The famed author, Michael Crichton, once said, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are leaf that doesn’t know it’s a part of the tree”.  History is limited to the versions captured in the school textbooks, the narrative of which is set by the powers that may be. More often than not, some of the illustrious eras of the past get relegated to occasional passing mentions and don’t get the justice of being represented for what they are.

The land which we inhabit currently has been walked over by some very illustrious kingdoms of the past, whose accounts we know nothing of. This type of disservice is corrected by some good authors, who, with some painstaking research and years of toil, come up with a book that paints a vivid picture of a kingdom gone by. The book, The Cholas, is one such effort that portrays the lives and times of one of the most famous kingdoms of the past.

TS Krishnan is a prolific writer, evident to all those following him on the social media platform, X. The contribution of the Cholas in terms of law, administration, and the architectural and engineering marvels in the form of the famed temples that have stood the test of time has been a topic of interest and research for a long time.

The movie, Ponniyin Selvan, has piqued or rather reinvigorated an interest in the famed dynasty of the southern part of India, and naturally, there were a lot of expectations. At the onset, it needs to be highlighted that this book is an excellent one, which is backed by some solid research and cross-references across a multitude of works across various texts.

The book captures the evolution of the Cholas in 3 segments of time. Starting with their origins from Surya (Surya Vamsha) to their mention in the famed Sugreeva’s map (Ramayana) and being part of the Mahabharata, the author captures the early reign of Cholas through references from various Tamil and Sri Lankan works.

The Sangam era is the next part of the book, which captures the times of the Cholas during the Sangam period, followed by a few centuries of the Kalabhra Interregnum. Finally, the golden age of Cholas from the 9th Century CE to the 13th Century CE is presented with very rich details. The author’s research is quite evident in the form of the references from Ramayana (Sugreeva’s map) and Mahabharata (Drona Parva), as well as the famous Sri Lankan text, Mahavamsha.

The book records the times of the Sangam era with very rich and intricate details, while the Kalabhra Interregnum is also represented with vivid details, including the spread of Jainism and Buddhism during that era in this region. The author is quite clear in the details of some of the kings, whose accounts are lost to the tides of time. For example, in the revival period, the fate of Kannaradevan is quite clearly highlighted as unknown.

The book is quite an eye-opener to modern readers who are unfamiliar with the rich history of the land. Cholas were devout Sanatanis with a sound grounding in the Vedic culture. This is captured in vivid detail throughout the book, starting from the Hemagarbha and Tulabhara of Parantaka Chola.

One of the key aspects of the book is the vibrant detailing of the titles adorned by many Chola rulers over time. Another interesting anecdote is the inscription related to Raja Raja Chola’s ascension to the throne, where the word “Karkataka” is employed to denote the 4th month of the Hindu calendar (same as Adi in Tamil), as well as the word “Uttarayana Sankranthi”. These instances demonstrate the knowledge and widespread usage of the common Sanskrit-based words in the inscriptions.

The author has captured many “Meikeerthis” (true deeds) related to many Chola rulers of the modern era, which highlight the poetic elegance and exuberance of the citizens to sing the praises of their king. One of the interesting aspects captured in the book is the existence of “Chalais”, which served as a prestigious training school for the leadership, reminiscent of the modern LBSNAA located in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

The author highlights the various administrative reforms, like the extensive land survey, the taxation, etc, undertaken by each of the rulers. There is a dedicated section at the end of the book that captures this information in equally rich detail. Perhaps, there could have been cross-references to avoid some repetition and perhaps better compartmentalisation of the content to provide a better reading experience. The meticulous documentation of these famed kings is definitely one of the highlights of their reign during those illustrious years.

The architectural marvels of Brihadeeshwara (Rajarajeshwaram), Gangai Konda Cholapuram, Darasuram, and Tribhuvanam are brought out with such rich and vivid details. The author successfully transports the readers into the era of architectural and engineering excellence, along with the rich and deep cultural and religious impact of these rulers. For example, one learns about the first installation of Sarabha Murthy (a fierce form of Shiva) during Raja Raja II’s reign in Darasuram. These tiny, yet powerful details are clearly the highlights of this book.

One of the standout features of the book is the rich photographs of temples, murals, and bronze sculptures of that era. Spanning over 20 pages, these pictures give a rich insight into the deep impact of this famed kingdom of an era gone by. The page with pictures of Chola coins is equally rich and intriguing, with the inscriptions in Nagari, indicating the language of the Chola kings of that era.

Part II of the book, i.e., Glory and Governance of the Chola Era, is perhaps one of the best portions of the book, which in itself can become a booklet or an addendum to the school curriculum. The author brings out the various administrative, legal, and cultural reforms institutionalised by the Cholas across the reign of various rulers. These subsections are laden with rich details of the thought process of the kings in terms of centralised and localised administration of the various local bodies.

The division of the responsibility is quite an interesting read, considering the various conflicts being observed in modern society. This book, coupled with Dr R Nagasamy’s eternal book “Studies in Ancient Tamil Law and Society,” would be a very good read for those interested in these aspects of life and history.

There are some aspects of the book that I felt could have been better. For example, the author uses the word “Tamilakam” quite extensively in the book while referring to other regions as Andhra, Karnataka, etc. If this book were written in Tamil, it would be quite understandable. However, when the book is written in English, it would be expected that the regions are treated equitably, i.e., quoted with their historical names or referred to through modern boundaries. This perceived partial treatment is upsetting.

There is an account of Banas who ruled some parts of modern Andhra, Karnataka, and northern Tamil Nadu. The author quotes that they used the word “Maveli,” which is a Malayalam word. A reference to an inscription or copper plates for this could have been beneficial.

