Karikalan never built kallanai. Kaverikku iru puramum karai eduppiththaan. That's all. Kallanai was constructed during Nayak period. That was very small dam and today what we see is the expansion by british people. A student of Jawaharlal nehru university did a Ph.D on Kallanai and proved beyond any doubt that it was built by nayaks and subsequent expansions by british people.
This doesn't mean that Tamils did not have ability to construct dams. Veerapandiyan constructed a dam across Kollidam river. There are inscriptions stating this in Lalgudi temple. The word 'Anai' itself is used in his inscription.
Long life Tamilans....!!! Keep the ball rolling!!! Thats all i can say. It is very interesting reading all the information discussed here. Keep up the good works because people like me love to know about tamil but lack of informations to share.
> My understanding is there were no Meikeerthi or Seppedukkal...So all > we have is poetic scriptures what do they say....?
The sangam literature Pattinappaalai sung by uruthirang kannanar was solely sung in priase of Karikaal chola. It has no mention of Kallanai. We only understand that he strengthened the banks of cauvery.
The esalam and other copper plates which mention karikala as one of the ancestors of cholas do not mention anything about kallanai. Usually it is customery to record the grandest achievements of their ancestors (sibi- sparrow, manu needhi - chariot etc)
Off track : A mandapa was donated to kannanar by karikala during that time. Nearly 1000 years later, Sundara pandiya ransacked the whole of chola kingdom. He destroyed all forts, palaces etc. but left this one single mandapa untouched ! There is a detailed inscription in thiruvellarai - in the form of a tamil poem - which records this. Though it was a chola who donated the gift, it was a gift for a tamil poet - uruthirang kannanar - that's all pandiya considered !
Interesting issues discussed But, Mr.Senthan Amudhan Why you are comparing Karikalan.... with others? He is from earlier Chola dynasty.... I think in 300 AD..... (I have to check for correct year) Kalanai is a great wonder, because it is the very OLD DAM (may be the oldest dam in earth) .... Jk
Hi Jeyakumar, I didn't compare Karikalan with others but I tried to answer a question which was raised in the group earlier.The question is Who built Kallanai is it Nayak Kings or Karikal Chola.B'cos some claim that karikalan just strenthened the bunds.So its not a comparison between Karikalan and others,but an clarification to prove that Karikalan should have built kallanai.
Emperor Karikal Cholan built kallanai is well known fact.
After his Srilanka invasion, he brought around 15000 slaves and engaged them to built the dam. Originally it was built to divert flooded water to save Puhar city. Diverted kollidam water used for irrigation system. Unfortunately great city of Puhar swallowed by sea.
May be Nayak kings done some fortifications as British did during their respective times.
I am not sure whether emperor Rajaraja Cholan built the big bull in the big temple or Nayak kings did.
Myth of Antiquity of Tamil --Kallanani by Karikalan
Myth of Kallanani by Karikalan The Grand Anicut, also known as the Kallanai, is an ancient dam in Tamil Nadu state of south India. The Grand Anicut is the most ancient surviving irrigation work in Kaveri river delta. It is attributed to the Chola king Karikalan, and dates back to the 2nd century. It is considered the oldest water-diversion structure in the world still in use. A poet sings "Karikaalan kattivaithaan kallanai"
Let us analyze the facts The sangam literature Pattinappaalai sung by uruthirang kannanar was solely sung in praise of Karikaal chola. It has no mention of Kallanai. We only understand that he strengthened the banks of cauvery. Thiruttani and Velanjeri Copper Plates Parantaka's plate is dated 932 A.D. It gives the names of the progenitors of the Chola line beginning with Vishnu, followed by Brahma, Marichi, Kasyapa, Surya and Usinara. Karikala, Sibi and Koccengannan. Karikala Three important events in the life of Karikala are mentioned. (1) He caused the crest of the Cholas marked on the slopes of Himalayas. (2) He raised embankments on either side of river Kaveri and controlled its flood (3) He made Kanchi a city of palaces. Udayendram plates Parantaka Chola's Udayendram plates mention only the name of Karikala without referring to his exploits.
