Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language

The Valour

Ki. Madhan Kumar

EDUCREATION PUBLISHING (Since 2011) www.educreation.in

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கு羿தழீஇ埍 க ோக ோ母毁믍 மோநி மꟍனꟍ அ羿தழீஇ நி쟍கு믍 உ கு.

The world clings to the ruler’s feet Whose sceptre clasps the people’s heart. THIRUKURAL, 554, GODLY POET THIRUVALLUVAR (200 B.C.E.)

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RAJA RAJA CHOZHAN (947 C.E. – 1014 C.E.) CHOZHAN DYNASTY FIRST INDIAN KING TO HAVE THE NAVAL FORCE

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PULI THEVAN NERKAATTUM SEVVAL (1715 A.D. – 1767 A.D.) FIRST EVER KING OF INDIA TO FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH

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MAVEERAN AZHAGU MUTHU KONE ETTAYAPURAM (1710 A.D. - 1759 A.D.) FREEDOM FIGHTER

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KING MARUTHU PANDIYAR SIVAGANGAI DYNASTY WARRIORS AGAINST BRITISH

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MAVEERAN DHEERAN CHINNAMALAI CHENNIMALAI, ERODE (1756 C.E. – 1805 C.E.) WARRIOR AGAINST BRITISH COLONIALS

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THIRUVENGADA VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN THAMIZH NATIONAL LEADER - THAMIZH EEZHAM BORN 1964, VALVETTITHURAI.

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KANNAGI (2ND CENTURY C.E.) ICON OF CHASTITY

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RANI VELU NACHIYAR SIVAGANGAI DYNASTY (1730 C.E. – 1796 C.E.) FIRST EVER QUEEN IN INDIAN HISTORY TO FORM A WOMEN ARMY & FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH COLONIALS AND RECAPTURED HER DYNASTY.

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THALAPATHY KUYILI CAPTAIN OF RANI VELUNACHIYAR’S WOMEN ARMY – UDAYAL PADAI FIRST EVER WARRIOR WHO TURNED AS HUMAN BOMB AND SACRIFICED HER LIFE FOR THE SAKE OF HER MOTHER LAND.

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Introduction

In general histories of India, the part of the country with which we are concerned figures only in a small way. Vincent Smith rightly observed „most historians of ancient India have written as if the South did not exist‟ and explained this neglect of the South in two ways. „The historian of India,‟ he said, „is bound by the nature of things to direct his attention to the North, and is able to give only a secondary place to the story of Deccan Plateau and the far south. „ and northern Ceylone are the one of the oldest inhabited regions of the world and its prehistoric archaeology and contacts with neighbouring lands, so far as traceable, constitutes an important chapter in the history of world‟s civilizations. The Marathas of the western Deccan are the southern most of indo Aryan speaking people and all the country to the east and south of them speaks languages which fall into a single group with Thamizh as the source which is the Classical living language & exists the ethnicity called Thamizhan, with its own individuality and unique, unconquerable potency in both Politics, culture, sport, worship, art, agriculture and valour. They had a wide spread life in now called India with as their border in North and in South. They defeated enemies and won the dynasties with their audacity, courage and gallantry; made the non fertile land into cultivable with their knowledge on farming. This was the life of thousands of years ago. Still in North India its heritage is been rested under the earth. There are many researches which proved the antiquities of Thamizh language. Recent research conducted by sixteen scientist led by Prof. Martin P. Richards and Tony Joseph of University of Huddersfield., concluded the fact that Aryan settlement

