Wednesday, February 27, 2013

All Tamils must unite to save Ram-Setu.


Ram-Setu is back in news with the Congress led Government rejecting the Pachauri committee report that did not favour the dredging of the Ram Setu and the evil Karunanidhi lashing out at "communal forces" for stalling the Setu project.


Many articles had been written in this blogspot on why Ram Setu must not be destroyed. There are more dangerous reasons of a future tsunami wiping off parts of Srilanka, south Tamilnadu and Kerala if this raised patch of Ram Setu is destroyed. There is also the possibility of rare deposits of Thorium getting washed into the Indian Ocean in the event of Ram Setu getting destroyed. If these are not enough reasons for not touching Ram Setu, there is certainly the religious reason for not destroying it. Though I have written many articles in this angle in the past, I wish to address this issue especially to the people of Tamilnadu this time.


The Tamil speaking people are proud about their heritage and a long literary past of Tamil culture and language. They must know that their olden Tamil texts contain the keys to many secrets of the history of India and even mankind at large. They must also know that their Tamil ancestors had remained as custodians of the past culture of India which was nothing but Vedic or Hindu in substance. Let them know that Ramayana, Rama and Ram setu were recorded in their olden texts as facts of history and not as mythology or some imaginative stuff. A true Tamilian must rise above his religious identity or political identity to stand by the historical places of importance in his land and put a stop to the destruction of these sites by the likes of Karunanidhi. As inheritors of Tamil language and olden Tamil texts, it is the duty of every Tamilian to know what his texts say and bring them out to the outside world to set the records straight. In this article I am giving whatever I have gathered from Tamil sources to show why this issue of Ram Setu must not be just left as a 'religious issue' but as a national heritage issue which every citizen must raise his voice for and every Tamil should rise up to denounce the attempts to destroy Ram Setu.


First of all every Tamilian should understand that it is his bounden duty to protect Ram Setu, as it is located in his land. He must not accept the specious arguments of Karunanidhi and his mouthpiece The Hindu which calls Ramayana as a myth. If Ramayana is a myth, how could have the Pandyan rulers written about an incident of an early Pandyan with Ravana of Ramayana?


Contrary to what people think, Ramayana did not happen lakhs of years ago. It happened in a traceable past – that too at a time when the old Tamil kingdom of Pandyans was flourishing in the South. There is a mention of the location of Kavatapuram, the capital city of the Pandyas in Valmiki Ramayana, and a corroboratory reference to Ravana is also found in the Sinnamanur copper plates of the Pandyans.


When Sita was abducted by Ravana, Pandyan kingdom was thriving in the south. While giving instructions to Hanuman and other vanaras on how to proceed to the southern direction, Shugreeva narrated the places that they would encounter en route. In that context he said that after crossing the river Kaveri, Agasthya's abode and then river Tamraparani, they would reach the Kavatam of Pandyas! ( कवाटम् पाण्ड्यानाम् – Valmiki Ramayana, chapter 41 -19). Thereafter they would reach the southern oceans, said Shugreeva. From there they could reach Ravana's Lanka from Mahendra hills!


This Kavatam was the capital of Pandyans during the 2nd sangam period, It was submerged in the 3rd deluge that happened 3500 years ago. Today we could see only the Mahendra hills whose extension into the Indian ocean had gone under water. This extension was the Kumari hills of the Sangam period.



From the narration of Valmiki Ramayana, we come to know that Pandyans were ruling from Kavatam while Ravana was ruling Lanka.


As a cross reference we do have information available in the Sinnamanur copper plates of the Pandyan kings. While tracing the genealogy of Pandyans, these inscriptions make a specific reference to an earlier Pandyan (name not mentioned ) to have made Ravana buy peace (refer verse 5 in this link: - http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/copper_plates_at_tirukkalar.html )


This is written both in the Sanskrit portion and the Tamil portion of the inscriptions. In Sanskrit it is written "Dasaanan sandheepa rakshakaara". In Tamil the same is written as "dasavathanan saarbaaka sandhu seithum". There was geographic proximity between the Pandyans and Ravana. The Pandyans had some skirmishes with him and at some time, they had the ten-headed Ravana buy truce with them or had negotiated with Ravana for some reason. The reason is not known and the exact event is not known, but the very mention of some interaction with Ravana goes to show that Ravana was not a mythological character, nor a Ramayana a fiction. It also shows that Ramayana happened in a decipherable past and not lakhs of years ago.


The Tamil texts also give the duration of time periods of the 3 Sangam periods. According to "Irayanaar Aga-p-porul urai" written 1000 years ago, the first sangam went on for 4,440 years with Southern Madurai (Then-Madurai) as its epicentre. After a deluge the capital was shifted to Kavaatam where the 2nd sangam went on for 3,700 years. It was in this period Ramayana had happened, as per the above references of Valmiki Ramayana and Sinnamaur inscriptions. This location was also lost in the deluge after which the 3nd sangam was shifted the present day Madurai. It lasted for 1,850 years with Ugra Peruvazhuthi as its last patron king. Adding all the years we get 9,990 years as the total duration of Tamil sangam period.


