Veera Chokkappa Thevar and Maadasaamy Pillai – the Demi Gods of Southern lands!

It was an anecdote. I heard it from my father when I was a kid. I vividly remember his narration about one Paandya warrior, ‘Elu kanu thaandiya’ Veera Chokkappa Thevar. The title ‘Elu kanu Thaandiya’ literally means one who has withstood seven nodes.

The story is that in one battle the said warrior, Chokkappa Thevar in the midst of his fight was pierced by a hostile arrow shot which tore into his torso to the other side. The unrelenting southern warrior withstood the attack and continued his fight. He held out and was fiercely fighting while each successive node of that bamboo shaft was going into his torso one by one. The warrior fell down only when the seventh node pierced into him.

Amazed by his indomitable spirit and endurance, people referred him as, ‘Elu kanu thaandiya veeran’ meaning ‘the warrior who withstood seven nodes’. 

I really don’t know where this particular battle took place or from where that warrior hailed.

But I believe the authenticity of the story as it has been passed on down the time line in the region by word of mouth - at least to the extent that it narrates about the tenacity and spirit exhibited by an indomitable Paandya warrior in a particular battle.

Placing ‘Nadu-kal’ in the form of menhir or the standing memorial stone slabs in remembrance of a fallen warrior is the ancient Tamil custom. Remembering, worshiping and celebrating such warriors who martyred for their country, people or a noble cause is part of the tradition of Tamil communities. ‘Pulikkuthikkal’ is a form of ‘nadukal’ which is a memorial for the warrior who was killed while hunting tigers disturbing the residential localities.  

I have heard that God Karuppasaamy worshipped with much vigor throughout the Paandya territory of Southern Tamil Country is linked to such martyr worship. This land remembers it’s heroes who fell for a noble cause.

Karuppasaamy with various variants is a household name of the South.

Karuppasaamy is the deity who protects the Paandya territory.

This land is protected by the spirit of our fallen warriors!

Karuppasaamy is in the form of weapons drawn out - usually of aruvaal – the long sickle, sword, spears or mace and in a ready to attack position with sharply piercing eyes and twisted mush of an ancient Tamil warrior either in standing form or driving his horse.

Karuppasaamy temple priests usually hail from family lineages of the localities and the festivals decided by local customs. Liquor, cigar and mutton are offered to the warrior deity.

Artist expression of Karuppasaamy worshipping custom 

Wearing sangili i.e. iron chains symbolizes a fierce kind of warrior. Similarly Sangili Karuppasaamy is a fierce form of deity, worshipped by the Southern Tamil communities. 

Karuppasaamy in the form of  portrait on a rock side  worshiped in Arittappatti Hills near Madurai

It has been reported in the dailies that in the jungle outskirts of Kumarappatti village near Pudukkottai, the villagers worship 'Oomayan Karuppar' particularly on the full moon day of the Tamil month Chithirai. This Karuppasaamy is said to be the popular Southern warrior, Oomaithurai, the younger brother of the legendary Veerapaandya kattabomma Nayakkar. Oomaithurai is said to have been arrested by the British at this jungle due to the betrayal of the Pudukkottai King. However the people felt the guilt and the popular support remained – and still remains with the hero of Southern lands who chose to fight against the British colonialism!   

Similarly, there were chosen warriors who led the ancient Paandya army from the front lines of the columns. There is scarce chance for survival while at the front rows of clashing armies in ancient battles. 

Such men who volunteered to be at the front of the charge and bore the brunt of the enemy onslaught for the country were said to have been consecrated by the Southern communities as Muniayasaamy.

Muniyasaamy

The heroes who led us during the crises may fall, but their grace and power is exuded through our deities which would ever rekindle the ethos of our lands. 

Kottai Karuppasaamy is a protective deity of the ancient Paandya fortification. There is a Kottai Karuppasaamy temple still near the Northern Gate of the former Palayamkottai Fort. Similarly there is a Muniyasaamy temple at the site of the Southern Gate of the former Madurai Fort. 