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came from central Asia with the Indo Aryan languages before 2000 B.C. to 1500 B.C. when the Indus Valley Civilization was in the decline stage, which proved that the Indus Valley Civilization is been in existence long before Aryan settlement and it has been mentioned it as the Dravidian people who are the owners of it, where that period there was no other Dravidian language other than Thamizh which implies Indus Valley Civilization is nothing but the Thamizh People Civilization. These Thamizh people lived with their own language, culture, literature, music, worship and games existed all over India. To add credit to this research there were some important excavations carried out in and Adichanallur near in Thoothukudi District Thamizh Nadu led by Archaeologist T. Sathyamurthy discovered the artefacts mentioned "People generally think that megalithic culture is the earliest culture in South India, especially in Thamizh Nadu. In our excavation [at Adichanallur], we have come across a culture earlier than the megalithic period. The megalithic period in South India ranges from 3rd century B.C. to 3rd century A.D” in an interview and Keezhadi which is 15kms from , Thamizh Nadu by Archaeological Survey of India, and team lead by Archaeologist Mr. Amarnath Ramakrishna. There were found over 5,300 artefacts aging in the same period, also was the first ever evidence of an urban civilization of Sangam Era, which is widely as crowning point of Thamizh culture and Literature. Ruled by number of courageous tripartite Kingdoms Cheran, Chozhan and Pandian dynasty from Sangam eras in most of the areas and by Pallavas at Eastern coastal areas this glorious cultural heritage has been sustained and still immortal in Thamizh Nadu and Thamizh Eezham. Each and every ruler of these dynasties has been very passionate towards the Thamizh language, art and literature. They stood together in so

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many instances with so much of courage in the battles to save them from opponent kingdoms. They have been very clear in transforming their valour as the lesson to upcoming generation so they did their acts in the form of poems, literatures and stone inscriptions that are found in many places of Thamizh Nadu in modern era too, literatures Tholkappiyam, Thirukural, Purananuru, Agananuru, Silapathikaram, Kalingathuparani, Pathitrupathu and still more available to explain their act of valour and courage. Cheran Chenguttuvan, Nedun Cheralathan, Karikal Chozhan, Raja Raja Chozhan, Rajendhra Chozhan, Kulothunga Chozhan, Nedun Chezhia Pandian, Kulasekara Pandian were some of the incredible among the kings. Raja Rajan and Rajendhra are the kings who were the owned the first ever Naval invasions in South East Asia and made their flag waging all over south East Asia. During their period Chozhan empire is considered to be the 3rd largest in the world. In Sangam age the expectation of Mothers from son and Wives from their pair was the same, as brave death in the war field without showing their back cowardly to the enemies; their reactions were explained in Purananuru (Four Hundred Song of War and Wisdom). The bravery was fed to the warrior right from his child hood by his mother and sustained by his wife. All the sport played by males those days were helped to build the skill, strengthen mind and the grow valiance. Sports like Yaeru Thazhuvuthal (Sallikattu), Silambattam, Vaal Veechu etc., are still in practice of Thamizh Nadu. In later centuries after British Invasions there were many Kings like Azhagu Muthu Kon, Puli Thevar, Maruthu Pandiyar and warriors like Veeran Sundharalingam, Dheeran Chinnamalai who rose against them to save our land. Also queen Velu Nachiyar who was the first queen to build a women army and first woman to swing the sword against English East India

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Company and one of the few empires who recaptured their kingdom, she did this a 85 years before Rani Lakshmi Bhai of Jhansi, but somehow we have missed to recognize it. Kuyili the captain of Velu Nachiyar‟s women troop was the first ever human bomb in the world during the war against British. In the Modern Age its Thamizh National Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, who ruled Thamizh Eezham and stood for the freedom of Thamizh Eezham. Started his struggle at the age of 14, stepped out of the home, initiated an armed rebel group with just 30 members, then formed a revolution organisation named Liberation Thamizh Eezham (LTTE). LTTE, the organisation which was grown as the only revolution or rebel organisation which owned all three military troops Army, Naval and Air with women wing and suicide attackers the Black Tigers with around 40000 brigades strength. He formed a separate judicial government with school, college, medical, banks and courts in Eezham. In the final war he had lost all his family for the sake of his mother land. His glory will always be remembered to Centuries by Thamizhs. This is what all about in this book, the valour, courage and valiance of kings and warriors who existed in Thamizh ethnics‟ right from the ancient era. Shown with available referrals from the Thamizh epics and literatures from Sangam era translated in English. Now let us start our journey from Sangam age to the Mordern age by visualizing all the battles, wars and prowess of our ancestors. W