The author’s efforts at consolidating the information across various sources are quite commendable. However, this is laden with inherent challenges of collating related data. For example, if one considers the episode between Athi Rajendra and Kulottunga Chola (Pages 139, 141), there is some related information on both pages. I felt that the context of Page 139 was a rich foundation on which the additional details from Page 141 could have been added.

The author has highlighted many religious donations and activities undertaken by each of these famed rulers. In these sections, the author makes a distinction between Saivism, Vaishnavism, and Vedic rituals. This is quite appalling considering that all 3 paths are various forms of our own Sanatana Dharma. This kind of distinction can possibly fuel the fault lines that are being created in modern society. I wish that the author could have phrased these terms much better to avoid this kind of muddle.

Apart from these infractions, this book is very highly recommended to get a deeper insight into the times and lives of these illustrious royals of the past, The Cholas – A very highly recommended read.

Gee Vee is an engineer and avid fan of itihasas, puranas and books.

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In a remarkable discovery, Dr. Vanjiyoor K. Panneerselvam, head of the Tamil Epigraphy Department of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has unveiled detailed information about a 950-year-old temple that also functioned as hospital during the Chola dynasty. According to a report by BBC Tamil, Dr. Panneerselvam shared the historical significance and operational details of the Adular Salai hospital located at Thirumukkudal.

Dr. Panneerselvam explained the etymology of “Adular Salai,” breaking it down into “Adular” meaning one who is ill, and “Salai” meaning a medical institution, effectively making it a medical facility for the sick. He further detailed the land donations made in names such as Vaidya Virupthi, Vaidya Bhagam, Vaidya Bhogam, Vaidya Kani, and Adular Salaipuram, which were used to maintain the hospital and pay the salaries of its medical staff.

Thirumukkudal, situated on the banks of the Palar River at the confluence of the Palar, Cheyyar, and Vegavathi rivers, is where this ancient hospital was located. The Venkatesa Perumal temple here housed the Adular Salai hospital during the Chola rule, around A.D. 1068. An inscription on the eastern wall of the temple’s first prakara features a statue of Rajakesari Virarajendra Chola, detailing the establishment and functioning of the hospital.

Dr. Panneerselvam elaborated on the operations of Adular Salai based on these inscriptions, revealing that it provided medical care to temple workers and students of Vedic studies. The hospital had 15 beds for in-patients and was staffed by a team of seven: a doctor, a surgeon, two pharmacists, two nurses, and a public servant. Surgical treatments, referred to as Salliyakriya, were provided for major injuries, while pharmacists managed and dispensed medicines.

The detailed inscriptions also mention the roles of general physicians and their assistants, including salary details and the types of food served to patients. Notably, the hospital functioned in a part of the temple known as “Janatha Mandapam.”

Dr. Panneerselvam highlighted the names of various medicines used at the hospital, many of which are still in use today. These medicines include 1. Brahmayam Kadumbapuri 2. Vasaritaki 3. Gomutra Karithakai 4. Dasamoola Haritaki 5. Pallathaka Haritaki 6. Kandiram 7. Balageranda Oil 8. Cotton Balm 9. Lasunagayeranda oil 10. Uttama Karinnadi Tailam 11. Sukla Sikritam 12. Bilwadi Giridham 13. Mandukaravadigam 14. Thravathi 15. Vimalai 16. Zunori 17. Tamrathi 18. Vajrakalpa 19. Kalyanalavanam 20. Puranagiritham with descriptions and their corresponding ailments detailed in the Ayurvedic text ‘Sarakar Samhita’.

Additionally, Dr. Panneerselvam pointed out that similar hospitals, referred to as Adular Salai, operated in various locations under the Chola reign, including Chidambaram and Mayiladuthurai. Epigraphic evidence also indicates the existence of Adular Salai hospitals in Koil Devarayanpettai near Nannilam in Thanjavur district and at the Agnipureeswarar temple in Tirupugalur near Nannilam.

Thirumukkoodal Sri Appan Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal

(With inputs from BBC Tamil)

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An ancient inscription dating back to the 10th century was discovered amidst the ruins at Vallimalai Murugan temple in the Vellore district. After being safely retrieved, it was entrusted to the care of the Vellore Government Museum.

Located near Katpadi in the Vellore district, Vallimalai has been the subject of archaeological interest. Prompted by reports of two neglected inscriptions belonging to King Krishna Kannaradevan III from the 10th century, the Archaeology and Revenue Departments jointly conducted a survey in the area.

Subsequently, two deteriorated inscriptions were unearthed near the Vallimalai Murugan temple. These inscriptions hailed the victory of King Kannaradeva from the Rashtrakuta dynasty during the 10th century.

Interestingly, both inscriptions conveyed identical messages in both Tamil and Kannada, recounting a significant historical event. In a fiercely contested battle called ‘Battle of Takkolam‘, the Rashtrakutas emerged victorious over the Cholas near Takkolam, close to Arakonam. Prince Rajaditya of the Chola dynasty perished in this conflict, leading to the northern regions of Tamil Nadu falling under Rashtrakuta dominion. During this period, King Krishna III was encamped at Melpadi and organized a literary competition. Gandadeva Appaiyan emerged as the victor and was rewarded with a village by King Krishna. These inscriptions provide detailed accounts of these events, including the demise of Chola princess Rajaditya during the battle at Takkolam. Intriguingly, even in this Rashtrakuta inscription, Rajaditya is referred to as ‘Yaanai Mel Thunjiya Devar,’ indicating his demise while fighting from the back of an elephant.

