Hi my son watched the first show of the movie. since he was regularly updated on our discussions he keenly watched the kulothungan bit. in that kulothungan asks kamal" where is ramanuja?" was ramanuja a contemprory of the event?
List of things that happen in movie Kirumi Kanda cholan tells that ' do u know that since Koorthalvan has not told abt ramanjuar's hide out...and you know hwat happened' 'I know where ramanujar is and I know how to bring him back to this place and also how to spread saivism all over the tamil nadu' and also says 'rangarajan is his old friend'. He also tells Kamal that he would spare him if he says pancha aaksaram.
I have told wat comes in the movie....so some body separate facts from fiction here...
I have read lot of people posting that idol was recovered and kept in keel thirupathi... he the idol comes back only the present age...so Have i got confused with mulavar urchavar in this issue?
Movies and history, it is mostly 99% dented to fit the frame, while making the film. Dont blame them... it is difficult to go precise on history within a 3 hr frame. There are subtle mistakes and some gross ones. Some are pure 'ignorant' mistakes
For ex:
Ambikapathi movie: When Ambikapathi sings the 100 non-erotic songs, he picks up Skanda songs...nothing wrong even if Kamban was a staunch vaishnavite (sporting a vibuthi pattai intead of thirunamam). The lyrics sinthanai sei maname, in the last verse of vadivelum mayilum thunai, has the thirupugazh lines of Muthai tharu on it... Well, ambikapathi was not an Oracle to see the lines of Arunagiri coming some 300 years later...
So... movie is a movie... take it with a pinch of salt and ghee and what not...
1. Ramanuja was indeed a senior contemporary of Kulothunga II. But no records indicate that he was present at Chidambaram when the Incident took place. 2. It is only recorded that Ramanuja went into exile during the "sivAth paratharam nAsthi" incident. This is supposed to have happened during the time of AthiRajendra or (as some people put it) Kulothunga I. 3. The incident of Koorathazhwan also took place during this time, when AthiRajendra (I would like to stick to this name, rather than Kulothunga I, as I see a very valid point in our Dhivakar Sir's Thirumalai Thirudan Novel about this incident)removed the eyes of KoorathAzhwan for not accepting the parathvam of Siva over Narayana. Actually Koorathazhwan went to the court of AthiRajendra in the disguise of Ramanuja, to save Ramanuja. 4. There is no record of Ramanuja in hiding during the time of Kulothunga II when Govindarajar was thrown into the sea. 5. Even the Vaishnavite literatures do not subscribe to the view that Kulothunga II troubled any vaishnavite. Just that he threw Govindarajar into the sea, to make expansions to the Nataraja Sannidhi. 6. Rangaraja Nambi is a purely fictitious character. There definitely would have been an archakar in Govindarajar sannidhi. But no records indicate that this archakas name was Rangarajan Nambi or that he was tied along with Perumal and thrown into the sea. 7. The finding of the moolavar during the Tsunami, is purely fictitious and for the Cinematic touch. No history in that. This Govindarajar was found during, probably the Nayak times or Vijayanagar times, and restored in Kizh Thirupathi.
> 1. Ramanuja was indeed a senior contemporary of Kulothunga II. But > no records indicate that he was present at Chidambaram when the > Incident took place.
PARDON BY IGNORANCE, BUT HOW CAN WE ASCERTAIN CORRECTLY THE PERIOD OF RAMANUJA. I HAVE READ ATLEAST 5 DIFFERENT ` AUTHENTIC' VERSIONS OF HIS LIFE SPAN/EXILE. AS FAR AS THE CHOLA RULERS ARE CONCERNED WE DO HAVE THEIR INSCRIPTIONS TO GO BY.
ATHIRAJENDRA CHOLA -1070 TO 1070 (CHALUKYA/CHOLA RAJENDRA AKA) KULOTUNGA I,1070 TO 1120 VIKRAMA CHOLA 1118 TO 1135 KULOTUNGA II- 1133 TO 1150
EAGER TO SEE IF WE CAN MATCH THE LIFESPAN.
> 2. It is only recorded that Ramanuja went into exile during > the "sivAth paratharam nAsthi" incident. This is supposed to have > happened during the time of AthiRajendra or (as some people put it) > Kulothunga I.
AGAIN - IF YOU COULD CITE REFERENCES OF THE ABOVE INCIDENT WOULD BE GREAT.
OTTAKUTHAR HAS WRITTEN POEMS ON THREE CHOLA KINGS VIKRAMA, K 2 AND RAJARAJA 2 AS VIKRAMA CHOLA ULA, KULOTUNGA CHOLA ULA AND RAJARAJAN ULA. ( AGAIN SAINTS AND POETS SEEM TO HAVE OUTLIVED THE KINGS - IF WE TAKE THE CASE OF MINISTERS OF RRC, SEEM THEY TOO SERVED ATLEAST 3 !!)
