THIRUNNAVAYA SHIVA TEMPLE

THE PEEPAL TREE AT THAVANUR SHIVA TEMPLE – DIG A TEMPLE POND IN THE RIVER Yesterday I went there for attending my nephew’s son Navneeth’s thread bearing ceremony (Janyu). The religious function took about six hours. As I was not interested in watching it, I went and sat under the Peepal tree in front of the Shiva temple, watching the dry Bharathapuzha river. It was saddening to see the wide river bed covered with dry, long grass. Once it was sandy and clear water flowed in two channels, one near each bank, the opposite side being Thirunnavaya. Still there are some steps, now in a dilapidated condition, for pilgrims to take bath, before visiting the temple. After indiscriminate sand mining, the river bed has become like a moonscape, with small hills here and there. Dirty pools of water can be seen, wherever they have scraped the sand deeper. But I was compensated by the tree which spread its shadow far and wide, covering some thirty feet in radius ! Continuous cool breeze was without a break. The sea is only a few miles away (Ponnani) and the joy of simply resting there, practically alone, as all others were inside the Math, where Rig Veda was taught to Brahmana boys for thousands of years. The tree must be very old. Some branches have fallen off. Once a very large branch came down heavily, during a strong wind, rendering a number of snakes homeless. The snakes had lived inside the hollow trunk for generations. There were birds also living in holes in the trunk. It is easy to dig the river bed near the temple, and throw the excavated soil in the west and north sides. In the south, are the steps. During rainy season, it will be filled with water, flowing westwards. This temple tank will be useful for the villagers, including the staff of the Agricultural University. Now they have to walk a mile to reach the water channel near the opposite bank. The pits may be of the size 400 by 100 metres, 4 metres deep. Such pits may be made anywhere along the river, including pump houses. The river being dry now, it is the best time to dig the river. The surrounding landscape is proof that it will not be filled with sand by the flowing water in the rainy seasons. The Panchayath can easily do it.