PLAGUE MARIAMMA TEMPLE

Temples have been dedicated to Goddess of small-pox in many places in the country, but Bangalore is the only place in the whole world which have temples dedicated to  the Goddess of plague called "PLAGUE MARIAMMA or PLAGUE AMM".
During September 1898, Bangalore City was hit by the most disastrous epidemic called Plague. It is believed that the disease was transmitted by a butler of a railway officer who brought the infection from Hubli. It became an epedemic and the areas worst affected were Balepet, Mamulpet, Old Tharagupet, Lalbagh, Ulsoor and Shivajinagar. It is learnt that the death toll peaked in November 1898, resulting in a decline in the population by 25 per cent. Over 30,000 people left the city during this period. Old Tharagupet, the chief grain market in whole of South India was deserted and the business came to stand-still. The British Officers in the cantonment area sent back their families to England.
Then the government took over. A new business area called New Tharagupet was formed and traders were pursuaded to shift their business to the new locality. A chief plague officer was appointed for the effective implementation of anti plague operations. Segregation camps were established, people with normal mhealth were asked to vacate their homes and live in segregation camps. Disinfection was undertaken. The houses where deaths occured due to the epidemic were demolished. Check-Posts were created and people entering the city were disinfected. The city also witnessed many changes during the period. Telephone lines were laid for the effective implementation of anti plague programme. New amenities like sanitation and health facilities were provided. New localities Malleswaram and Basavangudi were created. European  style of hotels were opened for the benefit of the British officers who had sent back their families to England. Regulations were issued for constructing new houses with proper nfacilities for sanitation and ventilation. Victoria Hospital was inaugurated with better medical facilities.The  disease was brought under control. The government announced a bonus of one month's salary for those whose salary was Rs 10 or less and died of plague while on duty.

While the government was taking all measures to combat the epidemic, elders of the localities afftected by the disease which resulted in heavy death toll, thought that the spread of deadly disease was acurse of Goddess Plague Mariamma and decided to build a temple dedicated to Goddess Plaguie Mariamma to ward of the evil. Temples were built in the name of Goddess and offerings were made. The residents of these localities also found another way to dirvert the attention of goddess, they wrote on the doors of their houses " PLAGUE AMMA, ALE BAA (PLAGUE AMMA, COME TOMORROW)".

The Plague Mariamma temples are than a century old, still  continue to perform Pooja without a break even today. The temple are periodically renovated and in some places some more dieties have been added and in some cases names have been changed. These temples are the only mute witnesses to the disastrous epidemic that struck the Great City of Bangalore.

This temple located at Bowee Lane, Ulsoor, still retains the name "Plague Mariamma Temple". Other temples have changed their names.

MASHANA KOLLAI

The day after MAHA SHIVARATHRI, is the day on which most of the hindu families who have buried their dead, visit the graves of their near and dear ones in the burial grounds. This happens once a year. Be a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim, a day is earmarked in their calendar to visit the graves of the dead ones in their families. In the case of Christians, it is called All souls day, I do not know what the muslims call it, but I have seen them visiting Kabristan on the day of Eid after the prayers. In Tamil, it is called ‘Mashana Kollai’ and in Kannada, it is ‘Hiriyara Habba’. I do not know the significance of these visits. My efforts to know about Mashana Kollai have been proved futile. However, I am sure a day has been earmarked in our life to remember our dead ones. Mashana Kollai literally means, looting in mashana. Perhaps, that is the reason, the moment you leave the graves after performing the pooja, all the items you left on the graves vanish without a trace.

I am observing from young age, that my parents visiting the graves of our grandparents and other close relatives. And when my father died in the year 1966, I have also become a part of the group and visit the grave of my father along with my mother. A lot of importance is given to this festival and I remember very well that my mother never missed visiting the grave of my father and other relatives even once, till her passing away in 2005.

People visit the burial grounds some fifteen to twenty days before the festival, reconstruct the graves. Our Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike have also employed people with quarters to assist the people who bring their dead for burial. There are about some ten families live in the burial ground. They not only assist in burial, but also maintain the graves, for a small price. These people though they have limited education, each family maintain around two hundred graves. They possess amazing memory and they remember all the graves they maintain by heart. These people construct the graves every year for Mashana Kollai, and either white wash or smear them with cow dung. This is done according to the family practice. Some people, who do not wish to pay, do it for themselves and paint the graves with all kinds of colours. The burial ground becomes colourful.

On Maha Shivarathri night, Goddess Kali is decorated and taken on a procession inside the burial ground. Animal sacrifice is made and the poor are fed on the following day.

On Mashana Kollai day, thousands of families visit the burial ground with pooja articles and lots of eatables, generally liked by the dead when they were alive. The area around the graves are swept, water sprinkled and colourful rangolis are drawn on and around the graves. Paper plates are spread on the graves, pooja articles and eatables are placed. Pooja is performed for the dead. A portion of the eatables along with coconuts together with the price for renovating the graves are given to the person who has done it. These days the burial grounds are so much crowded, full police protection is provided from morning to evening. No vehicles allowed inside the burial ground. On this day, the entire burial ground becomes colourful and burst with activities that last from dawn to dusk. I just wonder about our culture which earmarked a day even for the people who are dead and long gone. It is indeed amazing!

THIRUVANNAMALAI

I have heard a lot about ARUNACHALESWAR TEMPLE in the temple town, Thiruvannamalai, in Tamilnadu. However, I did not get a chance to visit this famous temple. After my retirement I started visiting temples and places of worships not only in India but also in Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. Of all the temples I visited, the temple at Thiruvannamalai attracted me a lot. People from all over the world visit this temple throughout the year. This town which lies on the state highway between Bangalore and Pondicherry, is built around the Annamalai hill. A montain raising some 4000 meters from the ground.

Spiritual gurus Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Ramana Maharishi, Arabindo, Seshadri Swamigal, Muniyandi Swamigal and many more saints and sadhus lived and attained eternity in this place.

The ancient and vast Arunachaleswar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the result of several centuries of building, alterations and additions. The temple spreads over twenty four acres. The temple has four gopurams, Rajagopuram in the east is 217 feet high. A thousand pillared hall and the temple pond were built by Sri Krishna Devaraya of Vijayanagar. Every full moon day people walk around the Annamalai hill and offer special prayers called 'Girivalam', a 14 kilometers walk on a neatly laid and well lit road. Ashtalingams namely Indiralingam, Agnilingam, Yamalingam, Niruthilingam, Varunalingam, Kuberalingam and Esanialingam greet the pilgrims on their girivalam route.

'Karthigai Deepam' in the month of November - December is the main festival which marks the end of ten days Brahmotsavam. To mark the occasion a lamp is lit on top of Annamalai hill using a couldron. Sarees and dothis are used as wick to light the lamp. On that particular day, it is estimated that around ten million people witness the lighting of the lamp. The whole town wears a festive look. Everyone irrespective of their religion decorate their houses with mango leaves and colourful rangolis. Most of the people in and around the town fast from dawn to dusk. The town will remain silent from five to six in the evening. Public transport buses would be stopped at the outskirts of the town and start moving after the deepam. One can feel the town coming to a grinding halt. Exactly at six in the evening the lamp on top of the hill will be lit amid chants of "Annamalaiku Arogarah". The lamp will be visible from a distance of thirty kilometers and will be kept burning for ten days. During these days the temple remains open from early morning till late night without a break. Devotees continue to visit till the last day in great numbers.

(This was published in Deccan Chronicle - Sunday on 13-09-2009)