Latest news with #Pandyas
The Hindu
3 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
800-year-old Shiva temple of later Pandya period unearthed near Melur
An 800-year-old Shiva temple of the later Pandya period has been unearthed at Udampatti, a village in Melur taluk. Professor P. Devi Arivu Selvam, temple architect and sculpture researcher, says that though only the foundation of the temple remains, the inscriptions on the culvert are significant as they reveal how the temple had been financially independent. While documents published by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology in 1974-75 had described the existence of ancient temples in this belt, most of them are in ruins and some have almost disappeared. So, it came as a surprise to historians when recently boys playing in an open ground at Udampatti in the Malampatti panchayat stumbled upon a broken stone structure covered in mud. The villagers alerted the Village Adminsitrative Officer (VAO) and Ms. Devi. With the VAO's permission, the area was cleared. What emerged was the foundation of a temple with the stone base on the northern and southern sides intact. With the help of the engravings on the foundation stone and Silpa Sastram as reference, the temple was found to have been dedicated to Lord Shiva. C. Santhalingam, archaeologist and secretary of the Pandya Nadu Centre for Historical Research, who deciphered the two Tamil inscriptions found on the stone base, says they can be dated to 1217-1218 CE, during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandya. The inscriptions say the name of the village was Attur and the temple was called Thennavanisvaram. 'It is pertinent to note that Thennavan is actually a title used by the Pandyas,' says Ms. Devi. The inscriptions are a sale deed of a waterbody by one Alagaperumal, chieftain of Kalavalinadu, to one Nambi Perambala Kuthan alias Kangeyan. The waterbody, called Nagankudi, along with wet and dry land, was sold for 64 kasu (coins). The four boundaries of the land and the waterbody that had been sold have been defined in the inscriptions. It has also been mentioned that the tax due to the land should be given to the God of Thennavaniswaram of Attur for its day-to-day expenses. For historians, these inscriptions reveal the ancient name of Udampatti, which was then called Attur, and also the socio-economic dynamics that were at play during the later Pandya period.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
HistoriCity: Keeladi is ancient and so is the burial site of Adi Channallur
Keeladi (Keezhadi), located just outside the more than 2,000-year-old great city of Madurai, has been accepted as a Sangam-era settlement. The Sangam period is widely believed to be the six centuries between 3rd BCE and 3rd CE. The findings of the excavations at Keeladi, an urban settlement, dated to at least the 4th century BCE have been mired in controversy. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and its own senior officer, Ramakrishna Amarnath, are at loggerheads over whether there is sufficient evidence showing that Keeladi was thriving as a settlement 2800 years ago. Amarnath in his 2023 report relied on Carbon dating, stratigraphy and other standard dating methods to show that Keeladi -- and therefore the Sangam age -- too, goes back to 800 BCE. Over 18,000 artefacts that have been excavated and documented from Keeladi over seven rounds of excavations. A large number of them are potsherds besides a fascinating range of items including those made of gold, iron, ivory, antimony and copper. Gold items include pendants, broken rings and a needle. Then there are several potsherds inscribed with what archaeologists such as Amarnath postulate to be symbols that are similar to those found in sherds and seals found at Indus Valley sites, particularly, in Harappa. Local scholars have emphasised that five villages— Keeladi, Agaram, Manalur, Konthagai (a burial site) and Pasiapuram need to be designated as the Keeladi cluster. Furthermore, because of the presence of other sites along the Vaigai river and in the region, such as Adi Channallur, several TN-based archaeologists have coined the term Vaigai Valley Civilisation. Undoubtedly, Madurai and Tirunelveli in southern Tamil Nadu are rich with history. Being closer to the coast also brought this part of the state into contact with ancient kingdoms in both the east and the west. The archaeology department of Tamil Nadu, the only state government to have established its own department, observed in a 2019 report: 'The Pandyas and their capital city Madurai were well known to the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Megasthenese, the Greek ambassador of Seleukos Nikator at the court of the Chandra Gupta Maurya (320 B.C.), in these accounts gave a vivid picture of a South Indian Kingdoms. Strabo (C. 25. B.C.) stated that a Pandya king sent an embassy to the Roman Emperor Augustus. Pliny (C. 75 A.D.) mentioned the Pandya, King Pandya and his capital Madura. Ptolemy (C. 130 A.D.) also referred to Madurai as the royal city of the Pandyas. The Arthasastra of Kautilya, while describing the trade between Northern and Southern India, spoke about the pearls and muslins of the Pandya country. The astronomer Varaha Mihira referred the Pandya kingdom in his Brhatsamhita. Kalidasa, the great Sanskrit poet and dramatist referred the Pandya kingdom as one of the provinces visited by Raghu during his tour of conquest.' Also Read: Konthagai burial site reveals ancient practices of Keeladi In fact, a few researchers have even suggested, albeit tentatively at this stage, that the Ashokan Brahmi script was preceded by Tamil Brahmi, specimens of which have been found in Keeladi, and other sites. The jury is still out on both the similarities, if any, between symbols on pothsherds excavated at Keeladi and the Indus Valley script, which remains undeciphered, as well as the Tamil Brahmi being a precursor to Ashokan Brahmi. Adi Channallur: Oldest excavated site, ancient burial urns While cremation is considered the most common funerary process for Hindus, burials are also widely practiced, particularly in south Indian states. In the north too, burials are prevalent among certain communities. In Tamil Nadu, the ancient site of Adi Channalur provides us a unique glimpse into people's beliefs and customs related to death and after-life. It is also one of the oldest excavated sites in not just the state but the entire subcontinent. First brought to public attention in 1876 by A F Jagor, a 19th century German explorer, this 'perumba' or elevated ground or a mound close to the Tamirabarani or Porunai river, has since then thrown up hundreds of burial urns. Burying the dead seemed to have been a common custom since pre-historic times, as is evidenced by some of the burial urns dating back to the 4th century BCE. The practice seems to have continued in the historical period – roughly 3rd BCE onwards. For example, in the Padirrupattu, a Chera kingdom collection of poems of war and worldly concerns, there is clear reference to the entombing of a dead king. ''where lay the burial-urn (tali) that entombed the king, was the vast expanse below the vanni (Prosopisspicigera) tree'. Also Read: Ancient terracotta pipelines excavated at Keeladi in Tamil Nadu Similarly, after an early Chola king Killi Valavan died, poet Aiyur Mudavanar, wrote addressing the potter, 'You, perforce, need make a large, wide-mouthed urn for entombing such an exalted monarch. Could you do less than use the great earth as your wheel and the great mountain as the clod of clay?' The sizes of the excavated urns vary from three feet to less than a foot. Sometimes they have been found to be fixed in holes dug out for the purpose in the quartzite rock formation found in a portion of the more than 100 acres large site. Besides the urns the site also contained evidence of a potter's kiln, and a possibly a workshop for making couex beads. Within the urns, sometimes all the bones of a body were found to be placed. In most others, only a few bones were placed. Along with the bones of the deceased, items of daily use, like tumblers, personal jewellery made of copper, and rice was found inside the urns or just outside in the pits. Also Read: TN govt commences archaeological digs at 8 sites to 'rewrite' India's history from Tamil landscape Writing about the findings related to a metre-tall burial urn excavated at Adi Channallur, the ASI wrote in its 2020 report: 'Inside the urn the skeletal remains were noticed in damaged condition. The grave goods found outside the urn were of Black-and-Red ware - shallow dish cum bowl with conical base and thickened rim, bowl with broken rim sager base, small shallow dish cum bowl with broken rim, two partially polished black ring stands. Husk was collected from the shallow dish and bowl inside the urn and also from the pit on its southern and eastern sides. Iron spear head and chisel were noticed outside the urn at a depth of 2.12 m in the eastern corner'. Another most interesting finding from the site was the presence of Pott's puffy tumor in the over 2,000-year-old remains. It's a kind of swelling on the forehead, often spreading inwards and therefore causing the creation of an abscess. Today the disease has become quite rare due to the use of antibiotics but in the ancient world its primary targets were seamen, and deep-sea divers. Adi Channallur too is close to the sea and therefore this seems quite plausible. HistoriCity is a column by author Valay Singh that narrates the story of a city that is in the news, by going back to its documented history, mythology and archaeological digs. The views expressed are personal.
