The Cholas, apart from building the temples in the countries they have won over, also built / renovated / given grants to the shrines of local religions. Rajaraja Perumpalli in Periyakulam (Triconamalli) Srilanka is one such example.The Buddha vihara was rebuild by Cholas.
The Vihara was named after Rajaraja, the great Chola king.There were 16 Chola era Tamil inscriptions found here. Most of them mentions various donations given to the Vihara like lamps, cattle, money,land etc. The architecture style of Vihara is similar to Tamil style construction
Here is one inscription from the Rajendra chola era (his Meikeerthi). The Chola chieftains names mentioned in the inscriptions shows that the Vihara was at its glory during the Chola times.
Only a dimwit will compare such all inclusive Cholas to invaders/destroyers like Mughals
The inscription courtesy ‘Ilangai Tamil Sasanangal’ by Prof C Padmanathan
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Saw this quote in FB, posted by one of the known handles and hence there is no room to doubt that this is a fake one. It is indeed surprising that a ‘professor’ from a reputed university, especially in Tamil Chair, has made such an incorrect statement. It even raises doubts in terms of how much Sangam literature he knows.
Let us look at how Sangam texts describes Aryans.
“ஆரியர் பொன் படு நெடு வரை புரையும்” says Agananooru 398. This means Ariyars are those who lived near Himalayas whose icy glaciers shine like Gold. This fits into the definition of inhabitants of Aryavarta, who were called as Ariyars by Tamil poets. Another Sangam text Pathitrupathu says ‘ஆரியர் துவன்றிய பேரிசை இமயம்’, that Aryas lived near the Himalaya.
The Sangam text “Kurinji Pattu” was sung to inform the Arya King Brahadatta about the process of marriage in Tamilagam. There are many such ‘Kings’ from Arya Varta mentioned by Tamil literature
Many Tamil sangam texts speak about the war between Kings from Aryavarta and Tamil Kings “ஆரியர் துவன்றிய பேரிசை முள்ளூர்”, says Natrinai 170 mentioning about the war at Mullur between one Malayan and Ariyar army.
Today is the birthday of the Chola emperor Rajendra Chola. A thread with some snippets about the great king :
The fact that Rajendra was born in Adi Thiruvathirai (Ardra Nakshatra) was inscribed by him in Thiruvarur temple. He was named as Madhurantaka and took the name of Rajendra during Coronation. At an young age, he was put into duty against Western Chalukyas and he had a name ‘Panchavan Marayan’. Rajaraja made him as the Co regent in the year 1012 and post Rajaraja’s death, he became the full fledged King
His expeditions to north India for fetching the Ganga water & which gave him the name Gangai Kondan and his naval expedition to South East Asia are well known. He also lead the navy towards Maldives and Lakshadives and won them too.
He defeated the Sinhala king in Lanka and brought the entire island under his control. He was the one who brought back the Pandya Crown and ‘Rathna Malai’ from Lanka. He coronated his son at Madurai with these and gave him the name ‘Sundara Chola Pandiyan’.
Here is the path taken by Chola army during the Ganges expedition
His Sasana Sloka in the inscriptions and copper plates reads like this “Rajad-Rajanya Makuta sreni-ratneshu sasanam Etad Rajendra Cholasya parakesari varmanah” meaning, this is the Order of Parakesari Rajendra Chola which is like the Gem in the Crowns of illustrous kings.
One of the most abused subjects (especially of D stocks) is the granting of Brahmadeya / Chaturvedi Mangalam to Brahmins by Cholas. Cholas were called names because of these grants. The fact is such grants have been in vogue since Sangam times and Pandyas & Cheras were the forerunners for granting the Brahmadeyas. These grants were twisted as if they were given free and the Brahmins enjoyed the privilege without paying any tax. There is also another fake theory that only Brahmins lived in Brahmadeyas. Is this true? What is the way Brahmadeyas are structured. Let us analyse this using one of the large Bramadeyas given by Cholas which was documented in Karandai copper plates (1020 CE).
Karandai plates mention about creating a Chaturvedi Mangalam called as Tribhuvanamadevi Chaturvedi Mangalam by combining 51 villages and the land was given to 1080 brahmins. This means an average of 21 brahmins get the land in a village where approximately some thousand people live.
The total land measured like this, which belongs to the government (அரசன் அனுபவித்துக் கொள்ளத்தக்கனவாகிய) is 3135 Veli +. Of this, 619 Veli was subtracted as they belong to common land like temples, centre of the village etc. Only the remaining land of 2516 Veli is split and given to 1080 brahmins, approx 2 Veli per person. The revenue from this land will be approximately 100 Kalam Paddy per year. Compare this with the income of those who worked in Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar temple. They range from 200 Kalam - 500 Kalam.