A very important discovery is made in Vallimalai yesterday, of two inscriptions of Rashtrakuta king Krishna III (circa 10th century). In one of the fiercely fought war, Rashtrakutas defeated Cholas at Takkolam near Arakonam. Chola prince Rajaditya was killed in the war. This has… pic.twitter.com/5FqIbOKEtv

— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆 (@tskrishnan) May 16, 2024

வேலூரில் கிடைத்த பொக்கிஷம்.. யானை மேல் அமர்ந்தபடியே வீரமரணம்.. ராஜ ராஜ சோழனின் கொள்ளு தாத்தா பற்றிய கல்வெட்டு.. படிக்க படிக்க தெரிந்த உண்மைகள்..!#Vellore | #Inscription | #Architecture | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/Pw0IZNTzsE

— Polimer News (@polimernews) May 15, 2024

(With Inputs From Dinamani)

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In a significant archaeological discovery, researchers in Chitrakudi, Thanjavur district, have unearthed ancient sculptures believed to date back to the 9th or 10th century. Among the artifacts found are a Nandi sculpture and a Vishnu sculpture, the latter of which is missing its head but is made of stone.

The idols were discovered by a team led by Mani Maran, a  Tamil scholar at Saraswati Mahal Library, Thanjavur, after being alerted by S. Sathya, Assistant Professor in Tamil at Bon Secours College for Women. Thillai Govindarajan, headmaster of Government Elementary School, Ponthiyakulam, and G. Jayalakshmi, a government schoolteacher, were also part of the team.

According to Mr. Maran, based on the style and features of the sculptures, both idols belonged to the Chola period. The Nandi, with half of its body buried, was found in an agricultural land at Lingathadimedu in Chithirakudi. The well-sculpted idol features a “manimalai” around the neck of the Nandi. Mr. Maran pointed out that the hump of the Nandi is well sculpted and similar to those found in local bulls.

The idol of Vishnu was discovered about 100 meters away, on the Ananda Cauvery, an irrigation canal that irrigates the village. “The idol, with its head and a hand broken, was found close to the south bank of the canal. The idol, about three feet tall, was buried below the hip. There could have been a big Sivan temple that had fallen into ruin in the area,” Mr. Maran added.

The Nandi sculpture, which is intact, is believed to be a representation of the sacred bull that serves as the mount of the Hindu god Shiva. The Vishnu sculpture, despite missing its head, is an important find, shedding light on the religious and cultural practices of the time.

தஞ்சை மண்ணில் தென்பட்ட அதிசயம்.. 9ம் நூற்றாண்டை சேர்ந்த நந்தி, விஷ்ணு சிலைகள்.. மண்ணில் புதைந்த நிலையில் மீட்பு#Thanjavur | #Cholas | #Archaeology | #GovtofIndia | #TNGovt | #DistrictNews | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/goJklEnUjk

— Polimer News (@polimernews) May 9, 2024

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The post Ancient Chola Era Nandi And Vishnu Stone Sculptures Unearthed In Chitrakudi, Thanjavur District appeared first on The Commune.

This article was first published in Vijayvaani and has been republished here with permission.

There is literary evidence that the Cholas were the descendants of Rama. There are hymns in the Tamil Sangam texts that refer to Rama as the ancestor of the Chola clan. However, in tune with the practice of not mentioning the name of the king but indicating the name by the special deed done by them, the poets have often written about just two ancient kings as ancestors of the Cholas by mentioning the feats done by them. One saved a pigeon by offering his own flesh, whose identity can be easily found out as Sibi. Another was a valiant king who destroyed the hanging walls of the enemy. Until now no one had been able to identify either the city of hanging walls or the ancestral king who destroyed it. Analysis shows that it was Rama!

Let us begin with the hanging walls. Which city had the hanging walls? How could the walls be hanging? In the stories that have been handed down to us so far, there are two cities that are said to have had walls hanging from the sky.

Hanging Cities

One was the city of Amaravati, the capital of Indra. It was said to be in the sky. The Chola genealogy says that Muchukunda who came in the Chola lineage was a friend of Indra, thereby giving the impression that Indra was not a mythical figure. Muchukunda’s name appears after Mandhata of the Ikshvaku lineage. Up to Mandhata, the Ikshvaku lineage and the Chola lineage have the same names. After Mandhata a diversion is seen with the name Muchukunda appearing as the son of Mandhata but not ascending the Ikshvaku throne. His name gets related to the Chola lineage in the Chola inscriptions.

Muchukunda once helped Indra to protect the city of Amaravati when he went to fight with the Asuras. This information given in Silappadhikaram further states that pleased with Muchukunda’s help in protecting Amaravati in his absence, Indra gifted him a deity by name “Naalangaadi Bhootha”. This deity was installed at the centre of the marketplace in Poompukar by Muchukunda. The worship of this deity continued till Silappadhikaram times (2000 years ago). Muchukunda’s name is also associated with the seven temples of Shiva known as Sapta Vidanga Sthalas in Thanjavur, giving further evidence of the existence of Muchukunda and his presence in south Tamilnadu long ago. What is of importance is that Amaravati was said to be in the sky.

Similarly, another city said to be in the sky was Lanka ruled by Ravana. Ravana told Sita that Lanka was situated on a mountain (Va- Ra: 3-47-29). On the hilltop, the city looked like a ‘hanging city’ through the clouds. Lanka was a walled city. As the clouds surround the mountain, those looking at it from below can only see the clouds on top of the mountain. The walls of the city partially concealed by the clouds gave an appearance as though the walls were hanging from the sky. Thus, the city of Lanka was praised as a city in the sky.

Ravana also said that his city was like Indra’s city of Amaravati (Va-Ra: 3-48-10) by which it is known that Amaravati must also have been a city situated on a hill. People called Devas might have lived there. It should be pointed out here that the region encompassing Thailand, Burma and Vietnam was named as Indra Dweepa. This region, in close proximity to Bharat, gives ample scope for movement and interaction between these two places.