Southern forts were protected by the exemplary actions of our fallen warriors. Karuppasaamy and Muniyasaamy at the gates of the ancient forts of Paandya country are the standing testimonies to this fact .   

I was shaken to see the way, people of Madurai throng to worship the Northern Temple Tower Muneeswara and place their infants before him on the road side floor seeking his blessings.       

There may be tens of scores of glowing portrayal of acts of bravery shown by Tamil warriors in the Sangam literature, ‘Puranaanooru’.

There are also abundant evidences of epigraphy which throw light on the course of Tamil history.

However there are also equally important similar pieces of history passed down through the generations as available in many regions of the Southern lands, among communities and within family trees in the forms of ballads, anecdotes and other folk expressions. Such information need to be picked up, compiled and collated with the literary, epigraphy and other evidence based ‘elitist’ academic history.

May the history of the southern Tamil lands also be folk sourced. 

I doubt the survival of such precious information surviving through another generation, in this age of fast paced style of anxious living.  

One childhood rhyme which still tinkling in my mind as I recall my childhood playmates rhyme in a loud chorus while playing on the dusty streets of Sankarankoil,   

             "ஐ ச்சக்கா ஐ............... 

              அரப்படி நெய் !

              வெள்ளக்காரன் கப்பல்ல 

              தீயக் கொழுத்தி வை !!"

a rough translation is,

               "Huraah......

                there is half a kilo of ghee!

                use it to burn the ships 

                of the whites!!"

It may be an embarrassingly funny, rhyming sequence of the childhood play.

But it points out the burning fire of under current flowing down the generations in the Southern Tamil Country. I found this very rhyme in a folklore compilation later.

The Western province of Tirunelveli region spearheaded the ever first uprisings against the British colonial mechanism in the Indian sub continent during the very first decade of the 19^th century immediately followed by the Eastern province which fell one by one. However the free spirit and the fight put forth by the southern Tamil country flowed down through the generations. Nellai Cheemai gave out so many fighters who struggled for the freedom of the land from the colonial occupation.

One fire brand Nationalist, Maadasaamy Pillai of Ottapidaaram and his comrades attempted to sink the British ships in the Tuticorin harbour by fire bombs. This extraordinarily talented warrior - forgotten in the modern Tamil history went underground and his biography is one which remains still untold by academic historians from their Macaulayan ivory tower tops.

I want to link the above said that age children's rhyme with the attempt of the brave men of the south who attempted to attack Tuticorin harbour used by the British to export black cotton to Lancashire, firing the industrial revolution there.

There are similar anecdotes which need academic recognition such as the folk narration on Panjalamkurichy warriors, Kattai Karupanan Sundaralingam - who martyred as a suicide bomber and destroyed an ammunition dump of the British, Potti Pagadai - who was instrumental in protecting his leader Oomathurai on the last battle of Panjalamkurichy war - II, and Vellaya Thevan - who led the Panjalamkurichy troops in the Panjalamkurichy war - I and the women warrior Kuyili of Sivaganga - who blasted a British ammunition store as a suicide bomber who all martyred in their land’s resistance against the alien occupation.   

Similarly this country worships the galaxy of Sithars – the revered Zen Gurus who rose from the ordinary households to the spiritual heights and guided the people of ordinary walks of life. People still throng their samaadhus - where their mortal remains are confined. The belief is that their immortal spirits remain there. There are hundreds of such jeeva samaadhus across the Southern Tamil Country worshiped.

When I visited one such Jeevasamaadhu of Sri Kannappa Sithar adjacent to Thirumalai hillock an ancient historic place of importance near Melur, I was stunned by the simple way of reverence shown by a companion who just chose to take a handful of sand nearby and distributed it in pinches among us as the holy ‘prasaadam’ as the blessing of our Sithar. Such is the sheer simplicity of ways our people express…..

 That is the way shown by our Sithars!   