Even this 200 Kalam is not free of tax. The copper plates clearly mention that from the eighth year, they had to pay tax from this revenue proportionately. In the eighth year, 25% is the tax levied needs to be paid, next year 50% of the tax and subsequently complete tax needs to be paid on the revenue earned.
It is also important to note that even this staggered tax paying is only available to those brahmins who are granted land from this copper plates. Those brahmins who were living in the villages early will continue to pay the tax as before.
Hence, let us be clear that the Brahmadeya lands were NOT tax-free, and they were NOT an exclusive place where only brahmins lived.
Today is the day of this historic Jambudiva declaration.
During the first week of June 1801, Marudhu Pandyas & Oomaithurai were fighting against British by opening multiple battle fronts around Kalayarkovil. Looking at the magnitude of the operations, Colonel Agnew asked for reinforcement from Chennai as he was certain that Marudhus were planning a major offensive sooner
While waiting for them, he issued a proclamation on June 12, 1801 worded with strict warnings & the usual ploy of divide and rule. He blamed Chinna Marudhu of giving protection of ‘company’s rebels’ & trying to usurp Sivaganga from the lawful heirs. He asked ‘Vellai Marudhu’- Periya Marudhu to hand over his brother immediately. He threatened ‘dreadful punishment’ of the natives if his orders are not complied with.
Unfazed, Chinna Marudha issued a counter proclamation. This was the first of its kind in the war for Indian Independence.
The proclamation was pasted in the walls of Trichy fort & in the Srirangam temple on 16th June 1801. Addressed to the people of Jambu Dwipa,Marudhu was scathing in his attack towards British. The proclamation was a remarkable document woven with data & ideals.
It clearly states that the war against British was Pan-Indian & not restricted to Tamilagam. It was attempted to get the required cooperation from the masses & also to motivate the warriors. It warned that the internal disputes & indifference would lead to handing over the power in platter to British.
Marudhu was trying to push the patriotic cause through this proclamation.
While many are speaking about the increase in the spiritual tourism at Kanyakumari after PMs visit, it must also be noted that the temple has some very important inscriptions which are critical from the TN history perspective.
Some of the pillars, six to be precise in the Mani Mandapa houses a very important inscription which helped researchers to deduce the Chola genealogy and some of the historical events in Chola dynasty.
The six pillars have 444 lines engraved in them of which 419 are in Sanskrit written in Grantha lipi, describing the Chola lineage right from Surya/Manu, Sangam period Cholas to later Cholas. The inscription belongs to Vira Rajendra Chola who ruled between 1063-70.
The lines are almost similar to what is mentioned in the Sarala copper plates grants of the same king. The inscription starts with two prayer slokas of Siva followed by a prayer sloka of Vishnu.
“Let Bhavanipati, who has crescent moon in his head, who playfully creates, protects and destroys the world, who is the leader of speech, bless you with abundance of wealth” says the first sloka.
Our beloved PM Shri @narendramodi ji will be meditating for three days at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari. The memorial has lot of history behind it & faced many hurdles when it was built. Let us look at the background and the struggles it has to encounter.
During one of his countrywide yatras, Swami Vivekanada met Raja of Ramanathapuram, Shri Bhaskara Sethupathi at Madurai.
Bhaskara Sethupathi lost his parents at an early age and was brought up under the tutelage of British. Despite that he grew as a staunch Sanatani and did lot of work for the Hindu cause (which can be a separate thread). Due to this, he got an invite to participate in Parliment of World’s Religions at Chicago. He came to Madurai to meet the collector regarding that. Meanwhile, he got introduced to Vivekananda by his friend Justice Subramaniya Iyer.
After interacting with Vivekananda, Sethupathi felt Swami is the right person to attend the conference at Chicago and requested him to do so. Vivekananda informed him that he will decide about it at the end of his Yatra and left for Kanyakumari.
At Kanyakumari, there is a rock bit away from the mainland. It is said that Devi Bhagavathi (Kanyakumari Amman) did penance in this rock. Devi’s Sri Padams (footprints) are also there in the rock. Hence Hindus revered this rock.
On hearing this, Vivekananda swam across the rough sea, reached the rock and meditated for three days. After returning from Kanyakumari, he informed Sethupathi that he will attend the Parliament of World’s religions at Chicago. Sethupathi made the required arrangements. Swami’s speech at Chicago is history.
On returning from US, Swami Vivekananda went to Pamban. Bhaskara Sethupathi received him with full honours and installed a slab at that place. The golden words from Upanishads, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ was inscribed in the slab, which had later become the slogan of Indian Governament after it got the independence. Fast forward 1962….