This figure was not a mythical figure. It was not written as a matter of fiction. The writer of this figure, Nakkeeranar was not a liar but belonged to the category of poets who had no reason to twist the facts or write a history out of imagination. These figures concur well with deluges of the past that started after the end of Ice Age some 13,000 years ago.


This figure also concurs with a cross reference from a sangam text and an inscription of the Cholas. The last patron of the 3nd sangam has been mentioned as Pandyan King Ugra Peruvazhuthi. There is a verse on this king and his contemporary king of the Cholas namely Peru Narkilli, written by the famous poetess Auvaiyaar in Pura Nanuru, a famous Sangam text (verse no 367). This Peru Narkilli is mentioned in the Cholan copper plates of Thiruvalangadu (verse 41 http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/no_205b_aditya_ii_karikala.html )


The famous  Cholan king Karikal Cholan came after this king as per the records of the Thiruvalangadu plates. Karikalan's time was before the period of Silappadhikaram of 2nd century CE. By this it is inferred that Peru Narkilli and his contemporary Ugra Peru vazuthi must have lived in the 1st century CE or at the beginning of the Common Era. This puts the end of 3rd sangam at approximately 2000 years BP.


Now adding up the years of the 3 sangam periods to this last year of the last sangam at 2000 years BP, we arrive at the following years.


3rd sangam started around 1850 BC.

2nd sangam started around 5550 BC

1st sangam started around 9990 BC.


For our purpose of locating the period of Ramayana, it must have happened after 5550 BC when Kavatam was the capital of Pandyan kings.

This coincides with a research article by Prof Pushkar Bhatnagar based on the astronomy-inputs of Ramayana that puts the date of birth of Ramayana at 5114 BC!

(http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.in/2010/10/ramas-birth-date.html ) Therefore I request the readers, particularly the Tamils to understand that Ramayana was very much an historical event that happened around 7000 years ago when Tamil sangam was thriving under the patronage of Pandyan kings.


There is also a cross reference available from Kalidasa's Raghu vamsa wherein he says that a Pandyan king attended the Swyamvar (self—choice) of Rama's grand mother Indumathi! She chose Rama's Aja, Rama's grand father as her groom. By all this it must be understood that we must not allow any more talk of Ramayana being a myth. Ramayana happened in reality. It happened 7000 years ago. The core theme is the abduction of Sita who was rescued by Rama by crossing the ocean, after building a bund over the Isthumus. Setu means bund. The identity as a bridge came much recently after the British messed up with our history and called it as Adams bridge.  From the records of  Thomas Williamson , (1810 ), East India Vade-Mecum, VOL I. , London , Black, Parry, and Kingsbury , p. 125, it is known that there were many hill tops or projections from the sea which were connected and made as a bund. This record says,


"This reef, called' Adam's Bridge,' is supposed to be formed by the summits of mountains, that, by some dreadful convulsion, were sunk below those waters, between which they originally formed a stupendous isthmus, like that of Darien, connecting Ceylon with the continent."


Seen at a height of 93 Km, Ram Setu looks as follows which is a clear indication of a man- made structure.



At the height of 1 Km, the structure of Ram Setu shows striations which are impossible to happen in nature. Take a look at the picture below which shows the finer parts of Setu under water as seen from the height of 1 Km.



Ram Setu was a marvel even at its time of construction. Mandodhari, wife of Ravana was convinced about the defeat of Ravana the moment she came to know that Rama had built a bridge across the ocean to come over to Lanka. It was an incomparable human feat that a person who could do it cannot be vanquished. Lamenting on the death of Ravana she said, "The day when the terrific monkeys built a bridge on the great ocean, that day itself I believed that Rama was not an ordinary mortal."

यदिअव वानरैर्घोरैर्बद्दः सेतुर्महार्णवे |
तदैव हृदयेनाहं शङ्के रामममानुषम् || (Valmiki Ramayana 6-111 -11)


Let me draw the attention of readers to some references from Silappadhikaram, the text that Karunanidhi used to show his love for Tamil. If Karunanidhi accepts Kannagi, the central character of Silappadhikaram, then he cannot ignore the other references in Silappadhikaram.


When Kovalan had gone out with Kannagi and Gavunthi Adigal, Kovalan's father grew anxious and wanted to get him back in town. His emissaries met Kovalan on the way and conveyed the anxiety of his father. In that context they compared Kovalan with Rama! Just as how Ayodhya was reeling under sorrow at the exit of Rama to the forest, Pukar (the home town of Kovalan) was sad at the exit of Kovalan.


//பெருமகன் ஏவ லல்ல தியாங்கணும்
அரசே தஞ்சமென் றருங்கான் அடைந்த
அருந்திறல் பிரிந்த அயோத்தி போலப்

(மதுரைக் காண்டம் - புறஞ்சேரி இறுத்த காதை
 line 63-65)//

 

Once again there is another reference in Silappadhikaram on Rama having gone to the forest. When Kovalan was sad over the developments of himself moving out with Kannagi, Gavunthi Adikal consoled him by comparing his position to Rama's sojourn with Sita in the forest.