May the southern lands be uplifted by the blessings of hundreds and hundreds of our Gods and Gurus!

                                       

Kochadaiyaan Ranadheera –  a hero of the Pandya country!

I was so enchanted by the vivid Kochadayan posters to the extent I was fascinated and feel nostalgic about 'Ambulimama' Sankar's enthralling sketches. I was steered to know about Kochadaiyaan, a legendary King of the South.

Now, let us reel back through the bygone centuries to meet this real hero!

In 710 AD there rose a powerful war hero like a thunderbolt, from Madurai, the seat of Pandya dynasty!!

Madurai is one of the surviving oldest heritage cities of jambudwipa i.e. Indian sub continent. Old part of Madurai city situated in the southern bank of Vaigai river is with a layout feature of lotus flower with its petal like parts blossoming out from the Shiva temple at the centre. Like any other ancient city of this country, Madurai also developed around a Shiva temple. Few other striking examples are Ernakulam, Thiruchur, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil.  The lord shiva at Madurai temple is celebrated as Sundareswara, Somasekara and chokkappan. Madurai and Kanchipuram are the twin ancient heritage cities of Tamil Country. Madurai is still regarded as the cultural capital of Tamilnadu. Tamil sangam, a highly evolved literary conclave, unparallel in the World of its nature was patronized by the Pandya royalty.

 The foremost pandyas ruled from Korkai, an ancient seaport at the mouth of Tamiraparani river in Tirunelveli Cheemai. They were the oldest and foremost royal clan of the Tamil country – this is without taking into account the much ancient Pahruli river civilization of lemurian Continent, submerged into the Indian Ocean perhaps like the Danushkodi town which went into the sea in 1964. A saivite mutt at Perunkulam village near Korkai in Tirunelveli region is called 'sengol adeenam' indicating the information that the pontiff of this hermitage used to perform the coronation of Pandya Kings.

The later capital of Pandya dynasty shifted to Madurai. Madurai ascended to glory with the rise of Early Pandya rulers – one of the most successful and illustrious and perhaps the longest dynasties of Tamil country from 560 AD to 920 AD - starting from the legendary Pandyan Kadunkone, who liberated the southern lands from the dark spell of kalappiras.

In that lineage of powerful kings, there came an indomitable hero, Kochadaiyaan, son of the valorous Emperor, Arikesari Maravarman Nindraseer Nedumaran. The legendary emperor, Nindraseer Nedumaran and his queen Mangayarkarasiyar, the devoted Chola princess and his learned Chief Minister from Melamanalkudi, a small town in the Eastern shoreline of Pandya country, Kulachirayaar are revered among the foremost 63 saints of Tamil Saivite religious order. Arikesanallur town on the banks of river Tamiraparani with its vast and scenically surrounding emerald paddy fields, in Tirunelveli Cheemai stands in the name of this glorious king.

King Nindraseer Nedumaran, queen Mangayarkarasiyar and Chief Minister, Kulachirayar receiving the Saivite Guru, Sambantha Murthy - picture taken from www.shaivam .org

Kochadaiyaan is one of the few warriors in history who never faced even a single setback in his campaigns. He was invincible during his reign.

Kochadaiyaan was protected and assisted by the famed ‘Pandya Aabathu udhavi troops’, the feared commando units of Pandya bodyguards. ‘Aabathu udhavi’ means emergency rescue. These units were formed by loyal and handpicked warriors who had avowed to perish before their King if need be; in their resolve to protect him in battles or elsewhere. They shadowed the King in several rings like the modern SPG commando units. They were highly trained, motivated and sophisticated to their time. Kalki’s negative portrayal of Abathudhavi force as revengeful and villainous is just a Chola perspective.  

