One of the old palaces of Pallava Kings was readied for the
Crown Prince and his retinue. That night, Malaimaan left the palace to hear the
story of Aravan – the son of Arjuna at the Mahendra Mandapam. After a sumptuous
dinner, Karikalan and Parthibendran, sat in the terrace of the palace watching
the beach and the harbour. They could hear the temple bells clanging along with
the continuous roar of the sea waves.
Thursday, 31 July 2014
Tuesday, 29 July 2014
Chapter 53 – Malaimaan’s Wrath
 |
| Parthibendran Pallava |
When Karikalan heard Malaimaan’s words, he did not faint away
in shock but he was shaken. Even Parthibendran fell silent and shocked. Silence
reigned over the small mandapam for a
while.
Karikalan looked at his grandfather and said, “Thatha! Even I heard the rumours but I
thought they were baseless. Are you sure about this? Do you have proof? Does he
have a claim at all? Is it possible?”
Monday, 28 July 2014
Chapter 52 – Old Man’s Marriage
 |
| Malayaman, Aditya Karikalan and Parthibendran |
On the beach, there are numerous stones dotting the landscape as
the waves weaved in and out and the ancient sculptors had converted all
the big stones into small mandapams.
The men alighted from the chariot and headed towards one of
these small mandapams. Malaimaan and
Karikalan sat on two stone benches near the mandapam,
while Parthibendran stood next to them. The waves sometimes came near the mandapam and wet their feet. At a
distance, a ship was seen waiting, while some soldiers were loading something
in a small boat to carry to the ship.
Sunday, 27 July 2014
Chapter 51 – Mammallapuram
 |
| Mammalapuram Today |
Readers! We invite you to journey with us to Mammallapuram
harbour. It has been more than 300 years since Mahendra Pallava and Narasimha
Pallava built stone temples near the harbour. Mammallapuram wore a weary look
as the sun shone down on the harbour. Many stone palaces are in state of disrepair
and what once was a busy harbour bringing in trade from different parts of the
world looked deserted today. The harbour near Mammallapuram was quite deep,
though during the Pallava times, ships could come close to the beach. Now, the merchant
ships were stationed at a safe distance and goods were unloaded with the help
of small boats.
After the decline of Pallava Kingdom, the Cholas too built many
temples near the harbour from a stone quarry that was found nearby. Within the
city, a huge temple for Maha Vishnu was built by Parameshwaran Pallavan, a king
who patronised both Saivaites and Vaishnavaites. A holy temple that was sung by
Thirumangai Azhwar, Maha Vishnu is found in a Thala Sayana form here, where he
sleeps eternally on the ground. His divine verses about the temple and the
harbour reveal the greatness of Pallava period, even after great kings like
Mahendra Pallava and Narasimha Pallava.
 |
| Sthala Sayana Temple Today |
One hundred years after Thirumangai Azhwar sang about this
temple, the Pallava Kingdom grew weak and the sun rose on Chola Kingdom.
But nothing could erase the beautiful sculptural work of
Mammallapuram or the significance of beautiful Kanchi temples. They remain as embodiments of iTamil culture and history even today.
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Chapter 50 - Paranthakar Adhurasalai
It was a glorious morning in Pazhaiarai next day. A beautifully
decorated royal elephant was brought to Kundavai’s palace. Climbing through the
specially built platform steps, Kundavai and Vanathi sat on the elephant’s back
that had a special seat. A mahout walked next to the elephant, leading them
through the streets. Hearing the clanging bells of the elephant, many came out
to see the princesses riding through their streets. Happy to watch their beloved
elayapirati, many women followed her
behind the elephant.
The elephant led the princesses towards the Padai veedu streets where the families
of the soldiers lived. Small boys who were practicing with their swords and
sticks left their play and joined the crowd. On the verandahs of the houses,
many pictures of Lord Muruga and his legends were drawn, while some also had
pictures of famous Chola Kings. When the elephant entered the street, all
residents came out of their houses to greet the princesses. Soon there was a
sizeable crowd behind the elephant that shouted, ‘Long live Elayapirati!’ ‘Long
live Princess Kundavai!’