//தாதை ஏவலின் மாதுடன் போகிக்
காதலி நீங்கக் கடுந்துய ருழந்தோன்
வேத முதல்வற் பயந்தோ னென்பது
நீயறிந் திலையோ நெடுமொழி யன்றோ

(மதுரைக் காண்டம்: ஊர் காண் காதை line 45-49)//


Consider that these words were written 1800 years ago. Unless Rama's story was a legend by then, these references could not have entered into the Tamil Epic. The fact that Rama's exit to forest is recorded shows that what followed after that – namely abduction of Sita and building of Setu were also realities.


There is a reference in Sangam texts on the abduction of Sita. In verse 378 of Pura Nanuru,  there is a description of the jewels received as gifts. The Paanans received different types of jewels from the Cholan king. Not knowing how to wear them, they were messing up with them. They did not even to how to wear and in which part of the body they must wear them. They wore the hand jewels on the ears and the ear jewels on the neck. The poet says that it looked like how the vanaras wore the jewels after they were thrown down by Sita while she was being carried away  by Ravana! 


//"...இலம்பா(டு) இழந்தஎன் இரும்பேர் ஒக்கல்
விரல்செறி மரபின செவித்தொடக் குநரும்
செவித்தொடர் மரபின விரற்செறிக் குநரும்
அரைக்(கு)அமை மரபின மிடற்றுயாக் குநரும்
மிடற்(று)அமை மரபின அரைக்குயாக் குநரும்
கடுந்தெறல் இராமன் உடன்புணர் சீதையை
வலித்தகை அரக்கன் வௌவிய ஞான்றை
நிலஞ்சேர் மதரணி கண்ட குரங்கின்
செம்முகப் பெருங்கிளை இழைப்பொலிந் தாஅங்(கு)
அறாஅ அருநகை இனிதுபெற்(று) இகுமே"
[
புறநானூறு: 378:13-21]//


What a description by the Tamils some 2000 years ago, connecting a scene from Ramayana! The sudden and unexpected access to jewels of sorts with which they were not familiar got the poet (Oon podhi pasungudaiyaar - ஊன்பொதி பசுங்குடையார்) recall how the vanaras had behaved on seeing the jewels falling in their midst! If this is not a proof of Ramayana, why would anyone believe that even Kannagi was a real character? 


There is another sangam verse that speaks about Rama before he crossed the ocean. In Agananuru 70, we come across a scene in which a man is speaking to his wife recalling their love affair.  Before marriage, their love affair was the subject matter of talks everywhere around. But after their marriage all those talks had fallen silent. It was like how the birds of the Banyan tree were keeping silence when Rama was sitting under the tree in the shores of the Ocean of the Pandyan land in deep thought over war strategies to be followed.


//"நம்மொடு புணர்ந்த கேண்மை முன்னே
அலர்வாய்ப் பெண்டிர் அம்பல் தூற்றப்
பலரும் ஆங்(கு)அறிந்தனர் மன்னே; இனியே
வதுவை கூடிய பின்றை....
...
வென்வேற் கவுரியர் தொல்முது கோடி
முழங்குஇரும் பௌவம் இரங்கும் முன்துறை
வெல்போர் இராமன் அருமறைக்(கு) அவித்த
பல்வீழ் ஆலம் போல
ஒலிஅவிந் தன்(று)இவ் அழுங்கல் ஊரே". (அகநானூறு:70:5-17)//


The location is mentioned as belonging to the Pandyan land. Obviously it refers to the shores of  Setu, where Rama was in Darbha sayana for 3 days and waited for the next few days to have the bridge built. The above scenario is about the time the Setu was under construction while Rama was spending time thinking about the war -perhaps sitting under a banyan tree. This description further reiterates the historicity of this incidence of crossing the ocean from the Pandyan kingdom. There must have been more local legends and recollections of Rama's stay in this part of the Pandyan kingdom among the Tamils of those days. A shred of it is available in this sangam verse.


The historicity of Setu continued for all times after that in such a way that a lineage of protectors of Setu had come into being. The rulers by name Setu-pathi were there in that part of Tamilnadu. Scurrying through the inscriptions, I came across one issued in the year 1714 by Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi. It was grant given to a dancer. At the end of the inscription, as was customary, it was mentioned that those who obstruct the continuation of that grant would incur the sin of having killed the cow in Setu or in the Ganges!  ('Kalvettu', quarterly magazine of Tamilnadu archaeological dept, Jan2010 issue) This shows that Ram Setu was kept in equal importance as that of Ganges!


