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The Chola Patronage to Shaivism in Medieval Kanchipuram

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The Chola Patronage to Shaivism in Medieval Kanchipuram AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 THE CHOLA PATRONAGE TO SHAIVISM IN MEDIEVAL KANCHIPURAM N. Bhoopathi Ph.D. Research Scholar (Part - time), School of History and Tourism Studies, Tamil Nadu Open University, No.577, Anna Salai, Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 Email: bhoopathi750@ gmail.com Dr. N. Dhanalakshmi Head and Director, School of History and Tourism Studies, Tamil Nadu Open University, Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015 Email: [email protected] Introduction The worship of Lord Shiva as the Supreme God is being carried out in India since time immemorial. The Pasupati seal found in an archaeological site in the Indus Civilization shows Shiva in a yogi posture, surrounded by the animals. The antiquity of the Pasupati real can be traced to the period ranging from 2500 to 1800 BC. This periodization is validated by the eminent historian of ancient Indian history, namely, Romila Thapar. 1 The Rigveda, in the Sanskrit language, is considered as the earliest literary text in India, refers to Shiva as 'Rudra'.2 The ardent worship of Shiva emerged out in a cultic form during the kushana and the Gupta times, known as Shaivism, one of the main cults/religions in the Hindu faith. The writing of Shiva Purana was an important subsequent development. 3 In South India, Shaivism received impetus with the emergence of the bhakti / devotional movement in the sixth centurey A.D. The term bhakti denoted a total or complete devotion to a personal God. The Shaivite poet-cum-saint hymnodist were called the nayanmars and the Vaishnavite poet-cum saint hymnodists were called the alvars in the Tamil tradition. 4 Interestingly, Kanchipuram, the heart of Tondainadu, Volume 8, Issue 10, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 716 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 was very famous place that witnessed the flowering and sustenance of the cult of shaivism. Greatness of Kanchipuram The Chola kings made Kanchipuram as their regional administrative headquarters of northern part of the present - day Tamilnadu, called then as Tondaimandalam. This was done by the Chola king Parantaka I in the tenth century A.D. 5 From this vantage point in medieval times, one has to trace some of the retrospective events in this region. Kanchipuram has a hoary past and a place of great antiquity. So, Kanchipuram has one of the longest continuous histories of any urban site in South India. 6 It has a recorded history of 2,500 years of continuous habitation and kanchipuram's antiquity goes back to ancient times! A very recent archaeological excavation has revealed an early iron smelting centre along with the furnace 7 near kanchipuram. Then, the presence of certain archaeological structures indicated a thriving culture influenced by Buddhism dating back at least to the first century A.D. Based upon the religious aspect the historic city of Kanchipuram can be divided into four parts: Siva kanchi, Vishnu kanchi, Buddha kanchi and Jina Kanchi. 8 Kanchipuram was the glorious capital of the Pallavas, who ruled before the Cholas. Significantly, Kanchi has been a tirtha - sthala a place of pilgrimage among the devout Hindus. Sources The inscriptions, monumental temples, literature, musical compositions of devotional saints, Puranic literature, paintings, foreign accounts, the Chola bronzes and coins are the historical sources of information available on the chosen topic of the Chola patronage extended for the spread of the Shaiva cult in Kanchipuram and its surrounding places. In addition, secondary sources like books and journal articles are used here. Aim and Scope This research paper aims to investigate about the religious status about Shaivism in Kanchipuram area during the Chola period, from the late ninth to the thirteenth centuries A.D. The scope of the paper includes the following questions : Volume 8, Issue 10, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 717 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 (i) Why did many of the Chola kings patronized shaivism in Kanchipuram ? (ii) What were the forms of the royal patronage? (iii) Which major Shiva temples were the beneficiaries of this royal policy ? (iv) What does the religious Tamil text Periya Puranam and other texts say about the Shaivaites in Kanchi ? The answers to these important hypothetical questions can be analyzsed in the following manner. Royal Saiva Cult The Chola kings were the ardent worshippers of the Mahadevan - Sivan, that is, the Great God. They prayed for the longevity of their dynastic rule, over - all prosperity for the ruler and the ruled in the vast Chola Empire, and desiring a communion with Him in the snow - clad and divinely beautiful Mount Kailash located in the mighty Himalayas. 9 According to one tradition, Adi Shankara from Kanchipuram vanquished in the Himalayan mountains. Encashing upon the experiences of his predecessors, the Chola Emperor Rajaraja I (r.985 - 1016 ) went ahead boldly and fervently to declare Shaivism as a state religion and encouraged the generolity of the public to follow the royal line in religious matters. 