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marvellous occurrence, the water in the tank is greatly 

 agitated, foaming and boiling to the accompaniment of 

 considerable noise. On the appearance of the chank the 

 foam subsides and the sound ceases. Then the chank 

 comes to the side where it is picked up, purified and holy 

 water sprinkled upon it. Thus consecrated it is carried 

 in solemn procession through the village to the Vetha- 

 giriswarar temple, where it is placed in the treasury with 

 the rest of the temple treasures. 



Locally this chank is considered superior to all other 

 chanks in the world and the origin of the periodic 

 miracle is narrated as follows : — 



When the sage Markkandeya was visiting the sacred 

 places with his disciple, the latter forgot to bring the 

 Siva puja-box containing the chank required for the 

 1 ibation necessary in the ritual of worship. The sage 

 took his bath in the tank and as puja time was fast 

 approaching he prayed to be helped in this misfortune. 

 As a result of his prayer and by the special grace of the 

 deity, a chank appeared in the tank. Then he placed a 

 Lingam before him and, with the help of the chank 

 miraculously provided, performed his worship in an 

 acceptable and proper manner. He also prayed that a 

 chank might appear each day he should worship at this 

 tank. The Puranas say that this request was granted 

 and has been since continued until the present day. In 

 this connection my informant remarks that it is to be 

 noted that twelve ordinary years constitute one divine 

 dav. 



Thousands of pilgrims resort to the Tirukalikundram 

 shrines each year and the marvel of this story is one 

 of the great assets of the place just as is the periodic 

 liquefaction of blood to the shrine of San Gennario in 

 Naples. 



In temple worship, the chank fulfils important 

 service. The ordinary and sinistral forms are both 

 employed whenever the temple possesses them. The 

 former is used in the menial duty of summoning the 

 god's attention, announcing the commencement of the 

 principal rites as well as in calling the devout to wor- 

 ship ; such are among the general explanations given 

 for its employment, but some ethnologists hold that the 

 innate and primitive significance of the use of the 