> 3. The incident of Koorathazhwan also took place during this time, > when AthiRajendra (I would like to stick to this name, rather than > Kulothunga I, as I see a very valid point in our Dhivakar Sir's > Thirumalai Thirudan Novel about this incident)removed the eyes of > KoorathAzhwan for not accepting the parathvam of Siva over Narayana. > Actually Koorathazhwan went to the court of AthiRajendra in the > disguise of Ramanuja, to save Ramanuja.
AGAIN MOST PEOPLE CORRELATE THE NUMBERS OF YEARS OF HIS EXILE. IF INDEED THE TROUBLEMAKER WAS ATHIRAJENDRA - HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE LONG EXILE..
> 4. There is no record of Ramanuja in hiding during the time of > Kulothunga II when Govindarajar was thrown into the sea.
AGAIN LETS CHART TIME LINES.
REFER PREV DISCUSSIONS ON WHICH WAS THROWN INTO THE SEA - UTSAVAR OR MOOLAVAR??
> 5. Even the Vaishnavite literatures do not subscribe to the view > that Kulothunga II troubled any vaishnavite. Just that he threw > Govindarajar into the sea, to make expansions to the Nataraja > Sannidhi. > 6. Rangaraja Nambi is a purely fictitious character. There > definitely would have been an archakar in Govindarajar sannidhi. But > no records indicate that this archakas name was Rangarajan Nambi or > that he was tied along with Perumal and thrown into the sea. > 7. The finding of the moolavar during the Tsunami, is purely > fictitious and for the Cinematic touch. No history in that. This > Govindarajar was found during, probably the Nayak times or > Vijayanagar times, and restored in Kizh Thirupathi.
WAS THE MOOLVAR INSTALLED IN TIRUPATHI - NOT SURE....
THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OF THE IDOL BEING FOUND BY FISHERMEN AND IMMDLY RETURNED TO THE THILLAI TEMPLE. WILL SEARCH AND PROVIDE.
INCIDENTALLY, WHILE SEARCHING FOR THIS CAME ACROSS BELOW ON INSCRIPTIONS IN TIRUPATHI
The earliest stone record of the temple goes back to the 51st year of the reign of Ko-Vijaya-Danti Vikram Varma of the Pallava Dynasty (830 A.C.) (No.219 G.T.) when a certain 'Ulagapperumanar of So1anur in Sola-Nadu instituted the service of a lamp, nanda-vilakku, i.e., burning a lamp.
Raja Raja Chola is the earliest king, whose name is associated with the main temple at Tirumala in a Tamil inscription issued in the 16th year of his rule (No. 17-T.T.). The queen of Paranthaka II ; Sundara Chola, , the king who slept at the Golden -Hall' and daughter of Cheraman, presented to the Lord of Seven Hills a Pattam (diadem) for the forehead set with precious stones, in the 16th year of the reign of Raja Raja I (101 A.C.) (No. 17 T.T.).
Samavai, a Pallava queen, presented a Kiritam (crown), a necklace of four strings and other ornaments for the hands, waist and feet of Lord Srinivasa and consecrated a silver image meant for processions, and endowed the Temple with lands in Tiruchukanur" (Tiruchanur). (Nos. 18 and 19 T. T.).
Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I (1250 to 1275 A.C.) placed a gilded kalasam over the vimanam of Sri Venkateswara's shrine.
The Pallava inscription No.219 G.T. dated in the 51st year of the reign of Ko- Vijaya-Danti Vikrama Varman (830 A.C.) is the earliest in the collection, which records an arrangement made for keeping a lamp burning before a processional image installed in the shrine of Tiruvenkatattu-Emperumanadigal.
The Chola records register donations and gifts intended for nanda- vilakku (lamp-lighting). We find that ghee alone was used for all lamps inside the temple and this practice still continues at Tirumala Temple.
TTD has brought out the inscriptions in six volumes under the title, TTD epigraphical series.
A chola by name Dharma Varma who was then ruling the territory, had seen the Ranga Vimana at the Yagasala when Dasaratha performed the Putrakameshti Yaga. He was so fascinated that he wanted to have it installed in his region. When he undertook a tapas on the banks of Chandrapushkarani, the sages told him that Sri Ranga Vimana was expected to arrive any time and requested him to give up the penance.
Soon the "Sriranga Vimana" carried by Vibheeshana had arrived and the episode (explained above) had taken place. Dharma Varma was overjoyed as the Lord had willed to make it his abode. He built a shrine for the Vimana, the surrounding Prakara known as "Dharma Varma Veedhi" and arranged for proper daily worship.
