காவேரி
தீரம் அமைதி கொண்டு விளங்கிற்று. உதயசூரியனின் செம்பொற்கிரணங்களால் நதியின் செந்நீர்ப்
பிரவாகம் பொன்னிறம் பெற்றுத் திகழ்ந்தது. அந்தப் புண்ணிய நதிக்குப் 'பொன்னி' என்னும் பெயர் அந்த வேளையில் மிகப் பொருத்தமாய்த்
தோன்றியது. சுழிகள் - சுழல்களுடனே விரைந்து சென்றுகொண்டிருந்த அந்தப் பிரவாகத்தின்
மீது காலை இளங்காற்று தவழ்ந்து விளையாடி இந்திர ஜால வித்தைகள் காட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்தது.
சின்னஞ்சிறு அலைகள் ஒன்றோ டொன்று லேசாக மோதியபோது சிதறி விழுந்த ஆயிரமாயிரம் நீர்த்துளிகள்
ஜாஜ்வல்யமான ரத்தினங்களாகவும், கோமேதகங்களாகவும், வைரங்களாகவும், மரகதங்களாகவும் பிரகாசித்துக்
காவேரி நதியை ஒரு மாயாபுரியாக ஆக்கிக் கொண்டிருந்தன.
அறையில்
பூண்ட உடைவாளும், கையில் நெடிய வேலாயுதம் தரித்த ஆஜானுபாகுகளான மெய்க் காவலர்கள் மன்னனின்
அருகே கம்பீர நடை வந்தனர். கணீர் என்ற குரலில்
மன்னனை வரவேற்கும் கட்டியம் ஒலித்தது. ராஜாதி ராஜ - ராஜ குல
திலக, வெற்றி திலக, மார்த்தாண்ட, ராஜகம்பீர, சோழ மண்டலாதிபதி மாமன்னர் வீராதி
வீரர் ராஜராஜ சோழன் வருகிறார் - பராக் ! பராக் !!
The
Royal Entry, is amuch celebrated one –
traditionally in many kingdoms of South India as also in various parts of the
globe.The entry of the monarch followed
ceremonies and festivities according rousing reception to the ruler.Often
the entry would center on a procession carrying the King on a high pedestal, on
adorned elephant or horse. The first
visit by a new ruler was a great occasion for celebrations calling for lavish
displays of pageantry and propaganda. Thanjavur witnessed it much recently ~ a moment of joy for the
subjects ..
Kedah or
"Abode of Peace"is located in
the north western part of Peninsular Malaysia. The
mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice. Langkawi is
an archipelago of islands, most of which are uninhabited. One would recognize Kedah
better by its ancient tamil name Kadaram ( கடாரம்)
~ as also instantly recognize a TamilKing who was hailed ‘Kadaram Kondan’ (one
who owned Kadaram)
History has pages
devoted to Aditya Karikalan, the Chola prince, born in Tirukoilur and was the eldest son of
Sundara Chola. He was the elder brother of Rajaraja Chola I and Kundavai.He led the Chola expedition against the
Pandyas and defeated the Pandya king Veerapandyan at the battle of Chevur. He
killed Veerapandyan after chasing him on the banks of Vaigai river. Aditha was
the co-regent and heir apparent to the Chola throne. He was to die later
getting killed by a plan of his enemies.By some accounts, the inquiry
into the death was completed in the second year of Rajaraja Chola I's reign and
the lands of officials involved were confiscated. His death remains a mystery
in Tamil history.
During that period
Chozha kingdom thrived – it extended to areas outside the present day Tamil
Nadu – around 993 AD Ceylon was invaded with King Rajaraja Chozhan conquering
the Anuradhapura Kingdom.The island was to become a province of the
vast Chola empire during the reign of his son Rajendra Chola. The Chola rule
lasted for eight decades in the island, later was overthrown in 1070 through a
rebellion led by Vijayabahu I one of the dispossessed Sinhalese monarchs.