The reason behind this is another big story which I have written in Tamil. (http://thamizhan-thiravidana.blogspot.in/2011/03/47.html )

The nutshell of that story is that Setu was the place where the river Ganga first touched the ashes of the Sagaras and enabled them to get released to heavens! The Ganges was not in existence until the time of Bhageeratha. It was confined to the glacier at Gangothri during the Ice Age. At the end of Ice age, she started flowing down. She flowed on the path cut by the sons of Sagara, the ancestor of Rama. The path was cut along the eastern coast of Bay of Bengal when actually the Bay was farther away from the present day shore.  The Sagaras who were in search of the horse dug through the shore line, encircled Srilanka and then ended up where Ram setu is situated. That region was a hot bed that they were reduced to ashes. Even today the ocean at the region of Rameswaram is called as Agni theertha. The Bathometry analysis of the Bay of Bengal shows 4 stands of canal like formations along the coastal line at depths 130, 80, 60 and 30 metres. It must be remembered that at the time of Ice age (13,500 years ago), the ocean level was 120 metres lower than now and that Bay of Bengal was much drier than the Indian Ocean which was lower than the bottom of the Bay of Bengal.



http://drs.nio.org/drs/bitstream/2264/449/1/J_Indian_Geophys_Union_4_185.pdf


The Ganges in her early days had flown along these channels –  cut by the sagaras and ended up at Ram Setu. The Ganga sagar was actually Bengal Sagar – now known as Bay of Bengal which was the ultimate region of river Ganga in her path. But as time progressed and the Ice age ended, the Ganges started flowing in full might. The Bay of Bengal swelled to its current level at the time of Ramayana – 7000 yrs BP. That was the time the ocean levels attained the current levels. So by then the original Channels of Sagara were inundated completely, Setu was almost under waters. The Ganges was more reachable at other places like Kasi and Gaya. That is how the glory of ganga went from "Aa Setu Himachala".



The blue coloured arrow marks in the above picture shows the initial movement of river Ganga upto Setu. The green coloured route shows the return of the glory from Setu to the region of birth of Ganga.


 The isthumus between Srilanka and India was not touched by the Sagaras and not even by Rama who initially attempted to shoot his  Brahmasthra at that site. But that was stopped by Samudra rajan who requested Rama to shoot the astra at some other site in the ocean. The reason could be traced to the type of ocean floor at Ram Setu. It was dotted with volcanic formations that are plugging the fractures in the mantle surface. The mount of Mynaka that rose up when Hanuman crossed the ocean was a volcano that had a lava opening at its bottom. The rich Thorium deposit in this region concurs well with the Ramayana description of volcanism underneath Ran Setu. It was as though a stitch had been made at Setu and by Setu to suppress any fissure in the sea bottom from erupting menacingly.


At the time of Ramayana (7000 yrs BP), the until then  naturally made isthumus of Setu was under water. It was raised by Rama's vanara sena. He found an additional advantage  as it served as a bund to stop the river waters flowing through the under water channel. This channel not only carried the waters of Ganges but also the other peninsular rivers. By arresting them at this point, it was possible for people to take a dip in the waters of all the sacred rivers starting from Ganges south-wards. Rama facilitated that by constructing Setu bund.


The religious significance of this place is thus formed 1000s of years ago. Even Rama had bathed here before he left for Lanka. It is written by sage Parasara in his Brihad Parasa Hora sastra that those who take bath here would get back their wealth, wife and family. Rama got them all within a fortnight of having taken bath here! Ram setu is recommended as a place of propitiation for those suffering from Chandra-dosha or the curse of mothers. 


Tamilians must know that the information of the digging up of the Bay of Bengal is written in Tamil texts! The Bay of Bengal is mentioned as "Thodu kadal"  in Tamil texts. It means 'Thondappatta kadal" – dug-up sea. This expression is found with specific reference to Sagaras in the Pura nanuru verse no 6. This is again mentioned in Silappadhikaram at 2 places. Lanka is mentioned as "Agazh ilangai" – dug –out Lanka. The shape of Srilanka was not natural but man-made – dug out by the sagaras who encircled Lanka and ended up at Setu, being unable to cut through it. In Silappadhikaram this nature of Lanka is mentioned in a couple of places. If Karunanidhi is true to his Tamil leanings, he must have recognised these facts of Silapapdhikaram too and reorganised his views. He is after all a selfish seller – who wants to use Tamil to serve him and not keen on serving Tamil.


Whatever we find in Tamil texts of Sagaras' digging up the Bay of Bengal, is also available in Valmiki Ramayana. The mynaka rose up to offer a resting place for Hanuman because it wanted to pay back to the Iskhwaku dynasty for having dug up the sea! Its location is in the region of Ram Setu  is something we must remember. This location was not somewhere in North India but very much on the shores of Tamilnadu. Again after reaching the shores, it was Vibheeshana who suggested Rama to seek the help of Samudra Rajan to help him cross the seas on the pretext that his ancestors had facilitated the flow of waters in the ocean when they brought the Ganges through the channels dug by sagaras. The location  is Ram Setu. Thus we have evidence to say that the Ganges came upto Ram Setu.


Today the average Tamil is indifferent to the issue of Setu samudram project. The Dravidian brain-wash had made him think that it is some Hindu issue or Jayalalithaa politics. No, it is the heritage of Tamils, its an issue of concern to Tamils. If only this kind of a situation had arisen in ancient times, no Tamil would have kept quiet. This is a place of pride, of historic importance for everyone from Pandyans to Setupathys. If we remain inert spectators, we are harming a tradition and heritage of our Tamil lands. If we allow the un-Tamil Karunanidhis and congreeswallahs to have their say, only we and our future generations are going to suffer – either through devastations in the event of tsunamis or by having permanently lost a rare region having propitiatory significance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 comments:

Arun said...

