Death is inevitable as life shows it. The early man and other animals were baffled by this phenomenon. Monkeys never accept death and carry the dead baby for days until it rots. On the other hand elephants accept death with dignity. They assemble around the dead body of the elephant and mourn. They take their proboscis (trunk) and caress the body an inch above as if they fell the soul. Common crows crowd around the dead, make farewell noises, flutter around as if a time for celebration and go back to their life.

The early Tamils wanted to remember the dead, even the pets that died during one's life time and erect a monumental stone. Sometimes sculpt it with words. This was referred as Nadukal in archeological, literary term. This aspect of Nadukal transforms itself into God. Tamils believed that through death you reach the eternal source from where you emerge ultimately, which is God. So God is death and Nadukal slowly evolved into a temple. The Buddhists think in a similar way and bring back the ashes to Buddha in a temple.

However, Hindus consider it inauspicious to bring anything related to death close to temple. The superstition over death emerged slowly and Yama the god of death was hated by people and death became fearful. Yama was dark and he rided over a black Buffalo. Tamils curse death over the enemy as it is dreadful. Nandu grew up in such an ambience. Death was hated and even talking about death at home...