India Today
22-05-2025
- General
- India Today
How Rajendra I Chola became ruler of the seas and led an expedition to far East
TS Rajendra was a Navy training ship commissioned on April 2, 1972. This legendary vessel was named after Rajendra I Chola the Great, who conquered parts of Southeast Asia during the early mediaeval period. It was under his reign that Indian culture travelled to the distant shores of Southeast conquered regions of present-day Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and the Nicobar Islands. At its height, the Chola Empire commanded vast maritime Chola ruled for 30 years, from 1014 CE to 1044 CE, and is often referred to as Rajendra Chola the Great. Throughout history, we have heard of kings who ruled vast territories -- Alexander the Great, for example, who dominated Europe and the Middle East. Similarly, the Roman Empire left a lasting legacy, having governed all of Europe and parts of Rajendra I Chola, the Chola Empire's trade boundaries extended as far as Song China, and this was facilitated through connections with the Khmer Empire who are renowned for constructing the largest Hindu temple, Angkor famous expedition of Rajendra I Chola to Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia) forever changed the political and cultural influence of the empire far in the Cholas also had trade links with the Arab world and Africa, establishing a far-reaching commercial Cholas were not only known as skilled warriors and capable administrators, but were also accomplished builders. One notable achievement is the construction of Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, built by Rajaraja I Chola, father of Rajendra I, in 1010 its height, the temple became one of the wealthiest in the region. It also served as an administrative centre, supporting activities related to social welfare and public SR Balasubrahmanyam records that Rajaraja gifted over 38,000 gold coins -- more than many European courts of the time. Alongside jewels and silver seized from defeated rivals, his offerings totalled nearly 95,500 gold coins. Chola empire under Rajendra I (Image: Wikimedia Commons) RISE OF THE CHOLASIndian history records two Chola dynasties from Southern India -- one as early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE, and the other, the Imperial Cholas, to which Rajendra I belonged. The latter dynasty was based in Thanjavur and rose to power after defeating the Pallavas. Founded by Vijayalaya Chola, historians debate the lineage connection between the early and later Sailendra Nath Sen writes in Ancient Indian History and Civilisation, 'Vijayalaya, a descendant of the Early Cholas, reestablished (or founded) the Chola empire in 848 CE.'Around 850 CE, Vijayalaya Chola, seized Thanjavur from the Muttarayars during a conflict between the Pandyas and Pallavas, laying the foundation for the Imperial Chola Aditya I, the Cholas allied with the Pallavas to defeat the Pandyas in 885 CE and expanded into the Kannada the later years, the Cholas fought not only the southern powers but a major land-dominant dynasty, Rashtrkutas who ruled in ancient and mediaeval William Dalrymple notes in The Golden Road, 'The Chola dynasty grew to become the most powerful of all South Indian empires after defeating their rivals -- the Pallavas, their one-time overlords.'The Chola control over the entire southern coastline is remembered today in the Tamil term for the eastern coast -- Coromandel, which is a corruption of Cholamandala, meaning "Circle of Chola Rule."An eleventh-century Chinese bureaucrat offered a vivid glimpse into the grandeur of the Chola empire, writing:"The crown of the [Chola]" ruler is decorated with luminous pearls and rare precious stones. He is often at war with various kingdoms of Western Heaven [India]. The kingdom has sixty thousand war elephants. There are almost 10,000 female servants, 3,000 of whom alternate every day to serve at the court."advertisementThis account reflects not only the wealth and opulence of the Chola court but also the vast military strength and intricate administrative sophistication of one of South India's most powerful empires. Shiva as the lord of dance, Chola dynasty (Image: Wikimedia Commons) Verily, it was during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I that the venerable image of Nataraja -- Shiva as the cosmic dancer -- was drawn forth from the mists of sacred devotion and placed squarely at the heart of the Chola vision of divine the origins of this form lay in the fervent Tamil bhakti of earlier centuries, it was under Rajaraja's discerning furtherance that Natraja Shiva assumed new I CHOLA THE GREATRajendra Chola I rose to the throne in 1014 CE, after the death of Rajaraja I Chola. Even though nominated heir in 1012, it was only with Rajaraja's death that Rajendra finally came into his own as the chief force behind the Chola Empire's emergence as a power who ruled south-east Asia for the early 11th century, Rajendra Chola wanted to expand as well as