Sunday 20 November 2016

Chetti Melaka

History of Chetti people





Historical records stated that the members of Chetti (our forefathers) first came to Melaka as merchant traders since before 1400s (before the Malacca Sultanate). They were actually the Tamils who came from Coromandel Coast, from Kalingapatnam and other ports of Southern India such as Kanchipuram and Nagapatnam. At that time, they were trading at Kampung Keling. (The word ‘Keling’ is taken from their origin, Kalingapatnam, Kaling which became Keling). Among the items traded were spices and silk fabrics. While waiting for the monsoon wind interchange (about 6 months), they got married with the local women. When they returned to India, they had to leave their wives in Melaka. The married women helped to continue their husband’s business and started to learn the Hindu cultures. The Chettis started to adapt themselves with Malay Language, Malay customs, etiquettes, food and costumes while still maintaining Hindu cultures. They were rich merchants in Melaka. Tomé Pires has stated that the Chettis at that time
had very large and beautiful houses which made from wood. During the Portuguese colonization, one of the Chetti members, named as Naina Chetty (aka Nina Chatu) was granted the appointment of Bendahara. At that time, the Portuguese government imposed lowest taxes to the Chettis compared to the others. During the Dutch colonization, the Chettis’ houses were burnt down and the community moved to Gajah Berang, Tengkera (formerly known as Tranquerah) and Bachang. The name of Gajah Berang was taken from Kanchipuram. Due to the caste system and strict rules in Southern India, the community decided to settle down in Melaka. They called themselves as ‘Chetti Melaka’ which means Melaka traders. Few of the Chettis converted to Muslim, and few of them married with the Chinese and Nyonya.They were encouraged to change their occupation and take up agriculture. They planted paddy, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Those who are richer bought pieces of land from Dutch where as the rest worked under the richer ones. Dutch re-named Kampung Keling as Kampung Belanda encompassing Heeren Street and Jonker Street. Dutch government granted a piece of land in Goldsmith Street (Jalan Tukang Mas) to the community’s leader during that time, Thaivanayagam Chitty. The Chetti’s first temple, Sri Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple (SPVMT) was built in 1781. Later, few other temples were built.

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Thirupallandu with Meaning

Thirupallandu Stotram with meaning


Thaniyangal

1.Nathamunigal
Guru mukhamanadheethya   praha   Vedaan aseshaan,
Nara padhi parukluptham   sulka madhathu Kama,
Svasuram amara  vandhyam   Raga nadhasya saakshaath ,
Dvija kula thilakam    tham vishnuchitham tham namami

I  salute   the great Brahmin    who is named as Vishnu Chitha  ,
Who is the real  father in law   of  lord   Ranganatha, who is saluted by the Devas,
Who desiring to get   the  Money bag  of gold coins  hung   by the king(Vallabha deva),
Without learning   at all the Vedas   directly from the  Gurus.


2.Pandya  bhattar   I
Minnar thada mathil   choozh villiputtur   endroru kaal,
Chonnar   kazhar   kamalam choodinom  -munnal,
Kizhiyaruthaan endru uraithom  , keezhmayil   cherum,
Vazhiyaruthom   nenjame  , vandhu

The lotus like feet of those   who once tell    the name 
Of Srivilliputtur  surrounded by  big  lustrous walls ,
Would be taken on our head   and  we told,
That he  earlier  cut off the  packet of gold   so that  ,
Oh mind  ,The king was saved from    the path to hell.


3.Pandya Bhattar-Second thaniyan
Pandyan kondaada   bhattar piraan vanthaan   yendru  ,
Eendiya sankham eduthu ootha  -vendiya,
Vedangal othi   virainthu   kizhiyaruthan  ,
Padangal    yyamudaya   Pathru  .

By chanting the needed   Vedas  he quickly cut off ,
The bag  of gold   and this was  celebrated  by the Pandya,
Who blew the  conches   saying   the Lord of the Bhattars have come  ,
And his  feet of that Vishnu chithar  are   the refuge   for us  .

Thirupallandu  Text


1.Pallandu , pallandu   pallayirathaandu  ,
Pala kodi noorayiram  ,
Mallanda thin thol  manivanna  un  ,
Sevadi  chevvi   thirukappu.

Oh Lord who is of the colour  of emerald gem  ,
Who with his powerful shoulders won over the wrestlers,
May  the prettiness  of your divine red feet  be protected,
For many years, many years , for many thousands of years ,
For several crores  of   thousand years .