(1) References of Lanka in astronomy texts indicate that the meridian passing through Ujjain met equator at Lanka. Lanka has been described island long in north south direction. That makes the chain from Laccadiv (Lankā-dvīpa) to Maldive (Mālī-dvīpa). Present Srilanka was always called Simhal. It was politically part of Lanka in time of Rāvaṇa
वाल्मीकि रामायण किष्किन्धा काण्ड, अध्याय ४१-
ततो हेममयं दिव्यं मुक्तामणि विभूषितम्॥१८॥ युक्तं कबाटं पाण्ड्यानां गता द्रक्ष्यथ वानराः॥१९॥
द्वीपस्तस्यापरे पारे शतयोजन विस्तृतः॥२३॥ स हि देशस्तु वध्यस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥२५॥
(2) Rāvaṇa is a word of respect. The person in whom Yajña in form of bull roars, is respectable like Mahādeva. Yajña is productive work and person capable of useful production only is respectable-
चत्वारि शृङ्गा त्रयो अस्य पादा द्वे शीर्षे सप्त हस्तासो अस्य।
त्रिधा बद्धो वृषभो रोरवीति, महोदेवो मर्त्यां आविवेश॥ (ऋक् ४/५८/३)
For his great roar, Mahādeva had called him Rāvaṇa-
प्रीतोऽस्मि तव वीरस्य शौटीर्याच्च दशानन। शैलाक्रान्तेन यो मुक्तस्त्वथा रावः सुदारुणः॥३६॥
यस्माल्लोकत्रयं चैतद् रावितं भयमागतम्। तस्मात्त्वं रावणो नाम नाम्ना राजन् भविष्यसि॥३७॥
(रामायण, उत्तरकाण्ड, सर्ग १६)
In Kashi region, Rava is word of respectable address. In south India, Rao is respectable title except in Tamilanadu as it was main centre of opposition even during Pāṇḍya rule before Rāma. Thus, it negates the theory that there is Rāvaṇa culture in Tamilnadu. Then the correct names of many greats should have been-(1) Ramasvami Naikar-Ravanadasan, (2) M.G. Ramchandran-Ravanasuryan, (3) Jayaram Ramesha-Jai Ravana Mahesh.
(3) There is a Hindi epic Padmavata, stating that Simhalis are descendants of Vijaya Simgh and his 700 army who went from Tamralipti ans captured Lanka. This is thought a fiction, but Simhali is still very close to Oriya, Bangla.
(4) Śaka dvīpa is Australia also called Agni or Anga Dvipa as it is in agni koṇa south east).

ram said...

This is not only issue of Tamils ? It is of every citizen of the world, not necessarily Indian, who has interst in knowing the past of human beings. It should not happen as happened to Budha statues recently. Those people who want to show that they are the superior lot, though they are not, indulge in such ugly things of destruction when they cannot prove beyond that. If you want to show you are taller than the other cut the legs of the other. These criminal brains are jealous of the past Hindu heritage. But they do not know how one could enjoy our past achievements may be the pyramids, the Angchor vat etc.. So the duty of every citizen to oppose the criminal approch of the stupidest surrounding the monotheists. We will be gone sometime or other but we leave behind for our successors in the world all those magnificent things left by our ancestors .

R.Ramanathan said...

Excellently researched article with a wealth of information not commonly available. Your knowledge of history is mind boggling

Unknown said...

Madam, Thanks for a well researched article on why we should preserve Sethu as it is. I want to add something more. In your another blog, you had established that from Tiruvalangadu copper plates, the ancestors of Cholas were Emperor Sibi and his descendants, which include Sri Rama. We, Tamils take pride in the Grand Anicut built by Chola king, about 2000 years ago. Then, is it not our pride that ancestors of Chola kings, also built Sethu, 7000 years ago?
Also,you have indicated in your article that the Sagaras could not go beyond the Sethu site, as there were volcanoes and in the process they were reduced to ashes. Therefore, if the present Sethu which is serving as a cap on the volcanoes is uprooted, volcanic eruption can destroy Tamilnadu.
Therefore, the UPA government should not tamper with Tamil heritage and also avoid playing with fire in the name of politics.
Though I do not think Karunanidhi is a force to reckon with,this matter is like a beautiful garland landing in the hands of a monkey! Our good fortune is that UPA government is in its last legs and we pray the Almighty to bless our country with a more sensible and corruption-free government. We also hope that the Supreme court will do justice.
TG Saranathan

Jayasree Saranathan said...

From

Chalam

பிப்ரவரி, 2013 6:56 AM

Dear Mam,
This is with reference to your article "All Tamils must unite to save Ram-Setu" in your blog. I am posting here as I was not able to comment there without ID.

If the Lankan war happened during the 2nd sangam then there is a possibility that the Pandyas could have participated in the war or could have been mere witness of the war.In either case the events would have been recorded distinctively in the 2nd sangam literature.

We may find some references in the existing texts as quoted by you in the above article.

Regards
Chalam

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Dear Mr Chalam,

Pandyas did not take part in the war against Ravana. Infact Rama did not take help from anyone other than Shugreeva. The reasons can be as follows.

