Posted on: 4 May 2014

Digital Rare Book:
Ethnographic Notes in Southern India
By Edgar Thurston
Printed by the Superintendent, Government Press, Madras - 1906

Book Extract:

The following story is current concerning the sacred vultures of Tirukazhukunram. The Ashtavasus, or eight gods who guard the eight points of the compass, did penance, and Siva appeared in person before them. But, becoming angry with them, he cursed them, and turned them into vultures. When they asked for forgiveness, Siva directed that they should remain at the temple of Vedagiri Iswarar. Three pairs of the birds died during the last three yugams, and one pair still survives. These birds come to the temple daily at noon for food, and the temple priests say that they will never come together if sinners are present in the crowd which assembles at the temple. - Page 282

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Pakshi-tirtha at Tirukkalukundram. Nearby Mahabalipuram The place is famous and considered a holy place. every day for the past 5,000 years or more two eagles come to the summit of the mountain Veda-giri to take the prasad of Lord Siva from the hand of a local Brahmin. The birds have been coming daily for thousands of years and hundreds of pilgrims gather at the summit of to witness the event

thank you for share...♥

// two eagles come to the summit of the mountain Veda-giri to take the prasad of Lord Siva from the hand of a local Brahmin.// As one can see from the picture, the eagles are eating from the hand of a non-brahmin saivaite. // every day for the past 5,000 years or more two eagles come // There is no evidence to make such an assertion. The temple itself is not that old and Saivism may not have existed in Tamil country 5000 years ago or even 2000 years ago.

identify birds, please.

@ Mani M. Manivannan // Saivism may not have existed in Tamil country 5000 years ago or even 2000 years ago. // Shaivism did exist those many years ago in the Tamil country. This is acknowledged by Ramayana and Mahabharata, FYI. // the eagles are eating from the hand of a non-brahmin saivaite. // What makes you say that he is a Shaivite? Does the picture hint it? If you can accept that he is a Shaivite without seeing any proof of it, why do you argue that the man is non-brahmin?