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Ki. Madhan Kumar

Chapter 1 Himalayan Invasions

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour Though Northern part was ruled by the migrants, Thamizh kings didn‟t want to lose their supreme ownership of Mount Himalayas. Most of the Thamizh Kings invaded north, proved their supremacy and won many dynasties. The tripartite Cheran, Chozhan and Pandian Dynasties have a major role in these invasions, where all three had their unique symbols as Bow & Arrow, , and Fish in their flags. To their glory all three had established their flags in Himalayas in remembrance of their victory. All of Ancient Thamizh Literatures like Pathitrupathu, Silapathikaram, Agananuru, Purananuru etc. poems without singing their glory.

Nedun Cheralathan “Long live with boundaries Podhigai in south and Himalayas in North” praised the poets and scholars of Chera Dynasty and greeted their new king Nedun Cheralathan who succeeded his father Udhiyan Cheralathan during his swearing ceremony at fort. After the ceremony the sentence praised by scholars kept striking in his mind often and made him unsettled, “There is a close relation between Southern Podighai hills and Cheras as this belongs to our dynasty, but how can it be related to Himalayas which is located somewhere in the north and ruled by Aryan kings?, Why are we being praised with those words?” Such questions kept rising within him, after examining all these questions he understood their wish to bring Himalayas under his dynasty “Yes, the southern ocean was won by our father Udhiyan Cheralathan and was praised as the King who owned both sun rise and sun set directions as boundaries, one more ancestor who won the Vaanamalai and expanded his boundary upto south of Payal mountain and praised as Vaanavaramban, so now it’s our turn to march towards north and make Himalayas as

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Ki. Madhan Kumar our northern boundary” Nedun Cheralathan concluded. Immediately he called for a meeting with his ministers and generals to have a discussion about his plan of expedition, everyone present in that discussion acknowledged his of invasion idea with a great cheer; also he thought of consulting the other two monarchs i.e. Chozha & Pandian kings on his decision and made a message to them, they were also praised him on his vision and supported him by sending great fleet of army from their side. The march towards Himalayas began where Nedun Cheralathan was leading the front, followed by the Elephant regiment, auxiliary regiments, infantries and archers. In those days the landscape between Konkana and Himalayas were called as Aryake. There ruled Sadhakannar and Mouryas. Knowing about the march they made preparations to stop them on the way with their army. In the battle field, looking at the strength of opponent army, standing before them like a confluence of three oceans, they could do nothing but retreat. Then crossing them, the march continued towards north where they defeated joined hands of seven crowned kings who opposed him near River Ganges and reached the height of Himalayas. He placed Chera‟s symbol as a sign of their victory. When this victorious Thamizh army returned home, received an awful welcome from the citizens and scholars and named their King “Imaya Varamban”, where Imayam is the Thamizh word of Himalayas and Varamban refers to a person who reached the sky. The victory of Cheralathan was praised in the poem of Pathitrupathu, 11 as O King Cheralathan who wears sandal garlands and drinks palm-fiber filtered toddy! You own murderous armies who fight wars. You are seated high on your royal elephant, the fresh victory garland filling your chest hangs down touching the gleaming face ornaments

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour of your faultless elephant with powerful, high tusks and neck decorated with gold jewels. Everyone praises your immense wealth. I saw the sweetness of it, my lord! Deer sleeping on slopes filled with coral trees, dream of the narantham grass they ate, and of wide waterfalls from which they drank, in the well renowned Himalayas where Aryans live. In the land between that mountain and southern Kumari, you have ruined the strength of arrogant kings.

- Thamizh Poet Kumattur Kannanar, Thamizh Epic Pathitrupathu, 11.

