This Story is more than beautiful!
From - https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/afmc-a-batch/PtI7IUAHPFs
ROTIS FOR LORD RANGANATHA OF SRIRANGAM.
Most of us at least once would have visited Sri Rangam and worshipped Lord Ranganatha. Here is a small narration of why rotis are cooked and offered to Lord Ranganatha which many may not be aware of.
At the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, a small sannidhi stands almost unnoticed in the corridor bordering the sanctum sanctorum.
You might not even know that it houses the sannidhi of Thulukka Nachiyar.
She was the Muslim princess who became the Divine Consort of Lord Ranganatha.
In Srirangam temple, the presiding deity, Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu, receives a daily offering of rotis, sweet with a heady scent of ghee – made with wheat (in contrast to the orthodox rice meal) and even wears colored lungis (not the white cloth worn by Hindus) to please a Muslim Princess.
This shows how beloved the Thulukka Nachiyar or Bibi Nachiyar is to Ranga.
A small painting of the Princess hangs in the Temple Complex.
Tulukka NAcciyAr is worshipped as an Deity, ever serving His Thiru paadham.
Her Face is covered by a purdhah (every respectable muslim woman wears a purdah).
To commemorate Saint Ramanuja’s successful visit to Delhi to bring back the uthsava vigraham of Peruma, the Uthsavar is named SELVA PILLAI, the name given to the Idol at Sultan’s place by Beebi nachiyar.
Who is this Beebi Nachiar (Thulukka Nachiyar)?
When Malik Kafur invaded South India,(during 1310-1311), news reached the Temple authorities in Srirangam that Kafur was planning to plunder the Temple.
Srirangam was captured and the riches were looted.
The invaders did not want to accept the rituals of Hinduism. They took off the statue of Alagiyamanavalar Perumal and plundered the treasures, jewels and ornaments which belonged to Srirangam temple.
The statue of Alagiyamanavalar Perumal was sent to Delhi. Most of the plundered and looted Golden Idols were melted and added to the treasury of the Sultan.
The princess of Delhi, the daughter of Sultan, was much attracted by the beauty of Azhagiya Manavalan that she begged her father, the Sultan, not to melt Him and give it to her for playing with as a toy.
He gifted the Golden Idol of Azhagiya Manavalan, to Her, to play with. She became quite attached to it!
She was so much magnetized by the beauty of Azhagiya Manavalan, that She became inseparable from Him and fell in love with Perumal.
She never left Perumal even a moment. The Sultan didn't expect this.
When Ramanujar, the Vaishnavite saint, went to retrieve the Deity and the Princess wouldn't part with it.
The Sultan however, happily, surrendered the statue of Alagiyamanavalar Perumal back to Guru Ramanujar.
The Daughter of Sultan could not bear this. Ultimately She followed it back to Srirangam.
At Srirangam the Princess became Ranaganatha's Consort.
She is worshipped as Thulukka Nachiyar. Now there is a separate Temple for Her near Ranganathar temple next to Arjuna Mantapam, near the sanctum sanctorum.
Every year Kalyana uthsavam with Arangan is celebrated in a grand manner, when butter rotis and sugar, cooked Mughalai style are first offered to the Naachiyaar and then only offered to Rangan.
