TSUNAMI AFTERMATH - Tales of Religious Harmony in South India
1) TIRUCHENDUR - TEMPLE OF LORD MURUGA
Tiruchendur Lord Murugan Temple is on the sea shore - within 100 metres of the waves. The Temple is a cave with the entrance at the sea level and the cave inside is sliding down to the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Lord Subramaniam ( Murugan ) . When we stand in front of the deity, the sea water level outside is higher than our heads. There is every likely hood that tidal waves and tsunamis can rush in and fill the cave Temple with sea water. In the history of the Temple, it is mentioned that the Wind God ( Lord Varuna ) has promised Lord Murugan that he will not cross the boundary of the Temple.
It seems the Wind God has kept his promise.
While the tsunami on 26/12/04 has lashed the eastern coast of India and inundated all places near the coast deeply, the sea water did not enter the Temple. At 10.00 Hrs on the fated day ( 26/12/04), the sea near the temple receded by a Kilometre - people could see there a big crater with rocks visible - gradually the sea came back to its original level. But sea water has entered Jeeva Nager located opposite Tiruchendur Bus stand at 12.30 Hrs. All other coastal areas near Tiruchendur were affected by the lashing of tsunami.
The Temple area is unaffected as the sea receded there as though to keep the promise given.
- taken from the Tamil vernacular daily "Daily Thanthi" and edited by PP
2) The Santhome miracle: A post between sea and church kept waves at bay
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20050103102527&Page=
T&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=%2D367
Father Lawrence with the post in the background.
CHENNAI: Father Lawrence Raj, the parish priest of the Santhome Cathedral Basilica has been inundated with inquiries about the story of St Thomas’ miraculous post, supposed to have kept the sea away on December 26.
The 450-year-old church, located a few metres from the water, remained unaffected by the tsunamis even though buildings in line with it on either side were ravaged by the waves. The belief, says Father Lawrence, is that when St Thomas planted the post at the top of the steps leading to the cathedral, he said the sea would not pass that point. ‘‘But that is the legend,’’ stresses the father, ‘‘nobody knows whether it is true.’’
The priest sounds wary of declaring it a miracle. Puzzling, considering his job and that he gives visitors what he jokingly calls ‘‘credit cards to heaven’’ - neat little plastic cards laminated with a pinch of soil from St Thomas’ tomb that fit into your wallet. He offers logical explanations, like - perhaps it is because the church is built on a higher level. ‘‘But then,’’ he reasons, ‘‘the lighthouse is on roughly the same plain, and the water reached it.’’
Father Lawrence says that for the people who have faith, it would be a miracle. ‘‘I believe it is’’ he adds. He takes you to the terrace from which he saw the sea in action, as it surged across the road and flooded the huts in front of St Thomas’ post. It is an innocuous looking log of wood, mounted on a cement pedestal. The story goes that a village in the Mylapore area was flooded when a huge tree trunk fell across the river. The local king brought a royal pachyderm to lug it away, but the task seemed impossible. Then St Thomas came along, removed the girdle from his waist and handed it to a bystander and asked him to yank the log with it. He did so and the log was moved easily.
There is a mural illustrating the episode in the cathedral museum. Father Lawrence says the post is believed to be from that same log of wood. Though there is another story that the post comes from the chapel that St Thomas built in 74 AD.
‘‘People have been asking about this story. It has always been around but it is difficult to confirm as fact something that occurred nearly 2,000 years ago. That is why I have been trying to verify the story with other people,’’ says the priest.
Father Lawrence is certainly not alone in believing the story about the safety of his church.
‘‘Till December 31, we had about 2,000 people taking shelter over here. Partly because since it is a church, it is a centre point for distributing relief material. I suppose it is also because people feel safe here.''
Tiruchendur Lord Murugan Temple is on the sea shore - within 100 metres of the waves. The Temple is a cave with the entrance at the sea level and the cave inside is sliding down to the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Lord Subramaniam ( Murugan ) . When we stand in front of the deity, the sea water level outside is higher than our heads. There is every likely hood that tidal waves and tsunamis can rush in and fill the cave Temple with sea water. In the history of the Temple, it is mentioned that the Wind God ( Lord Varuna ) has promised Lord Murugan that he will not cross the boundary of the Temple.
It seems the Wind God has kept his promise.
While the tsunami on 26/12/04 has lashed the eastern coast of India and inundated all places near the coast deeply, the sea water did not enter the Temple. At 10.00 Hrs on the fated day ( 26/12/04), the sea near the temple receded by a Kilometre - people could see there a big crater with rocks visible - gradually the sea came back to its original level. But sea water has entered Jeeva Nager located opposite Tiruchendur Bus stand at 12.30 Hrs. All other coastal areas near Tiruchendur were affected by the lashing of tsunami.
The Temple area is unaffected as the sea receded there as though to keep the promise given.
- taken from the Tamil vernacular daily "Daily Thanthi" and edited by PP
2) The Santhome miracle: A post between sea and church kept waves at bay
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20050103102527&Page=
T&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=%2D367
Father Lawrence with the post in the background.
CHENNAI: Father Lawrence Raj, the parish priest of the Santhome Cathedral Basilica has been inundated with inquiries about the story of St Thomas’ miraculous post, supposed to have kept the sea away on December 26.
The 450-year-old church, located a few metres from the water, remained unaffected by the tsunamis even though buildings in line with it on either side were ravaged by the waves. The belief, says Father Lawrence, is that when St Thomas planted the post at the top of the steps leading to the cathedral, he said the sea would not pass that point. ‘‘But that is the legend,’’ stresses the father, ‘‘nobody knows whether it is true.’’
The priest sounds wary of declaring it a miracle. Puzzling, considering his job and that he gives visitors what he jokingly calls ‘‘credit cards to heaven’’ - neat little plastic cards laminated with a pinch of soil from St Thomas’ tomb that fit into your wallet. He offers logical explanations, like - perhaps it is because the church is built on a higher level. ‘‘But then,’’ he reasons, ‘‘the lighthouse is on roughly the same plain, and the water reached it.’’
Father Lawrence says that for the people who have faith, it would be a miracle. ‘‘I believe it is’’ he adds. He takes you to the terrace from which he saw the sea in action, as it surged across the road and flooded the huts in front of St Thomas’ post. It is an innocuous looking log of wood, mounted on a cement pedestal. The story goes that a village in the Mylapore area was flooded when a huge tree trunk fell across the river. The local king brought a royal pachyderm to lug it away, but the task seemed impossible. Then St Thomas came along, removed the girdle from his waist and handed it to a bystander and asked him to yank the log with it. He did so and the log was moved easily.
There is a mural illustrating the episode in the cathedral museum. Father Lawrence says the post is believed to be from that same log of wood. Though there is another story that the post comes from the chapel that St Thomas built in 74 AD.
‘‘People have been asking about this story. It has always been around but it is difficult to confirm as fact something that occurred nearly 2,000 years ago. That is why I have been trying to verify the story with other people,’’ says the priest.
Father Lawrence is certainly not alone in believing the story about the safety of his church.
‘‘Till December 31, we had about 2,000 people taking shelter over here. Partly because since it is a church, it is a centre point for distributing relief material. I suppose it is also because people feel safe here.''
posted by Cosmician @ 4:47 PM
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