        Kochadaiyaan won a decisive battle against the Aye King in Thiruppudaimarudhur near Arikesavanallur in Tirunelveli District. Thirupudaimarudhur was one of the military stations of the Pandya country. Aye Kings were one of the powerful ancient ruling clans of southern Tamil country from the years of yore or to say, the Sangam age. Their territory stretched from the Podhigai hills in the Western Ghats to the Nanjil naadu, i.e. the present Kanyakumari District and the southern parts of Kerala. River Pambai was the northern boundary of their territory. Aye kingdom consisted the southern Western ghats and its nearby valleys. Aye kingdom is shrouded in mystery and hidden beneath the pages of Tamil history. Aye territories were formed by hill ranges, forests, narrow stretches of valleys and seashores.  The famed naval bases in the Southern history, Vizhignam and (or?) Kaandhalurchaalai [the name ‘chaalai’ refers and indicates a training centre] were created by these kings. Kaandhalurchaalai’s identity is yet to be zeroed in on while vizhignam harbor is still in the same name near Trivandrum or maybe they are one and the same. The legendary later Chola emperor Raja Raja is known as ‘Kaandhalurchaalai kalam arutha deva’ after he sacked this naval base in a blitzkrieg campaign. Aykudi in Tirunelveli Cheemai was one of the capitals of Aye kingdom. This kingdom was reduced to a buffer state between the later Cheras and the mighty Pandyas and eventually merged with the emerging Venaadu or the later known Travancore kingdom down the course of time. The Aye royal clan also said to have merged with the Travancore royal lineage.

Pandya army was with immense strength and in battle ready form during the reign of Kochadaiyaan. It is one of the popular false postulations in Tamil history that only the later imperial Cholas brought in the concept of stationed army to Tamil lands. Considering the military achievements of the Early Pandya Kings, a stationed army is a minimum prerequisite apart from other preparedness. Pandya stationed army was in fact known as ‘Paandi padai’. Besides a stationed army, there were garrisons known as ‘padai veedu’ such as Manarpadaiveedu and Karavanthapuram [present day Ukkirankottai] in Tirunelveli District apart from training centers and several strategic forts in Pandya territory. Ancient Tamil military cantonments were called ‘kadagam’ or ‘nilai puram’.

After decimating the power of Ayes, Kochadaiyaan marched towards Mangalapuram i.e. the present day Mangalore as opined by a section of historians like Prof. K. A. Neelakanda Sastri and won a war against the Western Chalukyas there. Contrarily, the famous Tamil historian, Prof. T.A. Sadhashiva Pandarathar views that Mangalapuram battle happened at a place on the northern banks of river Kollidam in Tiruchy.  After this feat over the Western Chalukyas, Kochadaiyaan assumed the title, ‘Rana dheera’ meaning ‘ferocious warrior’.   

He also conquered Kongu and Chola territories. During his reign, the Pandya flag of double carp symbol wielded raw military might and political power.

Kochadaiyaan was a contemporary of Sundaramurthy Nayanar, one of the four saintly Gurus of Tamil Saivite religion. He is said to have received this venerable guru during the later’s visit to Madurai. Kochadai in Madurai is a place perhaps in the name of this king. ‘Ko’ means chief or king while ‘Chadai’ literally means uncombed hair style. However ‘chadai’ hair form is actually a direct reference to lord Shiva. And chadayan is one of the titles assumed by Pandya Kings.

Scores of Early Pandya copper plate records like Velvikkudi grants plates, Seevalamangalam grants plates and Chinnamanur plates, with parallel information from epigraphy and literary evidences and few other windows like the travelogue notes such as the one of the famed Chinese traveler Xuvan zang collectively show light on the life in Early Pandya country. However, delineation of Pandya history is left out and lagging far behind compared to the history of Chola lands due to perhaps a scholarly bias.

May further details of the Early Pandyas and also of the Aye regional history emerge out of further researches to get a full-scale picture of historical roots of the Southern Tamil country.

May the dreaded and patriotic ‘Pandya Aabathudhavi commando units’ reemerge from the southern Tamil lands in the service of Mother India.

a commando unit of the Indian Army