Rajarajechcharam is Kudavayil Balasubramanian's tribute to Raja Raja Chola.
Photos: R. Ashok and M. Karunakaran.
* Interesting details: A view of the Brahadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur. *
There you see Raja Raja I enter the Thanjavur Big Temple, through the entrance known as Anukkan vayil, and his bodyguards ask people to make way for him. The King admires the Kerala style art of the entrance. He then turns his gaze towards the Keralantakan Vaayil, which is a reminder of his victory over the Chera king. This gopuram is a metaphor in stone for one of the five elements, namely fire.
Raja Raja's glance then briefly rests on the Raja Rajan Vaayil, with its sculptural representations of another element - water. He then walks towards the sanctum sanctorum, where he worships the Linga that arises from the earth. The inside of the vimanam is hollow all the way up to the kalasam, representing yet another element - space.
The King then enters the Saantaaram, the passage around the sanctum sanctorum, and worships the deities here, while a pleasant breeze caresses his face. The fifth element - air - is represented here. But the king's worship is not over, yet. He now genuflects before devotees who have worshipped at the temple!
*40-year obsession*
These are the sequential images that one is able to visualise, when one reads Dr. Kudavayil Balasubramanian's book on the Big Temple, titled ‘Rajarajechcharam.' The book is the result of his 40-year obsession with the Big Temple. The book records details about the architecture, sculptures, art, inscriptions, history of and philosophy behind the temple.
* The author, Dr. Kudavayil Balasubramanian *
It is a heavy tome running to 518 pages. Although laden with facts, it does not wear one down, for the facts are presented in a simple style, with accompanying photographs. Where photographs are not available, as for example in the case of lost copper images, like that of Panchadehamurthy and Mahameruvidangar, sketches are provided, on the basis of details in inscriptions.
Reading the book is like embarking on a voyage of discovery. We are surprised to learn that ‘Madras terracing,' was used in the Keralantakan Vaayil and Raja Rajan Vaayil. A description of the musical instrument Pataviyam as ‘violin like' is borne out by pictures of sculptures in the temple showing bhuta ganas playing the instrument.
Balasubramanian's references to inscriptions and sculptures in other temples add value to the book. Mythological stories behind sculptures are explained.
The details about how interest rates were fixed, and how interest on loans from the temple treasury was paid in kind, make for interesting reading. It would have been helpful if Balasubramanian had also explained in his book, how the ‘gift' of sheep for lighting lamps in the temple worked.
* The book cover *
I catch up with him, and ask him how these ‘gifts' worked, and his explanation shows that our kings knew how to make temples self-sustaining. A donor who wished to sponsor an eternally-lit lamp at the temple, would gift sheep. Anyone who wished to make a living through sheep rearing, would be given a flock of 96, which would consist of a certain number of rams, ewes of fertile age, and lambs too. He could sell or use the meat and milk of the sheep. All he had to do in return was to supply ghee everyday for the lamp of the donor.
If at some point he wanted to give up sheep rearing, he could return the flock to the temple. Only, he had to make sure that the flock that he returned had the same number of rams, ewes of fertile age and lambs that he had received from the temple. Thus ghee for lamps was ensured, as was employment to many. Maybe such explanations will be included in the future editions of the book.
Balasubramanian's book, which costs Rs. 600, was released recently in Thanjavur, by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi. Copies can be had from the author. Phone: 9843666921
** * **
* Who killed Aditya Karikalan? *
W ho killed Raja Raja I's brother Aditya Karikalan? The needle of suspicion pointed to Uthama Chola, according to K.A. Nilakanta Sastri. There were some who felt Raja Raja had a hand in the murder.
Kudavayil Balasubramanian has published a paper, on the basis of the Udayargudi inscriptions, in which he points out that neither Uthama Chola nor Raja Raja had a hand in the murder. The killing of Aditya Karikalan was an act of revenge against him by the Pandyas, for his cutting off the head of the Pandya King and keeping it on public display.
*The plot*
The assassination plot against Aditya Karikalan was masterminded by three brothers, whose names are mentioned in the Udayargudi inscriptions. The three plotters would not have dared to remain in the Chola territory after committing the murder, argues Balasubramanian. That is why there are no inscriptions that mention what punishment was handed down to them.
But the Udayargudi inscription clearly states that the lands of even their distant relatives were confiscated by the government. This confiscation took place long before Raja Raja's time, ruling out the suggestion that Uthama Chola had deliberately spared the plotters. The Udayargudi inscription says that in Raja Raja's second regnal year, a portion of the confiscated land was sold to Vyazha Gajamallan, and two officials were sent down to supervise the terms of the sale.
The averment that Raja Raja was kind to the plotters because they were Brahmins, is absurd, according to Balasubramanian. Brahmins were not just advisors to kings, but even fought in armies, and would be killed by the enemy forces.
Inscriptions say that Raja Raja killed many Brahmins who were in the Chalukya army. So had Raja Raja or Uthama Chola been able to capture the assassins, they would not have shown them any lenience on account of their caste.