The King ~ Emperor - Raja
Rajan was born in 947 AD in Aipassi month on the day of Sadhayam nakshathiram. He
was the third child of Parantaka Sundara Chola and Vanavan Maha Devi of the
Velir Malayaman dynasty and was named Arulmozhi Varman. After the death of Aditya Karikalan, Sundara
Chola announced that Uttama Chola will succeed him to the throne.
Arulmozhivarman ascended the throne after the death of Uttama Chola in 985. The
Thiruvalangadu copper-plate inscriptions state that Raja Raja was elected
through a democratic process followed by the Cholas.
Raja
Raja was crowned and hailed as Raja Raja literally meaning "King of
Kings". Of his many conquests – an
interesting one wasthe naval conquest
of the islands of Maldives. The realization of the importance of a good navy
and the desire to neutralize the emerging Chera Naval power were probably the
reasons for the Kandalur campaign in the early days of Rajaraja’s reign.
In the
time machine, now be at the present ~ shouts of சோழ மண்டலாதிபதி மாமன்னர்
வீராதி வீரர் ராஜராஜ சோழன் வருகிறார்
- பராக் ! பராக் !! !! rant the air .. ..to
the delight of huge crowds
It was
a reverential home coming for the two icons of King Raja Raja Chola, who built
the Big temple at Thanjavur and his queen Lokamadevi, when they were brought by
Idol wing police headed by Pon. Manikavel, IG, to the court which deals with
idol theft cases at Kumbakonam on Friday, 1st June 2018. People
gathered in large numbers and welcomed the icons by shouting “Raja Raja Chola
Vaazhga” when they were brought by the police at Bhakthapri rountana at
Kumbakonam for presenting before the court.
Members
of Federation of All Traders Associations, Kumbakonam, Thenbharatha Kumbamela
Trust, Jyothirmalai Iraipani Thirukudam, Viswa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Makkal
Katchi, Pandanallur “Engal Oor Engal Perumai” trust and AIADMK gave a
reverential welcome to the icons. They garlanded them and ‘Sivanadiyars’ played
‘Sivabhoothaganangal’ musical instruments like drums and conch.
After
the icons were produced before additional magistrate court, the judge saw the
icons and ordered the idol wing police to hand over them to HR & CE
department. Mr. Bharanidharan, Assistant Commissioner of HR & CE took
possession of them from the police. Later, the judge ordered that they be
placed at Big Temple after which the icons were taken to Thanjavur via
Thiruvaiyaru. The icons were taken to Thiruvaiyaru where Lokamadevi had built a
‘Vadakayilayam temple’ and later brought to Big temple here and placed there
late in the evening.
The two
icons, in a posture of worshipping Lord Brahadeeswara, for whom the king built
the Big temple, were believed sculptured and presented to the temple even when
the king and queen were alive 1,000 years back by the king's lieutenant
Senathipathi Mummudi Cholan Brahmarayan. Mr.
Pon. Manickavel said that investigation was continuing and those, “whoever may
be and how old they were”, (even beyond 100), allegedly involved in the theft
would be brought to book. Action would be taken against Sarabhai Foundation,
Calico Museum at Ahmedabad, he said.
Mr. T.
Senthilkumar, SP, Thanjavur district, said six armed police men will be on duty
in shifts 24x7 at the Big temple for the icons. The icons were brought by the
idol wing police who went to Ahmedabad after documents were presented to the
museum authorities, officers said. The icons were allegedly stolen 50 years
back and the FIR had been filed on the missing icons by Mr. Pon. Manickavel. A
case was registered in March this year and a breakthrough achieved in three
months, police said.
The
icons were later taken in procession on a flower-bedecked ‘rath’ around the
‘prakara’ of Big temple after their arrival here on Friday night. The icons
were brought before Lord Brahadeeswara at the sanctum sanctorum and aarthi
performed. They were then placed near ‘Kannadi Prabhai (mirror arch)’ at
‘Arthamandapam’. Hundreds of people had
darshan.
~ and
amidst shouting ‘welcome to Emperor Raja Raja chola’ we are inclined to shout
from the bottom of our heart ‘thanks to Mr Pon Manickavel’.Hats off to you Sir and you are our real hero
!
With
reverence – S. Sampathkumar
5th
June 2018