> In Thiruvalangadu Copper plates referring Aditha Karikalan's demise, > it is mentioned that he hastend up to join the Heaven. Then the > Earth was Surrounded by the darkness of Kali. > > The Scholar pointed out whether Uthama's Rule was referred as Darkness > surrounding the Earth ?
Hi SPS
darkness, in uthama's period.??????? uthama's period was the golden age of shaivism. his father one of the poets of thiruvisaipaa and his mother the grand old dame of shaivaite rennaisance. his few years on throne may not have had the wars to conquer the neighbours but there are not many records to prove his kingdom shrinked either. but then temples were rebuilt in stone an endevour that continued well into the later years.
a recent head of the kanchi mutt used to say its 100 times better to repair existing temple rather than build new ones. i think that idea originated in uthama's family. as humble devotees they set about repairing exisiting hallowed premises of shiva rather than build new and tall ones that pierced the sky. the point is uthama's family temples are still regarded as important temples of pilgrimage.
> > 1. There is a speculation that Kandraditha thevar was alive when > Thirunallam temple (Konerirajapuram near Kumbakonam) was consecreated > in the 3rd year of Uthama. (972 AD).
I also came across it. statue of a bearded man standing behind son and mother offering something to the temple.
could have been the sculptor's imagination of the late father blessing the son who followed in his thiruppani foot steps. however if gandaraditya was alive it also throws the studies on previous generation also into a fix. one thing with the cholas. the more you study them the lesser you seem to know.
> > 2. Thiruvisappa - combination of hymns several devotees - stretched > beyond Kandradithar's period as well. > > Kindly enlighten.
many poets have contributed to thiruvisaipa. we should start a seperate thread on it. karuvurar, kandarathithtar etc.
> > But one of the inscriptions in Papanasam (near Kumbakonam) talks of > Sembian Madevi giving grants to the idol of Amarabujanga Thevar > installed by her ! >
which amarabhujanga- palaiya maduranthaka???? so kalki was not fantasising perhaps on uthama and pungkuzhali,
> could have been the sculptor's imagination of the late father > blessing the son who followed in his thiruppani foot steps.
May not be. Here sembiyan mahadevi is shown in her royal costume with all the jewellary and kankanam etc. Hence - says Kudanthai sethuraman - that she did not lose her husband when the thirunallam temple was consecreted. We are not sure whether the royal ladies had to renounce their ornaments etc after king's death - but most royal queens of that period committed sati with husband before and after sembiyan
There are paramount reasons why we do not see sati for sembiyan mahadevi - and for that matter THE GREAT RRC'S WIFE THANTHI SAKTHI - Though rajendra's wife committed sati !
As I replied to Swetha's mail earlier, the group was electrified with emotions. Madan has proved once again that 'nirai kudam thalumbathu'. what a remarkable reply.
More interesting is SPS' information on various aspects of Tamil history. Great SPS. Keep enlightening us. But whatever evidence we have, we should accept Madan's words that we dont have any evidence to write a life history of, leave alone a dynasty, even one king.
> 1. There is a speculation that Kandraditha thevar > was alive when > Thirunallam temple (Konerirajapuram near Kumbakonam) > was consecreated > in the 3rd year of Uthama. (972 AD).
Anyone knows about this Konerirajapuram ? I have a coin with the legend "koneri rayan" in Tamil...