For my research paper "New perspectives on Nagappattinam" I did quite a thorough investigation on Nagappattinam and choolamanipadma viharam. The paper will be published along with other papers on "Early Indian Influences in South East Asia" Conference by National University of Singapore and National Library board Singapore.
Relying on Pali buddhist text works and other references I was able to establish few things:
- That Nagappattinam did not come into existence in sangam age. It only got developed after the destruction of KavirippomPattinam (called Kaviripattana in Milinda Panho a pali buddhist work)
- That it most probably was developed as a port by Pallavas: A fact not yet recorded by any authors
- That Appar's thevaram is the earliest authentic reference on the port city.
- The earliest of viharas was built by Rajasimha (This was challenged in the conference and further inferences possible only after excavation)
- That Nagappattana did not have many many Buddhist viharas as some portray. By all evidences available there was probably one and only one major vihara complex.
- That most likely, the many pallis referred to by inscriptions were actually located in the same complex
- The exact location of this complex and its boundaries as defined by Kulothunga's smaller leyden grant are available even today (Credits: Dr. Jayakumar)
- On top of all this, I was able to produce a hitherto unknown painting of the entire vihara complex (Not just the popular tower drawing drawn by Sir Walter Scott, but the entire complex). I'll wait for the book to be published - so that this can be publicized.
- That the Choolamanipadma Vihara, (which later on took the name Rajarajap Perumpalli in smaller leyden grant) & other pallis like Rajendrap Perumpalli and Akka salai perumpalli were located possibly within or on nearby areas
What I could not accommodate in the paper is the explanation on 300 and odd buddhist bronzes that have been discovered so far in Nagai, the inscriptions on their pedestal, what they actually mean etc. The only scholar who has done work on this bronzes is T.N.Ramachandran.
It is slightly misleading to say "Christians demolished this building". Actually what happened was:
- That the complex was fully in tact in 18th century as proven by the painting
- The tower and the complex had undergone massive destruction between 18th and 19th centuries, possibly by Portuguese and dutch who occupied the city
- The tower was in the danger of collapsing
- Jesuist missionaries who wanted to build a school there wrote to british govt, first it was refused and then allowed
- Sir walter scott was the first britisher to feel extensively for this lost pagoda
- St Joseph's college was built in the compound(This later on moved to trichy)
- Presently the district court is functioning here.
i think this is the most extensive work done on choodamani viharam. once the paper is published we could with gokul's permission put it in the arcieves under topic 'PLACES IN PS- THEIR LATER HISTORY/ PRESENT STATUS' we should also gather info on the kodi light house, temples mentioned in ps,natural features like veeraanam and rivers.
possible topics could be
MONUMENTS LAKES AND RIVERS TEMPLES PALACES BATTLEFIELDS PORTS
this collection would be of great interest and use to researchers.
> - That Nagappattinam did not come into existence in sangam age. It > only got developed after the destruction of KavirippomPattinam (called > Kaviripattana in Milinda Panho a pali buddhist work) > > - That it most probably was developed as a port by Pallavas: A fact > not yet recorded by any authors > > - That Appar's thevaram is the earliest authentic reference on the > port city. > > - The earliest of viharas was built by Rajasimha (This was challenged > in the conference and further inferences possible only after excavation) > re: thanks for the nice information. pallavas presence in nagapatnam is very important in jaffna studies too. it is indeed proposed pallavas were controlling jaffna. in thirikonamalai they had built the 1000 pillaired hall for the saivte temple. recent excavations from thirukonamalai were stopped after the onset of war. pallavas had maritime power and were ruling ceylone to some extent.
> - The tower and the complex had undergone massive destruction between > 18th and 19th centuries, possibly by Portuguese and dutch who occupied > the city > > - The tower was in the danger of collapsing > > - Jesuist missionaries who wanted to build a school there wrote to > british govt, first it was refused and then allowed > > - Sir walter scott was the first britisher to feel extensively for > this lost pagoda > > - St Joseph's college was built in the compound(This later on moved to > trichy) re: thanks once again for the information. i shall visit the court campus for this. hoping to see any artifact relating the viharam.
Dear Gokul - I reached ISEAS for accessing the conference archives but was informed that there will be a book published soon, do you know the publication dates.
> - Jesuist missionaries who wanted to build a school there wrote to > british govt, first it was refused and then allowed > > - Sir walter scott was the first britisher to feel extensively for > this lost pagoda > > - St Joseph's college was built in the compound(This later on moved to > trichy) > > - Presently the district court is functioning here.
mr.gokul, does the st.joseph's school archives in trichy has any documents regarding this. my freinds who studied there were delighted to know this fact. usually mission schools have their documents preserved.
i think nagai was the capital of british tanjore for sometime before moving to tranquebar. tranquebar was bought somewhere in 1760 by british. they moved to tanjore town only in 1805.
my estimations may not be accurate. any one sure about the years?
> i think nagai was the capital of british tanjore for sometime before > moving to tranquebar. tranquebar was bought somewhere in 1760 by > british. they moved to tanjore town only in 1805. > > my estimations may not be accurate. any one sure about the years?
there was nothing like a seperate tanjore capital. tanjore was just annexed into madras presidency
as far as tranqubar was concerned heres its dtails from wiki
it was founded by the Danish East India Company in 1620 when the main fort in Trankebar city, known as Fort Dansborg, was built by a Danish captain named Ove Gjedde as the residence of the governor and other officials for about 150 years. It is now a museum hosting a collection of artefacts from the time of Danish presence in the region. A Danish factory (commercial settlement) was opened here as early as 1620.
Tranquebar was controlled by the British in 1801 due to the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, and restored to Denmark following the Kiel Peace in 1814. It was sold, along with the other Danish settlements in India, Serampore and the Nicobars, to Great Britain in 1845.
> does the st.joseph's school archives in trichy has any documents > regarding this. my freinds who studied there were delighted to know
Dear Venkat/Gandhi/Sakthi
Thanks to all of you. I'll let you know once the work is published. There has been some delay.
I'm not sure if St Joseph's college has the papers. All these events are already on record and the first paper Sir walter scott wrote on the Black pagoda (as it was called in 19th century) exhaustively covers the subject.
One more thing: - The official of Sri Vijaya King was PERMANENTLY stationed in Chola country. Some sort of an embassy should have functioned. I'm sure a similar chola embassy should have existed.
This official had presented an ardhanari statue in Kayarohanaswami temple. This ardhanari exists even today ! Once again, this was bought to light during the field work.
Dear Gokul et all, I studied in SJC and Trichy is not the first place for my college and it was certainly started in a coastal place with very few students (I remember this from one of our annual day literatures) but I am seeking some help from my trichy friends to establish solid proof either from college archives or by some other means.
Dear Gokul S. is Kavirippompattinam the same as Kaveripakkam. artifacts from there in Govt. Museum: all those great (Pallava, I think) stone murthis? Kakthie