(1)Rama was not sure where Sita was taken and by whom. The vanaras were sent on all directions. It so happened that Hanuman went in the southern direction and almost failed in finding her out. When he and other vanaras including Vali's son Angada lost their hopes, they met Sampaati from whom they came to know that Ravana had taken Sita to Lanka. The moment they cane to know that Sita was in Lanka, Hanuman lost no time in going over to Lanka. Everything happened quickly after that. He went over there on a evening (of Pradosha kaalam) met her on that night, was caught by Ravana the next day and returned to Rama by next afternoon itself. Immediately on hearing from him about Sita's whereabouts, Rama set out to the shores of Rameswaram. So there was no time to plan and get help from others. Perhaps Pandyan king could not have been aware of Rama's entry into Lanka in such a short time.

(2) Ravana's abduction of Sita was known only to Vali. There is no clue on whether the Pandyan king knew of that. It was because no one had any truck with the asuras of Lanka in those days, whereas Vali and Ravana had a tussle before. From Sinnamanur inscriptions, we come to know that Pandyan also had a tussle with Ravana. But Vali's kingdom was on the route to Lanka in Rama's sojourn whereas Pandyan's Kavaatam was not. That could have been a reason why Rama did not meet up with Pandyan. Then there was the vow to be only in the forest. So due to these reasons Rama and Pandyans did not cross each other during Vanavaasam of Rama.

Moreover the entire Srilanka was not populated in those days. In Ramayana period, Ravana's Lanka was in Thirukona malai (Trincomalee) and not everywhere in Srilanka. So there is less chance for the Pandyans to have known about Ravana's movements.

(3) Then there is the Sinnamanur inscription I quoted in the article. It is strange why the Pandyans did not mention the name of the Pandyan King who subdued Ravana. Atleast after Ramayana had taken place, these kings could have boasted off their victory over Ravana, but they didn't. One probable reason I deduce for this behaviour is that both Ravana and Pandyans were staunch devotees of Shiva. Normally the Shiva bhakthas would not like to harm a fellow Shiva Bhaktha, then where is the scope of boasting off a victory over a fellow devotee of Shiva? Popular example is that of Meipporul Nayanar who refused to harm Muththa nathan who killed him in the guise of a Shiva- adiyaar. The details can be read in my article in the below link in the latter part of that article.


http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.in/2010/03/temple-where-ravanas-wife-worshipped.html

(4) An interesting information is that Ravana's father in law was Mayan! And the book "Ainthiram" of Mayan was published in the 2nd sangam! This tallies with the time period.

(5) The quotes from Sangam texts are what I could gather so far. There may have been hidden some other quotes. But compared to the number of books and poems published in the sangam, what we have today is very very less. Most of 2nd sangam texts are lost. What we have today is mostly 3rd sangam texts only. In my opinion Thirukkural was 1st sangam text. The Irunthaiyur song in Paripadal is 2nd sangam song (refer my blog 'Vishnu in sangam texts'.)

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Dear Dr Arun Upadhyay,

Thanks for sharing your views. It is enlightening to know the "Rava" part of Ravana.

I am also excited by your reference to Shaka dweepa as Anga dweepa connecting it to Australia. I have written to a considerable extent on Shka dweepa in my Tamil blog. I know that it was not Sundaland (danava - daitya land) but somewhere adjacent to it. My opinion was Tarakasura vadam of Mt Toba resulted in -> realignment of people in Shaka dweepa where the 4 varna and Vedic culture flourished. Shiva as Dakshina murthy and Thennattudaiya sivan was the deity here. It was here early Pandyan and Meenakshi flourished. I put it deep down in the 90 degree median range which was close to Australia. A huge part of Australia had sunk since then. It was from here, the Dravisdeswara Manu shifted to Arabian sea and settled along the extended western coast during the Ice age before he entered North India through Saraswathy.

Swarna dweepa (sundaland) was adjacent to it but not frequented by shaka dweepa people. Vedism thrived in both Swrana dweepa and Shaka dweepa. One group from swarna dweepa went to South america as Incas carrying the memory of Virochana. Another group went to North America via ? - and became Anishi naabhe. They have tamil and vedic presence. Still puzzling me and am still in the process of linking the missing threads.

The Mayuri (maori) is the remnant of Skanda culture. The Kona district of Hawaii is perhaps the eastern most part of old world - the Yamakoti in my opinion. This link shows Kona - which is trikona shaped and in close to 180 degree meridian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kona_District,_Hawaii

After all this I would say that knowledge of Tamil texts plays a crucial part in linking almost all the tribes and events of the past, and ofcourse aided by Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Dear Mr Ram.

Agreed that it is not the Tamils' issue as it concerns everyone - any citizen of the world. But I am frustrated about the way the Tamil people keep away from the Ram Setu issue. Don't they have the sense of ownership of a region in their state which has so much of an importance in the past history?

Actually I was angry to read expressions like 'communal', 'mythical' and 'Hindu' etc used by MK and The Hindu for this issue. When are the Tamils going to know the real history of their land? Why restrict this to BJP or Hindus or Swamy? When would the tamil speaking citizen of Tamilnadu know that he must be equally outraged as these people on the talks of destruction of Ram setu by Congress and MK?