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Chapter 49 – An Astonishing Tale
Princess Kundavai took the olai
that Vandiya Devan gave and read her brother’s message. Her creased forehead
cleared and her face bloomed, when she read the contents of the message.
She looked up at Vandiya Devan and asked, “Now that you have given
this message to me, what do you intend to do next?”
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Chapter 48 – Whirlpools and Beautiful Eyes
Man, one of Brahma’s finest creations lived near a hill. It
gave him shelter from rains and the sultry sun. The bountiful forest provided
him enough food to survive. Other animals in the forest trembled at his sight,
while he roamed around woodland without any care, free as a bird. Yet at the
depth of his heart, he yearned for something, for someone. He often experienced
a longing that tugged at his heartstrings, giving him sleepless nights. He felt that he was searching for something
that he has not seen, so far. He wondered incessantly about it in the morning,
while he dreamed about it in the night. His heart yearned to see the thing that
was attracting him so much. ‘Where will I find that thing that is giving me sleepless
nights?’
Brahma had also created a woman. She lived on the other side of
the hill. And just like the man, she took shelter within the caves of the hill
and partook the fruits that the forest offered her. Outwardly, she was happy
and carefree. But inside she was burning up with an unknown passion, an unknown
quest for the one who would complete her.
Monday, 21 July 2014
Chapter 47 – Isana Shiva Pattar
Azhwarkadiyan went to his brother Isana Shiva Pattar’s house
after his meeting with Princess Kundavai. Located near the Vada Mettrali
Temple, the Pattar’s house was about half a kilometre distance away from the royal
palace.
 |
| Vadathali Temple today |
The city was quiet and the streets were empty, as all the drama
and entertainment troupes seemed to be done for the day. As he walked by the
houses of Padai veedu, he noticed
many women were standing outside their houses and talking in groups, angrily. They
were no ordinary women. Each one of them had sent their father, husband and
sons armed with a sword and a spear to Eezham to fight along with Prince Arul
Mozhi Varman. Every house in this street had sacrificed a son or a husband to
the glory of the kingdom. He looked around wondered about the dissatisfaction
that these women felt now and worried where it would all lead to, if they
started protesting too loudly.
It was very dark, when he reached the temple. Situated atop a
small cliff, the temple cliff was once occupied by Jain monks who meditated in
the caves. When Appar Swami came here for the first time, he couldn’t see the
temple, because the artificial catacombs that the Jains had built were all
around. He entreated the Pallava chieftain who was ruling the Chola Kingdom to
intercede. The chieftain ordered the demolition of the catacombs and within
them a small shiva temple was seen and Appar sang in delight.
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Chapter 46 - Murmurs and Rumours
After meeting Queen Sembiyanmadevi, Azhwarkadiyan headed
towards Princess Kundavai’s palace. On the way, the sights that met him at
Pazhaiarai’s streets, filled his heart with enthusiasm. He happily noted how
people celebrated Krishna’s birthday with such excitement. He felt no doubt
about the fact that Vaishnavam was
here to stay. For over hundred years, under the patronage of Chola kings, many
Shiva temples were rebuilt, many grants have been given to them, countless
jewels, land and wealth have been showered, yet it did not diminish the
people’s enthusiasm to celebrate a festival for Maha Vishnu’s avatar, Krishna. There
is no doubt that Krishna’s many miraculous deeds and endearing stories have
captured the people’s imagination. So many troupes of street dancers and drama
groups, have come here to celebrate this festival. He noted how people were
clapping energetically at the performance of one of the dance troupes.
 |
| Azhwarkadiyan Nambi |
The actors who were playing Vasudeva, Devaki, Krishna, Balarama
and Kamsa were showing their acting prowess to the public. With the public were
cheering loudly, the actors sang loudly and performed many interesting japes
that attracted claps and frequent shouts. Azhwarkadiyan, stopped to see their
performance. The scene was where Krishna was challenging Kamsa for a duel.
