It read madan's veiwpoint with a pince of salt...my concerning points were..
He says Gangaokondacholapuram was the capital during later days of Rajaraja...we all know it was built by Rajendra to proclaim his victory upto Ganga....
second is the allegationof the vimanam nizhal....my understanding is the kumbam.i.e the kalasam etcs shadow does not fall on the ground because the base is so wide it falls on the gopuram itself and doesnt touch the ground....I have even sat there to watch it...(Thanjavurla verenna seyya mudiyum...
I agree on your view..As per the stories written by the history gaints.. Rajaraja Chozha Kept his capital as Thanjavur only.. he never moved that.. But inlater part Rajendra only moved that..we can refer "Mr. Neelankanda sastri" book on Indian history.. He writes there clearly.. That is the one of the book available to know more abt indian history. Rajendra Choozha moved to Gangaikondachozhapuram after our hero's deatch only.
I also watched the shadow for some couple of hours.. Kalasa nizhal.. never fall in the ground b'caz of its huge surface..
R.R.Chozha, Vandhiyaree, Kundavai.. pass your views...
Theoretically isn't it impossible for the kalasam shadow not to fall on ground.
In the evenings, when the shadows get very long, the shadow has to fall on the ground rite.
For the shadow not to fall on the ground, the some surrounding structure has to be of the same height, which is not the case. (But then, so far I believed that the shadow won't fall on the ground, without giving it a thought :)