It is alarming that for the kind of rich literary sources they have serving as a knowledge bank and a mirror into the past, the Tamils are real fools to be behaving like this - not only in this issue but many other issues as well.

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Thanks Mr Ramanathan (unknown) and Mr Saranathan for sharing your views.

I agree with Mr Saranathan, that we can take pride in Cholan's feat too. Infact if you look at these instances of the past, we have inherited combined generations of the past - something that tallies with genetic studies too. On one side the Pandyans came directly from deep south and entered south India. Manu segregated from him even before or at the time of Ice age and moved to North India.

Chola varman, the founder of Chola dynasty sprang from Manu -> Ikshwaku -> Sibi and was in NW India in pakistan in Sivi and Cholistan before coming down to Pumpukar! The Chola, Choda, Chauda, Choziyan kudumi - all mean the same! They had mun -kudumi and had cousins spread to Europe too even before Chola varman came to south India. In contrast Pandyans had side Kudumi - something you would see in Chidambaram Deekshithars.Chidambaram Natarajar was a typical olden form of Shiva of Shaka dweepa!

I would request readers to check the temple sculptures of Tamil nadu of 10th century AD and before for the Kudumi and its style and share the information with me. It would add to our understanding, at a time we find Gobekli Tepe (Turkey) kudumi head of 10,000 yrs BP sporting yajur Vedin Kudumi! Mr Ramanathan and others are welcome to share their views on different types of Kudumi!!

Badari Narayanan V T said...

Your deep knowledge and passion is extraordinary. I have seen considerable opposition to the Setu project in Faridabad, why TN is not active is only because of negativism propagated by EVR and his followers. Our media, the lap dogs of Congress writes about the Setu as 'mythical.' UPA has been consistent in putting down Hindus - communal violence bill, minority-only scholarships, unchecked infiltration by Bangladeshis etc

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Just trying to figure out why the Congress ventured into this foolish and suicidal decision in the year of election. The only person who can be happy about it is MK and expectedly MK reacted. Is there any reason to keep MK in good spirits?

Thinking of it, A Raja is keen on 'exposing' something in JPC but he is not allowed. By all indicators Raja and Kani are likely to bear the 2 G brunt in the final analysis. Is that really going to happen? Perhaps to deflect the attention of MK, the Congress had taken up this Setu project? But how long? Would not MK be vigilant that they don't touch Kani.

Beyond all this, my instinct says that Raja and Kani would be cornered and MK would die hear broken due to Putra-soham. Those who harmed Rama suffered Putra soham. Dasaratha suffered and Ravana suffered. Now Mk in the line?

Jayasree Saranathan said...



From: S. Kalyanaraman
Date: Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 3:26 AM
Subject: Re: Non-random-Thoughts:All Tamils must unite to save Ram-Setu.
To: jayasree


http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.com/2013/02/all-tamils-must-unite-to-save-ram-setu.html

Thanks. Mirrored here. Jeevema s'aradah s'atam.

kalyan

Jayasree Saranathan said...


From: Radha Rajan
Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 8:50 PM


If Ram Setu is a Tamil issue over which Tamils must unite, is Ramjanmabhumi in Ayodhya a UP issue over which only hindi speaking Uttar Pradeshis must unite? I think we need to be careful about emphasising language over dharmi. RR

Jayasree Saranathan said...


//If Ram Setu is a Tamil issue over which Tamils must unite, is Ramjanmabhumi in Ayodhya a UP issue over which only hindi speaking Uttar Pradeshis must unite? I think we need to be careful about emphasising language over dharmi. RR//

I think this comment was made without going through the contents of the article. Right from the beginning to the end I had emphasized why I brought the Tamils into the picture.

If at all there is some one who is happy about the decision of the Congress govt, it is MK only. So the focus shifts to Tamilnadu. If the Tamils are continuing to be indifferent to this issue now, it is a scoring point for MK. The majority Tamils who can be swayed by love of Tamil but repelled against Hindu issues due to the influence of 'rational' propaganda by the likes of MK, must be told what their Tamil past says about Ramayana and Ram Setu. My entire article was devoted to that, so that they must realise that it is their bounden duty to own up this structure in their lands and safe guard it.

regards,
Jayasree

ram said...

More than anything it is a strategy by the Chrstian community to dismantle Hinduism . It is taking place since long time in different forms. If you follow Jeshuva project one can imagine how pains takingly the project has been developed. The previous pope, before Benedict has told to plant Churches and left it to Pope Benedict to harvest the souls. In the project it is listed around 20 methods. This may be one in defaming the Hindu culture which includes destroying or disfiguring the pictures or idols of Hindu Gods. In Bangaluru I am seeing a large number of framed pictures broken and left at the gates of Hindu temples. Spread of Islam takes place a different strategy. Looking at the introduction of FDI or Heicopter scandal etc suggests crippling the country so that we to take up,begging bowls. Visit you will be benefited on the developments.o

Jayasree Saranathan said...


From: Kasturi Narayan
Date: Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM

Dear Jayashree,

I am thrilled and amazed on your depth of study, analysis and the relevant quotes. I wonder how you access all such important
information which must have consumed lots of time.No doubt you will be the torch bearer for all people like us who are keen to contain the onslaught being carried out by vested interests.

