Abhirami

In the town of Thirukkadaiyur, Subramania Bhattar a great devotee of the presiding deity Abhiramavalli, on a New Moon day (Amavasya), declared it was indeed a full moon night (Pournami). He looked not the sky or the almanac, knew not if it was day or night, but saw only the effulgence of the goddess Abhirami in the eye of his mind, which appeared to him as the beautiful full moon. The king ordered for him to be executed for lying so blatantly, Subramania Bhattar’s resolute bhakti mistaken for sheer arrogance. The Mother Abhiramavalli of Thirukkadaiyur proved him right by flinging her tatanka (earring), which is the moon itself, into the sky and saved Her greatest devotee from the jaws of death, as he sang a set of one hundred beautiful hymns in praise of Mother Abhiramavalli known as Abhirami Anthadhi. Subramania Bhattar thus became "Abhirami Bhattar", as he is more popularly known.