ninRaan, irundhaan, kidandhaan, nadandhaan
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Parthasarati Dileepan (MFPD@UTCVM.UTC.EDU)
Fri, 25 Aug 95 22:33:25 EDT 
[edited by Mani Varadarajan]

Less than 4 KM from the bustle of Mount Road near
Pallaavaram, Madras is the serene hillock that once was
surrounded by water due to continuous rain.
Thirumangai aazhvaar had to wait in a nearby village for
6 months before he was able to get to the temple.  Thus
the hill got its name "neermalai" and the town where the
aazhvaar waited for the water to recede, "Thirumangai
aazhvaar puram."

This is a unique temple where the Lord presents Himself
in four forms, ninRaan (standing), irundhaan (sitting),
kidandhaan (resting), and nadandhaan (walking).  The
Lord is in ninRa thirukkOlam at the foot of the hill.  At
the top of the hill of about 150 steps are the other three
thirukkOlams.  Let me present you with one of
Thirumangai aazhvaar's paasurams that celebrates these
four postures found in thirun^eermalai.

\bt
anRaayarku lakkodi yOdaNimaa
 malarmangaiyo danbaLa vi,avuNark
kenRaanu mirakkami laadhavanukku
 uRaiyumida maavadhu,irumpozhilsoozh
nanRaayapu naln^aRai yoorthiruvaa
 likudandhai thadandhigazh kOvaln^agar,
ninRaanirun^ dhaan_kidan^ dhaann^adandhaaR
 kidammaamalai yaavadhu neermalaiyE.

                             --  periya thirumozhi   2.4.1
\et

anRu                       :  During Krishnavadhaaram
aayar kulakkodi yOdu       :  Nappinnai [Radha] and
aNimaa malar mangaiyodu    :  Mahalakshmi
anbaLavi                   :  were united in love with Him;
avuNarku                   :  but, for the demons
enRaanum irakkamilaadha    :  He always shows no pity.

avanukku uRaiyumidam       :   Suitable abodes for Him are,
     aavadhu

nanRaayapunal n^aRaiyoor   :  Thiru naraiyoor, Thiruvaali,
thiruvaali kudandhai                 Thirukkudandhai, and
thadanthigazh kOval n^agar :  Thirukkovaloor

ninRaan                    :  in standing posture at Thirunaraiyoo
irun^ dhaan                :  in sitting posture at Thiruvaali,
kidandhaan                 :  in resting posture at Thirukkudandhai,
nadandhaaR                 :  in walking posture at Thirukkovaloor;

One sees all the four postures at the:
idam maamalai yaavadhu     : famed hill called
neermalaiyE.               : Thiru neer malai.

Both the temples at the bottom and the top of the hill
are undergoing reconstruction with samprOkashaNam
scheduled for later this year.  Therefore, we were able
to see only the uthsava moorthis and paintings of the
moolavars.

The top of the hill offers an excellent view of the
surrounding fields and the Mount road at a distance.  It is
from this hill that one realizes that the madness of city
life and the misadventures of city commuting are
confined to a small band along the highway.  The
serenity of a small village temple is just a few kilometers
away.

-- Dileepan