அர. ரமநதனன வரபணடயன மனவ நவலல தரபபரஙகனறம கயல – ஓர கள ஆயவ / Thirupparankundram Temple in Aru. Ramanathan's Novel Veerapandiyan Manaivi – A Field Study

Aru. Ramanathan’s Veerapandiyan Manaivi is a novel that portrays the historical, spiritual and cultural identities of the Madurai region. Thirupparankundram Murugan Temple is one of the holy cities of Madurai. It is presented in this novel as an important symbol. The study explores the worship practices, psychological dimensions and cultural aspects connected with the Thirupparankundram Temple. In the novel, the Thirupparankundram Temple is not only a place of worship but it is portrayed as a center of spiritual living, a psychological backdrop for the heroine’s (Thalaivi) inner transformation. The formation of the hill temple, the cave temple worship, symbols of Murugan devotion, beliefs and festivals are recorded with the natural environment and creativity. The theme of this article is not just a geographical location but a spiritual realm and an archetypal symbol of inner peace. In the novel, the heroine’s life struggles and her spiritual quests transforms into deep faith are expressed in connection with the symbols of the Thirupparankundram Temple. The aspects of field study, psychology, worship methods and feminist ideas are keenly considered in the study. The study focuses on the four dimensions such as worship, tradition, land and mind and how Thirupparankundram Temple has become significant in the lives of the characters. Aru. Ramanathan’s portrayal of the Thirupparankundram Temple as a spiritual symbol of the Madurai region and a place of liberation in the female mind brings mutually the deep foundations of Tamil Nadu’s worship methods and a modern literary perspective. Hence, this article presents a three-dimensional study of the Thirupparankundram Temple as a spiritual centre, a cultural site and a psychological mediun of feminist thought