Indra’s charioteer Matali gave his chariot to Rama and charioteered him in the war with Ravana, proving that Indra lived during Rama’s times. Matali sought an alliance for his daughter from human beings, indicating that Indra and the so-called Devas were also human beings, but could have been of a different human species. Ravana’s son was named Indrajit because he defeated Indra. All these show that there was nothing mythical about Devas and that Indra could have been a titular name of kings of Indra Dweepa. During the period of Rama, Amaravati and Lanka were hilltop cities, surpassing each other in beauty and structure.

The King Who Destroyed Hanging Walls

The account of the destruction of hanging walls is found in the 39th verse of the Purananuru. The poetess Marokatthu Nappasalaiyar congratulates Chola King Kulamurrathu Thunjiya Killi Valavan as one who was compassionate towards living beings like his ancestor who gave his body to save the dove. He is praised again as one who conquers the enemy like his ancestor who destroyed the hanging walls of the enemy’s city.

Another poet, Nallur Naththathanar, in the Sangam text called Sirupaanaarru padai, recalled the king who gave his flesh to save the dove and the king who destroyed the hanging walls.

In Tamil there is a compilation of proverbs written as poems by Munururai Araiyanar by citing an example to explain each proverb. In this compilation having 400 such poems, one of them refers to the one who destroyed hanging walls. In the context of expressing a proverb on the importance of hard work to be taken by one, the poet recalls the efforts put forth by the one for breaking the hanging walls.

In Manimegalai, in the story about the Chola king who celebrated Indra Festival, the author refers to “the king who destroyed the hanging walls”. This was written 2000 years ago.

In the Kalingatthu Bharani written in the eleventh century, the author Jayamkondar also refers to “the one who demolished the hanging walls” while recounting the greatness of the Chola lineage.

Solving The Puzzle Of Hanging Walls

The repeated reference to the hanging walls and the king who managed to break them was not given serious thought by scholars. While we are clueless about the city of hanging walls and the king who destroyed it, the first hint at solving this puzzle appears in Silappadhikaram. The context was the camp of the Chera king Senkuttuvan on the banks of the Ganga. After procuring the stone from the Himalayas to make the image of Kannagi, he was camping at the Ganga to conduct the abhisheka for the stone with the water of Ganga.

It had been thirty-two months since the king left his country (Vanji) on his northern expedition. While he was staying on the banks of the river Ganga, an ascetic by name of Maadalan from the Chera country came to the Ganga on a pilgrimage. He met the King and explained the happenings back home after the king left the country. While describing the events in the Chola country to which the queen belonged, Maadalan praised the Chola lineage by mentioning the king who destroyed the hanging walls. Herein he made a notable mention that the walls were three in number!

His specific mention of three-sided walls destroyed by an ancestral Chola king gives the first qualifying hint on the appearance of the fort wall. (Silappadhikaram: Ch- 27: lines 164-168)

This clue makes our search easier because such a city surrounded by three walls is mentioned by an Alwar in his composition. Tirumangai Alwar in his work called ‘Thiruvezhu koorrirukkai” refers to “Mummadhil ilangai” – Lanka of three walls! He goes on to say that Lanka’s three walls were destroyed by Vishnu (Rama)

So, Ravana’s Lanka which was situated on a hilltop was surrounded on three sides by walls. It looked as though it was hanging from the sky. It was destroyed by Rama. The ultimate hint comes from the religious literature of Alwars, but all along the Sangam Age poets were thrilled to mention the deed and not the name of the king. Perhaps the common man was aware of the name of the king, i.e., Rama in olden days. The information about the destruction of the hanging walls appearing until the 11th-century literary works, we can assume that it was common knowledge until then, but forgotten later. Without the verse of Alwar, we could not have established that it was Ravana’s Lanka.

The Cholas of the 10th and 11th century explicitly mentioned Rama as their ancestor. In the text called “Vikramacholan Ula” sung by Odda Koothar in praise of Vikrama Chola, the son of Kulottunga I, the poet refers to this king (Rama) who destroyed the hanging walls (line 17).

The same poet in another work called “Rajarajacholan Ula” refers to King Dasharatha as an ancestor of the Cholas. He also describes how Dasharatha got that name by having destroyed ten chariots with a single chariot he was riding. He further says that Rama was born in that lineage. Rama constructed a bridge across the sea with huge bounders to reach Lanka, and destroyed the hanging walls of Lanka (lines 19-25).

The riddle about the hanging walls is thus solved by the olden Tamil poets themselves who have made it known that Rama had done that feat. They also linked Rama with Chola-s ancestry which should put at rest the mischievous propaganda that Rama was alien to Tamil people. These details also open a new revelation in identifying the location of Lanka situated on top of a hill. Wouldn’t it be appropriate to say that Rama, who gave the Chola heritage, was the son of the Tamil land?

Jayasree Saranathan is a researcher, writer and astrologer with a Ph.D. in Astrology. Her research areas include Indology, Hindu Epics, Tamil Sangam literature and Astrometeorology. She is the author of “Mahabharata 3136 BCE: Validation of the Traditional Date”.

The post Lord Rama’s Connection To The Chola Dynasty: Unraveling The Mystery Of Hanging Walls Of Lanka appeared first on The Commune.

The date was 3 June 1947. Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India proposed a plan which was finalized and India was to be reborn as a sovereign independent nation on 15 August 1947.

History was being created and it needed to be symbolized by a historic event. So, Lord Mountbatten asked Jawaharlal Nehru what plans he has to mark the occasion.

Nehru immediately turned to his trusted aide C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), a doyen of knowledge, to seek advice, who shared with him the ancient Tamil tradition of transfer of power.

