Thread by @MarathaExe

Recently discovered inscription of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Tamil Nadu.

Short Thread 🧵➔

This inscription is located in the first hall outside the main sanctum of the famous Abhirameshwara temple in Thiruvamattur village on the banks of the Pamba river in the Villupuram Tamil Nadu state in South India. Essentially, these two pieces are parts of the same stone.

Tiruvamattur village, located on the banks of the Pamba River, a tributary of the Jinji River, where there is a forest of Vanni trees (Medicinal Ayurvedic plants) in South India, houses a Chola and Pallava temple dedicated to Lord Shiva named Abhirameshwar.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj restored this temple during his Manvantari period while campaigning in Dakshina Digvijaya. He brought Nritya Ganesha and the six-faced army commander Shanmukh Senadhipati (Kartikeya) to this spot, worshipping them on the banks of the Pamba River and...

Initiating a grand festival by introducing Harusatagam. (Although the exact meaning of Harusatagam is uncertain, if we interpret Haruv as Brahmin and consider Satgam as a corruption of Shatkarma, the full phrase's meaning can be deciphered).

Hastee Sattar Linga represents one thousand Shiva lingas intricately carved alongside a larger central Shiva linga. Additionally, the two gatekeepers of the Chola Empire, who were believed to have been concealed in the forest, were reinstated at the temple entrance.

Following the daily rituals and purification ceremonies, the temple was further sanctified with the chanting of saints' abhangs and sacred mantras, resonating bells, conch shells, and musical instruments, culminating in the installation of the Sahastra Shivlinga in the temple.

Additionally, the two gatekeepers of the Chola Empire, who were believed to have been concealed in the forest, were reinstated at the temple entrance.

By establishing Brahma (Trimurty) and emphasizing the Brahmin order, indicating that those who recite the Vedas should regularly worship the deity both in the morning and evening.

The inscription concludes with a request that Sarva Sakaljana, meaning all people, should witness the festival in its entirety, where dancers and musicians are now performing in the temple as a service.

This inscription is a testament to the fact that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja played a significant role in reviving Hinduism in South India.

All credit goes to the researchers Saurabh Jadhav, Aniket Wagh, Kumar Gurav, Anil Dudhane, and Prof. Dr. Ramesh.