10 This historical development does not mean that other religious faiths were not in the good looks of the Chola monarchs. In fact, they exhibited tolerance towards Jainism and Vaishnavism. This is particularly true of a multi - religious and multi - temple centre like kanchipuram. The only exception was Kulottunga II (r.1133 - 50), who unfortunately forced Sri Ramanuja to seek protection at Melukote in Karnataka. The historian Burton Stein worked on the royal Saiva cult. The Forms of Royal Patronage It is significant to observe that Rajaraja I's declaration of Shaivism as a state religion turned out to be a boon to the Shaivate temples, monasteries ( maths ) proved to be a welcome development in kanchipuram and its satellite towns like Takkolam, Tiruvalam and Tirukkalankundram. 11 Tiruvorriyur is a special instance. In this historical context, the Chola Emperors gave large number of grants, landed - properties, estates, gold and silver and money to the famous shaivate temples in Kanchipuram. The earlier and older temples were renovated, rebuilt and reconsecrated thereby invoking the divine blessings to the people of Kanchipuram for Volume 8, Issue 10, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 718 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 their prosperity and righteous behaviour. The Shaiva Siddhanta mathas in and around Kanchipuram were also the beneficiaries of the royal largesse. 12 The monastic heads met the Chola Emperors in Kanchi. They also functioned as centres of learning the Shaiva - agama texts. The Ekambaranatha Temple This great Shiva temple of Kanchi was known in early times only as “Ekamba” in the singular shaft, and not as Ekambra, that is, the mango tree. This is attested by a large number of literary and ebigraphical material. The Chola monarchs sincerely prayed Lord Shiva in this temple and Goddess Kamakshi Amman in a little far away temple. Kamakshi Devi has been the Supreme and reigning deity of Kanchipuram. Thus, the worship of Lord Ekamba and Uma together accrues great religious merit for the devotee, who takes bath either in the River Palar or River Veghavathi before having the darshan of the divine couple. 13 One needs to remember here once again that Kanchipuram is a mukti kshetra . The Cholas undertook repairs and renovation work at the Ekambaranatha temple and substantially added to its original structure in the form of a huge mandapam , that is, the pillared - hall meant for the facility of the pilgrims who visit this shrine in large numbers. Jewels, bronze images, bullion, money, landed - properties and other endowments were made to this temple on a larger scale. Thanjavur Big Temple was the State temple of Rajaraja I. The religious historian, David Lorenzen has written that occasionally, the Kapalika s frequented this temple at Kanchi. Such men were called dushta Kapalikas. 14 Why? May be because of their eccentric behaviour. Probably, the Jains would have called them like that. The Periya Puranam's Vision The Tamil poet, minister and an enthuastic devotee of Lord Shiva, Sekkilar Peruman composed his magnum opus in the Tamil devotional text the Periya Puranam . It is also called the Tiruttondar Puranam , as it bascially deals with the lives of the 63 Shaivaite hymnodists like Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar, Kannappa, Karaikal Ammaiyar and others. They were great and unfailing devotees of Lord Shiva. 15 There were many motivations behind Sekkilar's mind. Firstly, he wanted to bring the deviant Chola king Kulottunga II to the Shaivate way of life. Secondly this Volume 8, Issue 10, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 719 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 great poet wanted to establish the superiority of Shaivism over Jainism and desired to reduce the influence of the latter. This attitude is interesting given the fact kanchipuram under the Cholas happened to be a multi - religious centre. Sekkilar presented a graphic description of Shaivism in Kanchipuram in his hagiographical text. He wrote that Kanchi received the exalted position on account of the Goddess Kamakshi's tapas (great meditation). At Darasuram, near kumbakonam, in the Iravatisvarar temple of Rajaraja II (r.1146 - 73), there is a stone frieze which depicts the scenes of the 63 saints being tested by Lord Shiva. 16 Conclusion The foregoing micro - level analysis of the Chola patronage to Shaivism tells us certain new things. Shiva kanchi was well - develped by the Chola Emperors. Shaivism was made a state religion. The Ekambaranatha temple, Kamakshi Amman temple, the Kailasanatha temple, Jvaraharesvara Temple, Varaharesvara temple, Kachchapesvara and other Shiva temples received great royal gifts. On the whole, Shaivism flourished in Kanchipuram during the chola rule. Acknowledgement I sincerely thank my Ph.D. research supervisor and guide Dr. N. Dhanalakshmi, Head, School of History and Tourism Studies, Tamil Nadu open University, Saidapet, Chennai for her encouragement, guidance and help in writing this research paper.
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