to devotees of Shiva.<ref>{{cite book|title=Kongu Nadu, a History Up to A.D. 1400|author=V. Manickam|publisher=Makkal Veliyeedu|year=2001|page=255}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Early Chola Temples: Parantaka I to Rajaraja I, A.D. 907-985|author=S. R. Balasubrahmanyam|publisher=Orient Longman|year=1971|page=29}}</ref>

==Life==
Idangazhi was born and lived in [[Kodumbalur]] (Kodumpalur), currently in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Idangazhi was one of the [[Irukkuvel|Irukku Velir]], petty chieftains who served under the [[Chola]] kings.<ref name="Dehejia1988">{{cite book|author=Vidya Dehejia|title=Slaves of the Lord: The Path of the Tamil Saints|year=1988|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|isbn=978-81-215-0044-9|pages=17}}</ref><ref name="Various2003">{{cite book|author=Various|title=Tourist Guide to South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ta6AD7MNFioC&pg=PA83|year=2003|publisher=Sura Books|isbn=978-81-7478-175-8|page=83}}</ref> He is said to have been descended from the [[Yadava]]s of [[Dwarka]], who migrated to [[South India]] with the sage [[Agastya]].<ref name="Balasubrahmanyam1971">{{cite book|author=S. R. Balasubrahmanyam|title=Early Chola Temples: Parantaka I to Rajaraja I, A.D. 907-985|pages=29–30|year=1971|publisher=Orient Longman}}</ref> He is sometimes also described to be part of the [[Kalabhra dynasty]], who flourished in the ''Kalabhra [[interregnum]]'', a period between 3rd and the 7th century.<ref name="VenkataramaiahLinguistics1996">{{cite book|author1=K. M. Venkataramaiah|author2=International School of Dravidian Linguistics|title=A handbook of Tamil Nadu|page =220|year=1996|publisher=International School of Dravidian Linguistics|isbn=978-81-85692-20-3}}</ref>

The life of Idangazhi is described in the ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' by [[Sekkizhar]] (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Idangazhi was the chieftain of the kingdom of Konadu (which was around present-day [[Pudukkottai district]]), whose capital was Kodumbalur. He was a staunch devotee of the god [[Shiva]], the patron god of Shaivism. He lived and governed by Shaiva ways and made arrangements for worship of Shiva in temples as per the Shaiva [[Āgama (Hinduism)|Agama]] scriptures. There was another devotee of Shiva in Konadu. He had taken the vow of serving and feeding Shiva's devotees. However, once he became poor over time and could not get food to feed a devotee of Shiva. To complete his vow, he entered the royal granaries to steal rice, but was caught red-handed and arrested by the guards. The arrested devotee was presented to Idangazhi, who understood the rationale of the intended burglary. He pardoned the devotee and let him free. He realized the futility of a full go-down when devotees of Shiva were going hungry. Idangazhi made announcements throughout the kingdom that devotees of Shiva can come and take away not only rice from the granary, but also other riches from the treasury, as much as they wanted. Idangazhi was instrumental in the spread of Shaivism and thus gained the grace of Shiva.<ref>{{cite book | author = Swami Sivananda | author-link = Swami Sivananda | title = Sixty-three Nayanar Saints | edition = 4 | publisher = The Divine Life Society | year = 1999 | location = Sivanandanagar }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_th12_idangkazi.htm | title=The Puranam of Idangkazhi Nayanar | access-date=9 December 2014 | author=T N Ramachandran}}</ref>

In the ''Periya Puranam'', Idangazhi is described as the ancestor of the Chola King [[Aditya I]] (c. 871 – c. 907 CE).<ref name="Balasubrahmanyam1977">{{cite book|author=S. R. Balasubrahmanyam|title=Middle Chola temples: Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (A.D. 985-1070)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dufVAAAAMAAJ|year=1977|publisher=Oriental Press|page = 79|isbn=9789060236079}}</ref>

==Remembrance==
[[File:Sri Kokarneshvarar Temple in Tirukokarnam.JPG|thumb|The images of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.]]

Idangazhi Nayanar is specially worshipped in the [[Tamil month]] of [[Ashvin|Aippasi]], when the moon enters the [[Krittikā]] [[nakshatra]] (lunar mansion). He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in [[Tamil Nadu]]. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.<ref name="Dalal2011"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Nayanars}}

[[Category:Nayanars]]

Idangazhi - Revision history

>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars