Bibi Nachiyar: Muslim Princess Enshrined As A Deity In The Melkote Temple

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It was way back in the early part of the 12th century that the Shaiva cult had grown a huge base of followers of whom Kulottunga Chola was the most important one. Although he was a great Shiva devotee, he was attached fanatically to the Shaiva cult.

He looked down on the Vaishnava mantras, disrespected holy Basil, and even got the Govindaraja Perumal temple locked down for an indefinite time, after which, he forcibly got an agreement signed, that asked for strict compliance to the Shaivite tradition from everyone. Read on to know how the story connects with Bibi Nachiyar, a Muslim princess who is now enshrined as a deity in the Melkote temple, which is located in Mandya distinct, between Bangalore and Mysore.

Bibi Nachiyar: Ramanujacharya Steps In To Tondanur

Subjected to excruciating torture following this debacle, people finally informed Sri Ramanujacharya about the ongoings in response to which, Sri Ramanujacharya left the Chola occupied Kingdom and advanced towards the Thondanoor, wherein he met the Hoysala King Vittala Deva Raya and converted him to Sri Vaishnavism.

He was renamed as Vishnuvardhanan by Ramanujacharya after he embraced the Vaishnava fold. Vishnuvardhanan later spearheaded a revolution due to which the Vaishnava tenets were successfully disseminated throughout the Southern India. Also, famous for the construction of the Pancha Narayana temples (five Narayana temples) at Belur, Thondanoor, Talakkadu, Gadag and Melkote even to this day, he became the forerunner who kept alive the spirit of Shri Vaishnavism in the Southern Kannada belt.

Bibi Nachiyar: Missing Case Of The Cheluva Narayana Idol

It was Ramanujacharya who cleared and reconstructed the temple of Lord Cheluva Narayana on the ruins of the same temple at Melkote with the help of Vishnuvardhan King. The temple turned out to be an enchanting construction with intricately carved figurines and architecturally fine constructions but all this did not gladden Sri Ramanujacharya at all. He had a reason to feel so because the newly constructed temple had no deity for worship. Every single day, he prayed to Lord Cheluvanarayana to show him clues about his whereabouts, and one fine day the Lord agreed.

One night, during Ramanujacharya's sleep, Lord Cheluva Narayana appeared in a dream visitation as a blinding flash of light in which he revealed the location of the Utsava Murthy of the temple. He revealed to him that the idol which Ramanujacharya was searching for, was actually handed out by Brahmadeva to Sri Rama, and then it was passed by him to his son Kusha.

In the same process, it came down into the hands of the Yadushekhara king of the Yadu dynasty, and finally by Balarama and Krishna. The deity which Ramanujacharya lovingly addressed as Ramapriya, was now, as per his dream, was at the hands of the Badshah at Delhi palace.

Bibi Nachiyar: Ramanujacharya Sets Out To The Palace Of Sultan

Ramanujacharya was clearly shaken and he woke up worried about how to bring the idol back to his temple. After enquiring concerned authorities, he realized that it was indeed taken away by the Badshah during one of his sieges on Melkote. Ramanujacharya immediately set out for Delhi, and at eighty years of age, he had the will to pursue his ambition come what may.

At his palace in Delhi, the Sultan welcomed Ramanujacharya warmly and asked him the reason why he had come. Ramanujacharya calmly explained what he had on his mind. He clearly asked the Badshah that the idol of Lord Cheluva Narayana be returned to him as he would like to install it back in the temple.

Badshah was taken aback by the clarity and the conviction and the way Ramanujacharya spoke, without mincing a word. He was somehow compelled to give him permission to search his loot that had accumulated in a corner of his palace. But before anything, the Sultan wanted Ramanujacharya to prove his ownership over the Idol and then he could pass it on to him.

Ramanujacharya went on searching in the heap of idols in the palace and finally learnt that it was not there in the heap. All of a sudden, he saw the Lord Cheluva Narayana in the hands of the Khilji princess, who was seated on a bed playing along with Ramapriya, or Cheluvanarayana.

Bibi Nachiyar : Ramanujacharya Calls Out to the Idol

Princess shed copious tears and was unable to part with the idol to whom she was devoted to the brim. Ramanujacharya moved by this sight, asked the princess gently to hand it over to him. "If you can prove he is yours, you can take it," said the king,

Ramanujacharya stood up, and with trembling arms outstretched in front of the idol, called out "Thirunarayana, En Selva Pillaye, Vaaraay" (Oh my beloved son, Come to me. And as the court watched in gaping wonder, the idol of Thirunarayanan came running from the princess' bedroom and settled into the hands of Ramanujacharya. Leaving the entire court quizzed and perplexed, Ramanujacharya and his followers left immediately to Melkote. Ramanujacharya had a dream in which Lord Cheluva Narayana informed him that the princess was one of the ubhaya nachiyaars and she should be worshipped next to him near the sanctum. However, in the Sultan's palace, it slowly dawned on the princess that idol was no longer with her. Sultan unable to see his daughter in such a pitiable state, ordered his attendants to get the idol back from Ramanujacharya.

Bibi Nachiyar: Ramanujacharya Blesses The Pulayar Tribe

Ramanujacharya immediately, knowing this, diverted his course and reached the huts of Pulayar tribe who helped him hide the idol and drive away the sultan's men. Ramanujacharya was overwhelmed with gratitude towards the Pulayars. Suddenly, a small boy from the Pulayar tribe asked him what was that he was holding so dear to his heart,. Ramanujacharya showed the precious idol to the tribal group and let them do their pujas to the idol. Feeling blessed, they conducted the pujas the way they knew.

Calming the excited crowd, he invited them to the temple and asked them to take part in the puja. When the stunned Pulayars asked him how tribal people can be allowed inside the temple, he pacified them and assured them that they could not only celebrate the festivals inside the temple, but could also take a holy dip in the Kalyani pond and this was in response to the services they had rendered in restoring the idol to Ramanujacharya. He blessed them with peace and prosperity Back at Melkote, he performed all the ritualistic observances and pujas began in full swing.

Bibi Nachiyar: Merging With The Divine

The princess who had followed Ramanujacharya so far, no longer looked like a princess. She had reduced to skin and bones by the time she had reached Melkote due to the stressful situation that she was in. She was stopped at the entrance, from where she saw teary eyed, her companion idol being worshipped by millions and realized that it was all over. An eerie sense of calm descended on her, and she no longer felt like screaming and crying in helplessness. Without a fuss, she calmly walked up to the sanctum of the lord, and looking intently at the lord, raised up her hands one last time in prayer, and the next moment dropped to the floor. She had merged with her idol.

Ramanujacharya who was informed about this occurrence, choked due to grief, unable to speak a word. But, he soon realized the kind of devotion she had toward his idol. He got a small idol of the princess made and installed it at the feet of Lord Cheluva Narayana for further ritualistic worship.

Bibi Nachiyar: Worshipped As A Deity

Bibi Nachiyar found honour as an Ubaya Naachiyaar of Melkote Cheluva Narayana or Tirunarayana. She is also worshipped by the name of Thulukka Naachiyaar, Bibi Naachiyaar, Beevi Naachiyaar and Sultani Naachiyaar. Even today, before the tiruvaradhana (detailed puja) starts at Melkote, the priest does mangal aarti to Bibi Nachiyar and then begins the worship of Lord Cheluva Naarayana.

Even today, the princess is worshipped as an idol which is installed at the feet of the idol of Lord Cheluva Narayana. Her face is covered with a purdah even today. Lord Cheluva Narayana was renamed as Shelvapillai, the name he was called by Ramanujacharya in the court of the Muslim King.

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Image sources: Wikimedia Commons