legitimise his rule with bold and unorthodox tactics. He invested his sons with regalia taken from conquered enemies, naming them as "Chola Lord of Lanka" and "Chola-Pandya" to establish Chola his most dramatic action was the pursuit of a digvijaya -- a victory of the directions, aimed not just to add more territory to his empire, but to announce himself as universal emperor, with authority emanating to all points of the known world. Rajndra I Chola in Battle (Image: Wikimedia Commons) To an extent, it could be said that it was Rajaraja I who directed the Chola forces to penetrate into land to far east which not only covered land but mighty ocean first started to set about securing his grip on Sri Lanka, which in some parts had been conquered during Rajaraja I, completing a campaign begun by his father. He took King Mahinda 5 captive and subjugated the whole island to Chola power for the first initial military effectiveness and martial qualities of Rajendra I Chola were honed by campaigns against the Western Chalukyas and the kingdom of Anuradhapura, in addition to crushing rebellions in the regions of Chera and achievements of these regions not only consolidated the empire's southern border but also cemented Rajendra's status as a strategist who mastered I Chola expanded the influence of the empire by conquering Kalinga and Vengi and then defeated the Palas of Bengal, after which he was titled Gangaikonda Cholan, or "The Chola who conquered the Ganges".To mark the triumph, he established Gangaikondacholapuram, an imperial new capital which was a trade centre, administrative centre, and hub of cultural far from the Indian mainland, Rajendra gained control over Laccadive or Lakshdweep and the Maldives, which were the key islands on Indian Ocean trade routes connecting the Arab and African I CHOLA'S SEA EXPEDITIONS TO THE EASTHaving the ambition to establish dominance over the seas, Rajendra I led campaigns years after his accession to the throne, reaching the Far East, including Sumatra and other nearby empires. Seal of Rajendra I Chola found in far east (Image: Wikimedia commons) The first to be hit was Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia and Sumatra), which held a major point on the sea route to Majumdar writes in the overseas expedition of Rajendra Chola: "The attacks by one of the alliances of the Cholas on Sri Vijaya, the Khmer Empire under Suryavarman I, allowed Rajendra I to cross the seas and help Suryavarman.""As both the Khmer and the Cholas were Hindu kingdoms, their alliance was predominant. To counter this, Tambralinga of the Malay Peninsula turned to Srivijaya, whose rulers were Buddhists. Thus, it was set in motion a series of hostilities that culminated in the famed Chola naval expedition against Srivijaya," he writes campaign conquered parts of the Srivijaya empire, including regions such as Kedah, Tambralinga, and Pegu, extending Chola influence deep into Southeast the campaign, the Cholas sacked the capitals Kadaram and Pannai on Sumatra, and Malaiyur on the Malay Chola invasion did not only mark a military victory, but also the extensive proliferation of Tamil commercial activities beyond the seas of the east. Merchant guilds of ancient prestige -- like the Manigramam, the brave Ayyavole, and the famous Ainnurruvar -- did venture far into the vibrant ports of South-East for the greater part of a century to come, the business of trade and commerce in those far-off lands came to be directed, indeed controlled, by the hardworking hands of Tamil influence of this lasted for centuries, and records also show that a later branch of the Cholas ruled parts of Southeast Asia until the 16th century and contributed largely to the region's history. Charter issued by Rajendra I Chola (Image: Wikimedia Commons) It was then, under Rajendra I Chola, that the Tamil diaspora turned hand to an extensive expansion. Tamil temples began to appear along China's shores and across Southeast findings -- Tamil inscriptions, trade artifacts, and even adornments like a wedding necklace on an Arab or Indonesian bride of a Tamil trader -- testify to the rich cross-cultural exchange of these language of the Sumatran Karo tribe still carries dozens of Tamil loanwords -- a living testimony to the global influence of the Chola was the dominance of Rajendra I Chola on land and seas that made him The Great Rajendra I Chola, and it was his naval expedition that connected the Far East with southern India and established the exchange of trade and culture for Watch
Time of India
16-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
New stone inscriptions put Ootathur Sivan temple two centuries older to 10th C