We will certainly unite for which I request you to sponsor a signature campaign which we will send to all Members of Parliament who are supposed to be the custodians of citizens aspirations.

Narayanan

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Thanks Mr Kasturi Narayan.

All these information are gathered by me over a period of time. At some point I find them all linked together and stitch them together when a need arises.

On signature campaign, I think there are many luminaries who are seized of this issue. If something comes up I will post it in my blog and spread the awareness. As for me I am doing a squirrel’s contribution of what I am capable of doing.

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Another proof of Ram Setu from Tamil sources is found in the Thiruvalangadu copper plates written in the 11th century during the reign of Rajendra Chola -1. His father was Arul mozhi varman who was popularly known as Raja Raja Chola (of Ponniyin Selvan fame).

In the Prasathi of the inscriptions, the feats of Rajraja Chola are mentioned. One among them is his naval expedition to Ceylon and the defeat of the Lankan king Satyasraya. In this context he is compared with Rama who built the bridge across the ocean to cross the ocean.

The translation of this verse No 80 is as follows:

" The lord of the Raghavas (i.e., Rama) constructing a bridge across the water of the ocean with (the assistance of) able monkeys, killed with great difficulty the
king of Lanka (i.e., Ravana) with sharp-edge arrows ; (but) this terrible General of that (king Arunmolivarman) crossed the ocean by ships and burnt the Lord of
Lanka (Ceylon). Hence Rama is (surely) surpassed by this (Chola General). "

http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/no_205c_aditya_ii_karikala.html

mudaliar said...

Dear Madam

For Mun kudumi I am posting a story on Munkudumi Easwer(mukkudumieaswer as recorded by Englishman when copying the inscriptions.)

Pon Vilaindha Kalathur
My ancestor^s native place
Pon Vilaindha Kalathur is a small village situated about 60 kms from Chennai and about 8 kms from Chengalpattu.
Presently, the name of the village is shortened as PV Kalathur. Great poet Pugazhendhi Pulavar, who wrote Nalavenba was born here. One of the 63 Naayanmaars called Sri Kootruva Naayanar is also said to have lived in this village.

PV Kalathur has a small yet wonderful temple for Lord Shiva. The main deity here is called as Sri Munkudumeeswarar (முன்குடுமீஸ்வரர்) and Goddess Sri Meenakshi Amman. The temple was built by Rajendra Chozhan.

The legend of the God here is too unique and interesting. There lived a king who was ruling this part of the country in ancient days. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and had a habit of getting Prasaad (Prasaadham) from this temple every day before starting his routines.

The priest of this temple used to perform daily morning pooja to the Lord and carry the Prasaadham for the king at his palace. Once, as usual, the priest performed the pooja and went to the palace to submit to the king. The king was having his bath the priest had to wait for while for the king to return and accept the Prasaadham. Meantime, the queen saw the priest waiting and enquired him. The priest told that he had brought Prasaadham from the temple for the king. The priest was holding a plate carrying Vibhuthi (Holy Ash), Kumkum, fruits and some flowers offered to the Lord.

The queen liked the fresh flowers on the plate and out of curiosity took the flowers and wore on her head. The priest was shocked and told the queen that the first Prasaadham from the temple is meant only for the king and grabbed the flowers from her head and kept them back on the plate.

The king arrived and accepted the Prasaadham with much devotion. But he was shocked to see a single long hair stuck with the flowers of the temple. The king got angry and asked the priest on how the hair got mixed up with flowers from the temple and whether the Lord had a long hair. The priest got frightened as he cannot tell the king that the queen was the responsible for it. At the same time, he had to answer. So, the priest told the king that the Lord in the temple has a long hair and hence the flowers taken from the Lord’s idol had a hair mixed up among the flowers.

The king couldn’t believe it and told that he will visit the temple the next day morning during the Pooja and if he doesn’t find the hair on the Lord, the priest’s head will be cut off.

The priest returned to the temple, cried and prayed the whole day in front of the Lord to save him from the king’s punishment.

The next day both the priest and the king arrived at the temple for morning Pooja. When the priest opened the doors of the sanctum to start the Pooja, he was astonished to see a tuft near the forehead of the Shiva Lingam. The priest was in tears realizing the mercy of the God to whom he was doing Poojas with full devotion. The king, on seeing the tuft apologized with the priest for suspecting him. As the Lord has a tuft (Kudumi) towards his forehead He came to be known as Sri Munkudumeeswarar. Even today, we can witness the tuft on the Lord’s (Lingam’s) head.
The temple is now protected and maintained by Archeological department and is very neat and clean.

There is a beautiful Panchamuga (5 headed) Lingam carved on one of those pillars.

for full details see the source
source-http://dharsanam.blogspot.com/

Regards

Jayasree Saranathan said...

Beautiful narration Mr Mudaliar. The Pancha mukha linga also kindles my interest. There are many lakshanas of Linga murthy explained in Mayamatham in the chapter on iconography. I will check for this lakshana.

Thanks.

Pandey said...

Please those who want to save ramsetu contact me immediately asap thankyou

Ashish Pandey
+91-9971423788
ashishpandey1201@gmail.com