With this victory Cheralathan assumed the title “One to whose broad chest, where the prosperity resided, belonged the seven crowns” (Pathitrupathu, 14) implying that he deprived seven kings of their crowns, melted them and made golden garland of them. In the contemporary eulogy, Kumattur Kannanar merely says that his king “Quelled the Valour” of Aryan Kings up to the Himalayan region where the Aryans abound. Baranar the eulogist of Nedun Cheralathan‟s son, Kuttuvan explains that this Cheralathan “Charged the Aryans so as to make them howl, carved the bent bow (Chera Dynasty Symbol) on the ancient northern mountain and captured the ferocious kings.” He was praised by poet Baranar as below I will not be afraid to stay here. Should you leave, before leaving, you need to return my beauty, like Vanji city of the victorious Cheras who attacked the trembling Aryans and carved their bow symbol on the ancient, northern mountains

- Poet Baranar: Thamizh Epic Agananuru, 396

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Ki. Madhan Kumar Karikal Chozhan Karikal Chozhan, son of Ilamcetcenni was the eminent and greatest among the early Chozha kings in the Sangam age with Kaveripoompattinam as his capital, ruled around 120 C. E. He had also been known as Karikal Pervalthan and Thirumavalavan by his epithets. He had the legacy for successfully unifying all three Thamizh Kingdoms through the Battle of Venni. After the Battle of Venni, his legendary campaign to Northern India had been of royal hype. He made an unstoppable and undisputable march towards north defeating all kings who were against in his way. The King of Dynasty, ruler of Bihar with Girivrijja (Modern Patna) made an attempt to stop with his army force of infantry, elephants and Cavalry forces at the banks of River Ganga. But they couldn‟t withhold the vigorous roar of Karikala‟s prodigious army and their war art, the war didn‟t extent too long and both the armies demolished. The kingdom was subjugated and was made dependent under the Chozha Empire. Then the Chozhas crossed Ganges and reached high Himalayas where he established his Tiger Flag waving majestically at Golden Meru which is spoken of in Indian Legends as the centre of Earth. (Thamizh Epic Silapathikaram, Vazhthu Kathai, Poem 19). On his return towards south, he was greeted by Vajra King who paid tribute to Chozhan with monuments and gifts with so much of respect. Empire King who was already a good friend of Karikala, hearing the news of his triumph gifted him a golden arch as a symbol of victory. He brought all the monuments and gifts presented by the kings and exhibited them in Poompuhar. (Thamizh Epic Silapathikaram, Indhira vizhavooredutha Kathai, Poem 86-100)

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour Pandian Pandian‟s Fish flag also shined in Himalayas, the honour of this triumph belongs to the Pandian King Konnavil Koor Vel Kon Nedumaran who marched upto Himalayas and engraved Pandian symbol on the slopes, was praised as “Mountain eye engraved by Pandian Patriarch” by an ancient poet Periyazhvar in his Thirumozhi poems, here he symbolizes Pandian‟s fish symbol as a similarity to the eyes. One more honour about his conquest is that he had made the symbols of other two monarchs also along with his fish symbol. One of the Pandian ancestries named Nedunchezhian has been praised as “Arya Padai Kadantha Nedunchezhian (Conqueror of Aryan Army)” in Great Epic Silapathikaram, for his enormous act of war skills against Aryans who came with the thought of invasion to his boundary. Nedun Chezhian the furious warrior defeated the Aryan army and proceeded towards the Mountain Himalayas to uphold Pandian‟s glory on the slopes. Looking at the virility, integrity, wisdom and prosperity of Madurai during his rule a poet from the neighbouring nation praised “South Ruler, His Land‟s Calibre & Prosperity, Seen By My Pleased Eye” (Thamizh Epic Silapathikaram, Kadu Kaan Kathai, 54- 55).