During the Chozha era, the transfer of power was done by the Rajaguru (court high priest) who handed over the Sengol symbolizing power and justice, from the old king to the new king. The Chozhas held the Sengol and took oath to uphold justice by swearing in the name of Lord Siva.

Rajaji shared about thus tradition to Nehru and suggested that a Sengol (scepter) be made which the British can hand it over to the new Prime Minister through one of the Hindu priests. Nehru agreed and tasked Rajaji with the job of executing it.

Rajaji was an ardent follower of Thiruvavduthurai Adheenam, one of the oldest Hindu Saivite Mutt founded in the 16th century. It is situated in Mayiladuthurai, 82 kms away from Thanjavur the erstwhile capital of the Chozhas.

Rajaji immediately reached out to the 20th pontiff of the Mutt, Gurumahasannidanam Srilasri Ambalavana Desikar Swamigal.

Swamigal graciously accepted the responsibility and the making of the Sengol was entrusted to Chennai-based Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers.

The Sengol was crafted to be approximately 5 feet in length with intricate details and rich symbolism. The Nandi (bull) was positioned on top of the Sengol representing the concept of “Nyaya,” which signifies justice and fairness.

Vummidi Ethirajulu (96) and Vummidi Sudhakar (88), who are part of the Vummidi family, who were involved in the making of the Sengol are still alive today and recollect that the crafting was constantly monitored by the Adheenam.

The website of Vummidi Bangaru Jeweller says thus:

The Historic Event That Was Forgotten

On the historic day of 14 August 1947, one of the deputy pontiff of the mutt Kumaraswamy Thambiran Swamigal, the mutt’s odhuvar (singer) Manikka Odhuvar and Nadaswaram player TN Rajarathinam Pillai who was also the Adheenam’s Nadaswaram player were specially flown to Delhi carrying the golden Sengol with them.

Fifteen minutes before the clock struck 00:00, the Sengol was sanctified with holy water and verses from Kolaru Padhigam of the Thirumurais (compilation of verses hailing Hindu God Siva) were chanted. As the last line “அடியார்கள் வானில் அரசாள்வர் ஆணை நமதே” meaning (Those who chant this padhigam (set of songs) will rule the heavens) was recited, the Swamigal gave the sceptre to Pandit Nehru, completing the transfer of power.

The photos of the event was widely published in Indian and international media and is displayed prominently at the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam.

As Tamil Labs puts it, at the stroke of midnight, when the whole world slept, India awoke to life and freedom, with the sounds of the holy Thevaaram.

However, this high-profile historic event was kept low-key and slowly forgotten over a period of time thanks to the Nehruvian establishment.

The Sengol was kept at the nondescript Anand Bhavan Museum in Prayagraj (then Allahabad).

Sengol At The Centre Of Power

The historic event which awakened India to freedom and the Sengol which was suppressed for 7 decades has got a new lease of life.

History is now going to repeat itself marking the arrival of a New India with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the New Parliament House. To mark the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would receive the Sengol from the Hindu priests of Tamil Nadu. The Sengol will be placed majestically near the chair of the Speaker.

With the Sengol at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple of democracy, it will symbolize the collective will and aspirations of Indians.

(Kaushik is a political consultant and columnist.)

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An artist, defender of anything outlandish, lording over everything, and a wanna-be intellectual.

Kamal Haasan, a confused, apologetic Hindu, one that fashionably disowns the faith of his ancestors only to conveniently embrace parts of its generous allowances and non-punitive nature, in order to gain political clout and gain acceptance from Dravidian Stockists.

Mr. Haasan claims to be an atheist and a rationalist. Hinduism is perhaps the only major world religion that does not systemically/institutionally disrespect, taunt, abuse, disown or try to convert an atheist.

Hinduism makes room for every type of believer and non-believer, including the atheists, agnostics, rationalists. I have no issue with disbelievers, as long as their rhetoric covers all belief systems or none at all.

However, you’re sure to get a reaction when you single out one faith, one belief and one culture, innumerable times.

Why is it that the peculiar breed of Indian secularists, socialists, communists, atheists, agnostics, and self-styled activists of all feathers, pick on the flesh and bones of Hinduism but stay the hell away from the slightest of “constructive criticism” of the world’s big two – the sparring Abrahamic religions?

Kamal is one among that flock and he is aware of what would happen if at all he were to stir the hornet’s nest. The memories of Viswaroopam must still be afresh in his mind.

The other rabid critics of Hinduism (the exclusive club of Hindu critics) from Tamil Nadu with affinity for EVR (known as Periyar by his followers), are equally annoying, when they choose to exercise their right of expression only on Hinduism fortunately, they don’t garner pan-Indian attention and are not placed in the “intellectual” category.

Kamal Haasan however, poses a unique challenge to the average Hindu man, woman and child. He is in a position to misuse his reputation for histrionics, acting, the “intellectual” tag and his family’s considerable standing in the arts and business.

He has been around long enough to have tested the waters of Hindu resilience and continues to spew unnecessary, unsubstantiated hyperbole on Hindu matters. Any time Mr. Haasan is bored, laying low, looking for his next work assignment or wanting to kick start his defunct political career, he takes a skinny dip in the murky waters of unsolicited Hindu commentary.

In a recent press meet, Kamal Haasan had said that there was nothing called Hinduism during Rajaraja Chozha’s era and that there was only Saivism, Vaishnavism and Jainism that time. He said that ‘Hindus’ was a term given by the Britishers.

He had also said that it was only after Adisankara that the six religions (Shanmatham) – Saivam, Vaishnavam, Saktham, Kaumaram, Ganapathyam, Sauram – became unified under the umbrella of one religion.