2.Adiyomodum  ninnodum   pirivindri   aayiram pallandu  ,
Vadivaai   nin vala   mabinil   vaazhkindra  mangayum pallandu  ,
Vadivaar jothi   valathurayum    chuddar aazhiyum   pallandu,
Pada por pukku   muzhangum   aa panchajanyamum   pallande

Without  parting  let us who are   your slaves   stay  along with you   for several years ,
Let the lady   who   is pretty and     who stays   on  right side of your chest be there  for several years  Let the divine wheel  held in your right hands   which gives  out lustrous light  be there  for several  years,
And let the Conch Panchajanya  that booms when  entering the  battle field  , be there  for several years.


3.Vaazh aatpattu nindreer   ulleerel   vandhu   mannum manamum  kol min,
Koozhatpattu   nidrergalai   yengal kuzhuvinil   puguthal ottom,
Ezhat kalum  pazhippilom  naangal , rakkathar   vaazh lankai  ,
Paazh  all aga  padai  poruthanukku  pallandu  kooruthume

If you   are standing  in the control of the lord   come  and accept the   mud and incense,
But if you are   standing  as a slave   for only food, we would not accept you  in  our group,
Because for twenty  one generations   we did not have  any stain and we sing   , “many  more divine years,”
For very many years more   to the Lord who destroyed  the Lanka  occupied by  Rakshasas.


4.Yedu nilathil iduvathan munnam  vandhu yengal kuzhaam pugundhu  ,
Koodu  manam udayeerkal   varambu  ozhi  vanthollai   koodumino  ,
Nadum  Nagaramum   nanu ariya   Namo Narayanaya    endru,
Padu manamudai   patharuller, Vandhu  pallandu koorumine  

Those who are interested to join  our   group  , before you are put in the cremation ground ,
Please come   and enter   our group   and join us    quickly  before crossing the limit  ,
And let those   who have  devotion  among you  recite  “Om Namo Narayanaya”
So  that the villages  and cities do understand  it properly  and sing  “Many more  divine u years”


5. Anda kulathirkku adhipathiyaagi   asurar rakkatharai ,
Indai kulathai yeduthi   kalaintha   irudee kesan thanakku,
Thondu    kulathil ulleer  , vandhu aadi thozhuthu   , aayiram namam solli,
Pandai kulathai  thavirnthu  pallandu pallayirathandu   yenmine.

The Lord Rishikesa  became the  lord of several worlds and completely,
Destroyed the  crowds   of  clan of Auras and Rakshasas  and you ,
Are in the  clan  who do service to him   and so please come   , salute , dance,
And chant his thousand names  avoiding  your  old habit of leaving  him after  seeking  ,
And then say to him  “Several years   and several thousands  of years.”


6.Yenthai  thanthai  thanthai  thanthai  tham moothappan   ezhu padikaal   thodangi,
Vanthu vazhi vazhi aat cheikindrom  , thiruona thiruvizhavil,
Anthiyam pothil ari uruvaagi    ariyai   azhithavanai  ,
Pandhanai  theera pallandu   pallayirathandu   endru paduthume  ,

The seven generations of me, my father, his father , his father  , his father,
And his father   and grand father  have come   from one path to the next,
So that  we can do service  and sing  “Several years  and several thousand years  “,
To relieve him   for killing his enemy    after  taking  the form of a lion,
On the festival day  of  Thiruonam at the   time  of the dusk.


7.Theeyil polikindra chenchudar aazhi   thigazh   thiru chakarathin,
Koyil poriyaale oththundu nindru kudi kudi aat cheigindrom,
Maya  porupadai   vaaNanai  aayiram tholum pozhu kuruthi,
Paya chuzhathiya  aazhi vallanukku  pallandu kooruthume

By the unified   luster  of   the place of the  divine wheel  which  gives out red light  ,
Which is greater  than fire, for several generations   we  have come for  doing service to,
The powerful  God   who held   the divine wheel   , which rotated and  caused  ,
Blood to pour out   from the  thousand  shoulders of Bana,
Who  came   for fighting   with aid of illusion,  and we sing “several years”  to him.


8.Neyyidai nallathor chorum   niyathamum  athani  sevagamum,
Kai  adaikayum  , Kazhuthukku poonodu  , kathukku kundalamum,
Meyyida nallathor  santhamum   thanthu yennai   velluyir  aakka valla  ,
Payyudai  naga pagai   kodiyaanukku  pallandu  kooruvane  .

