recently, i went on a 3 and a half day trip to the areas around kumbakonam. my goal was to atleast make my feet touch the ground of pazhayarai and kodikkarai. this interest was aroused by of course kalki's great novel Ponniyin Selvan. I wonder if some of you know, but there is a small village near patteeswaram called UDAYALUR. hardly anybody goes there, let alone know about it. then y is it so special? bcoz, that is the village where the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola's samaadhi can be found. its not much of a pallipadai, but i definitly felt very good vibrations in that place.
Description: presently, all that is left of the samadhi, is a lopsided, approx 1 n a quarter feet high shivalingam, half buried in the earth. only the baanam (the hemispherical portion of the linga) is above the ground. there was a pallipadai but unfortunately it got destroyed (washed away in a flood, if i remember correctly. sry 4 any misunderstanings)
How the place was found: some of you may have heard of or know late Sri. N. Sethuraman, a reknowned archaeologist of his times. the following incident was narrated by a person named Pakkirisamy, a 92-yr-old resident of Udayalur. When Sethu sir (as he was fondly called) came to Udayalur, he saw this shivalinga lying lopsided in the gorund. he suddenly lay down flat, wid his ear to the ground, and stayed like that for about fifteen to twenty mins. then he got up and told pakkirisamy, "there is a great emperor under the earth, in this very spot. he is the one who built the tanjavur temple. till u are alive, u must light a lamp and keep it here for him everyday." and pakkirisamy has been following Sethu sir's words to this very day.
Re: [ponniyinselvan] Re: Raja Raja's resting place : Pallippadai
Dear sps,This is for your information,not for debate.
In 1979, As requested by Kudanthai Sethu sir Mr.K.G.Krishnan(ASI),asked Dr.C.R.Srinivasan,and Mr.Chandu Nayar to excavate near the east entrance of Darasuram temple.As expected 2 inscriptions were unearthed.One by Konerimai kondan,identified as Kulothunga III,gave infomations about RRC II and his 5 conserts pallippadai temples..Sehtu sir started his journey,continued for 15 years.He made a search around Ooththukkadu village. His article on this subject was published in Epigraphica Indica Volume 41. Once he lost hope and kicked the ball in my court.He rendered all help and guided me.At last I identified the location.Sethu sir jumped with joy.Within an hour time we were in the spot.We surveyed carefully 6 sivalinga banams ,nandhis,temple structures,stones with inscriptions scatered all over in a coconut grove.A tank near this site is called Cholan Kulam.Sethu sir simply moved and actually wept on seeing the site. After we returned to his house,he came with a file of papers containing RRC's pallippadai,blessed me and handed it to me saying"My ambition is fulfilled by you.The credit goes to you only.One N.S(N.Sehturaman) started the journey,but stopped in the middle;any how another N.S(myself) continued and completed"
I submitted a paper about this discovery in Rameswaram seminar conducted by Archeological Society of Tamil Nadu in July 1994. Mr.Sethuraman sir is no more. Now I let the matter to you and deside who identified RRC II and his queens pallippadai temples. N.S.
Are there any pallipadai in Dharasuram Veerapadhrar temple apart from Ottakoothar's?
Few months back i have been there to visit Ottakoothar's samadhi. But i had to blame my luck, i could not see samadhi's old structure. It wascompletely destroyed, lingam and nandhi from the samadhi were housed in veerabadhrar's sannadhi. Had a small chat with Jeeva, the temple's care taker, who said thatRRC II's and his wives pallipadais might be there in the same temple.
Is there any truth inhis statement? Any excavations done in Veerabadhrar temple?
Pallippadai temples vary from Temples in regular worship (at least after the popularity of the Pallippadai - incornated personality vaned)..
So we see an attempt was made to ERADICATE the inscription (word) PALLIPPADAI in Panchavanmadeswaram - constructed for RRC's wife Panchavanmadevi by RRC's son Rajendra (though born to Bhuvanamadevi) near Pazhayarai - after her demise...
It was a rare Temple exclusively constructed for a Queen - away from her spouse Emperor...
This also reinforces the concept that since there was a Pallippadai constructed for a Queen of RRC, there should have been one built by RjC to his father RRC for sure.. !!
The priests were of PASUPATHA CULT ..
So DO NOT LOOK FOR SAMADHIs inside any Temple which is in regular worship... at the same time, one should be able to identify the ANCIENT STRUCTURE and additions at later point of time..
Scholars have been telling me that Kings / Emperors did not allow such Samadhi temples inside the regular (already existed) temple complex..
The RR II + Queens Samadhis were supposely on the thanjavur - Swamimalai main road on the nothern side of a canal - with other burial grounds around...
I recall our respected Selvaraj Sir's mail too in this connection.. and thats why posted also.
The permission for the excavation in and around this place at Udayalur has been obtained from the village head and the documents are given to SPS @ SB sir. He has to plan dates for starting the same.
Dear SPS Sir, Thanks, vanakkam, Please meet One Mr.SKR.Baalu who is in kumbakonam who was very much in touch with Mr. Sethuraman[raman&raman] & also he has some mystical information about RAJARAJACHOZAN, I f u are interested pl. mail me or give me your contact number, thanks.
Local Panchayat President has accorded permission to REACH to explore more details and offered support.
being one of the Founder member and RRC related , REACH nominated me to handle this.
after change in TN Government the officials are being appointed now only.
This was one of the points raised favourably by Dr. Sethuraman of Madurai Mission Hospital / Meenakshi Bhavan group - prior to elections. His political outfit is an ally to present power centre.
I am also associate editor of Indian Science Monitor of TKV Rajan.
TKV Rajan - Dr. Sethuraman - Myself (representing REACH ) had already organised a press meet in Kumbakonam about a few months back on this subject - wherein it was impressed to take up excavation of the area around the speuclated Samadhi.
Primarily i expect the excavation activities likely to take off once the nod is given by the Government for which WE will be instrumental.
I also envisage delay since Panchayat elections are likely to be announced before this year end - prior to monsoon.
Thus, realistically within next 6 months, some excavation activity, by the State Government, in coordination with an expert committee - which may also include REACH - and Local Panchayat is envisaged ..
We will draft a memorandum and present it to Dr. Sethuraman on the 3rd July meeting .. highlighting our interest and offer of support re excavation of RRC Samadhi.
One woman named Kathleen Martinez from the Dominican republic challenged the belief of Zahi Hawass himself and asked for a two month excavation period to findCleopatra's tomb!
Hope the tomb of these two celebreties will be found soon.