At the outset, it may look like he is speaking a fact. However, this actor who fashions himself as an intellectual has passed of distorted facts as a matter of fact.

Histoical evidence trace Adishankara’s period to the 8th century while Rajaraja Chozha’s reign lasted from 985 CE to 1014 CE. That’s around 200 years difference.

So, even if one were to go by the argument that there was no Hinduism before Adishankara, Kamal’s statement that there was no Hinduism during Rajaraja Chozha falls flat.

Cho Ramaswamy was indeed right – Kamal Haasan is an intellectual among actors and an actor among intellectuals.

But it is not just that. The Chozhas have left innumerable evidences – copper plates, inscriptions, temple edicts – that clearly establish their identity. They were patrons of the Hindu faith that we know today. The worshipped Shiva, Vishnu, Murugan, and every deity of the Hindu pantheon. The name may not have existed then. But then what was Dharma back then is what is Hinduism of today.

Despite making a blatantly false claim, Kamal Haasan lacked the intellectual honesty to clarify that he was wrong. Instead, he apparently acknowledged the existence of Hindu lifestyle to an acquaintance who had shared it on his Facebook.

Kamal Haasan has exposed his Hindu hatred many a time in his career. During an election campaign in a Muslim-dominated area, Kamal Haasan said that the first terrorist of independent India was a Hindu (hinting at Nathuram Godse). To disparage Hindus, he doesn’t have a problem in acknowledging the existance of Hinduism but Chozhas are not Hindus according to him.

His film Hey Ram was another attempt at minority appeasement in which he would’ve shown Hindu nationalists as Nazis.

Does an infinite, inexhaustible amount of collective patience and resilience, guarantee favorable results? How long do you turn a figurative blind eye? Till the eyes turn literally blind, the ears go literally deaf and the mouth goes mute? Hassan’s flair for dramatic statements and unnecessary commentary on Hindu matters that don’t concern him anyway because of his atheistic beliefs, should be restricted to his circle of like minded Hindu hate-mongers. The privilege of public discourse should not be made available to people who, bite the hand that feeds them.

Kamal Haasan and many of his family members may have disowned their pedigree but it’s note-worthy nevertheless because it proves their ingratitude to the lineage and privilege they were born into. It was on account of this lineage and privilege, that got them educated, gave them a head start in life and allowed them access to opportunities that are not easily available to most others . The family comes from liberal, broad-minded Tamil Brahmin stock. While they have the right to be spiritual/religious or irreligious and whatever else, they do not have the right to denigrate and belittle the beliefs of Hindus and Hindus only.

Would a majority of the Muslim and Christian citizens of both declared and undeclared nations, tolerate one-tenth of the contemptible rants of such people against their respective religions?

Haasan has gone on record, admitting that his career benefited from association with Christian institutions / organizations. He has also mentioned that he put his training in the Hindu classical dance form, Bharatnatyam, to use in propagation of a Christian message. His brother, Charu Haasan has gone on record drawing far-fetched, ridiculous parallels between Vedic texts and the Bible – clearly there was an economic, financial benefit to helping direst the Christian word. Actress Suhasini, Charu Haasan’s daughter and Kamal Haasan’s niece, also wife to Tamil film director, Mani Rathnam is a professed atheist as well.

Beware of the dishonarable person that prospers in your land, attains the proverbial heights of success and still speaks ill of it. Gratitude is a trait, a virtue. One ought to be wary of people that lack gratitude because they are not likely to stay loyal are easily swayed by all things, material. Name, fame, opportunism of all types, hold the highest appeal for them. It explains their hypocritical attitude towards life.

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There is much difficulty in being able to describe the essence of Hinduism, a faith so immense, varied, profound and all-encompassing, that it continues to confound people of varying philosophical interests and spiritual capacity.

Hinduism is the original inclusive faith, made up of all manner of spiritual practices. Collectively, all of them bundled together in a common category of beliefs, came to be regarded as Hinduism. This way of life, is a result of the assimilation of all Indic practices, a happy amalgamation of all views. It offers something of significance, to everybody, based on their personal preferences, inclinations, motivations and level of spiritual understanding.

It is admittedly difficult to grasp that Hinduism is both ancient and modern in its outlook, it’s dynamic yet careful not to lose its foundational concepts, flexibility and elasticity. It appears to be a bunch of contradictions on the surface of it. It is both a reverence for all of divine creation as well as, worship of none at all. It is both nothingness as well as everything. It is ritualistic for those that require the discipline and rigour and it is also the highest form of meditation and absorption in divine ecstasy for those not needing rituals. It is seemingly polytheistic yet with the sole aim of the soul’s gentle, self- paced progress and journey, towards the one Supreme Reality.

It is so inclusive that there are perhaps no exclusions which makes it complex and confusing to most folks, that would like to keep it simple with prescribed rules, rigid dogma and consequences for breaking the prescribed rules.

In the vast Hindu belief system , all are welcome – the atheists, agnostics, rationalists, socialists, communists, activists, analysts and what not. Of course, included in its deep and loving embrace are Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Animism and everything in between!

Regardless of who coined the word and when it happened denying that the term Hinduism is an expansive collection of spiritual beliefs and practices based on common Indic/Vedic concepts of dharma, karma, the eternal nature of the soul, yoga, siddha, the freedom of choice with worshipping different “ishta” devatas or deities etc, is misleading and gaslighting Hindus.

What is the intent of the recent comments by VCK’s Thirumavalavan, DMK’s Elangovan or an actor of Kamal Haasan’s stature? What purpose does it accomplish? Was it necessary? It’s akin to stating that Tamil in its current form did not exist in ancient/medieval times, it’s grammer, vocabulary and syntax both in spoken and written formats were significantly different hence Tamil never existed and the word “Tamil” is a foreign term coined by invaders/foreign rulers.

