Lord Of Tirunelveli Poem by Indira Renganathan

Sing Him praises
So does He bless us
Up from Kailas
Shiva here with spouse

Twin templed city
Wafting energy of Almighty
Tirunelveli a place of piety
Bearing a puranic antiquity

Vedabhatta a staunch devotee
Commanded by Shiva his beloved deity
Stayed in Thaamiraparani's tranquility
With his daily poojas on duty

Fate, in short struck famine
Poor devotee fell on beggary line
Yet everything per wish divine
For Vedabhatta only a good sign

Struggling though a lot
With prayers in heart
Vedabhatta very much devout
Begged for paddy regret without

So such sun-dried a morn the paddy
Bathed after in the river speedy
Prayed well for rains then needy
Surprise, rained at once much a remedy

Mulled over the drying paddy
Hastened to check if hardy
Blessed, found he there unwet paddy
Realised the holy mercy of Shiva dandy

That supreme power alone
Hedged the paddy zone
Then since came to be known
Tirunelveli(sacred-hedged-paddy)well known

Swayambulinga, self-manifested in bamboo grove
To that Venuvaneshwar whom people drove
Agasthya and Rama that once did adore
Now named Nellaiappar; Reasonable lore

Temples of Nellaiappar and Kaanthimathi
In the precincts with exquisite beauty
Sprawling magnificent sculptural artistry
Add elegance to Nellai i.e Tirunelveli

Copper-hall(Thaamira sabha) of dance
On the day of Arudra, star of Betelgeuse
As Lord Nataraja dances
Holds me closer to the divine grace
One among the many in peace
Folks, join in here for His holy brace