Kannappa
Kannappa (Devanagari : कन्नप्पा) was a devotee of the Hindu god Shiva and is significant in South Indian traditions.[1] His story is closely connected with the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. He is one of the 63 Nayanars 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]
Narrative
[edit]Kannappa was born in present-day Andhra Pradesh as Thinnan (transl. strong, powerful).[1][4] His father was the village chief, and he came from a hunter family.[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 both his eyes and granting him liberation.[8] The vayu linga is worshipped at the Srikalahasteeswara temple in Andhra Pradesh.
Commemoration
[edit]
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]| Year | Title | Language | Character played by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Kannappa Nayanar | Tamil | V. N. Sundaram | |
| 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 | [13] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 M. Rama Rao (1970). Mohd. Abdul Waheed Khan (ed.). Select Andhra Temples. p. 16.
Tinna or Kaņņappa, a great devotee of this god, occupies a prominent place in the galaxy of Saiva devotees and his name is familiarly known all over south India.
- ↑ Michell, George (2013). Southern India: A Guide to Monuments Sites & Museums. Roli Books Private Limited. ISBN 978-81-7436-903-1.
- ↑ E, Desingu Setty (1990). The Veduvar of South India: Society and Religion. Inter-India Publications. ISBN 81-2100-237-0.
- 1 2 Dehejia, Vidya. Slaves of the Lord: The Path of the Tamil Saints. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1988. ISBN 9788121500449.
- ↑ M. Rama Rao (1970). Mohd. Abdul Waheed Khan (ed.). Select Andhra Temples. p. 29.
There was, in Pottapinādu; a village named Vadumūru, inhabited by a number of Chenchus. Its chief was Natha-nàtha. He begot by his wife, Tande, a son, named Tinna. Tinna grew into a fine youth, skilled in archery and interested in hunting.
- ↑ Peterson, Indira V. Design and Rhetoric in a Sanskrit Court Epic: The Kiratarjuniya of Bharavi. State University of New York Press, 2003. ISBN 978-0791456149.
- ↑ Zvelebil, Kamil. Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature. BRILL, 1992. ISBN 978-9004093652.
- ↑ Sekkizhar, Periya Puranam, Tamil Text Society.
- ↑ Heifetz, Hank; Narayana Rao, Velcheru (1987). For the Lord of the animals ; poems from the Telugu: the Kāḷahastīśvara śatakamu of Dhūrjaṭi. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 9780520056695.
- ↑ Ben-Herut, Gil (2018). Śiva's saints: the origins of devotion in Kannada according to Harihara's Ragaḷegaḷu. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0190878849.
- ↑ S., Rajagopal & Praiya, R. (2023). THOUSAND PILLAR MANDAPA IN MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE, MADURAI, TAMILNADU - A STUDY. XCVI. 66-72.
- ↑ Dallapiccola, Anna L.; Verghese, Anila (1998). Sculpture at Vijayanagara: iconography and style. New Delhi: Manohar Publishers & Distributors for American Institute of Indian Studies. p. 76. ISBN 9788173042324.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (23 November 2023). "'Lord of the Rings' Vision Revealed by Vishnu Manchu for 'Kannappa,' Featuring Prabhas, Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
