Porunai Zephyr: November 2016

Memorials of South Indian Rebellion:

There is a dire need to bring out the details of South Indian Rebellion, the ever first popular, armed and organized native resistance against the British colonialism in the Indian subcontinent which rose from the Southern Tamil lands – but still lying beneath the heaps of historic neglect.

There are several connected places which need to be recorded and notified and preserved for the posterity.

Recently visited few such places on the en route of other journeys:

Thirumeyyam:

Thirumeyyam fort complex is a declared National monument under the control of ASI. It was the Northern outpost of erstwhile Raamnad Kingdom located on the strategic Tanjore – Pudukkottai – Sivaganga / Thirupathur Road. The fort was constructed by the Sethupathy King, Vijaya Ragunatha Thevar @ Kilavan Sethupathy in the 17^th Century. The fort was given by Sethupathy Kings to Thondaimans of Pudukkottai. The fort was originally of 7 converging circular walls around a rocky hill of which only 4 survive. The fort complex has ancient age rock- cut temples of Pandya era.

It is somehow connected to Oomaithurai, the younger brother of Kattabomman and the fiery spearhead of the South Indian Rebellion. The locals refer the fort as the ‘oomayan fort’ i.e. the fort of the dumb referring Oomaithurai. There is word of mouth that Oomaithurai was imprisoned here by Thondaimans. The historic sequences need clarifications as only his elder brother Kattabomman was arrested by Thondaimans and handed over to the British in the aftermath of Panjalam Kurichy War -I.

However it is narrated in the modern Tamil classic, 'Kaaval Kottam' that during the great revolt of Southern Tamil Country against the British colonial occupation, Chinna Marudu's son Sivatha Thambi operated in the vicinity of this region with his platoons and opened up a corridor to the Tanjore region and brought in food grains to the drought hit south.

The rock cut temples are beautiful creations with several artful sculptures. The hill lock is called Sathyagiri. The Vishnu temple here is one among three most important Dhivya Desams - holy places in Tamil Vaishnavite religion - the other two being Thiruvarangam and Alagarmalai.

The Satyamurthy Perumal temple gardener informed us that inside these rocky formations Kattabommu Nayak of Panjalamkurichy and his associates were rounded up by Thondaiman's forces and imprisoned. Later they were handed over to the British by Thondaman;

Manora at Saraboji Rajan pattinam:

Serfoji King of Tanjore was a close ally of the British during the crucial struggle of the natives against the British colonialism. Manora is a minar or tower constructed by Serfoji on the Eastern seashore of his kingdom in the early 19th century.

Manora was erected by Serfoji to commemorate the fall of the English enemy, Nepolean Bonaparte in Europe! Such was his loyalty to his ally!!

King Serfoji's alliance with the British effectively sealed the rebellion of Tamils against the British from spreading to the Northern parts and confined the rebellion to the Southern Tamil lands.

inside the first floor of the Minar;

Recent paved over bridge and the remaining latches indicating the earlier wooden bridges over the moat system;

Thirupathur:

The Marudu brothers were hanged to death in Thirupathur. They came out of their hideouts from the nearby Singampunari jungles to protect the Kalayar koil temple tower which they had constructed. The British threatened to blast the tower if they do not surrender. On the last wish of the elder Marudu, his head was laid in samadhu towards Kalayar koil temple. Thiruthalinadhar temple of Thirupathur is consecrated by the Thevaram hymns of 7^th century indicating the age of this town.

Piranmalai:

Piranmalai is a mysterious ancient geological formation. It is an interesting area of geology which is yet to be brought out to popular perception that it is located at a converging junction of the Eastern Ghats with the Western Ghats. From Piranmalai the hilly contours of geological formations lead to Karantha Malai Hills and Sirumalai Range wherein the Alagar malai range also converges and then the Ranges ultimately connects to the Palani Hills i.e. the grand Western Ghats.

Interestingly Oomaithurai said to have lived here for a while during his exile from his native land and in association with the Marudu brothers. Piranmalai was a military bastion of Marudu brothers. The adjacent Singampunari forests provided a back up shelter. Oomaithurai travelled from Piranmalai to Sirumalai and to Palani hills according to the narration of one ballad. There is a mound atop the Piranmalai hills still referred as Oomayan Thittu.

Piranmalai is the much ancient country of Paari, the Sangam age noble King. There are Sangam poetry associated with his court scholar and poet Kabilar. In one of his poems, Kabilar explains the structural features of the irrigation tanks of his country, Mullai country.

one Sangqm age Kabilar poem on a stone slab placed in Piranmalai town...!

The Shiva temple at Piranmalai – in Thevaram hymns, it is referred as Kodunkundram, is one of the Thevaram consecrated temples and belong to the group of 14 such temples of Pandya country called ‘Paandi 14’ in the Saivite religion.

The temple complex is structured in 3 layers over the hillock perhaps developed in different times.

I believe that Piranmalai hills along with the places in south, Thiruvaadavur and Thiruchuli have some esoteric geological connectivity since their primordial geology is mentioned in Tamil Saivite references.

The ancient temples and Sithar Samaadhus around the Piranmalai area are focused and located towards the Piranmalai hills indicating the enigmatic importance of Piranmalai location.

I hope a day may come to the Tamils to explore that importance and cherish it.

Piraanmalai temple views;