They could also question the existence of the state of Tamil Nadu because an exclusive Tamil land with its current, clearly defined borders, did not exist at any point in history till recent times, hence there was never a loosely woven “land of the Tamils ” based on common vernacular dialects, beliefs, mannerisms & practices?

The efficacy of such statements may be or may not be questionable but what purpose do such unwarranted comments serve? To them, Shiva is Dravidian or Tamilian but Vishnu is Aryan. Murugan is Tamil but his brother Vinayagar is north Indian. Sakthi is folk god and Durga is Aryan Goddess. When such needless arguments are made repeatedly and Hindus finally question, the “secular” intent of other traditions, their gods, their heroes, champions, saviors, all hell breaks lose!

It is a rabid, continuous stream of this selective, Hindu-specific criticism from certain political outfits and people, that will result in larger Hindu consolidation soon. Half a century, is an ocean of patience, acceptance, tolerance!

Granted, Hinduism has its share of human short comings and systemic flaws that managed to hijack the original intent of a diverse set of spiritual and social practices. We must, should and will address justified concerns. Many are already being addressed and there has been progress. But hey, which faith doesn’t have its unique shortfalls, human-injected irrational beliefs, its own dark history  its shameful scandals, it’s share of under-handed dealings, corruption and financial embezzlements, its questionable preachers and shadowy holy men, its share of modern-day discrimination against sections of its own faithful masses?

Kamal Haasan  and the others claiming to be atheist, rationalist, agnostic, secular, activist, can exercise their right-to-expression, in this nation. They are fortunate  to live and work in a country that allows opinions to be aired without threats of a boycott, financial sanctions, imprisonment, murder, torture , excommunication.

There are practices / rituals in other religions as well including Islam and Christianity that are either not rational or scientific per modern knowledge and no longer relevant in modern times and changed circumstances – baptism and communion rituals in Churches, facing towards the Mecca, circumambulating the kaaba stone structure in Islam.

Both faiths also profess belief in physical angels, devils, witches, evil spirits etc, as much as Hinduism does. Why don’t the fans of rationalism, secularism and free speech, discuss this on television? Fear of massive, disproportionate consequences and international repercussions? Fear is a big deterrent and if it is fear that’s holding people back from real secularism, they ought to stay away from the Hindus as well, because frankly we’re running out of patience.

Why do Indian seculars exclusively at Hinduism ? Just because Hinduism happens to be unbelievably inclusive doesn’t guarantee you an unquestioned, eternal, worldwide free ride. People get upset and react. After all, a religion’s physical component is made up of its human adherents, with all of their human emotions and sentiments.

Defending oneself is, as much a human right, as the right to express an opinion. Silence is a poor defender and will not resolve offenses repeated frequently. It is natural for people to react to repeat-offenders.

In a bygone era , there was physical war. In modern times, physical disputes ( barring a few ) have been replaced with intellectual disputes of all kinds. Intellectual disputes will play out, with each side presenting their views and defending their version of what’s acceptable or not. When Tamil Nadu’s secularists present their opinions pertaining to Hinduism, it’s quite natural for the Hindus to present their side of the argument.

If history has taught us tough lessons, we must put them to practice . Silence/non-reaction/muted reaction, does not always work. Gandhi’s reluctance to discuss a larger issue and his prolonged silence over the subject, did not do us much good it led to a painful partition with repercussions that continue to plague us even today.

I believe the current underlying Hindu sentiment is this – a true atheist, secular, rationalist would speak up boldly on all faiths, not selectively on just one faith. Even Hindu inclusivity, runs out of patience every once in a while.

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Were Cholas Hindus?

Or were they Tamils who had no religion as is being claimed by certain sections after the success of Ponniyin Selvan I?

This renewed interest in Cholas is a good time to dwell on the dynasty that has answered all the questions that were triggered recently, as if they preempted them.

The Chola were one paranoid dynasty. They recorded every minute detail about themselves they could: on temple inscriptions, on copper plates, on palm leaves.

Some of these records that seem to be redundant are ones that ensure corroboration of facts even if someone were to tweak a source.

And as they say, only the paranoid survive. Their data has survived generations and are clearly communicating the truth about their identity and culture. Here are some of them:

The Copper Plate Genealogy

Chola Copper Plates provide a detailed lineage that tracks their geneaology. The Anbil copper plates trace their lineage from Surya back to Brahma and Thirumaal (Vishnu) and the Cholas thus consider themselves Suryavanshis.

Interestingly, the devout Shiva bhakts Cholas, name Vishnu as the first king of their dynasty and the list goes on to name Puranic kings like Harishchandra, Dushyanth, Bharatha and Bhagiratha.

Moving on to Raghuvamsha, Raghu is listed as their 36th king, promptly followed by Dasharath and Lord Rama.

Kochchenganan, a legendary king, is referenced in Puranas as a spider which constructed web over the linga to prevent Sunlight directly falling on Shiva. The spider was reborn as a Chola king.

He is credited for building 70 Shiva temples, by Vaishnavite Thirumangai Alwar.

Chola connection to all six primary Hindu Gods

Chola’s family deity (kula deivam) was Nisumbasoodhani, a form of Durga/ Kaali for whom Vijayalaya Chola constructed a temple immediately after reinstating Chola rule in 846 CE.

The Murugan Temple of Saluvankuppam has inscriptions of grants from the Parantaka-1 (907 CE) and Rajaraja-1 (985 CE) periods.

There are records of grants given by Sembiyan Madhevi, the wife of Chola king Kandaraditya, for building Nallur Kamdasamy temple in Sri Lanka.

Chola imagery is filled with images of Ganesha.

