Sudalai Madan


'Madan' is a deified hero known to have performed rites in temples and in graveyards who is generally by Tamil people in South India, particularly in southern Tamil Nadu, southern sanganapuram regions. However, anthropological studies show evidence of native Tamil origin of Sudalai Madan. According to one mythological story, He was created by Lord Shiva, means protector and sudalai means cemetery or burial ground. He is the eradicator of evil forces and bridles evil forces. Evil forces are believed to emanate from cemeteries and burial grounds. Sudalai reigns over evil forces, so Sri Shiva thus dubbed him as Sudalai Madan. Sudalai is also termed as the Kaval Deivam, or the protecting deity. Sudalai Madan is paramount of the protecting deities. Sudalai Madan is often termed as "Maharaja". In central to southern Kerala, he is known as "madan thampuran", "chudala madan" or simply as "madan".
Sudalai Madan temple in Pozhikarai Village cheranmahadevi
alongside the banks of river thamirabarani and a temple in sirumalanchi near valliyor in tirunelveli district are considered more powerful temples in south tamil nadu
There are others deities with the name Madan, but Sudalai Madan is the supersedes all of them. Sudalai is generally considered a rural deity. In the Tamil language, this is referred to as a ooru kaval''.
He is mostly with mother goddess Pechiamman, Brahmasakthi Amman and his brother Sudalai Mundan. Madathi is the consort of Sudalai Madan.
Whoever acts against dharma cannot escape from Sudalai Madan. Sudalai Madan will never forgive anyone who is harming his devotees. One has to be pure at his heart and actions to become a devotee of Sudalai Madan.
There is the belief that Sudalai is the guardian of the Kodimaram in every temple.

Temples

Places of Famous and Powerful Sudalai Madan temples are
  1. Arulmigu Shri Sudalai Eswarar Thirukovil, Maramangalam,Thoothukudi.
  2. Arulmigu Shri. Vannara Sudalai Madaswamy, Surandai- 627859, Tenkasi dist., Tamilnadu.
  3. Alamodu sudalai Temple,Thengamputhur,Tamil Nadu 629602.
  4. Arul mighu shree priya kovil sudalai Elamalkulam Sathankulam taluka tuticorin dist tamilnadu India
  5. Kulasekara Arulmigu Sudalaimadaswamy Koil, Panchalingapuram, Mahadhanapuram, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India 629002
  6. Sri Karayadi Sudalai Madaswamy, Pechiamman Temple, Sathankulam
  7. மயிலாடும்பாறை சுடலை ஆண்டவர் ஆலயம், முதலைக்குளம், திருநெல்வேலி
  8. Perungalatthur Sudalai Muthu Maadaswamy Temple,
  9. Sree Siva Sudalai Madan Swamy Temple, Sivasubramaniapuram, Radhapuram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
  10. Seevalaperi
  11. Otha Panai Sudalai Madan Swami Temple, Sirumalanchi, Thiruvenkatanathapuram, Valliyoor, Tamil Nadu 627101
  12. High Court Maharaja Temple, Arumuga Mangalam, Thenkalam Puthur
  13. நாகர்கோவில் மணிஅடிச்சான் கோவில் சுடலைமாடசுவாமி, # Vijayanarayanapuram#
  14. Oosikattu/Ooikattu Sudalai Madan Temple
  15. Sirumalanji
  16. Palavur, Arulmigu Sudalai Kovil
  17. Arulmigu Kurandikkaattu Sudalai Sri Ayyan Kovil, Valliyur, Tirunelveli.
  18. Arulmigu Sri Vattrakathan Sudalaimadan Kovil, Valliyoor
  19. Pudupatti, Arulmigu Sri Sekkadi Sudalaimadan Kovil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1aDO41FY1c
  20. Vannathankulam/ Thanumalayanputhoor Siva Sudalai, Mayana Kali Temple
  21. Vadalivilai Sudalai Madan Temple, Nagercoil
  22. Hindhu Nadar Samuthaya Vagai Sudalai Madan Temple, Pattahasaliyan villai, Nagercoil, KK District
  23. Ottha Panai Veera Sudalai Madan Swamy Temple, Perumal Nager, Pattahasaliyan Villai, Nagercoil, KK District.
  24. Ozhuginaseri Masana Sudalai Temple
  25. Maha SivaSudalai Temple, Colachel and All the places in the region of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanniyakumari district
  26. Vaigai Sri Sudalaimadasami Temple, Kilakkarai
  27. Arulmigu SUDALAI ESWARAR SWAMY
  28. PUDUPATI ARULMIGU PERIYA OORANI SUDALAI
  29. Motta Kalunga Swamy Temple
  30. Sudalai Madan Temple in Gopalasumdram
  31. SullaKarai Sudalai Madaswamy Andipatti
  32. Arulmigu Sri Sudalai Mada Swami Temple, Irulappapuram, Kanyakumari District
  33. Adukkupeeda Sudalai Madaswamy, Sinthamani, Tirunelveli District
  34. Adukkupeeda Sudalai Madaswamy, Tirunelveli Town, Tirunelveli District
  35. Siva Sudalai Mada Swamy Temple,
  36. Arulmigu Valli Vaikkal Sudali Madan Swamy Temple, Arumuganeri, Thoothukudi District
  37. Arulmigu Poonankundru Siva Sudalai Madaswamy kovil, Therkusalai, Agastheeswaram, Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu.
Arumuganeri
Kidangankaraivilai,
Kanniyakumari
district.
  1. Sri Sudalai Madathabiran Swamy Temple,Navalady, Tirunelveli district.
  2. Arulmigu Sri sudalai eswarar temple,pallapalayam,udumalpet
  3. Arulmigu kalathu kovil Sudalai madan swamy kovil,Vellamadam,Kanyakumari.
Arulmigu Athiadi Sudalaimadan kovil, athiputhur, Tirunelveli Dt.