Trichy: New stone inscriptions deciphered by the state archaeology department at Suththa Rathneswarar temple in Ootathur village in Trichy district has revealed that the Sivan temple is much older than thought. The temple had been believed to belong to the period of Vikrama Chola (1118-1135), but new stone inscriptions show that the temple is in existence since the reign of Parantaka Chola I (907-955). The state archaeology department said that 12 stone inscriptions were found at the temple during an inspection by K Manivasan, additional chief secretary of the tourism, culture, and religious endowments department. Five inscriptions were intact while seven inscriptions were in a fragmented state. Out of the five fully readable inscriptions, four were inscribed during the Cholas and one during the Pandyas. The temple was renovated during the reign of Vikrama Chola, during which many stone inscriptions in the temple belonging to the period of Raja Raja Chola I and Rajathiraja Chola I were shifted from sanctum sanctorum to the Nootrukkal mandapam in the temple. The inscriptions read that Ootathur village previously calledThiruootathur and was reclassified from 'Mazha' administrative zone to 'Rajasariya' administrative zone during Rajendra Chola I period. The new inscriptions recorded that Bagavan Mani Nangai, wife of Sruthiman Nilavailiyan, donated a new door to the temple in 937 AD, 30th reign year of Parantaka Chola I. Similarly, in 998 AD, 13th reign year of Raja Raja Chola I, Nakkan Aiyaaran alias Sundarachola Mutharaiyan, donated 30 cows to keep the temple's 'Nanda" lamp illuminated day and night. One of the inscriptions also praises Rajendra Chola I (Gangaiyum Kedaramum Konda Sri Rajendra Cholan) for his victorious conquests over Ganges and Kedah (Malaysia).
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
NCERT Row: R Madhavan questions Chola empire's absence in textbooks, criticises Mughal-focused syllabus
Actor R Madhavan has raised strong concerns over how Indian history is portrayed in school textbooks, pointing out that key parts of the country's past, especially the achievements of southern kingdoms, are often overlooked. He feels the current narrative gives disproportionate focus to certain dynasties while underplaying others like the Cholas and Pandyas. His comments come at a time when NCERT is facing criticism for its recent changes to school history books. In a chat with News18 Showsha, he questioned why certain parts of Indian history get more focus than others. 'I might get into trouble for saying this, but I'll still say it,' he began. 'When I studied history in school, there were eight chapters on the Mughals, two on the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro civilisations, four on British rule and the freedom struggle, and just one chapter on the southern kingdoms — the Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and Cheras.' A Glorious Empire, Barely Mentioned Madhavan expressed disappointment over the lack of focus on the Chola Empire in school textbooks, despite its significant influence on history. He highlighted that while the Mughals and British ruled for around 800 years, the Chola Empire lasted 2,400 years and pioneered sea travel, with trade routes reaching Rome. He noted that their cultural and religious influence spread as far as Korea, yet this rich history is condensed into just one chapter. Mughal Chapters Removed Madhavan's remarks come at a time when the NCERT has decided to remove all references to the Mughal Empire and the Delhi Sultanate from Class 7 history textbooks. These topics have been replaced with lessons on sacred geography, the Maha Kumbh festival, and government schemes like Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. The decision has caused quite a stir, with people both supporting and criticising the move. Madhavan used this moment to highlight how history is often shaped by certain narratives—and how that affects how we see ourselves. 'Whose narrative is this? Who decided the syllabus? Tamil is the oldest language in the world, but nobody knows about it. The scientific knowledge hidden in our culture is being mocked right now,' he said. 'Kesari Chapter 2' and the Fight to Reclaim History Madhavan also defended his film, 'Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh ', which has faced some criticism for creative choices. He explained that while some may accuse the makers of taking liberties, the film is trying to present a more complete version of history. 'Don't blame us for bringing the truth about history. The easiest way to discredit us is by saying that we took liberties, Going back to what I said, I shouldn't be getting into trouble for this, because it's a fact," he argued. Calling Out Whitewashed History He also spoke strongly against the way the British version of Indian history often painted freedom fighters in a negative light, especially when it came to events like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. 'General Dyer and his granddaughter said we were a set of terrorists and looters who deserved to be shot. He stopped shooting because he ran out of bullets. How can you whitewash history to such an extent that you create a false narrative?' he said. EXCLUSIVE: Nani Reveals Massive Body Transformation For 'Paradise' | How He Got Chiranjeevi On Board
