Thread by @jeysundhar_d

Yesterday was Thiruvathirai, the day of the Thiruvathirai (Arudra) star in the month of Margazhi.

It is an important festival for Shiva temples that constitute the Pancha Sabhas where Shiva performed the Tandava. #Thread

Shiva himself is hailed as Thiruvathiraiyaan. This occasion is celebrated gloriously in Chidambaram, the primus inter paeres of the Pancha Sabhas.

In some traditions, it is celebrated as the birthday of Shiva.

But it is also the birthday of another remarkable, yet very human personality.

And that's what we'll be looking at today.

More than a 1000 years ago, around 970 CE, on the day of Thiruvaathirai star in the month of Margazhi, was born a remarkable son, to a remarkable father.

This was Rajendra Chola, the son of Raja Raja Chola. (PC: @poetryinstone )

@poetryinstone How do we know this?
Because Raja Raja made a grant to the Shiva temple at Thirumuthukundram (Vriddhachalam) for special poojas on every Thiruvathirai, for the health and well-being of his son.

The Vriddhagireeswarar temple in Tamil Nadu.

@poetryinstone Rajendra was born before Raja Raja was the King. In fact, due to a variety of reasons, Raja Raja would become the king only in 985 CE when Rajendra was already in his teens.

@poetryinstone Soon after becoming the King, Raja Raja launched a campaign against the Pandyas and the Cheras.

Thus, one of the first battles of Raja Raja's reign as king was that of Kandaloor Salai, in 988 CE.

@poetryinstone Kandaloor Salai is in present-day Kerala. There are varying accounts on whether it was controlled by the Cheras or Pandyas.

However, of relevance to us is who led this campaign.

@poetryinstone In 988 CE, the hero of our thread, Rajendra Chola was most likely in his late teens.

But by then, it was clear that the son was as illustrious as his father, with a natural talent for fighting and leading wars.

@poetryinstone Yes, it was young Rajendra Chola who led the Kandaloor Salai campaign.

It was a sign of things to come.

The Cholas experienced great success in this battle.

@poetryinstone As part of the campaign, Rajendra also led a naval attack on the Vizhinjam port.

Both Kandaloor Salai and Vizhinjam were of economic and strategic importance for the Cheras, as they controlled a lot of trade.

Vizhinjam Project 1000+ years after the Battle of Kandaloor Salai.

@poetryinstone After this early success, Rajendra would continue to lead most of the battle campaigns of Raja Raja's long reign (985-1014CE), honing his skills and building his credentials in the process.

@poetryinstone One of the last battles of Raja Raja's reign is against the Western Chalukyas.

Led by Rajendra, this, as with most of his campaigns, was a great success.

The capital Manyakheta (Malkhed in Karnataka) is destroyed and the Chalukyas shift to Kalyani.

@poetryinstone Incidentally, this battle is what the 1973 Tamil movie Raja Raja Cholan begins with.

@poetryinstone Soon after this battle and the consecration of the Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur in 1010 CE, Rajendra is made co-regent with equal powers as Raja Raja (1012CE)

@poetryinstone By this time, the territories of the Chola land have expanded. Raja Raja was Mummudi Chola (the Chola of three crowns- Chola, Chera and Pandya).

To avoid possible chaos and other claimants to the crown, Raja Raja made his son the co-regent while still alive.

@poetryinstone After Raja Raja's death (around 1014 CE), Rajendra's reign begins with a series of even more ambitious and illustrious campaigns.

@poetryinstone Perhaps we will look at them on another day.

But since yesterday was Thiruvathirai, let's see if there's more that connects Lord Shiva and Rajendra Chola.

@poetryinstone To begin with, his name. While Rajendra was the well-known title, his name at birth was Madurantaka, as with the predecessor of Raja Raja.

Uttam Chola was titled Madurantaka as he destroyed Madurai in battle with the Pandyas.

@poetryinstone Shiva, by way of marriage to Meenakshi, is popularly the son-in-law of Madurai.
Rajendra was called Madurantaka, the destroyer of Madurai (ironic in a way, I know).

@poetryinstone The day of birth, under the star Thiruvathirai.

As @vezhamukhan said yesterday, Thiruvathirai is the sacred wave, with aathirai meaning wave.

Of course, Shiva is Aathiraiyan, the one of the great sea wave. But, was Rajendra?

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan YES! Rajendra led one of the earliest blue water naval battles in history.

Yes, yes, I know that there were plenty of naval battles in the Mediterranean. But Mediterranean as its name suggests, is sea between land.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan Rajendra's naval campaign against the Srivijaya Kingdom (areas in present-day Indonesia) was across the blue waves of the open waters of the Indian Ocean, with no land for hundreds of miles.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan Rajendra was a devout Shaivite and built/renovated several Shiva temples.

The greatest perhaps is the Brihadeeswara temple he built in the city he founded, Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan And now, for the most interesting connection between Shiva and Rajendra.

A sculpture in the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple.
Shiva Himself performing the coronation of Rajendra while Parvati watches admiringly.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan Look how the sculptor has captured Rajendra's vinayam and Shiva's majestic grandeur.

I suspect the alcove was spaced in earlier, and then the sculpture was envisioned, hence the slight space crunch.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan Still, the sculpture captures so much detail, including the Ganas around Shiva.

I hope we are able to pass on the excellence of art that we have inherited... although that hope fades every day.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan Sometimes, I wonder what Rajendra, one of the greatest of conquerors would do.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan As we celebrate Thiruvaathirai every day, let us also remember Rajendra, that Lord of Kings, Aathiraiyaan, that Lord of the Seas, who was born on the same day.

Thank you for reading.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan P.S. I missed another connection.
Thiruvathirai is celebrated big in Chidambaram.
Rajendra is believed to have stayed in Chidambaram while his new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram was built.

@poetryinstone @vezhamukhan @threadreaderapp please unroll.