Anyone here watches the program 'Payanam' in Makkal TV on sundays 11.30AM? This is a very good program and in the past few weeks they covered the coastal town of the Kayalpattanam along with some of the villages around it (think Korkai was one) and some of the historical monuments in that area. Week before last, it was Kumbakonam and some of the offbeat temples there like the vishnu temple with the entire Ramayanam painted by the Nayaks in the walls and some of the efforts to save it. Last week it was the trail of the Mathematical genius Ramanujam in KBM and his house, memorial etc. Also was a trip to the Nadaswara giant Rajarathinam pillai's dilipated house and some of the Nadaswara mfg people around that area. It is a very good program which with a slow narrative, tries to explore a few off beat locations with historical importance. While I believe that the high-visible heritage monuments need to be taken care of, it is a must that some sort of documentation such as these need to be done for the hundreds of smaller monuments which may not be available for the coming generations.
I have seen this program a few times, very good indeed. Covers many historical places. Its a good initiative.
talking about 'kayalpattnam' - i remember reading in Balakumaran's 'Irumbu Kuthiraigal' - that initially people from Kayalpattanam started the scrap business (buying selling waste items, scraps etc)and hence its called 'kayalan kadai'. Interested piece of info, but not sure how far its true?
There is an old bound book, 1950s i think lying in my home. A serial named 'Thennaattu Selvangal' on old temples. It is authored by Bharanidharan, I think. My mother used to say he is the same as Mereena, the playwright who wrote many plays centered on brahmin family politics.
I can scan this book and perhaps post it here, if anyone is interested, it is a treasure of information.
Hi I think the first to write a temple travelougue was u.Ve. Saminatha iyer.
its now the vougue. almost every magazine carries a temple article. better roads, more interest in religion is all fuelling this new thirst.good. venketesh
It will take some time for me to do it, the book is more than 500+ pages. Yes copyrighting may be an issue, I don't know. I think it is safe to post pictures and such, the pictures were not photographs, they were drawn by the great artist Silpi.
Thank you for the correction Shoba. It is not Bharanidharan, it is Bhaskara Thondaimaan, my sister clarified. I think we are talking about the same book, although I doubt if the new book will have the drawings by Silpi which made the old one remarkable.
I will scan and post some pictures atleast, am guessing now the book is copyrighted. Apologies for the miscommunication.