| Besides gods there are
other forms of worship. They are :-
Worship of Spiritual Personages
Places hallowed by the birth or other associations or evolved souls are
held in great veneration. A temple, a mound or a monument is erected
at these spots. A tree in Nerur near Karur on the banks of the Cauvery,
where Sadasiva Brahmendra gave up his mortal remains. Thiuvamur
in South Arcot district, the Birth place of saint appear, Tiruchuzhail
and Tiruvannamalai, the place of the birth and the Ashram of Bhagavan
Ramana Maharshi. Sri Perumpudur associated with the birth of Sri Ramanuja
are instances of places held in reverence . Wayside stones are installed
to perpetuate munis or ascetics to invoke their blessings, new -
born babies are named Munian, Munuswamy and Muniyandi.
Great poets and scholars too are honoured by erection
of monuments . The memory of Thiruvalluvar is commemorated by a small
temple on the out skirts of Mylapore that of the poet Kamban by
a samadhi at Nattarasam Kottai . Earth from around this mound is
applied to the forehead of children, before their initiation to
letters in order to assure academic success.
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