A month ago, there was an argument on whether Shivaji Maharaj had indeed reconsecrated Arunachala temple as claimed by his minister, Raghunath, in the Rajya Vyavahara Kosha (RVK). Some Tamil devotees who were uncomfortable abt accepting desecration of this temple denied this - 1 Some popular handles also butted in with arguments like Sonachalapati is not Arunachala (no inscriptional evidence for such name), supposed lack of architectural evidence for the claim, discrediting corroboration in Karnataka Rajakkal Savistara Catritram by Narayana Pillai - 2

Now we are entering the phase of special pleadings. The text doesn't say 'Adi' Annamalai temple or any insignificant small temple in the town. The list gives 4 temples - all of which are very significant Hindu temple. Vriddhacalam, Srimushnam and Chidambaram are the other 3 - 1

https://twitter.com/tskrishnan/status/1708688191497421075

The issue started because @tskrishnan called RVK by the Amatya as an obscure book - a very illogical and completely wrong stance. That was the prime issue which forced us to correct his position. His next argument was that we can't accept this if no inscriptions r avl. - 2

@ThePrintIndia continues to publish baseless propaganda articles in the name of history. Now, they claim that one Chozha official was a Muslim and that he had access to temples - that he even managed temples. - 1 theprint.in/opinion/ponniy… Let us look at the facts. An officer in the court who managed the execution of grants doesn't equal temple manager. Very title is a lie. Otoh, we have inscriptions from Chola era which state that a trustee was removed because he had close friends from other sampradayas - 2

Kerala govt owes more than 300 crs to TDB alone as annual compensation for lands and more than 30 crs to Padmanabhaswamy alone. Another 30+ crs for Guruvayur. CDB, KDB and MDB are also owed several hundred crores. None of these are paid properly. -1

https://twitter.com/drthomasisaac/status/1564070798842744832

With no computers, in 1947, TDB head office had less than 50 employees. Now the strength runs into several hundreds and with all latest technology. Salary for these employees are paid from temple income. This is commie jiziyah. Giving party freeloaders salary using temple funds-2

There hv been attempts made to insert 2 kings between Pandya Jatila Parantaka Nedunjadaiyan aka Varaguna I and Srimara Srivallabha in the Pandyan dynasty list. Some justifications are given for this invention including the 'claim' that Jatila was not named Varaguna. - 1 2. It is claimed that a Rajasimha II was the son of Jatila Parantaka while a Varaguna I was son of Rajasimha II. Larger Sinnamanur Plates (LSP) are given as evidence for this. Let us look at the evidence in detail. The purvapaksha is as follows:

For once this video makes the reason for Dravidian politics clear. The root of their politics is that Brahmins of TN became financially independent. It is a social injustice movement in reality. The landed castes could not stand the fact that Brahmins were not dependent on them-1

https://twitter.com/realitycheckind/status/1489252075217174529

When free village schools were closed under Brit rule, only Brahmins and a few other castes spent money to get their kids educated as education was their primary source of livelihood. They came to dominate govt jobs as a result. But the community was also highly nationalist - 2

This wannabe journalist doesn't even hv a modicum of sense. Claim made by police is - these 2 priests sold some silver platings from temple in 2014 and instead of selling it, they melted it & gave it to jewellery shop to make new silver platings!! Police got their 'confession'-1

https://twitter.com/savukku/status/1489122962573709312

There is nothing more to even say abt this 'discovery'. Biggest comical claim is this - the silver stolen in 2014 was melted but never sold. The thieves kept the silver and then gave it to make new platings again. Is there any logic in this? Dravidianism means logic goes 4 a toss

For almost half a decade, an independent Pandyan kingdom existed in the Southern TN - which was outside Chola supremacy. This is neither covered in our history textbooks nor even spoken abt otherwise. Let's have a look at this era - 1 Sri Lanka became free of Chola supremacy around 1070 CE under Vijayabahu - using the confusion which arose after the end of the main Chola dynasty. By the time Kulottunga I captured the throne, Lanka had become fully independent. Some Pandyas had taken refuge at Lankan court - 2

Among the hagiographical/biographical texts which may be considered as possibly written by someone who was a contemporary of Sri Ramanuja, only Yatiraja Vaibhavam by Andhra Purna seems to pass the test. Divyasuri Caritam is a much later work - last chapter makes it clear - 1 Venkatachala Itihasa Mala is also a later work. The appointment of Satakopa Jiyars in Tirumala is attributed to Sri Ramanuja in the work. But the Jiyars and mathams were established only in 14th century as is clear from inscriptions - 2

Earliest clear reference to Sri Ramanuja in an epigraph comes from inscription dated 19th Nov 1156 CE in Srirangam temple. A Southern Kerala ruler, Kodai Ravivarman had offered lamp and camphor to the Lord as per orders of Emperumanar (a title of Sri Ramanuja). Per tradition, Ramanuja attained paramapada in 1137 CE. While the inscription says that the offering is as per Ramanuja's orders, it doesnt necessarily refer to him as alive during that year. Rather the words seem to indicate past order being given effect. - 2

1. Bengali Hindu refugees from Assam filed a Writ Petition (WPA No. 148/2021) through social activist Susheel Kumar Pandey before the Calcutta High Court on the post poll violence in West Bengal, which was admitted on May 12, 2021 by a Division Bench of the Court. 2. The Petition was listed before the Constitution Bench of the Calcutta High Court today along with other petitions which related to the post poll violence. The Petitioner was represented by arguing counsel Mr. @jsaideepak along the counsel on record Mr. Rishav Kumar Singh.

@pranasutra avare, not many seem to consider the fact that Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada wrote a succinct summary of the Mahabharata's philosophy under the title 'Vedavyasa paksha' aka 'Bharata paksha'. The philosophy of Mahabharata is expounded by the acharya in 66 slokas - 1 in the 11th chapter of 'Sarva Siddhanta Sangraha'. The very first verse states that Bharata is written according to Sankhya and that it is in agreement with all shastras. Sankhya division of the world into prakrti and purusha is mentioned - 2

There seems to be lot of confusion abt the origin of karthigai deepam festival in TN. Some even asked as to why Vishnu temples celebrate deepam as it is supposedly a Shaiva festival. Popularity of Annamalai deepam has caused many wrong notions regarding the origin itself Kartika deepam is nothing but celebration of kaumudi mahotsava which culminates in devdiwali in northern India. This festival period starts from the end of ashvina month during diwali n continues till kartik purnima which is devdiwali. In TN, solar karthika masam is celebrated