Kannappa
In South Indian traditions, Kannappa was a devotee of the Hindu god Shiva.[1] His story is closely connected with the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. He is one of the 63 Nayanmars in the Tamil Saiva Siddhanta tradition.
Originally a hunter, Kannappar offered his devotion to a shiva lingam by making simple offerings and eventually sacrificing one of his eyes. As he prepared to offer the second, Shiva appeared from the linga, granting him liberation.[2][3]
Life and legend
[edit | edit source]Kannappa was born in present-day Andhra Pradesh as Thinnan (transl. strong, powerful).[1][4] He belonged to a hunter family, and his father was the village chief.[5]
Kannappa's devotion to Shiva began when he discovered the vayu linga (embodiment of air) while hunting in the forest. He offered the aniconic representation of Shiva whatever he could, including water from his mouth and meat from his hunts. These acts, while unconventional, were accepted by Shiva due to the hunter's sincerity and pure heart.[6][7] Kannappa once noticed that the lingam was bleeding from one of its eyes. Without hesitation, Kannappa plucked out one of his own eyes and placed it on the lingam to stop the bleeding. When the other eye of the lingam began to bleed, Kannappa prepared to offer his remaining eye. To ensure he could correctly place his eye, he marked the spot with his foot. Moved by this act of devotion, Shiva appeared and stopped him, restoring his sight and granting him liberation.[8] The vayu linga is worshipped at the Srikalahasteeswara temple in Andhra Pradesh.
Commemoration
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The story of Kannappa's devotion is recounted in several literary works, including the Kalahastisvara Satakamu by Dhurjati (16th century)[9] and the Basava Puranam (13th century) in Telugu, and the Ragalegalu by Harihara (12th century) in Kannada.[10]
In Tamil Shaivism, Kannappa is venerated for his devotion, and his story is documented in the Periya Puranam, a 12th-century Tamil hagiography of the 63 Nayanars,[4] Kannappa is portrayed, along with other devotees, in the thousand-pillar corridor of the Meenakshi temple in Madurai.[11]
The scene of Kannappa's sacrifice is portrayed in Shaiva temple pillar reliefs of early Vijayanagara.[12]
Depictions in film
[edit | edit source]| Year | Title | Language | Character played by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Kannappa Nayanar | Tamil | V. N. Sundaram | [13] |
| 1954 | Bedara Kannappa | Kannada | Dr. Rajkumar | |
| Kalahasti Mahatyam | Telugu | |||
| 1955 | Shiv Bhakta | Hindi | Shahu Modak | |
| 1976 | Bhakta Kannappa | Telugu | Krishnam Raju | |
| 1988 | Shiva Mecchida Kannappa | Kannada | Shiva Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar (younger version) | |
| 2025 | Kannappa | Telugu | Vishnu Manchu | [14] |
References
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- ^ a b Dehejia, Vidya. Slaves of the Lord: The Path of the Tamil Saints. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1988. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Peterson, Indira V. Design and Rhetoric in a Sanskrit Court Epic: The Kiratarjuniya of Bharavi. State University of New York Press, 2003. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Zvelebil, Kamil. Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature. BRILL, 1992. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Sekkizhar, Periya Puranam, Tamil Text Society, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
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- ^ S., Rajagopal & Praiya, R. (2023). THOUSAND PILLAR MANDAPA IN MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE, MADURAI, TAMILNADU - A STUDY. XCVI. 66-72.
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