History of Sudalai

There is no written script for Sudalai Madaswamy. But the history is vocally transferred from ancient. There are lots of stories which tells about the birth of Sudalaimadan.
Born in Kailash by penance of Parvathi is first birth.
Another story about Sudalai Madaswamy tells of his birth on Kailasa, the mountain home of Siva and Parvathi. It is said that Devi Parvathi wanted a child, but Lord Siva had sworn celibacy. He had promised to be chaste at the request of the gods since they had feared that his union with Parvathy would be so powerful it would shatter the universe. Siva suggests another way to have a child. He tells Parvathy to go and do penance in Ayiramkal Mandapam. Parvathi did penance. Shiva was happy about that. Then he plucked his hair, it started to burn as soon as he plucked and threw in that place. The fire spread on her mundanai. From the fire, Sudalai Madan is born.
Parvathi initially feeds the child on Amrita, instead of on breast milk. So it is said that the child became immortal. However, the child also became desirous of solid food. He went to the cremation grounds on Kailasa and began to eat the burning corpses.
since he had such a fondness for meat,
it was decided that he ought not to remain in Kailash. Siva instructed him to go to Earth and to care for its people. Siva proclaimed that Sudalai Madan's protection and kindness would be re-paid with offerings of cooked food and drink, and thus he would always have a meal, as well as people who would pray to him. So Sudalai Madan came to earth, accompanied by a number of singers and dancers who were sent by Siva to see to his worship.

Worship

Often Sudalai Madan statues are triangular pillar-like structure and figured statues are stone carved. He is either in open or under a simple roof. The devotees serve non-vegetarian foods to him. Goats, chickens, and pigs are sacrificed and served to him. Fridays are optimum for Sudalai Madan. Special poojas are conducted every last Fridays of Tamil months and yearly once or twice main festivals are conducted for Sudalai Madan. These festivals are called "Kodai". Kodai is celebrated for one day to many days according to the devotees need. Some famous temples celebrate it for 10 days.
On these occasions, the deities are fully decorated with flowers. Some people get possessed on God and devotees talk to God through them. God goes for hunting in the cemetery through this spiritually possessed person. Art forms of Thappattai beats, Kaniyan Koothu and Villupattu are main performances of Sudalai Maadan Kodai festival.
There is a famous Sudalai Madam deity or a person who perceived the spiritual power of Lord Sudalai Madan in K. K. Nagar, Chennai who would directly speak to Sudalai Madan and convey it back to the devotees. When there is theft Sudalai Madan will let this deity know and help to find the lost objects.
Sudalai Madan Temple function is very famously celebrated every year in Avudaiyanoor Near Pavoorchatram, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.

Outside India

Madan is also popular amongst certain segments of the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Réunion and the French overseas territories in the Caribbean sea.

In popular culture

The 1992 Tamil movie Chinna Thayee has a character which is spiritually possessed by this god.