Walking up and down the Chithirai mandapam, Vandiya Devan was lost in a myriad of emotions and thoughts as he looked at each painting that depicted the life history of the Chola kings.
"They were all such great warriors. They performed such brave acts! The Chola kingdom is indeed lucky to be under the rule of such brave kings," he thought.
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| Chithirai Mandapam |
He also did not fail to notice one thing among the paintings - they also etched the role of the Pazhuvur warriors in the history of the Chola kingdom. Right from the time of Vijayalaya Chola, warriors from this clan had laid their life down for the Chola kings. One Pazhuvettarayar had carried King Vijayalaya on his shoulder during the Thirupurampayam war in his shoulders, while another had helped Aditya Chola kill the Pallava king Aparajitha Varman. And in many wars that King Paranthakan fought, it was the Pazhuvetars who had led the Chola army from the forefront. When Prince Rajadhithan was wounded, it was a Pazhuvettarayar who rallied forces and led the Cholas to victory and gave the happy news to the dying prince.
After seeing all this depicted in the paintings, Vandiya Devan was not surprised that the Pazhuvetars wielded so much power in the kingdom. They were after all the kingmakers in Chola history!
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