நிசத பூசையில் திருஅமுதும் அதன் சிறப்புகளும், அதற்கான தானங்கள் பற்றியும் சில கோயில் கல்வெட்டு சான்றுகளின் அடிப்படையில் ஒரு வரலாற்றுப் பார்வை

A Historical Perspective on *Nisata Pooja* (Daily Worship)—Its Sacred Offerings and Significance—and The Charitable Endowments Associated with It, Based on Epigraphical Evidence Derived from Various Temples.

Abstract

“Thiruamudhu" (Sacred Food Offerings) represents one of the rare and noble traditions practiced by our ancestors, a legacy too profound to be either rejected or forgotten. The temple inscriptions of our Tamil Nadu serve as an archive dating back a thousand years—a historical repository unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Temples, which served as the focal points of society, were administered through organizational structures meticulously planned and established by Tamil ancestors. Due to their devotion and concern for the community, they properly managed the donations given to the gods, performed pujas, and performed the divine service properly. Consequently, they felt that—by the grace of God—both the land and its people flourished. Ritual worship served as the pivotal act connecting the people with the Divine. The main event of such worship was the offering of Thiruamuthu (sacred food) to the Deity. Rather than viewing the offering of Thiruamuthu (sacred food) to the Divine merely as a ritualistic act, the ancestors of the Tamil land performed countless acts of charity and benevolence, believing that such deeds would ensure the well-being of their king, their nation, and their families. With the intention that the charitable endowments thus made should be known to many—and that the records serving as witnesses to these donations should endure forever—they had them inscribed as epigraphs upon the stone walls of the temples where the Deity resides. The details regarding the endowments made specifically for the Thiruamuthu (sacred food) offerings convey to us the profound significance attached to such acts of charity.

To facilitate the offering of Thiruamuthu (sacred food), donations were bestowed in various forms—including land, villages, gold, tax revenues, and paddy. Everyone—ranging from the King, members of the royal family, officials, Brahmins, trade groups, and individuals—contributed donations for the purpose of the Thiruamuthu (sacred food) offering.

               One who has studied references to “Thiruamudhu” (sacred food) found in inscriptions—and has also observed the rituals of offering Thiruamuthu (sacred food) to the deity in contemporary temples—is able to discern the manner in which worship protocols and the practices surrounding these Thiruamuthu (sacred food) offerings have evolved. This research paper on “Thiruamudhu” has been structured specifically to elucidate this very distinction.