glory and the brief northern domination of Pallavas the Tamil region has been adorned with temple architectures, some small, some really big, some rock cut that survived the wearing of times, wars and religious ferocity. There are 33,000 plus temples in the land of Tamils, big and small telling the tales of the great kings. But, why none of the forts of Cholas and Pandiyas built survived unlike the ones built by the regional kings in the state of Maharashtra, Karnanataka or Andhrapradesh? The surviving forts in Vellore, Gingi, Dindigul, Mahal of Tirumalai Nayak's are all built by the cheiftains (Nayaks) or kings of Vijaya Nagara empire period post 15 th Century.
When the glorious days of Cholas ended after 12th Century, looks like the forts and 'aranmanais' Kalki describes in PS vanished with the invasions of Chalukya, Vijaya Nagara and Maratha invasions.
Is this a right observation ? Could the enlightened members please clarify giving historic references ?
3rd BC or so :: BUDDISM :: Siddhartha - who relinquished Royalty upon seeing the myseries of downtrodden ENLIGHTENED and became Gauthama, the Buddha, in Patna @ PATALIPUTHRAM in Bihar.
Essential teaching : Relinquish desire. Non Vedic. Non Violence.
3rd BC or so :: JAINISM : Vardhamana MAHAVEERAR - Non Vedic - Non Violence - Swethmabaras (ambaram : clothing; Swetha : white) Digambaras (Digh : Directions - like East / West .. Non-clothing)
PRIOR TO 3rd BC :: SAIVISM was professed in the form of KABALIKAM (Mandaiodu / skull wearers), Kalamughas, Pasupathas .. ( This will lead to very detailed discussion on the Religeous side.. Just ckech archieves under each item .. sure we have discussed earlier many of these). The SIVA identified for these worships was supposedly DANCING ON LIGHT OF THE PYRE OF DEAD-BODIES in CREMATION GROUNDS IN NIGHTS .. FEROCIOUS FORM.
Around this time - say SANGAM AGE in Tamilnadu - KOTRAVAI was under worship.. Recall Thinais : Kurinji - Marudham - Mullai - Neydhal - Paalai :: Muruga - Kannan (Mayon) - Indiran - Siva - Kotravai were in worship.
Siva was known as AALAMAR SELVAN ( Under the Banian Tree) !
Now look at the Siva under the Banian Tree (South) and look at the Ferocious Siva dancing in Cremation Grounds (North) !
There was fusion .. which took several centuries..
A family was created ::
Kotravai was fused with Kali and then in soft form became UMA, who in turn got wedded to Siva, their son became MURUGA (South) @ KARTHIK / KUMARA (North). Maayon became KRISHNA, then became as one of Avatars of VISHNU, who in turn became brother of Uma, Brother-in-law of Siva !
With (Natural) God Surya in position SHAN MADHAS ( 6 Forms of FAITH / Religion) was systemised : SAIVAM - VAISHNAVAM - GOUMARAM (Kumaran / Muruga), SAAKTHAM (After SAKTHI), GANAPATHYAM (After Ganapathy) and SOURABAM (After Surya / Sun God) and accordingly SAPTHA (SEVEN) MATRIKAS - Goumari, Varahi, Indirani etc., were also in position..( Indiran became an outcast.)
With these 6 systems of worship in position and Ferocious form of Siva worship diluted, PYRE DUST became Cow-dung burnt dust VIBOOTHI; Kabalam - Uthiraksham; Flesh : Poosani; Blood : Kunkumam; Red flowers like Arali - Sembaruthi replaced certain organs and SLOWLY NON- VIOLENCE or KOLLAMAI (Not causing Death to Animals in Religeous rituals) was practised in these 6 systems of worship also.
By this process, the SPECIALITY of Non-Violence preached in Buddism and Jainism started losing their significance and these two Faiths moved towards East / Far East away from their Mother land India ...
This was the kind of India prevailed between 3rd BC and 6th AD ..
Which lead to BAKTHI MOVEMENT in about 7th / 8th AD ..
AZHWARs and NAAYANMARs are pearls selected from the ocean of this Bakthi movement ... brewing to Vaishnava - Siva differences later.
We will conclude this with a FOCUS on the Fact that to spread a form of Faith, it has become necessary to make the King follow that Faith !
Some points to note: Thinai based god systems were the earliest in Tamil Land and can be considered the Native religion. This because the same form of worship can be identified in Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka(land- god system).
Dr.Zvelebil proposes that Mayon(black one - agricultural deity- later mal- later vishnu) and Ceyon(Red one - hunter god- later sevvel -later Murukan - later Subrahmanya) were essentially the same god in early history. People lived in hills and were Hunters. Slowly the started agriculture and when permanent agriculture(till then they did agriculture where ever they moved- they had a nomad life) was mastered..they moved down from Kurunji region to Mullai(forest) and gradually to Marutam(cultivated land) Regions for settlements.
When this shift occurred the The proto Hunting god had become two gods namely Mayon the black one worshiped by Agriculture based people and Seyon the Red one worshiped by Hunters and Mountainous region people.
When the full fledged cultivation and surplus food came in , kingdom started and the king assumed the biggest role in Marutam region.The king was worshiped as GOD. The god of Marutam region is KO - Ventan meaning King. This was later IDENTIFIED AS INDRA since he was king of GODS and Indra was not the native god- he is also identified god like - Kottaravi being identified as Durga.
Kottravai was major goddess. She was worshiped by the warrior clans , tribals and even thieves and robbers. She is goddess of victory. not much details are available to us. The literature we have is around 1-3rd century AD by that time the idetification of Korravai as Durga had taken place.
Neytal settlement should have been a latter development and the god is varunan. Dr.Zvelebil proposes the god must be intially known as Katalon. There are refernces to teyvam of kadal and also the Malyalam folk deity of Sea is called katal ammma.
A STUDY OF EZHUVAR ANNAIYAR or SAPTHA MATRIKAS also interesting to recall...
We see in Pallava temples...
Mostly respective wives of Aadhi Sankara's Shanmathams...
Interestingly Pallavas are from atleast 550 AD Simhavishnu (chidambaram Hiranya varman around 450 AD it is stated).. and Sapthamatrikas have come into worship prior to Aadhi Sankara.
Dear SPS, Is there a photo of a very early southern SaptaMatrka group? Any at Mallai? Earliest I remember seeing was at ThiruGokarnam.
I'm collecting photos of them from all over -- usually shown, various parts of India, w Virabhadra & Ganapati. Varahi & Chamunda are the added 'mothers'. Often there are a total of 8, rather then 7. There's a set in Jajpur, Orissa w a really frightening one I saw in a 'Marg' magazine issue. I'll try to find her name. An Orissa article here on the web also mentioned a 'Narasimhi' depicted somewhere. The evolution of southern divinities is fascinating. Do any images of the early deities mentioned exist? Kathie