Hence Thiruttani and Velanjeri Copper Plates are perhaps the earliest Chola record to refer to the exploits of Karikala. Even though his conquests and building Kanchi palaces are as debatable let us see only Kallanai now.
The copper plates which mention Karikala as one of the ancestors of Cholas do not mention anything about Kallanai. Usually it is customary to record the grandest achievements of their ancestors (Sibi- sparrow, Manu needhi - chariot etc)
One more inscription throws a different light about uruthirang kannanar A mandapa was donated to kannanar by Karikala . Around 1200 AD Sundara pandiyan ransacked the whole of chola kingdom. He destroyed all forts, palaces etc. but left this one single mandapa untouched! There is a detailed inscription in thiruvellarai - in the form of a Tamil poem which records this. Though it was a chola who donated the gift, it was a gift for a Tamil poet - uruthirang kannanar - that's all pandiyan considered! Second if they measured the chola land to device an ulagalanthan KOL, then there must be some mention of water sources and dams. However there is no such evidence.
Karikalan never built Kallanai. Kaverikku iru puramum karai eduppiththaan.That's all. Kallanai was constructed during Nayak period. That was verysmall dam and today what we see is the expansion by British people. Astudent of Jawaharlal Nehru University did a PhD on Kallanai and provedbeyond any doubt that it was built by nayaks and subsequent expansions byBritish people.
If we analyze the date of Karikalan , we can come to a conclusion of around 9th century or later ,And the other Famous chola king Ko Chenkkannan praised in sangam literature built Jambukeshwarar Temple which still stands today is around 10th century AD, But the legend advances the date of sangam literatue to 2nd century AD without any basis.
Sorry to butt in. Legend and history are two streams. Legend does not change, but historical interpretations and conclusions keep changing and are challenged frequently. Helen and Troy was a legend; but it appears, archeological digs now support the legend. Legend is a memory imprint over several generations and era. History can be manipulated to suit the whims and bias of the historian; legends, generally remain unadulterated. This is my view.
I have read in school, that Karikalan got his name because his feet got burnt when, as a child the hut he was hiding was set on fire. Is this true?
Ph. D in history, and social sciences (in fact in any hard or soft discipline) is dicey; statistics comes to your to arrive at any (even contradictory) conclusion!
The dam located at North- East of Tiruchi is being identified as Kallanai and some research made stating that it was built by Nayaks, some of the stones were removed from Gangaikonda Chozhapuram for reinforcing this, and the British did some reinforcement in the later part of last Century.
The point I mentioned was different.
Legend / Literatures state that KARIKALAN reinforced the BUNDS of Cauvery.
The course of water takes a narrow stream at NIYAMAM, a place near Thirukkattuppali, West of Thirukandiyur - Thiruvaiyaru belt.
This Niyamam was also known as AAYIRATHALI during Pallava period .. supposed to contain about 1000 linga temple.. construction of which Pallavas are known for. There were other Aayirathalis as well.
Many of these lingam did were used in Kallanai during last Century.
Some of them are located near Thirukandiyur also.
Some of them are now positioned in the Northern prakara of Big temple / Thanjavur.
Near this Niyamam, Cauvery narrows down between Two heavy rocks - forming as small mounds - due to a natural phenomenon.
This scene is identical with an ancient coin available in State Museum, Chennai.
In this coin, two mounts are shown, water flowing in between on one side... Other side there was a tamil word.. (forgot.. vaguely recollecting as THENNAN.. ).
This coin was found near Nemem belt.
connecting these things it was postulated that the KALLANAI originally existed at Nemam (farther East of Tiruchi - before Thiruvaiyaru) and Karikalan reinforced the bunds of this and made as a NATURAL DAM .. which has nothing to do with the TRICHY KALLANAI !
Hi always heard kallanai was the oldest functioning dam in the world. the oldest one is however in egypt. arent there mentions of kallanai during later cholas?
> > > > Legend / Literatures state that KARIKALAN reinforced the BUNDS of > > Cauvery. > >
Hi sir,
With due respects and thinking aloud
1) if it were merely strengthening the bund, why list it along with something as lofty as flying your flag in the himalayas....definitely both are not at par...