Krishna was played by a small boy, who listed out the many crimes that Kamsa
had committed and challenged him for a duel. In his reply, Kamsa who was played
by a broad chested warrior wearing a mask, thundered, “Hey Krishna! Your magic
prowess will not work with me. I am going to kill you now. I will kill your
brother Balaraman and your father Vasudevan. I am also going to kill that Veera Vaishnavan, who is standing there
with thiruman all over his body!”
Everybody now looked at Azhwarkadiyan and started laughing. The
vaishnavan looked around with anger
and his hands itched to bring his staff down on the actor who was playing
Kamsa. But it was pointless, as he had hidden his face with a large wooden
mask. He silently slid away and left. But something was niggling his mind. That
Kamsa’s voice seemed a bit familiar to him and he felt as if the actor was
shouting his dialogues, just to camouflage his voice.
Friday, 18 July 2014
Chapter 45 – The Crime of the Spy
Two thousand years ago, the great King Karikala Cholan built
the banks of cauvery river on both the sides. The banks protected the land for
many years from river floods however when Pandyas and Pallavas rose to power,
the Cholas star declined. When kingdom was torn apart by war, there was no one
to safeguard the land, from flooding river waters. This resulted in floods that
changed the geography of the river. Small streams and large lakes were formed
where there were none earlier. There was one such lake that flowed near the
palaces of Chola kings in Pazhaiarai.
 |
| Arisalaru River Today |
Later Chola kings, deepened this lake and maintained it to
delight their anthapura women with
boat rides. It also acted as a natural security for the palace. Common people
couldn’t venture near this lake easily and only those who were associated with
the palace and its noble residents were allowed to take a boat through the
lake. Many palaces were built along with this lake and since Pazhaiarai was once
the capital of the Cholas, many beautiful gardens were laid in along the banks
of the lake. Many palaces had private areas, where the palace women could swim,
bathe and play in the garden away from the prying eyes of the public.
Royal custom decreed that when a new king ascended the throne,
he would build a new palace here, while the wives of the old king retained
their old one. In the same manner, Princess Kundavai’s palace was situated right
next to Queen Sembiyanmadevi’s. It was the palace that her father had lived,
when he ruled from Pazhaiarai and since he moved to Thanjavur, Kundavai became its
mistress.
Sunday, 6 July 2014
Chapter 44 – This is her doing!
 |
| Azhvarkadiyan Nambi |
A young sculptor belonging to lineage of great sculptors of
Mahabalipuram came forward to appeal with Sembiyanmadevi. Describing his dream
to build a new temple, the sculptor displayed small-scale model that excited
the old queen to no end.
She looked at the man standing next to Azhvarkadiyan Nambi and
said, “Patterey! Look at this
beautiful structure. I wish I could rebuild all the important Shiva Temple in
Chola Kingdom in this new design.”
“Mother! Who can possibly say ‘no’ to such a
noble design of yours? My suggestion is that we can redesign all those temples
that are sung in the divine devaram to
signify its importance.” Said Isana Shiva Pattar.
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Chapter 43 - Pazhaiarai
Now that our hero is on his way to Pazhaiarai, braving hoards of soldiers who are out to catch him, let us go ahead and pay a visit to this city.
Let us take a glimpse at this old city from the banks of Arasalaru. What a beautiful city is this? The unparalleled beauty of this city cannot be described in words. Bountiful with flowing gentle rivers, swaying greens, scented flowers, graceful palaces and holy temples, this city issues a welcome invitation to all.
The old city of Pazhaiarai had many small villages within its borders making this erstwhile capital, an important landmark in Chola history. With four Shiva temples in four directions, the city also housed the families of Chola soldiers in four distinct streets. Amidst them, stood a whole host of palaces for kings, queens, princes and princesses built right from the time of Vijayalaya Chola.
The grandeur and the charm of the city today is so exhilarating that it makes one wonder, how it must have looked years ago when Sundara Chola was residing here. Reduced to a sleepy town today, Pazhaiarai was once the epitome of culture and religion.
Ever since Sundara Chola shifted his capital to Thanjavur, Pazhaiarai’s importance had reduced. There were no new visitors, emissaries from other countries, delegates from neighbouring kingdoms, travelling mendicants, important officials, poets, artists, artisans stopped coming here to pay their respects. Instead, they made their way to the new capital.
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