In course of time, Nature devoured the site. The Sri Ranga Vimana and the structures disappeared and became a habitat for wild animals. A ruling prince of the Chola dynasty hunting to that spot overheard a parrot repeating a sloka.
The river Kaveri is the very same river Viraja that eternally flows in Vaikunta, Srirangam Temple is verily Vaikuntam itself, the Abode of Lord Vishnu where he sits in all splendour and majesty in the company of Nityasuris.
The Lord of Arangam, is none but Vasudeva, the Primeval Lord Himself. The Vimana is verily the external Paramapada itself.
The Vimana is in the form of the Pranava (the life sustaining mantra). The four towers are marvelously akin to the four Vedas and the Lord, Sri Rangasayee is expounding the import of the Pranava.
On understanding the import of this sloka, the chola caused the earth towards the west of the tree (known as Tirumudikkurai) to be dug deep to lay a secure foundation for the Sriranga Vimana. But the Lord appeared before him in a dream and pointed out to him the exact spot wherein he lay. The king was overjoyed at finding the glittering Ranga Vimanam there. He cleared the forest, constructed all the essential parts of the temple, laid down flower gardens, instituted temple services and forms of worship. The shrine became widely knows as "Tiruvaranga Tirupathi", thanks to the benefactions of Kili Chola and his successors who ruled from Uraiyur. With the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in the Tamil country, there arose a strong reaction against their growing influence. This found expression in a wide movement among the worshippers of Vishnu and Siva. The Vaishnava resurgent movement was spearheaded by the Alvars who brought religion to the heart of the people. They employed Tamil (the local language) as the medium of expression and composed the exuberant devotional songs - celebrated as the "Nalayira Divya Prabandham".
Numerous inscriptions appear on the walls and other places. They exceed over 600. They furnish us with a variety of information about the benefactions made by the ruling classes from time to time and also about the social, economic and political conditions.
For instance, we learn that Parantaka I (907 - 955 AD), was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha. During his reign, the temple received many benefactions. A gift of 30 pieces of gold for a permanent lamp, 40 for camphor, one for cotton wick and a silver lamp were received by the Sabha of Tiruvarangam which managed these endowments. A hundred Kalanju of gold was made for performing the Tirumanjanam of the Lord with a "Sahasradhara" gold plate (1000 holed). Provision for cake offerings to the Lord on the Ekadasi day during the Panguni festival was made through a gift of two plots of land.
The Anbil plates of Parantaka II (Sundara Chola 956 - 973 AD) record the grant to Srinatha, a native of Anbil (Premagriha). This Vaishnava teacher was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha and is identified with Nathamuni, the first of the Sri Vaishnava acharyas. He organised regular classes in which he expounded the import of the "Nalayira Divya Prabandham" and continued the festivals organised by Tirumangai Alvar and made arrangements for the recitation of the 'Nalayiram'.
The contents of the Anbil plates also convey the very strong Vaishnava feelings of Aniruddha - the minister of Parantaka II (955 - 985 AD). He himself recited these hymns, illustrating them with appropriate gestures during the Tirumoli and Tiruvoimoli festivals and trained his two nephews, Kallaiyagattalvan and Melaiyagattalvan to sing and dance during the festivals.
During the regime of the greatest of the Cholas, Raja Raja I (985 - 1014 AD), a gift of gold and a gift of one hundred cows to the temple for daily supply of four 'Nali' of milk to the deity by one of his officers was recorded. It also provided for cattle sheds and grazing fields.
The second Prakara is known as Rajamahendran Veedhi, a prince of the chola dynasty. He is said to have gifted to the Lord a serpent couch with precious gem set. There are in all 105 Chola inscriptions in the temple. Of these, 65 are assignable to Kulottunga I and 14 to the reign of his son, Vikrama Chola between the years 1070 and 1125 AD. Vikrama Chola is also said to have built a gosala and a shrine for Krishna in the North East of the fifth Prakara. He also built a shrine for Rama in the South West and for Nachiyar in the North West. The huge Garuda in the Periatirumandapa fourth enclosure known as "Alinadan Tiruveedhi" was installed during his reign. He was also known as "Akalanka". The fifth enclosure - Akalankan Tiruveedhi was paved during his reign.
It is significant that during the acharya-ship of Sri Ramanuja, numerous benefactions accrued to the temple. Ramanuja completely overhauled the administrative system and saw to it, that great care was exercised in the matter of control of temple affairs and for this purpose - the office of the Senapathi Durandhara was created and charged with the specific duty of superintendence of the temple. Mudali and his descendants held the office with great distinction for almost two centuries.
Kulottunga III and Raja Raja III also continued to best