2) why strenthen the bund with stone - without something holding the bunds together a stone bund made of small stones is of no use, the water would just work on the sand below and roll them away - the large boulders are good only to break the speed of the waves ( like the shore temple) but not to contain a flooding.
3) a bund would only be of use to the immediate surronding locales. why would the whole tamil land sing his praise unless it was something that was of use to larger porportion of the population.
3) are there any other dams built by tamil kings....other than the kallanai. if not, why then are there so many techinical words in tamil language on dams ( they dont sound like newly formed words to me)
koNTagkaTTippAyccu-tal to irrigate a field on a high level by damming a river or channel and forming a small reservoir
koNTam - small reservor formed by damming a river or channel for irrigating field on a high level
niraikkaTTai damming a river with stockade
pAlipAy-tal to flow easily, without damming
ullaTaippu damming a river with stockade
tEkku-tal : to stop the flow, as of water; to dam up;
pirivukkaTTai division dam
maTai small sluice of a canal or stream; shutters of a sluice;
pAkalavaTA apron of the dam
pAlikaipAy-tal to flow easily without the help of a dam
kurampu artificial bank, dam, causeway, bund; dam of sand, brushwood, loose stones, etc, running out from the banks of a river diagonally for a distance upstream; to ture the water into an irrigation channel;
I don't know much about history and historical places.. But when I was studying BE Civil Engg, I had a subject Hydrolgy and water resource engg..during that time I had visited kallanai and read a book borrowed from thanjavur central library..In which it was stated that the present kallanai is founded on the original kallanai built by karikala. Also During the british period the engineer Sir Arthur Cotton found this kallanai and built the sluices above the kallanai. Initially when they planned for the sluices work they found this kallanai area is the best one because during the flood period the surplus water can be diverted to kollidam. After founding this site they decided to demolish the kallanai but when they started demolition the identified that it was very strong due to the lime mortar and also there was very big stones used to construct the kallanai. Finally that engineer decided to use the original kallanai as the foundation for the new kallanai later they modified it to construct sluices to divert the water into differnt rivers like kaveri,vennaru,vettaru....
There is an ancient coin preserved in Chennai museum: ..ori.. Tamil writings on one side.. A small mountain like inverted M , with flow of river and rocks on other side.
Kudavoil Dr. Balasubramanian researched and found that such place exists near Thirukkattupalli and the stone beds are natural. According to him THIS WAS ORIGINAL KALLANAI . Trichy Kallanai is Nayakar-built. ===============
Nearby place was Nemam Aayirathali (1000 lingas Temple). In mid 1950s when there was a flood, a bund was constructed by the locals to arrest the flow of water and alas! majority of our 1000 lingas were used as stones in the bund. Pallavas are known for such grandeurs (1000 lingas etc).. Nemam aayirathali was during Nandhivarman period... before Vijayalayan...located close to Nandhipuram / Thirukkanbdiyur! ============ OTHER INTERESTING MAILS from Archieves ::
==================
GOKUL WROTE :: Madai was one of the type of coins in usage during that era. Kazhanju kasu madai - all are different grades of coins.
Rajarajan madai and uthamachozhan madai were used in chola land. Veerapandiyan madai was in use in pandiya land during veera pandiyan times - and continued to exist for some time during uttama times in pandiya lands.
Other coins like Ezhakkasu, andradu narkasu, pazhang kasu.... ok, ok will stop here:-)
I have seen a number of mails from archives, discussing 'who built kallanai?'. The mails referred the ancient literary works and copper plates to prove it was not built by Karikalan and said it was built by Nayakars. But i haven't found any evidence supporting the 'Nayakars built Kallanai' theory. Are there any proofs supporting this?
Also, can anyone tell what is the text written on the ancient coin, which Kudavoyil Balu sir has researched? And which king's reign did the coin belong to?
Vijay, I can understand that Karikalan had only strengthened the bunds. But i wanted to know how we conclude the dam was built by Nayakars. Curious to know if evidences are there to prove this.