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Chapter 2 - Valour Of Chastity P

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour Kannagi In ancient Thamizhagam, each and every woman pursued a life of house hold moral ethics where chastity and virtuosity for the growth of their husbands as well as the nation were their ultimate agenda, among them Kannagi, who is eulogized as a supreme epitome of chastity. She is worshiped as Kannagi Amman in Thamizh Nadu and by Thamizh Eezham People, also as Pathini Goddess in Srilanka by Sinhalese. Her life was narrated by the poet in the Thamizh Epic Silapathikaram which is considered to be the chief of five great epics (Silapathikaram, Manimegalai, Seevaga Sinthamani, Valayapathi and Kundalagesi) in Thamizh Literature. Regarded as one of the great achievements of Thamizh genius, the Silapathikaram is a poetic rendition with details of Thamizh culture; its varied religions; its town plans and city types; the mingling of different people; and the arts of dance and music. Kannagi, born in a rich merchant family, daughter of Maanaigan was married to Kovalan who was the son of another wealthy merchant named Masathuvan in Chozha Nadu at the shores of Puhar which was later called Poompuhar and Kaveripattinam. Then when Kovalan lost all his wealth there with the infatuation over dancer Madhavi, they left to Madurai with Kannagi, after execution of her husband in Madurai she exploited the city and walked to Chera Nadu where Cheran Chenguttuvan built a temple of her as Maadhevi Kannagi, with her morale and ethics she is considered to be the god of Chastity.

Kannagi’s Married Life in Puhar Both Kannagi and Kovalan had a prosperous household life until Madhavi, the dancer came to the city and Kovalan fell in love with her. Due to this infatuation he started losing his grip on his wife and spent most of the

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Ki. Madhan Kumar time in the house of Madhavi who too was fallen in love with him. He began to spend his wealth on the dancer, even though Kannagi is knew about her husband‟s love with Madhavi she gave her jewels to him as to fulfill his wish. At last losing all his money with the dry hand and clouded face came to his home, looking her husband worried and upset she thought that it is because he didn‟t have money, immediately took her anklet from the legs which was only left out and gave it to him with a smile on her face. Looking at her innocence and love, the clouded face started raining with the guilt. Realizing his mistake, they decided to leave Puhar and migrate to Madurai.

Madurai Exploitation They started their journey with the pair of anklets and reached Madurai, which was then ruled by Pandian King Nedun Chezhian I. Since they were empty handed and with the idea of creating some source of income, Kovalan planned to do some business for which he required initial investment. For that Kannagi gave one of her anklet to sell it in the street market of Madurai. Unfortunately the same time when he went into the streets with that anklet, one of the anklets of Queen Koperundhevi was stolen by a goldsmith and the city was made alert. For Kovalan‟s bad luck, the stolen anklet was in the same shape as that of Kannagi‟s which lead to a goldsmith to incriminate him as thief and accused Kovalan. The information was sent to the King that the thief has got caught in the market and without any trial Nedun Chezhia Pandian I passed a verdict to behead Kovalan and to bring the anklet. The verdict was executed by the guards of the Pandian Dynasty and poor Kovalan was cut into two pieces by cutting his head.

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Thamizh Is Not Just A Language - The Valour Kannagi’s Fury Hearing the death of her husband, she exclaimed with intolerable pain, yelled and screamed, ran to the spot and screamed with the high pitched wail of grief and pain, tears of distress were flooding on the body of Kovalan who was lying dead. This exasperation turned her into an uncontrollable anger due to this distress and injustice act caused her innocent husband‟s death. With so much aggression she walked towards the court of Nedun Chezhia Pandian I with another anklet in her hand. Entered the Court with indignation and accused King for the injustice act of the King. Just imagine what democratic morale was practiced in ancient period where a common woman was allowed to enter King‟s court and accuse the King for his unjustified verdict, but now we can‟t even meet our councillors. With the enraged voice she asked “Is my husband a thief? No, you the injust King is the thief….How can a victim be beheaded without proper enquiry and trials?” which shocked everyone around in the court. In the further argument King asked is there any proof that the anklet which Kovalan had belonged to Kannagi. She replied that the stones filled in her anklet are Rubies (which is the pride of Chozhas). The King then said that the stones filled in Queen‟s anklet are Pearl (it‟s also the pride of Pandian Nadu, pearl collection from the southern ocean is was the ancient primary business of Thamizhs in this region), then removed one of the anklet from the Queen‟s leg and thrown on the ground, pearls exposed. Kannagi asked about the other one and king did it, to everyone‟s surprise and shock they exposed the balls of Ruby, then she thrown the other one in her hand in which the same

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