That God   gave me   high quality  food with  ghee  , several  constant  assistances,
Betel leaves and nuts from his divine hands apart   from  ornament for the neck,
Golden globes   for the ears  and  very good quality  sandal paste  to apply on my body,
So that   I would become a good being   and I wish  “several years”  to him,
Who has  on his flag Garuda who is    the enemy  of the hooded   serpent.


9.Uduthu  kalaintha nin peethaka  Aadai uduthu  ,Kalathathu undu  ,
Thodutha   thuzhaai malar   choodi   kalainthana  choodum   ithondarkalom  ,
Vidutha disai karumam  thiruthi Thiruona vizhavil  ,
Padutha  painnaganai palli kondanukku   pallandu   kooruthume

Wearing the yellow silk apparel that  you wore and  removed  , eating food  left by  you  .
Wearing   the  Thulasi garland   which was once  worn by you  is done by your slaves like us,
And   all these  actions  which are practiced   everywhere   are  well completed  by you  ,
Who  takes rest on bed of Adhi sesha who  lies sown with his  hoods ,
On the festival   day of Thiruonam   and we sing  “several years”.


10.Yen naal yem peruman   undhanukku    adiyom endru   yezhuthu patta  ,
Annale   adiyongal   adi kudil veedu pethru   uinthathu  kaan,
Sennal thoththi   thirumadurayul   silai kunithu iynythalaya  ,
Pai naga  thalai painthavane   unnai pallandu kooruthume.

When on  that day on which we wrote and  told you, “Oh Lord   we are your slaves”,
From that day   all the people of  our  home who are  serving you , got freed   and got uplifted,
And from that good day  you   appeared in Mathura    and broke   the bow of Kamsa ,
And from the day you jumped   on the head of serpent with   five hoods and danced,
We were  telling  you “Several years.”


11. Avvazhakku  ondrum   illaa  ani kottiyar kon   abhimana  thungan,
Selvanai pola thiru male  , Naanun unakku   pazhavadien,
Nal vagayaal  namo narayana   endru naamam pala  paravi,
Pal vakayaalum pavithrane, Unnai pallandu   kooruvane.

Oh Lord Narayana  , like the selva Nambi who does not have   any bad character  ,
Who is the lord of Thirukoshtiyur    which is the gem of this world  ,
And who  is immersed in the thought   that he is the servant of the lord,
I am also your old   servant , Oh Lord who is  divinely pure in many ways  ,
And I would chant “Om namo Naryanaya”  in the  very proper way  ,
And also  would chant several of your names and I would say “several years” to you.


12.Pallandendru  pavithranai paramettiyai   sarngam yenum,
Villandaan thanai  , villi puthur   vittu chithan  virumbiya   sol,
Nallandendru   navindru uraippar   Namo Narayanaya   endru  ,
Pallandum  paramathmanai   choozhnthirunthu yethuvar pallande.

The Vishnu Chitha  of Thiruvilliputhur  who wrote these words  about,
The divinely pure one , the lord who resides in the divine abode ,
And  the lord who wielded   the bow called   Saranga
Wanted auspiciousness   to happen  forever  to those  who chant
These  without any break  for a very long time  and  that  good time would surround 
Those who chant “Om Namo Narayanaya”  and keep on praising him for a  very long time.

Thirukkural


 
The Tamil classic, Thirukkural (Sacred Couplets), has been translated into many major languages of the world. Attributed to Thiruvalluvar, who probably lived during the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., the Kural (as it is often referred) occupies a leading place amongst the wisdom literatures of the world. The popularity of the Kural amongst all ancient Tamil literatures can be judged from the fact that the next most translated work in Tamil comes no where near the Kural when compared to the number of times and number of languages the Kural has been translated. The Tamils believe that the Kural has been translated into most languages, next only to the Bible and the Qur’an. There are other texts with similar claims of having been translated several times in many languages.[1,2]The Hindus claim that their most popular scripture the Bhagavad Gita is the second most widely translated book after the Bible. It has been translated into at least 24 languages [*] and probably more. The Chinese claim that their classic Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is the world’s most translated Book.[3] Victor Mair, a translator of Tao Te Ching, had this to say: "Next to the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching is the most translated book in the world".[4] Ninety one different translations of Tao Te Ching in 15 different languages (35 translations in English alone) are available at a single website on the net [*]. The Confucian Analects (Lun Yu) attributed Confucius has also been translated to many languages.