Murkha Nayanar

Murkha Nayanar, also known as Moorka Nayanar, Murka Nayanar, Moorkha Nayanar, Murgga Nayanar, Moorkka Nayanar and Murkhar, is a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the thirty-second in the list of 63 Nayanars.

Life

The life of Murkha Nayanar is described in the Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.

Murkha was born in Tiruverkadu (Thiruverkadu), which was part of Tondai Nadu, then part of the Pallava kingdom. Tiruverkadu is currently a western suburb of the Indian city of Chennai. He is described as great devotee of the god Shiva, the patron god of Shaivism. Murkha Nayanar cultivated devotion for Shiva from his childhood. He used to serve Shiva, by serving Shaivas, the devotees of Shiva. He used to prepare rice with ghee and various sweet and savoury delicacies and feed the devotees. The saint spent all his wealth in feeding the devotees. He sold all his possessions, including his properties and his slaves.

Remembrance The images of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.

Murkha Nayanar is depicted with folded hands (see Anjali mudra). A holy day in his honour is observed in the Tamil month of Karthikai (November–December).

A shrine is dedicated to Murkha Nayanar in the outer corridor of the Vedapureeswarar Temple, the Shiva temple in his home-town Tiruverkadu. A festival is celebrated in his honour in the month of Karthikai when the moon moves into the Nakshatra (Lunar mansion) of Krittika.

Murkha Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Karthikai, when the moon enters the Mula nakshatra (lunar mansion). He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.