Kulotunga gave the highest grants for Srirangam Ranganathar temple. As Padmabhushan R Nagaswamy writes, “the pictures emerging from the epigraphical study is that the period of Kulottunga-1 was the most prosperous period for the Srirangam temple under the Cholas”.

Chola copper plates and inscriptions had both languages – Sanskrit and Tamil.

Rajaraja gave equal wages of Rs.1200 (in 1978 value) to singers of Vedic and Tamil hymns.

There is mention of Rajadiraja Chola (1018 CE) performing Ashwamedha yagnas in line with most Chola kings who did yagnas and followed scriptures.

In short, the Shanmathas of Hinduism were all patronaged and followed by the Chola kings.

From Vaishnavam with Vishnu as their first king, to Shouram on account of being descendents of Surya, Shaktam with Nisumbasoodhani for their family deity, Kaumaram building Skanda temples, to Ganapatyam as is evident through the sculpted Ganesha and Shaivam being devout Shiva worshippers.

Yet, how can someone can claim that the Cholas were not Hindus?

But all this is nothing new. Such historically ignorant statements like “Tamils are not Hindus” have been peddled since 1973, when Kannadasan wrote Arthamulla Hindu Madham Part -2.

He systematically dismantled these hypocrisies. He said that Tamils have religion since Indus Valley civilisation and went on to write essays mentioning that Thiruvalluvar was a Hindu saint.

And when such ignorant statements come from one’s favourite director, actor or political leader, it is more so our duty to not be influenced by them but to know the truth doing due diligence. That is the greatest tribute one can pay to Thiruvalluvar – who wanted all to see the Truth, meiporul!

The Cholas were aware of how easily men are tempted to lie, for the sake of money, ideology & power. That is why they took every measure – to document their truths.

After all, it is only right to tell the truth about Cholas –  who considered themselves descendants of Raja Harishchandra.

(This article was originally published in Swarajya based on the thread of Thamizh Labs and has been republished here with permission.)

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On 2 September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Indian Navy’s new ensign with the mighty INS Vikrant getting commissioned.

The colonial relic of St. George’s Cross which was removed by the Vajpayee government in 2001 and reintroduced by Sonia Gandhi-controlled Congress government was finally dropped from the Indian Navy’s flag.

The new ensign now features a blue octagon encompassing the national emblem that sits atop an anchor with ‘Sham No Varunah:’ (invocation to the Hindu God of Sea Varuna) written below.

The octogonal shape draws inspiration from the seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who had established a formidable navy to fight external aggressors from sea.

But many have pointed (rather disappointed) saying that the motif of Cholas who were a pioneer in naval expedition must have found its place in the flag.

This is a very valid question but at the same time the hidden answer for this question is more realistic and in sync with current geopolitical situation. Let’s dive into details.

Cholas Navy is the most successful in Indian history as their conquests and military victories went deep inside South-East Asia. With such conquests, they were able to control the Malacca Strait and secure their trade routes. Such mighty conquests makes Chola symbol the perfect choice for Indian Navy symbol but when this is viewed in the point of view of South-East Asian Countries, this also represents India’s historical military dominance over South-East Asia. At present, India is developing very strong defence relations with South East Asian countries to counter Chinese aggression. South-East Asian Countries are facing Chinese aggressions in their sea zones in South-China Sea and also in larger Indo-Pacific Zones.

Countries like Indonesia and Philippines are importing Brahmos missiles from India. Vietnam is planning to purchase Indo-Israeli Barak 8 Missile Defense System. Malaysia has expressed interest to purchase LCA Tejas Aircraft from India. More South-East Asian nations are going to purchase Defence equipments from India and the prime intention of this defense partnership is to counter China.

New Chinese Strategy

China’s new geopolitical strategy to set narratives against India was well evident in Sri Lanka’s Chinese Ambassador speech where he said Sri Lanka’s northern neighbor (India) had invaded Sri Lanka multiple times. Here China indirectly refers to the conquest of Sri Lanka by Cholas and Pandyas.

Chinese is playing with the emotions of Sri Lankans by using the historical enmity to create narratives against India. Same thing is also possible with South-East Asia. Just because Chinese have territorial disputes with South-East Asia, that does not mean China doesn’t have any influence over the South-East Asian nations. China has planted pro-China groups and political parties in South-East Asia to set their narratives.

Historical wars and alliances should be juxtaposed with contemporary realities.  Japan fought against Germany in World War I but Japan was with Germany in World War 2. US and Japan were enemies till second world war but became allies after that. Israel fought against gulf states few decades back but today Israel is planning to form a military alliance with Arab nations to counter Iran.

So logically, India’s historical military interests in South East Asia doesn’t mean India has similar interests today. It’s interest is not conquest.

The Message Sent By India

It is not a competition between Shivaji and Cholas on who is the greatest. Both are not contemporaries and had different goals and intentions. Both are great in their own way! Chola’s Navy symbolizes territorial conquests and Shivaji’s navy symbolizes defence. In present geopolitical chessboard, Indian Navy’s role is to defend its territories and make sure that there is no foreign intervention in Indian Ocean region. Shivaji’s navy is known for defending India against external aggressors.

Hence Shivaji’s seal has been preferred thus signaling that India will defend its territory and stop foreign influence in Indian Ocean Region.

By preferring Shivaji’s seal over the Chola motif of Tiger, India is sending a message to South East Asians. India should make sure that it doesn’t send out any wrong signals even if unintentional. The Chola symbol in Indian Navy can create a scope for China to peddle unfavourable narratives towards India. It’s good that India is acing the mindgames by not creating such an opportunity.

Who know, may be when India gets more geopolitical dominance and clout, the Chola symbol might make its way to the flag.

Watch the explanation in Tamil here:

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